‘The Invisible Man’ Flips the Script: A Chilling Remake Gives Women a Voice

H.G. Wells’ influential science fiction novel “The Invisible Man” has spawned a myriad of adaptations since its publication in 1897, notably a critically acclaimed film in 1933 and several more movies and TV series since then. But writer-director Leigh Whannell’s 2020 rendition of “The Invisible Man” is more than a rehash of the same familiar story; Whannell freshens the classic tale by following not the titular invisible man, but a new character instead. Enter Cecilia Kass.

Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is a woman fleeing her abusive boyfriend, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), an expert in the field of optics. She seeks refuge at the home of longtime friend James (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). Just two weeks into her stay with them, Cecilia’s sister (Harriet Dyer) informs her that Adrian committed suicide, meaning she no longer has to live in fear of him. Sinister occurrences, however, lead Cecilia to believe that Adrian is not dead but instead using his technology to turn invisibile and continue to torture her. With this new storyline, Whannell’s “The Invisible Man” is an engrossing, well-paced rollercoaster that not only arouses fear but also effectively portrays the toxic and harrowing nature of abusive relationships.

Moss delivers a gripping performance with a difficult role — a tortured woman led to doubt her own sanity. Though Cecilia is convinced that Adrian is still alive, everyone around her believes that post-traumatic stress is causing her to lose her grip on reality. “He said that I could never leave him, that wherever I went he would find me,” she tells Adrian’s brother, desperate for him to admit that the suicide was staged. Scenes with only Cecilia and the invisible Adrian place more pressure on Moss as the sole actor, but she holds her own as she convincingly portrays the at once frightened yet defiant character.

The lack of a visible villain could have been a detriment to “The Invisible Man,” but it ultimately adds to the suspense. While Adrian’s harassment of Cecilia begins with small, if sometimes clichéd actions, like burning her breakfast and pulling off her sheets at night, it gradually escalates to acts of extreme violence.

Whannell intelligently conveys the manipulative behavior of domestic violence as Adrian expertly uses his invisibility to isolate Cecilia from the people that care about her, leaving her alone and vulnerable. H.G. Wells’ novel leaves room for sympathy for the titular character, rendering his violent behavior the result of his irreversible state of invisibility; in the film, however, Adrian can become visible again whenever he wants. With this significant alteration, the film allows audiences to see the often disregarded narrative of victimized women. Whannell’s film thus empathizes with victims of domestic violence and highlights the cruel nature of gaslighting that can feed unequal power dynamics. Throughout the movie, Cecilia maintains her version of the truth, even when Adrian’s stunts and manipulations set her up to appear crazy. In one of the few scenes where Adrian is shown without his invisibility suit, he’s just as controlling and deceptive as Cecilia has described him to be. “I need you, Cecilia,” he says, trying to convince her that their relationship is codependent. Though Adrian is charismatic with his good looks and smooth talking, he never crosses the line to become a likable character.

Although formulaic in structure, “The Invisible Man”’s talented cast and updated plot differentiate it from the plethora of other horror films. Aldis Hodge is naturally likable as James, Cecilia’s well-intentioned but disbelieving friend, and Oliver Jackson-Cohen effectively captures the cunning nature of the sociopathic Adrian. It’s Elisabeth Moss’s multifaceted and authentic performance, though, that truly holds the film together. Her strong-willed and fearless character, at the helm of a storyline far more substantive than most horror films, is the highlight of this tense and riveting remake.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, “The Invisible Man” is now available for rent early on video-on-demand.

— Staff writer Jaden Thompson can be reached at jaden.thompson@thecrimson.com.