Close Menu
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    HITMAN World of Assassination - Signature Edition

    ‘HITMAN World Of Assassination’ Struggles On Switch 2

    06/16/2025
    One Piece But Why Tho 5

    Fathers of ‘One Piece’: Powerful Bonds, Legacy, and Found Family

    06/13/2025
    Elena Street Fighter 6 But Why Tho

    Elena Brings Style And Versatility To ‘Street Fighter 6’

    06/06/2025
    Lune and Sciel from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

    Lune, Sciel, And The Romance Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Fails To Realize

    06/05/2025
    Ana de Armas as Eve Macarro

    Everything To Know About Eve Macarro In ‘Ballerina’

    06/05/2025
  • Star Wars
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2 Games
  • Summer Game Fest
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘Invisible Man’ Will Shake You to Your Core

REVIEW: ‘Invisible Man’ Will Shake You to Your Core

Kate SánchezBy Kate Sánchez02/26/20206 Mins ReadUpdated:01/16/2025
The Invisible Man - But Why Tho (1)
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email
Content Warning: This review and The Invisible Man contain discussion of domestic violence and abuse

Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man captured my attention with its first trailer. One of my favorite stories and Universal Monsters, the Invisible Man has always offered up a look at humanity with the main character’s descent into madness as the story progressed. But, it was clear from the trailer that the protagonist wouldn’t be him, but instead, a woman moving through trauma.

In Whannell’s take on the iconic character, we get a terrifying modern tale of obsession and abuse that, from the trailer alone, showcased what many abuse survivors face during and after their trauma. Played by Elisabeth Moss, Cecilia is trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Scared for her life, Cecilia escapes in the middle of the night and goes into hiding, aided by her sister Alice (Harriet Dyer), their childhood friend James (Aldis Hodge), and his teenage daughter Sydney (Storm Reid).

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

But when Cecilia’s abusive ex commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turn lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see. Written and directed by Whannell, the premise of the film is terrifying and the response online was immediate, with many women expressing their experiences with gaslighting after abuse.

While this isn’t the story we’re used to, Whannell’s The Invisible Man might just be the story we need. Trauma as the center of horror carries weight for the audience, and in the genre’s design, you’re expected to empathize with the protagonist. As they struggle, you struggle. As they feel fear, you do too. The genre facilitates an empathetic bond which is one of the reasons social horror films hit audiences hard while also providing commentary on larger issues. In this story, the audience is forced to confront the realities of abuse and its psychological toll. While Whannell does show some fairly intense violence in the film, we don’t see the physical brutalization that Cecilia faced in her relationship and, like the Invisible Man himself, what we don’t see is what is still terrifying.

The beginning of the film is all about Cecilia leaving her abuser, her PTSD from the abuse, and coming to terms with life free from him. The specter of abuse is present even before the physical monster is. The genius of the film is that it uses the same camera angles, from Adrian’s perspective, from the very beginning. He is the abuser, the tormentor, the monster from moment one. When Cecilia sits at a table, her sister and her friend ready to listen to her story, she’s scared. Even then, with her abuser dead, she’s terrified. Her breath catches, she face wrings twists, and the way she describes the control he exerted over her cut like daggers.

Moss’s performance was jawdropping, real, and painful. Her emotion and her fear – it pushes the audience to sympathize, to want to protect her. But then, the perspective shifts from hers to how the world sees her. We know that the acts being committed aren’t by her. We know that Adrian is there. We know. And yet, we’re left to her gaslighted, ignored, and treated as if she’s losing her mind. While this is the reaction to her claiming that her ex faked his death and is tormenting her, the reaction from her family, friends, and institutions that she interacts with is also very real. When you come forward about abuse, it’s your word versus theirs, and when they have power and a pristine image to the outside, it’s a fight just to be believed.

The Invisible Man - But Why Tho (1)

Because the dialogue, specifically when coupled with Moss’s acting is so real, The Invisible Man continually strokes a raw nerve. It winds you up from the opening scene and keeps pushing you throughout the film. Because of this, Cecilia’s path to revenge is cathartic and deserved. The Invisible Man offers a good payoff, even if it takes a tad too long to present it. While the film is just over two hours, the moments of watching Cecililia spiral makes it feel so much longer. Additionally, the use of CG in the film is jarring, given the very intimate nature of Whannell’s directorial style. Sub-par science fiction visuals rubbing against a beautifully shot film are what lower the film’s impact. However, these are mostly contained to the third act with only one occurring in the second act. Thankfully, the plot twists and Moss’s acting pull you right back in.

That said, outside of the raw and emotional portrayal of abuse, what happens after, and of course, the Invisible Man, the horror in the film is never cheaply won. Whannell uses sound design to heighten the tension. It drops out and then sharply shatters the screen timed to panic attacks and reveals. Additionally, the framing of each shot makes you question Cecilia’s safety from the jump. Whannell beautifully uses wide spaces that make the setting feel cold and isolated. In the moments when Cecilia is given glimpses of peace, the shots are warm, close, and then, they shift. In stark contrast, when Adrian’s ghost and the possibility of his presence are involved, Cecilia is made small in her surroundings. The ceiling feels unreachable, the walls are sprawling, and when something looks slightly off in a small piece of the frame, your heart quickens. Because of this, every scene becomes uncomfortable.

I can not stress enough how much I love The Invisible Man but at the same time, I don’t think I will ever watch it again. The scares are elicited through pain and tapping trauma, which makes the experience a shaking one. The film has layers of horror, but also layers of commentary. I see The Invisible Man as yet another jewel in the Blumhouse cap, I’ve never been more thankful for Universal’s “Dark Universe” being abandoned. And while I find this movie phenomenal, if your trauma is still fresh, you may want to be cautious coming into The Invisible Man. A painful catharsis, Leigh Whannell knocked this new take on an old tale out of the park and it will shake you to your core.

The Invisible Man is available now on VOD and Hulu.

The Invisible Man
  • 9/10
    Rating - 9/10
9/10

TL;DR

I can not stress enough how much I love The Invisible Man but at the same time, I don’t think I will ever watch it again. The scares are elicited through pain and tapping trauma which makes the experience a shaking one. The film has layers of horror, but also layers of commentary.

  • Watch Now With Our Link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen,’ Issue #3
Next Article Finding Myself In Media: How Static Shock Represents Me
Kate Sánchez
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Kate Sánchez is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of But Why Tho? A Geek Community. There, she coordinates film, television, anime, and manga coverage. Kate is also a freelance journalist writing features on video games, anime, and film. Her focus as a critic is championing animation and international films and television series for inclusion in awards cycles. Find her on Bluesky @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social

Related Posts

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later
8.5

REVIEW: ’28 Years Later’ Is How Franchises Should Return

06/18/2025
Elio in Pixar's Elio
6.5

REVIEW: ‘Elio’ Gets Lost In The Stars But Mostly Finds Its Way Home

06/17/2025
Diablo (2025) promotional key art
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Diablo’ Keeps The Mid-Budget Action Goodness Going

06/16/2025
Deep Cover (2025) key art with Nick Mohammed, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Orlando Bloom
6.0

REVIEW: Orlando Bloom Gives His All In ‘Deep Cover’

06/15/2025
Our Times But Why Tho
3.5

REVIEW: ‘Our Times’ Wastes A Good Premise On A Bad Plot

06/14/2025
Red Blood Cell and White Cell in Cells at Work
9.0

REVIEW: ‘Cells at Work’ Does A Beloved Anime Justice

06/13/2025
TRENDING POSTS
Taecyeon and Seohyun in The First Night with the Duke Episodes 1-2
8.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The First Night With The Duke’ Episodes 1-2

By Sarah Musnicky06/12/2025

The bar is set pretty high with The First Night With The Duke Episodes 1-2. While exposition-heavy, it is a delightfully silly watch.

Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Set Art News

The Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Drop Starts Today And It’s Hitting Me Hard

By Kate Sánchez06/16/2025Updated:06/16/2025

The Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Drop is open for orders now, and they support NALAC. To be honest it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered promotional art from Bandai Namco
6.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered’

By Matthew Glenn06/14/2025

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Battle Destiny Remastered is runs on nostalgia and great Gundam piloting, but there is more left to be desired.

Still Wakes the Deep: Siren's Rest
6.0
Xbox Series X/S

DLC REVIEW: ‘Still Wakes The Deep: Siren’s Rest’ Is Too Brief And Lacks Closure

By Mick Abrahamson06/18/2025Updated:06/18/2025

Still Wakes the Deep’s Siren’s Rest DLC is tense yet unsatisfying in its encore and will leave you wanting more than what’s offered.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here