Film Review The Invisible Man-Terror Invisible

JAKARTA - You can count the fingers of cases of film adaptations of novels that are able to satisfy their readers. Instead of receiving a deep response, those who witnessed it often immediately gave a bad stamp without enjoying the narrative that became the difference between the joys of reading and watching.

Fortunately, when watching the psychological thriller genre film adapted from the novel by Herbert George Well of the same title, The Invisible Man, it was a little relieved. Although there is a slightly different perspective between the book and film versions, we are quite satisfied because films can embody the same excitement as in books.

Even so, there are differences in views between people who have watched The Invisible Man for the first time and those who have previously witnessed the adaptation of the same novel. Prior to the 2020 release, the novel has been adapted twice. First in 1933 with the title The Invisible Man by director James Whale, followed by Joe May's The Invisible Man Returns in 1940.

Back to the 2020 release of The Invisible Man. This film contains many elements of surprise from the beginning to the end of the story. This film guarantees the audience that they will not look away even if only for an instant. Leigh Whannel is able to direct film scenes with a hypnotic effect.

The terror of an invisible figure

The film opens with a story of a less harmonious relationship between Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) and her lover, Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) who is a scientist. Cecilia, who feels that her life is completely controlled like a robot - whether it's talking, dressing, or eating everyday - then plans to escape from Griffin's ultra-modern home.

The escape was successful. To the point, Griffin didn't know where Cecilia lived. After a while, Cecilia, who is comfortable hiding in the house of her police friend, James (Aldis Hodge), and her daughter, Sydney (Storm Reid), gets the shocking news that her lover has died due to suicide.

For Cecilia, the obituary might be happy news towards true freedom. However, a letter sent to him changes the situation. In the letter, Griffin left all his fortune to Cecilia.

Cecilia, who had doubts, then resolved herself to bear the inheritance. However, who would have thought, this decision was the beginning of a series of terror committed by his former lover. Until gradually Cecilia began to notice Griffin's presence in her safe house.

Uniquely, the lover who terrorized him turned out to have no form, aka an invisible creature. Therefore, every time he tried to ask his friends for help, they then thought of him as an insane person.

Will fate go to Cecilia's side, or will luck fall on her lover's life line? Of course it will come as a surprise to anyone willing to spend two hours enjoying the visual excitement of this film based on the adaptation of this famous novel.

In addition, the interesting presentation of this film is able to lure those who are the audience to guess the unpredictable storyline, such as when the audience is agitated by the tricks and mind games of the entire plot of the film.

Regarding the quality of Cecilia's acting, it seems quite attractive. The facial expression when tired, scared, angry, and even depressed can convey a message to the audience to agree with each phase the main character goes through.

The cool acting is perfected thanks to the presence of tense background music, as well as the movement of the camera that makes the entire cinema catch their breath by the behavior of those who play the role of avoiding cruel, invisible humans.

For those of you who are still confused about filling in your spare time at the beginning of March, this film can be an interesting alternative in order to get your spirits up after a long day of work. At the very least, The Invisible Man can open up discussions about several things, from the possibility of developing a story to an alternative ending.