|
The Invisible
Directed by: David S. Goyer
Starring: Justin Chatwin
Genre:
Thriller
Run Time: 97 min.
Release Date:
April 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
If you were a film maker
and happened upon a bad premise that ended just as bad as it started,
you’d probably want to hide. And thus, I believe, is where THE
INVISIBLE received its true title.
Based extremely loosely on the 2002 Swedish thriller
DEN OSYNLIGE, The Invisible is so wrought with problems as to
be sadly laughable.
First let’s look at the premise of the film. A nearly murdered boy named
Nick (Justin Chatwin, WEEDS) comes back to ‘life’ ...but doesn’t.
He’s a ghost of himself but doesn’t know why, nor does the viewing
audience. Perhaps he’s being taught some ethereal lesson? Who knows?
Second is the hot-tough-chick who ‘kills’ Nick named Annie (Margarita
Levieva). She’s battling demons both in her private life and her school,
finding trouble wherever it may lay. And when she thinks she’s killed
Nick, she suddenly grows a conscious. Why she does is, again, unclear.
But, oh, there’s the fact that this troubled girl who ‘killed’ this
fellow school mate can suddenly hear him, too. Again, we’re unsure why
this is. One would think that Nick’s mom (Marcia Gay Harden,
INTO THE WILD)
would be the one to hear her own son. After all, she has a genetic
connection to him and would probably be the one most likely to hear his
near-death pleas. But ...no.
Third is the moving of Nick’s ‘body’ by another bad guy. Why this is
done is probably the most troublesome event in the entire film. Nick’s
body was tossed into a hidden area, and that area was searched by the
local constabulary. His body not found. Then, this bad guy comes along
and moves it ...out in the open! At this point, I nearly turned the movie
off. But I guess I was feeling a bit masochistic this day and continued
on. Ugh!
And finally we come to the woefully lame ending. Why Nick’s mother would
allow his would-be killer into his hospital room is beyond ludicrous.
And the fact that she laid down and ‘poof!’ Nick is once again ‘alive’
is pure schlock to the highest degree.
One would think that Director David S. Goyer would come up with
something powerful and moving, especially when you consider he did some
amazing writing work on films such as DARK CITY, BLADE and BATMAN
BEGINS. But ...no. I guess they all can’t be winners. I bet Mr. Goyer
wishes he were invisible after the release of this mess.
(back to top) |
Image from The Invisible
DVD cost: $13.86
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo?
Yes.
Newsworthy:
The shirt that Nick is
wearing at the end of the movie bears a crow on the chest. In some
Native American legends (and the graphic novel by James O'Barr bearing
the name) the crow could carry a person's soul back from the land of the
dead.
Movie Quote: "He's
not dead!"
Other Actors/Actresses
from The Invisible
   |
