David Goyer's "The Invisible", a remake of a film I have not yet seen, and a rip-off of Hiroshi Teshigahara's "Pitfall", kicks off with an interesting premise that it does not remain faithful to. A young student is murdered by a trio of arrogant classmates with pseudo-cynical attitudes. After they bury him in the woods, he rises from his own damaged body and walks amongst them as an invisible man. We see him, but they don't. This guy can't communicate with them or interact with material objects (at least not initially), but he can hang about and eavesdrop on their screwed-up lives. Obviously, he learns why he was killed , and he eventually gets to see some justice. The problem with this premise is that our hero does not drive the story. He witnesses it. Because he can't be heard or seen, he's an observer who comments on what's happening. His commentary is not without interest, but after the forty-five minute mark, the premise collapses. Goyer must have thought so, too, because he starts breaking the rules he's established. Some characters become aware of our hero's existence, and some characters start to hear him. As the authorities get closer to solving his "murder", there's a murky understanding that this is why our hero is becoming more visible. In the end, it doesn't work. The film's first half hour is hypnotic, and I felt sure that I was in for a treat, but the set-up bites off more than its third act can chew, and the result is a very disjointed, unsatisfying experience.
Review of The Invisible
