The Invisible
Buena Vista Pictures and Hollywood Pictures
Buy now from CalgaryMovies DVD Store!
Synopsis:
The Invisible is based on the premise that there's a window of time near death where the soul departs one's body and is stuck in limbo – not dead, but not exactly bursting with life.
Nick Powell (Justin Chatwin) is a high school student and talented writer who lives in a gorgeous, well-designed home. He's smart and a budding entrepreneur, filling a lucrative niche by writing essays for jocks. A loner but not a loser, Nick's a hip nerd with big plans for the future. But all's not well. Despite appearances, Nick is secretly tormented – a mere child when his father passed away, he has a mother (Marcia Gay Harden) who is more concerned with work and keeping up appearances than nurturing his talents.
A loyal friend, Nick bails out pal Pete (Chris Marquette) after he's short on funds owed to a gang of bullies. Fearless, Nick taunts head tormentor Annie Newton (Margarita Levieva), whispering to her that she is "so broken." Annie lashes out at him and both are sent to the principal's office where they seemingly make a connection.
A few days later, Annie is busted for a jewelry heist and she smells a rat in Pete. In an act of cowardice, Pete squares the blame on Nick causing Annie and her crew to beat him incessantly and leave him for dead. Nick awakes the next day and heads off to school when he soon realizes he's…wait for it…invisible. Not quite dead, but barely alive, Nick discovers the grim irony that his murderer (Annie) is the only one who can save him. Can Annie redeem herself by saving Nick? More importantly, will she?
There are some unintentionally hilarious moments throughout such as: when Annie miraculously outwits a gaggle of cops by jumping over a chain link fence; and then when Annie sneaks into Nick's room to muse over his belongings, to name a few.
Despite some clunky dialogue and initial scenes that feel unfinished, The Invisible is a highly entertaining movie. Slicker than your average teen flick, Justin Chatwin who plays Nick (and eerily resembles Ryan Gosling) is compelling, with the perfect measure of tortured teenage angst. Margarita Levieva who reminded me of Angelina Jolie, plays misunderstood Annie Newton with restraint and humanity. Unsurprisingly, Marcia Gay Harden is spot-on as Nick's well intentioned but clueless mother Diane, playing her with characteristic depth and believability. There's a moment of vulnerability that'll wring any cynic's heart and is proof positive of Harden's talent.
Video: How's it look?
Widescreen 1.85:1, Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions (clear, not essential for mostly standard shots and framing).
Audio: How's it sound?
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (excellent for indie soundtrack with songs by Death Cab for Cutie, TV On the Radio, Snow Patrol, etc.).
Extras: What additional goodies are included?
- French & Spanish Language Tracks
- French & Spanish Subtitles
- Over 13 minutes of deleted scenes (I hoped for an alternate ending but there isn't one)
- Music Videos: 30 Seconds to Mars "The Kill" (live and in concert), Sparta "Taking Back Control"
- Audio Commentary with Director David S. Goyer and Writer Christine Roum
- Audio Commentary with Writer Mick Davis
Closing Thoughts
Hyped as a movie "from the producers of The Sixth Sense," The Invisible is not quite as compelling, horrifying, or thrilling – nevertheless, this is a slick and entertaining flick.
Review brought to you by our friend Anh. Anh Chu is a writer, preditor (tv speak for producer/editor) and not actually a bodily function like her name implies. You can reach her at choochoochoo@hotmail.com.
|
