The Invisible Man Review: 8 Ups & 2 Downs
7. Leigh Whannell's Exceptional Direction
Writer-director Leigh Whannell sure has come a long way since entering the film industry as the writer of the first three Saw films and, in 2015, making his directorial debut as the helmer of the relatively mediocre Insidious: Chapter 3.
Whannell proved with 2018's Upgrade that he could turn in imaginative results on a low budget, as likely won him the opportunity to both write and direct The Invisible Man in the first place.
This film marks another bold step forward for the Aussie filmmaker, who impressive makes the mere $7 million production look several times more expensive than that.
While on one hand he makes sparing use of visual effects and often relies more on both the negative space of the empty frame and the stunning work of his sound team, Whannell also does a remarkable job with the brief bursts of shocking violence, utilising offputtingly jolting camerawork reminiscent of his prior work on Upgrade.
The result is a film that often feels more like an arthouse joint than a genre flick being released by Universal, but at the same time, it knows when to let loose with the gonzo action.