The Invisible (Movie Post)
Feb. 26th, 2009 11:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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The Invisible is a thriller about a young man, Nick, who wanders the borders between life and death, unseen and unheard. The only person who can save him is the girl who tired to kill him. Callum Keith Rennie plays Detective Brain Larson, the police officer who is trying to find and help Nick before it's too late.
The IMDB page: The Invisible (2007)
Directed by David S. Goyer, screenplay written by Mick Davis and Christine Roum, starring Justin Chatwin and Margarita Levieva. David S. Goyer has had his hand in many projects: director and writer of Blade: Trinity and the upcoming X-Men Origins: Magneto, producer on Ghost Rider, Blade: Trinity and Blade II, writer for the upcoming The Flash and The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Blade, Blade II, Dark City and others.
Cast / Characters:
Justin Chatwin Margarita Levieva Marcia Gay Harden Chris Marquette Alex O'Loughlin Callum Keith Rennie Michelle Harrison Alex Ferris | Nick Powell Annie Newton Diane Powell Pete Egan Marcus Bohem Detective Brian Larson Detective Kate Tunney Victor Newton |
Year: 2007
Runtime: 102 minutes
Country: USA | Canada
IMDB rating: 6/10 (from 14,512 votes)
Genre: Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller
Keywords: Invisible | Death | High School | Death | Limbo
Awards:
Alex Ferris (playing Victor Newton) was nominated for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actor – Fantasy or Drama – for the Young Artist Awards.
There are 298 user comments. Overall, the reviews are positive.
One example:
I walked into this movie expecting something completely different than what I got. While most people are using this as an excuse to hate this movie, It made me like it even more. The acting was excellent. Justin Chatwin and Margarita Levieva are incredibly believable and both seem to really enjoy the material. I can understand why some people would be mad. Most people were expecting the teenage horror flick. I am so glad it wasn't. There was so much depth and beauty to it. In my opinion if you didn't' like it either you didn't understand it or you are a horror obsessed teen. The soundtrack also was amazing. I loved everything about this movie. The promotion(meaning Trailers) could have been done a lot more differently and better. Still i strongly encourage this movie to those of you who love deep, thought provoking, beautiful, and emotional movies!
You can find all the comments here.
Callum Quotient: About 15%
Pictures: (with thanks to
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
scriggle and c_regalis)
Quotes:
- Nick: [whispering to Annie] You are so broken.
- Nick: [reading poem for class] Day burns down to night,
Burns the edge of my soul.
In the night I break into sparks of suns
And become fires in a dust of bones
Night knifes
My breath swallows whole my tongue
Turn back
Reverse return
In the night I see the real
Concealed in the day's bright lie
Eyes stitched shut
White teeth smile
Sleep walks and talks
And feet mark time of day - Detective Brian Larson: What can you tell me about him?
Diane Powell: He's very well liked. He's bright. He's very bright. He's very bright.
Detective Brian Larson: I mean, who is he really? As a person? - Detective Brian Larson: I'm looking for anything that can help me find Nicholas. I mean could fill out a report, give it twenty four hours, but that's not what I do. Not when a kid's involved.
- Detective Brian Larson: You know you asked me to marry you once.
Annie: Another lifetime.
Detective Brian Larson: Yeah, I guess so. - Detective Brian Larson: I knew Annie when she was just a baby. She liked my ties.
Trivia:
- The Invisible is based on the Swedish film Den Osynlige (2002), which was very loosely inspired by a novel of the same name by the Swedish writer Mats Wahl.
- 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.
- From the commentary, by way of scriggle: The director, David Goyer, does relate one Callum story. He mentions that he directed Blade: Trinity and he had cast Callum in a "rather small" role as a vampire. He realized that Callum was a higher caliber actor than the role called for and he was embarrassed to have him playing that role. Goyer told Callum he'd offer him a better role in a couple of years.
Interesting scenes:
- The scene with the dying bird and Nick figuring out he's still alive.
- Annie at the club, dancing.
- Detective Larson exploring Nick's room.
- Nick wandering down the crowded streets.
- Nick's attempt at suicide.
Do I want to show this to my parents / friends / co-workers?
[Poll #1356461]
Detective Brian Larson
[Poll #1356462]
Does he die?
You really want to know? Are you sure? Really sure? Well, then. (highlight to read)
::Not dead. Can't say the same for everyone else, though.::
Articles/interviews
The fact that some very good actors are in this thing (Callum Keith Rennie plays a detective and Marcia Gay Harden plays Nick's mother) suggests that at some point there may have been a promising movie to be made.
From here.
If the movie were offering any insights into grief, loneliness, the class worlds of cosseted Nick and abandoned Annie, or teenage detachment, The Invisible could have made a mark. But instead we’re left with clunky wordsmithery (Annie’s precocious little brother rejecting her gift: “You need it more than I do”), hard stares from Chatwin, and some feeble demonizing then valourizing of Annie—once again, the woman as betrayer and then the necessary sacrifice—whose conscience is awakened by love, not basic human decency.
Found here.
Links
LJ community
Offical MySpace Page.
The Wikipedia entry.
c_regalis posted picspams part one, part two, part three and part four, plus more here and here.scriggle posted a picspam from the deleted scenes here.omphale23 wrote a snippet Personal History.brigantine1 wrote Leeward, a due South/The Invisible crossover which I highly recommend.Fanfiction entries at fanfiction.net are here.
Availability
The movie is widely available through Amazon and many other retailers.
Final Words
Placed into context, the Invisible is not a bad movie. It's beautifully filmed, showing off the lush forests and stately cityscapes of British Columbia. The colors are muted, contributing to the haunting, atmospheric feel. The actors are well-dressed and fashionable. It has a hip and trendy soundtrack featuring bands like Snow Patrol and Death Cab For Cutie.
And that's the problem. It's like watching a very long music video; all flash and style with no substance (thanks,
zabira). This is a movie ultimately about teenage disaffection and alienation, but does nothing with the concept. It just drifts along, pensive, with no real conflict and no real resolution.A disappointment, because it could have been a good movie.
This holds true for Callum's character, as well. He had the potential to be so much more - there's an untold wealth of history between him and Annie's family that's left unexplored. This part was not a stretch for him in any way and gave him no real opportunity to stretch his acting muscles.
It's not that I don't like this movie. I do. I like it a lot, actually. But it's sad to watch, knowing it could have been so much better.
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 03:10 pm (UTC)Yeah, I get that. But this is the movie that gave us that pic of Callum (second from the top of the entry), so I'm willing to overlook a lot.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 05:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 03:41 pm (UTC)This is a movie ultimately about teenage disaffection and alienation, but does nothing with the concept. It just drifts along, pensive, with no real conflict and no real resolution.
Um, exactly. I think it's driftiness represents alienation. I liked it.
Though having seen the deleted scenes, I wish they'd put most of them in. There are some ghost scenes that were well cut--they would have slowed the pace down even more--but there were bits and pieces that would have connected better what the detectives were doing and how they made their decisions. And I agree it would have been better to know more about Brian's and Annie's relationship.
In the shallow end, I totally read Brian's bemusement at bathingsuit!girl as "You're so barking up the wrong tree--gay, here." Though I'm sure it's equally "You're a kid," and "I'm a professional on duty." :D
no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 05:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 05:00 pm (UTC)I agree with you about the movie, aka. I'm ok with the premise and there are a lot of good actors, yet I found myself unaffected somehow. I never connected with anyone nor was I that interested in the outcome. Though I did think the final scene between the two teenagers was good and I felt that one.
My favorite scene is the one in which Brian questions Marcus. I love a scene where Callum is playing it pretty simple but there are things flickering beneath the surface. Like where he says that Marcus was up pretty late on a school night. He gives a little "ooh" face, almost Ray K or something. Then, near the end, he's talking calmly but there's this flash of menace as he talks. Love it. And I really like Alex O'Loughlin, who's fantastic in that scene as well.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 05:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 06:35 pm (UTC)Based on that, I expected Callum's part to be much better than it was, but there's only a few scenes (interviewing Annie's friend in the garage, for one) that he's really allowed to have much more of a personality than just "concerned cop".
If there'd been more than just some tiny hints very late in the movie that Callum's character had a history with Annie, the movie would've been about how he wanted to save both kids, which would've given the movie and the characters a depth they were sorely lacking.
A lot of good actors and good ideas got thrown into a pot and nothing came out.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 06:00 am (UTC)Instead, I just have to settle for the pretty. *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 06:00 am (UTC)*smishes you*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 05:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 06:00 am (UTC)The Invisible
Date: 2009-03-01 07:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-01 11:50 pm (UTC)I liked the photography, and appreciated that it was not your standard teenager ghost movie. I agree with you it could have been much better, specially if Larson's character had been more developed. In the comment, the scenarist alludes to this being the case in the original movie *sigh*. On the other hand, she or Gover also say that the scenes with Larson are important as a marker of the time going by - so we're lucky that they had him as a clockwork or metronome cause otherwise we may have seen even less of him.
I knew Annie when she was just a baby. She liked my ties.
This and the blue shirt scream Murder Scene to me. But then I might have watched it a tad too much recently!
Poll! angsty poll! enough angst to your taste in the movie? : )
I loved
This part was not a stretch for him in any way and gave him no real opportunity to stretch his acting muscles.
That's absolutely true and I would have loved to see more of him, but I like his acting here, all restrained, not letting out much, all in very small nuances. Aside from leaning on everything of which he never does too much, I liked the soberness. And he plays a good guy!
Your post was a good incentive to rewatch the movie, thanks!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-27 04:49 am (UTC)I'm always up for rewatching this movie, because in the end I do like it a lot...\o/
no subject
Date: 2009-05-11 11:08 pm (UTC):: nods :: I remember wanting to watch it in the the theaters, but it basically blinked in and out of all the cinemas when it premiered. Had totally forgotten about it (and had no idea CKR was in it) until (on a whim) I rented it.
I squeed upon seeing one Brian Larson and do agree with the general idea that we could have had so much more about him and his relationship with Annie.
In the end, I too scowl at the wasted opportunity this movie ended up being. I do watch it every so often. Perhaps subconsciously trying to see if I can get some plot bunnies for (generally) fandom-neglected Brian Larson. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-27 04:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-15 03:13 pm (UTC)\post/ And an awesome one as well. \c/
The fact that some very good actors are in this thing (Callum Keith Rennie plays a detective and Marcia Gay Harden plays Nick's mother) suggests that at some point there may have been a promising movie to be made.
Ouch. But... yeah.
If the movie were offering any insights into grief, loneliness...
The second article... yep. I have to agree. And hard stares from Chatwin, hee! *g*
It's like watching a very long music video; all flash and style with no substance
YES. And yes, it's pretty sad about Callum's role. That's the better part David Goyer got him? I think Asher has more substance. So, that means he owes him another part now, right? :D
Nick's attempt at suicide. <- Isn't it Pete?
no subject
Date: 2009-07-27 04:45 am (UTC)Nick's attempt at suicide. <- Isn't it Pete?
Damn, yeah, you're right. If you want to give me posting access temporarily again, I will edit the post. /o\No, you've confused me even more. I'm talking about when Nick first realizes that no one can see or touch him - he's at home and he walks into the garage(?) and there's a gunshot off screen...
no subject
Date: 2009-07-27 07:49 am (UTC)and there's a gunshot off screen...
Oh. I'd forgotten about that scene. I watched part of the movie again after I read your post, but I managed to skim over that one. Only suicide attempt I could think of was Pete's. Ahem. Sorry about that. /c\
(And there are kinda new-ish unofficial rules. Everyone who posted keeps his posting access, when you find something you want to change in your post; typo, new article about the movie, etc. Maybe I should people actually tell about this. Ahem.)