THE REMAKE AGAINST THE ORIGINAL: THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020) VS. THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933).

Quite frankly, I was NOT impressed after viewing the REMAKE of THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020). The only thing the REMAKE, if you could call it one, had in common with the ORIGINAL was the film title. Even H.G. Wells, himself would  NOT recognize any elements of his story in this film. The REMAKE  reminds of TARZAN, THE APE MAN (1981) with Bo Derek, whose character Jane takes over the film, leaving poor Tarzan playing second banana. Elisabeth Moss does the same thing here  playing the damsel in distress overshadowing the invisible man.

Elisabeth Moss plays Cecilia Kass, a young woman caught in mentally and physically abusive relationship with her wealthy boyfriend. One night  Moss successfully escapes the well-armored  fortress, leaving her boyfriend forever, so she thinks. Of course, her boyfriend is in hot pursuit, trying to reclaim his kept lover. In my humble opinion, this film mirrors more like a woman in peril film like SLEEPING WITH  THE ENEMY (1991) than a science fiction film. Moss is an excellent actress dominating the film in crisis mode as the kick-ass heroine.

What about the invisible man??? You know the one the film is named after. Well, he appears here and there in jolt jumping sequences but is never given center stage.

 The invisible man fades in

and out  wearing a black superhero  suit  resembling VENOM (2018). Apparently, 

Moss's boyfriend had invented the suit of invisibility, which was mention in a passing comment never given any clarification of a back story. The Invisible Man is definitely second banana, taking the back seat  to the woman in peril. 

 In the ORIGINAL version of THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933), Claude Raines gives a tour de force performance as the chemist  who has discovered the secret to invisibility. The 1933 pre-code horror classic has Raines center stage chewing up  the scenery, dominating the screen wrapped in bandages and his menacing laugh ringing clear. Raines remains the central character , never taking a backseat to any of the supporting player like Gloria Stuart, who plays Raines's fiancée in the film. However, Raines may have been upstage by Una O' Connor whenever she shared the screen time with him.

I do understand  that sometimes remakes have to take liberties with the older storyline to make it relevant to modern times.  However, I don't think by turning the main character is the way to go. 

Gloria Stuart's character  was not the lead  in the ORIGINAL, Claude Raines was. Originally, the story was about a brilliant chemist who became a LUNATIC due to the discovery of INVISIBILITY.

Johnny Depp was once  attached to this project at one point. Unfortunately, Depp didn't make the picture , because he would have been the main focus not the supporting female character. But then again , maybe we dodge a bullet. Depp made a mockery of the iconic Barnabas Collins from the Cult Soap Opera DARK SHADOWS when he appeared in the motion picture version in 2012.

The slow moving REMAKE  is more about female empowerments having Elizabeth Moss  chewing up the screen like Pac- Man rendering THE INVISIBLE MAN ineffective.

A more appropriate film title for the REMAKE  would be THE INVISIBLE MAN GETS HIS ASS KICKED BY HIS GIRLFRIEND.

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