THE INVISIBLE MAN
(15)
★★★★★ WRITER-DIRECTOR Leigh Whannell’s ingeniously executed horror thriller, inspired by the HG Wells novel of the same title, was another victim of recent cinema closures.
Fittingly, this two-hour masterclass in sustained nerve-jangling tension materialised without warning last weekend on streaming platforms and is even more deliciously unsettling when watched at home.
An emotionally wrought central performance from Elisabeth Moss firmly tethers an outlandish dramatic conceit to gut-wrenching reality.
She expertly captures the painful fragility and vulnerability of an architect, who becomes convinced that her abusive ex-boyfriend (Oliver Jackson-cohen) – “a world leader in the field of optics” – has developed the technology to become an invisible stalker.
Whannell’s lean script retains a cold, calculating logic during the most fantastical flourishes.
He holds us in a vice-like grip from the bravura opening sequence and refuses to let go, delivering moments of stomachchurning brutality in a breathless second act. ●●Streaming and available to download now on Amazon Video/bt TV Store/itunes/sky Store and other platforms at a premium price.
JIM CARREY received a Golden Globe nomination for his eye-catching performance in Michel Gondry’s quirky comedy drama about a children’s TV presenter and his outlandish alter ego. The second series is a direct continuation, screening in weekly instalments on Sky Comedy and streams exclusively on NOW TV.
Jeff Piccirillo (Carrey) slowly comes to terms with the devastating news that his top-rated show, Mr Pickles’ Puppet Time, is being taken off the air for the first time in three decades. Unable to talk to his young fans through his usual medium, Jeff attempts to find a new route to connect with viewers but his plan risks a backlash.
Aided and abetted by his beloved puppets, Jeff glimpses light at the end of the tunnel and unlocks inner strength he never knew he possessed.
■ Eight episodes, starts streaming from March 31 exclusively on NOW TV.