Invisibility is fascinating concept that can stir a lot of imagination and result in creative works of good quality. However, when it comes to films, its presents a lot of technical challenges and even when they are met, ultimate results can be underwhelming. This happens even in films that included some great creative talents, like in the case of Memoirs of an Invisible Man, 1992 science fiction film directed by John Carpenter.
The film is based on the eponymous 1987 novel by H. F. Saint. Protagonist, played by Chevy Chase, is Nick Halloway, San Francisco stock analyst who, despite personal wealth and luxurious lifestyle, feels emptiness and lack of contact with other people. Those problems become even more when he happens to take a nap in Magnascopic Laboratories, institute where he came to listen to a lecture. Bizarre incident renders much of the building, including Halloway invisible. It takes some time before Halloway becomes aware of the nature of his condition. When it finally happens he quickly learns that the team of government scientists and covert operatives at the scene intends to use him for various experiments. He decides to use his invisibility to flee from them and later tries to find a way how to deal with his situations, including problems with finding food, shelter and escaping injury at busy streets. Halloway is relentlessly pursued by David Jenkins (played by Sam Neill), ruthless CIA official who wants to use him as a perfect intelligence asset or have him killed if it is the only way of preventing Halloway by being used by someone else. Halloway is further tormented by solitude, but chance encounter helps him rekindle romance with Alice Monroe (played by Daryl Hannah), beautiful television documentary producer whom he met shortly before the fateful incident.
Memoirs of an Invisible Man was the only novel in the bibliography of a Wall Street businessman H. F. Saint, but it was well-regarded by critics because of the great care and creative ways in which it explored various practical problems connected with invisibility. The book has caught attention in Hollywood with popular comedian Chevy Chase showing the great interest due to his idea to branch out into more serious dramatic roles. Chase’s intentions led to troubled production during which he clashed with original director Ivan Reitman and famous screenwriter William Goldman, accusing them of wanting to turn the film into light comedy. Both men were fired and the film was ultimately directed by John Carpenter, famous author of classic science fiction and horror films. For Carpenter, best known for working in B-films, this was atypical big budget production during which he had little creative control. He would later describe the production it as the most difficult and least satisfactory in his career. Although he wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about the film, Carpenter was provided solid direction, putting large budget to good use, especially in scenes featuring special effects which were quite impressive for early 1990s standards and many of which look impressive today.
Carpenter’s efforts, however, couldn’t do much with the poor script, which was torn between the Chevy Chase’s desire to make the film dark drama and his instincts to play his character as protagonist of light-hearted comedy. The result is film that is occasionally funny, but not particularly entertaining, with script being further burdened with attempts to turn the film into romantic fantasy like Ghost or condemnation of CIA and its dark shenanigans. Chase, whose character narrates film in flashback as a convenient way to provide exposition, makes character somewhat likeable, but complete lack of chemistry with Daryl Hannah, who plays underwritten character, nearly ruins his effort. Sam Neill is utterly bland as over the top villain, unsuccessfully attempting to find inspiration in James Mason who played top villain in North by Northwest. The ultimate result is disappointing, although Carpenter can comfort himself by not being the only great author of science fiction cinema to make bad film about invisibility; his work is quite good when compared with what Paul Verhoeven did in Hollow Man.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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