The Invitation (2015) Review – A Tense and Methodical Descent into Paranoia

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we will be looking at The Invitation (2015).

A slow burn horror with a shocking end

The story here is pretty simple. Will (Logan Marshall-Green) accepts an invitation to a dinner party at the home of his ex-wife Eden (Tammy Blanchard). The pair’s relationship fractured after the accidental death of their young son and both have since moved on. Expecting a simple get-together with friends, Will is shocked when Eden’s motive for the gathering is not entirely pure. His suspicions only grow as the night begins to descend into chaos.

“Will, essentially, acts as a sort of avatar for the viewer. He has the same suspicions that you will likely have and approaches the situation in much the same way the viewer would.”

First things first, you need to line up your expectations here. The Invitation is a very slow moving movie. To say there is not a lot of action for the first two thirds would be an understatement. It’s just a group of old friends talking and sharing some drinks. It’s a little bit like Coherence (2013) in that respect. We need to get through a lot of conversation before we get to the meat of the story.

Eden and David have an ulterior motive for inviting the group to their house and when that finally comes to light things pick up a little. This is a fairly diverse group of friends and they all have varying reactions to the revelation. Some react with confusion while others are more accepting. They all seem primarily focused on having a good time. This would be frustrating for the viewer were it not for Will.

A movie made a lot more compelling thanks to its protagonist

Will, essentially, acts as a sort of avatar for the viewer. He has the same suspicions that you will likely have. He is confused with some of the groups acceptance of David and Eden’s message and doesn’t trust them. It’s a great narrative approach. You are so used to yelling at a horror movie protagonist for being blind to the obvious. Will is the total opposite of this and that is what keeps you engaged in The Invitation.

The story is pretty engaging and rather unique. The self contained location and almost real time nature of the movie means things progress pretty quickly. We have to fit in a whole bunch of exposition and actual story progression into a relatively short space of time. Kusama does this through flashbacks and moments of quiet contemplation.

The house is used as a vessel to transport Will, and the viewer, back to the past to confront his grief. This is where he lost his son and this is the first time Will has been to the house in two years. He has to deal with these feelings at the same time as addressing his suspicions with Eden. It’s a nice dynamic that works well to keep the tension high. There are some interesting film-making techniques used to illustrate Will’s mental fragility and slow unravelling, too.

“The house is used as a vessel to transport Will, and the viewer, back to the past to confront his grief. It’s a nice dynamic that works well to keep the tension high.”

Will picks up on subtle clues and things that don’t make sense. We are to assume he knows Eden better than anyone and can tell all is not as it seems. Will sees things the viewer may pick up on and this creates an interesting viewer to character dynamic. Many of the camera shots place us in the room at seat level to make us feel as though we are there as a guest.

A decent movie but…

The Invitation, for me, is a difficult film to review. I do enjoy the premise and the way the movie plays out is fantastic. I think it is a genuinely decent horror movie. There are, however, a couple of issues that proved to be fairly significant and impacted my enjoyment. I think these issues are probably more of a personal thing than a general one.

There had been quite a gap between me originally watching The Invitation for the first time and watching it again for this review. I had completely forgotten how much I hated nearly everyone in it. All of that came rushing back to me about 20 minutes into the film.

“The group consists of a bunch of middle 30s, self obsessed, upper class assholes. I don’t know if I was supposed to be able to relate to any of these characters but I sure as shit didn’t.”

The group consists of a bunch of middle 30s, self obsessed, upper class assholes. I don’t know if I was supposed to be able to relate to any of these characters but I sure as shit didn’t. I felt the setting, as well, was a little strange. Setting the movie in a place that only a small number of people could even imagine living in was an odd move. I feel it alienates the viewer slightly and not in a good way. You aren’t taken to some fantastical place. Just a place full of pompous douche-hats. Maybe that is by design but I didn’t feel as though that was the case.

A disappointing cast

Character development is pretty poor leading to a cast of people you are likely to hate. Gina, played by Michelle Krusiec, is fairly annoying and often decides to use volume in place of character nuance. Miguel and Tommy are given virtually no personality beyond being wine loving stereotypes the likes of which Modern Family would be proud of. Ben is an obnoxious and loud everyman who seems as though he wouldn’t fit in at all with this group and Kira is practically mute.

The worst offender, however, is Eden, played by Tammy Blanchard. I found Eden to be very annoying. I don’t know if she is playing the role for creepiness or what but her performance made my toes curl. Her over the top affection for everyone and the bizarre manner in which she talks is either masterful acting or the complete opposite. I really disliked every scene that she was heavily featured in.

Everyone else is so underdeveloped that it is hard to care. Sadie seems like a facsimile of a character you would see in a Tarantino movie. Think Bridget Fonda in Jackie Brown. Pruitt has no seeming connection with anyone, even the two people who apparently invited him, and he doesn’t seem to fit in. David is about as by the numbers a character as you will find in a horror movie. And Claire, despite being the only likeable one of the entire group of friends, is too smart to stick around with these obnoxious butt-puckers and heads off home.

An excellent performance and a fun final act

Logan Marshall-Green, as Will, does a fantastic job and is the highlight of the movie. His voicing of what the viewer is likely thinking is excellent. You rarely see a character in a horror movie that is so aware of the bizarreness of his situation.

“The final 20 minutes of The Invitation are a lot of fun. The commitment to the slow burn pays off with some excellent tension and culminates in something of an explosion.”

You genuinely believe his pain and you actually sympathise with him as a character. Will and his unique approach to a horror movie scenario is what makes The Invitation such a compelling watch despite its flaws.

The final 20 minutes of The Invitation are a lot of fun. The commitment to the slow burn pays off with some excellent tension and culminates in something of an explosion. It’s a very satisfying way to finish up and the final shot should be up there with some of the most iconic horror movie moments ever. Some people will dislike the switch in tone in the last 20 minutes I am sure but it certainly leaves a lasting impression.

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