The Invitation (Unrated Edition) (2022) Movie Review - Lacklustre Toothy Hollywood Horror
A bit of a deviation from the norm today. We are taking a look at a recent Hollywood horror movie – The Invitation. As of this writing, this is currently doing the rounds on the cinema circuit. It’s been a long while since I reviewed something current but, why not? It’s nice to mix things up every now and then. The Invitation fits the bill perfectly.
I have just updated this review to reflect The Invitation Unrated Edition differences. Remember when I promised I would suffer for you and watch it again? Well, I did, I wasn’t impressed but that’s the life of a horror movie reviewer.
The Invitation Unrated Edition Differences
I am sure some of you are wondering about the differences between The Invitation vs The Invitation Unrated Edition. You have come to the right place. Back when this movie released I promised you guys that I would check out the unrated edition asap. Teased during the movie’s initial cinema run. The unrated edition promised more gore, extended scenes and more nudity. This was going to be the ultimate cut of The Invitation. Considering the pretty average nature of The Invitation, that wasn’t exactly a tantalising prospect. Still, I have taken a look at it and can fill you in a little on the differences.
Now, obviously I can’t go into detail. I keep my reviews as spoiler free as possible. What I can tell you, however, is that The Invitation Unrated Edition does deliver a lot more on the gore front. As far as nudity goes, this is horror for girls primarily. If you want to see more of Walter looking buff, you will prefer the unrated version. Guys and girls hoping for a more revealing performance from Nathalie Emmanuel as Evie may be disappointed. We get some slightly obscured nudity but nothing salacious. I hear she starred in Game of Thrones so that may be a better option for y’all. There is an extended sex scene in the middle of the movie that caters to the nudity side of the unrated edition’s promises.
As far as the gore goes, the unrated version does deliver. In fact, some of the scenes are pretty shocking. Basically, any of the scenes that featured a long angle or a cut away in the theatrical release are extended. We also have some graphic dismemberment and a beheading with a twist. This definitely would not have earned a PG-13 rating at the cinema. The added scenes make it feel far more like an adult horror. I wouldn’t say it improves the movie, as such, but this is absolutely the cut you want to see. If you can grab The Invitation Unrated Edition, go for it. Don’t bother with the standard version unless you prefer a lack of violence or don’t want to see Walt’s ball-fro.
Spoiler Free?
I have been thinking about how much to reveal in this article. This movie absolutely shits its pants in the trailer and gives away the whole plot. I am wondering how spoiler free I should keep the review? The trailer didn’t care, should I?
You see, The Invitation is hard to explain without spoiling. If I was to say haunted house filled with creepy people with a main character that is a fish out of water; you may kind of get what I mean. You know the type of movie! Think Get Out but with more tongue in cheek, even whiter white people, a bigger house and a thinner plot. Human Centipede but with less eating of poo and more fancy dresses. Elaborating further than that risks giving too much away.
Suffice to say, the movie follows young woman Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) as she travels to London to meet a family of long lost relatives. Obviously, everything isn’t quite what it seems with her newly discovered family. And it isn’t long before she starts to learn dark secrets about them that she never could have imagined.
Cheesy and Fun But Lots of Issues
Everyone enjoys camp “Hammer Horror” style movies that are easy to digest, right? You know the type, easy to watch with your mates. You imagine it is going to be shit so if it is a bit better than that you are happy. The Invitation falls into this category. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s hammy, a bit silly, and, often, quite enjoyable.
Unfortunately, the Invitation has some issues that go further than just an abundance of plot holes. To start, the first half of The Invitation is almost a pure romance movie. It plays out like one of those awful Christmas movies. You know, the ones that feature a “will they, won’t they” relationship between two people from different worlds.
An annual tradition in my house is watching dreadful Hallmark Xmas movies and laughing at how bad they are. There is actually one specific Hallmark Christmas movie that The Invitation really reminded me of – Crown for Christmas. The similarities are uncanny. Some chick goes to a prince’s palace and looks after his kid. She is poor, he is rich but they still end up bumping uglies. A wonderful tale of love and unequal power dynamics in a relationship. So much of the early part of this movie reminded me of that. Even the look of the location and the arrival of Evie at Walter’s palace. If I am remembering it correctly, it’s actually bordering on plagiarism. Hell the main character in that used to be a maid at a hotel in New York.
This is a bit of a problem for pure horror fans. It’s a bit too much of a romance and can be incredibly awkward at times. I laughed out loud at a couple of points due to the cliched scenes Evie and Walter share. The dialogue is toe curling and Walter comes across as a smarmy asshole. I am not sure whether this is intentional given the plot or whether that is the way rich dudes would flirt? Either way, horror fans can likely live without the declarations of love, noisy kissing and awkward sex scenes. Said awkward sex scenes are even longer and even more awkward in The Invitation Unrated Edition. Throw in the fact that The Invitation is not at all scary and it leaves little meat on the bone for horror fans.
An Unlikeable Cast – A Bad Script or Bad Acting?
Honestly, it is pretty hard to root for anyone in The Invitation. Acting tends to be okay. I enjoyed Thomas Doherty’s final 20 minutes as Walter and Nathalie Emmanuel is decent. I think a lot of it is down to terrible writing. Dialogue is awful and unnatural. Conversations often feel forced and can be horribly cliched. This is a particular problem with Evie and Walter’s interactions. Stephanie Corneliussen, as Viktoria, hams it up completely, especially towards the end. This may not be for everyone but Alana Boden as Lucy is really likeable.
A few of the characters don’t react appropriately to events. For example, there is a scene where a maid drops some glasses and is shouted at. Evie gets angry and shouts at the head butler. Evie works in the service industry. She would be used to being shouted at and understand it comes with the territory. This becomes a vehicle for Evie empathising with the maids because apparently basic human decency wouldn’t cut it. Just one of a few unnecessary plot devices.
On The Plus Side
It’s hard to put your finger on but, despite its issues, The Invitation doesn’t feel like a terrible movie. It isn’t a good movie, that’s for sure, but I didn’t mind it. It was funny, whether intentional or not. I found myself laughing a lot at some of the awkward romance scenes. There’s a few moments of intentional humour that made me giggle as well. As I mentioned earlier, it is hammy and a bit camp which works for the subject matter.
It’s quite a fun movie that doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously. It is almost as if they wanted to create a serious movie. Realised it was a bit shit and leaned into the fact that it’s a bit shit. It ends up quite tongue in cheek and not a difficult watch. As I said before the pacing is fine. It keeps you fairly engaged and the tone of the movie is light. It’s cool to see a movie in this genre as well. I did enjoy picking out some of the references to some of the better movies that inspired The Invitation too.
Should You Watch The Invitation?
It depends. I think The Invitation would really appeal to non-horror fans that fancy something a bit different. It’s a good horror movie for teens and potentially for anyone who isn’t traditional horror fans. You might even be able to get away with watching it with older kids. Well, the theatrical version anyway, not The Invitation Unrated Edition. The romance element will likely be enjoyed by non-horror fans and the humour keeps it rolling over for everyone else. If you want to slap something on that is fairly mindless, switch off your brain and just enjoy, The Invitation might just do it. For pure horror fans, however, it’s just not very good.
Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight
Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
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