Memoirs of an Invisible Man

John Carpenter has a blast directing a seemingly innocuous comic fantasy – transcending sci-fi -, which actually hides its fundamentally pessimistic vision of today’s world beneath a thin veneer of light-hearted comedy.

It turns out that being invisible in a hedonistic society, such as late 20th century America, is comparable to being sentenced to a type of hell. With this in mind, the choice to use Chevy Chase seems like a slam dunk. For the first time, his annoying comedy serves a purpose in portraying the inanity of a character who “was invisible before he was invisible” (“No strong emotional ties, no political beliefs, no particular interests…“). Then there’s the great Sam Neill in the role of the villainous CIA agent, whose over-the-top performance single-handedly makes this enjoyable entertainment fare (but limiting Daryl Hannah’s role to basically a sexy Barbie doll is truly a waste of talent!).

Technically top-notch, the film is characterized by good pacing and enhanced by Industrial Light & Magic’s amazing special effects. The story’s use of flashbacks as well as off-screen narration are somewhat reminiscent of late 1940s film noir. The film was inspired by H.F. Saint’s novel “Memoirs of an Invisible Man” (1987).

Certainly not Carpenter’s best, but still several notches above genre pablum.