The Invisible

Directed by: David S. Goyer
Starring: Justin Chatwin, Margarita Levieva, Marcia Gay Harden, Alex O'Loughlin, Callum Keith Rennie
Running Time: 1h 37min


An odd little film about a teenager who dies, only to discover that he has returned as a spirit, The Sixth Sense style, to walk among the suspects and friends left behind. He learns much more about his assailant, and through the new found power to be a fly on the wall, begins to see his murder not as the black and white situation that most authority figures (cops, teachers, parents) quickly conclude it is.

This film would make an excellent short story for high school students. Unfortunately, it plays like a high school short film. The lead actor simply can't carry the film, as he pouts, shouts, and mopes around, seemingly losing much of the charisma and promise that his character is supposed to have before he dies.

His counterpart, played by Levieva, is the only character that seems to get three dimensional treatment, as much of the film's heart and tragedy come from her performance. She does a good job of revealing a little at a time, which makes the film worth watching.

Supporting cast members, Rennie and Gay Harden do as much as they can in their minimal roles, but really get lost in the Degrassi style setups, where the teens do the heavy lifting, and in this instance, crumble to the weight of the story.

Still, the audience for this film is probably the same age as the lead characters, and they may find some intrigue in the slow development of this teen tale. There may not be enough jumps and jolts for the tween crowd as other films of the genre, but there certainly is more substance to the story's imagination.

Grade: C