The Invitation: Movie Review

Director: Jessica M. Thompson

Actor: Nathalie Emmanuel

Actor: Thomas Doherty

Actor: Stephanie Corneliussen

Actor: Alana Boden

Actor: Hugh Skinner

Actor: Sean Pertwee

Producer: Emile Gladstone

The film's original title was The Bride, and Butler wrote the script. It was made by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert's Ghost House Pictures. Raimi and Tapert, however, left because of scheduling issues. The director, producer, and new title of the movie were revealed by the year 2020. Casting took place from May to October 2021, and Budapest was the location for the start of shooting that September.

Synopsis: The opening scene of The Invitation is strong, and Jessica Thompson succeeds in establishing a tense atmosphere. She faithfully reproduces the atmosphere of horror that appeared in movies from the 1970s and 1980s.

After her mother passed away, Evelyn settled down in New York and led a routine life. She finds her long-lost cousin after getting a DNA test. She shortly gets a cousin's invitation to a posh wedding in the English countryside. She is lured by the host, but finds out quickly that the family is not who they seem. As family secrets come to light, Evie is forced to fight for her life.

Review of The Invitation: Just as women have largely taken over the field of film editing, it appears that a similar transformation is taking place in the field of horror movies. It's time to include Jessica M. Thompson after Jennifer Kent, Nia DaCosta, and Julia Ducournau. Jessica puts forth a sincere effort in the first half of the movie to develop a story that is full of tension and intrigue, but in the second half of the movie, her efforts are somewhat undermined by a weak conclusion. The opening scene of The Invitation is strong, and Jessica Thompson succeeds in establishing a tense atmosphere. She faithfully reproduces the atmosphere of horror that appeared in movies from the 1970s and 1980s. But when the movie reaches its climax, the initial excitement is diminished by the predictable plot points.

The story of the movie, which is heavily influenced by vintage Gothic horror movies, centers on Evelyn, who lives a routine life after the death of her mother. She is able to contact Oliver, her cousin from London, after taking a DNA test using a kit that was given to her as a gift. Then, with Oliver's assistance, she is reunited with her family, who, until a few days ago, she had never known. She is drawn into a dark and terrifying world at the estate when she falls in love with Walter, the dashing and charming aristocrat, and she will stop at nothing to escape.

As Evelyn, Nathalie Emmanuel gives a genuine performance and exudes comfort throughout the role. Her interactions with Thomas Doherty (Walter) seem very real and organic. The first hour of the plot is smooth, but it gradually veers off course and takes a predictable turn with allusions to the Dracula tale. Despite being a horror movie, there aren't many jump scares in this one. The beginning of the movie is guaranteed to give viewers the chills because the director does an outstanding job of establishing a tense atmosphere.

Jessica Thompson succeeds in providing a strong foundation for her plot by creating a smooth environment for her Gothic horror story, even though the climax may be less "satisfying" to some sections. The frightening warning signs Evelyn encounters while in London serve as a solid prelude to what will happen next. The Invitation has an intriguing premise that works to keep you interested for the majority of the movie, but only when the film reaches its climax does the plot lose focus and become confusing. She took on a very difficult and risky subject in The Light of the Moon, her directorial debut, and triumphed; this cannot be said of The Invitation.