When I think about John Carpenter’s movies, I forget Memoirs of an Invisible Man, which is fitting because it’s about the perils of being transparent.
It’s arguably the least “John Carpenter” movie he’s made, one that doesn’t bear his signature “John Carpenter’s” font above the title on its poster.
And he didn’t write the script or score the film this time.
Initially slated for director Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters), originally a script by William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Princess Bride), the movie went through several iterations of story and storyteller.
First a comedy, the project evolved into Chevy Chase’s bridge into dramatic roles.
Carpenter signed on seemingly out of a “why not” factor, available since other films he was attached to couldn’t get off the ground.
And it was Chase himself who had to convince Warner Bros. the horror master could work in the comedy-drama space.
But if Carpenter knew the trouble on his horizon, maybe he’d have made like a character in his films and run the hell away.
He has reflected on the movie as a horror show. He clashed with studio executives and has hinted at some serious friction with Chase (notorious for being unkind) and trouble directing co-star Daryl Hannah.
Critics’ reviews were overwhelmingly negative. And the movie was a washout at the box office, grossing ~$14 million against a ~$30-$40 million budget.
But this comedy-drama had the heaviest hitter in all special effects, Industrial Light and Magic, at its disposal. And the venerable Sam Neill plays the villain.
With Carpenter at the helm, is Memoirs of an Invisible Man due a second chance?
The Plot of Memoirs of an Invisible Man:
When Nick Halloway (Chevy Chase) heads to his favorite bar, The Academy Club, his pal George Talbot (Michael McKean) introduces him to attractive documentary producer Alice Munroe (Daryl Hannah).
Striking a connection, Nick and Alice sneak off to make out and set a lunch for the upcoming Friday.
The next day, Nick covers a shareholders’ presentation at Magnascopic Laboratories from Professor Bernard Wachs (Jim Norton).
When Nick asks a technician which way to the restroom, the technician accidentally spills coffee on a computer console, setting off a fire. The entire building is evacuated, but Nick has nodded off for a nap.
Much of the building turns invisible, including Nick.
CIA Operative David Jenkins (Sam Neill) and his men arrive on the scene and attend to Nick. When Nick overhears their plans for his future, spending the rest of his life in scientific experiments, he flees.
Alone and inexplicably invisible, will Nick keep himself from the clutches of Jenkins and his CIA operatives? And how in the world will he explain this to Alice?
The Rest of the Main Cast Includes:
- Jim Norton as Dr. Bernard Wachs
- Pat Skipper as Morrissey
- Steven Barr as Clellan
- Paul Perri as Gomez
- Richard Epcar as Tyler
- Gregory Paul Martin as Richard
- Patricia Heaton as Ellen
- Barry Kivel as a Drunk businessman
- Rosalind Chao as Cathy DiTolla
- Jay Gerber as Roger Whitman
- Donald Li as a Cab driver
- Shay Duffin as Patrick, the bartender
- Edmund L. Shaff as Edward Schneiderman
- Elaine Corral as News anchor
- Sam Anderson as Chairman of the House Committee
- Ellen Albertini Dow as Mrs. Coulson
- I.M. Hobson as Maitre d’
- Jonathan Wigan as a Delivery boy
- Rip Haight as a Helicopter pilot
- Aaron Lustig as a Technician
What’s Working Well Here:
Industrial Light and Yup That’s Magic, +8 Points
The George-Lucas-founded team at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) are the all-time heaviest hitters in special effects, and their prowess is on full display here.
And Carpenter’s ability to oversee practical effects comes in handy.
The film has fun with the challenge of Nick’s invisibility, whether it’s the awkward way he’s dragging a drunk man or swiping Jenkins’s gun and holding the agent hostage to escape, the pistol floating in mid-air.
And computer effects still hold up. Nick talks with Alice during storm showers, his silhouette outlined by raindrops. Alice applies makeup to his face to see his shape again.
And the half-invisible building, formerly Magnascopic Laboratories, is a neat and convincing construction, like a child’s half-built Lego fortress.
Intelligent Cinematography, +2
At times Nick is in the frame as he appeared before his accident. Still, while the audience can see him in the flesh, he’s invisible to the other characters.
In other shots, Nick is not visible in the frame at all, and it’s fun for us to play a sort of Where’s Waldo by looking for objects moving in his wake.
Flopping back and forth between the two could cause confusion, but it doesn’t.
The device aids the storytelling, as we’d be lost without seeing Nick’s reaction when he’s a cloaked fly on the wall, such as when his “friends” reveal their true feelings about him.
It may have happened to make sure Chase’s face was on screen, but it works.
Jenkins and the Pull of Morality, +2
As a serious vehicle, the film edges into the moral implications of being invisible.
Nick and Jenkins talk in Jenkin’s office as the agent tries to persuade him to join the CIA.
Jenkins tells Nick he can do anything as an invisible person, such as possibly reversing WW2, had he been alive in the late 30s and killed Hitler.
Jenkins tells Nick that anything, even assassination, is fine if you’re on the moral right.
It’s an all-too-true reality that a government, even ours, could try to weaponize someone in Nick’s predicament rather than help him.
The film could have been a gag show of invisible pranks, with Nick having a wonderful time creeping people out or sneaking into ladies’ rooms. But it elevates itself a little higher.
A Decent Turn, +2
The film’s first half is the running phase, with Nick trying to escape the CIA.
But the second half takes a fun turn as Nick has a run-in with his so-called “friends” at George’s cabin.
As Nick sits around secretly listening, he learns the truth of their feelings about his life, and he humorously tries to intervene in sleazy Roger’s attempts to seduce Alice.
And when Nick reveals his new form to Alice, we start to have more fun with the invisibility than just pain, as the couple has to figure out how to navigate Nick’s situation.
Even going out to dinner brings about complications, which raises questions about their future.
What’s Not Working So Well
You’ll Like This Guy if You Hang Around him Long Enough, Honest, -8 Points
Before the disaster makes him invisible, we don’t get to know Nick that well. The mishap occurs ~13 minutes into the film, meaning there were ~10 more minutes the script could have devoted to his characterization.
We need details that could compel us to follow Nick around. His secretary calls him a world-class bullshitter, and he acts the part. That’s about it.
Later in the film, as the CIA agency goes over their research into his life, looking for leads, we learn that Nick’s parents are dead, and he has no relatives. Jenkins quips, “He was invisible before he was invisible.”
That line shows us why Nick could make a perfect CIA recruit – easy to vanish.
But what makes Nick a would-be asset to the CIA harms his character arc. He seems set up to shift from a noncommittal slacker to a “now that I lost everything, I understand what I’ve been missing” angle.
But the payoff doesn’t succeed because it needed to establish the setup better, never writing in that hint of likeability so we can feel compelled to follow him as he changes.
Why is Nick so solo, and how does he feel about it? We’re not told.
Missing the Wow, -10 points
Clever lines, romantic moments, or flashy escape set pieces that turn on the wow factor?
Not here. The film has ingredients that could work together, but it’s a bland bowl of soup instead of a spicy chili.
The film’s got more “nots” than a rope.
Chase’s comedy goes missing since it’s NOT a true comedy. Though there’s much pursuing, it’s NOT an action film. And we’re NOT treated to stunt work or daring escapes.
Let’s Not Watch Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Total Arbitrary Points Score: -4 Points
Memoirs of an Invisible Man was a flop, but while its reviews suggest a pile, that doesn’t tell the whole story.
It plods away with an unlikeable character, but halfway through, it quits being a pure chase movie and becomes a little more of a Chevy Chase movie, finding its feet.
The effects are outstanding, holding up relatively well to 2020s standards. And the film elevates its material, avoiding crude, invisible guy jokes.
But it lacks genuine excitement, and in the end, it’s two fish out of water.
Chevy Chase saw the film as a path to more serious roles, not wanting to make Clark Griswold goes invisible.
But National Lampoon’s Invisible Vacation would have been a better film. The script’s transition from comedy to comedy-drama doesn’t fly.
And for Carpenter, there was tons of tension, as he didn’t get along with Hannah or Chase and faced friction from the studio.
Carpenter said the film suffered from the studio process, doing audience previews, cutting the high and low points, and making it bland.
For example, Carpenter pitched an ending where Alice gave birth to the couple’s invisible baby, but the studio was not on board.
You wonder what this movie could have been had a creative force like Carpenter been less beholden to film execs and allowed to make more daring choices.
A man running from authorities attempting to ruin his life? He’s familiar with anti-authoritarian waters (They Live, Escape from New York) and may have thrived here.
So while Memoirs of an Invisible Man brings some things to the table, it’s too mediocre to recommend. It’s like a pilot light the creative forces blowing on the flame couldn’t ignite.
Memoirs of an Invisible Man Is rated PG-13 and was directed by John Carpenter.
You can watch it free with ads on YouTube.
You can watch the trailer here.
Disclaimer:
The factual information about the film in this review was gathered through online sources, such as Wikipedia, IMDB, or interviews. Misrepresentations and errors are possible but unintentional.
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