There are three reasons why I was drawn to this movie. First, it's an opportunity to watch Natalie Emmanuel in action since her performance in the fantasy series, Game Of Thrones. Second, it's a vampire movie (though I did not know this before watching) and third, it's a horror/thriller!
The Invitation (2022) is an American horror/thriller about a young artist, Evie (played by Natalie Emmanuel), who also works as a waitress to make ends meet. At a DNA company event, after catering, she leaves with one of their testing kits. While at home after contemplating her future, she tries the kit and sends the result to the company. She gets a reply about the existence of a second cousin and other family members who are British and white in complexion.
She meets up with her second cousin who invites her to England for a family wedding, an opportunity for her to meet other family members. Is it wise to travel to another country and meet up with strangers? How safe is this 'invitation'? You will have to watch this thrilling film to get answers to these questions and more.
Review
The beauty of horror films is the air of mystery and this film displayed some. I love the gothic and dark themes. From the beginning when viewers see an unhappy woman kill herself in a gruesome way, I knew there was more of it to come. The too-good-to-be second cousin, an invitation to England for a posh wedding on a first-class flight? Nuh-uh. If I were Evie, I would think thrice before embarking on such a journey. I think it reinforces the warning we tell children: never talk to strangers or maybe be careful around strangers.
There were heartstopping and jump scare scenes interpolated around the film which makes it a horror/thriller but they were not bad. A viewer could easily guess what was coming next. The air of mystery was not so thick.
One scene I enjoyed was the masquerade party which was the big reveal. It strikes home the warning - beware of masquerade balls because you never know the faces behind the masks until they come off! Evie saw the real faces behind the masks and her story changed from an amazing one to survival.
The visual effects are not bad but they are also not great. Some of the scary scenes were a bit confusing due to the camera movements and transitions. The costumes are fantastic and so are the sceneries, typical of British houses and decor.
If you enjoy horror with some thriller twists, then you will like this movie. I'll rate it 3.9 stars out of 5 stars.
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Images are screenshots from the movie and cover is edited with Canva