Luke McWilliams gives his review of the 2022 film, The Invitation (MA15+), starring  Nathalie Emmanuel and Thomas Doherty.

In an English mansion, a troubled woman leaps from a balcony. Flashing over to America decades later, Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) struggles in the aftermath of losing her mother. Evie’s best friend convinces her to undergo a DNA test in search of a living relative. Soon, long-lost English cousin Oliver (Hugh Skinner) arrives to invite Evie to a wedding at the family’s English mansion.

The film is dripping with a gothic ambiance, with dark shadows, blue tones and beautiful architecture filling the frame. Elements of the classic Hammer horrors are evident, with a modern twist in the vein of The Nun and The Curse of La Llorona. While Evie’s life in America is bright and beautiful, it is easy to understand her yearning for a family. On her arrival at the classic English mansion, however, Evie experiences a clash of cultures and statuses. Evie is out of her element and realm of understanding of the danger she has placed herself in. Like Samara Weaving’s character in Ready or Not, Evie eventually learns that she is a pawn in a much larger, sinister supernatural game.

While the mood and setting are suitable for the chosen genre, it is a shame the film does not follow up on its own strong promises regarding class, status, sensuality, and gore, choosing instead to nullify its voice, impact, and, consequently, its memorability.

Verdict: A harmless, fun, but ultimately forgettable jump-scare horror that disappointedly ignores the potential it had to be much more. 2.5 stars.

• Luke McWilliams www.themovieclub.net. Movie viewed at Dendy cinemas Canberra.

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