The Invitation
This Nathalie Emmanuel-fronted vampiric horror flick is more bodice-ripper than throat-ripper.
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As far as recent horror movies entitled “The Invitation” go, you’re probably better off sticking to Karyn Kusama’s 2016 effort as opposed to Jessica M. Thompson’s offering (now in theaters). Thompson’s film, which plays like “Dracula” meets “Get Out” meets “Ready or Not,” isn’t bad per se … it simply lacks bite.
Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) is a young woman working as a caterer in New York who recently lost her mother. Wanting for a familial connection, a correspondence from her long-lost cousin Oliver (Hugh Skinner) couldn’t have come at a better time. Oliver invites Evie to a wedding in England … she dumbfoundedly accepts.
Evie’s accommodations are at a stately manor belonging to Walter (Thomas Doherty) and he takes an immediate liking to her. Not everyone is so friendly, Walter’s butler Mr. Fields (genre stalwart Sean Pertwee) and Evie butt heads from the beginning over his treatment of the female waitstaff. Evie gets a mixed reception from heiresses Viktoria (Stephanie Corneliussen) and Lucy (Alana Boden) – the former is strangely confrontational; the latter exceedingly welcoming.
I don’t want to delve into the plot too much more deeply, but suffice it to say “The Invitation” is a vampire tale (this is revealed in the trailers). There are characters named Jonathan (Jeremy Wheeler) and Mina Harker (Elizabeth Counsell) as a tip of the hat to Bram Stoker’s novel.
The movie leans harder into gothic romance as opposed to vampiric horror. This ambiance is ably captured through the cinematography of Autumn Eakin, production design of Felicity Abbott, supervising art direction of Alistair Kay and supervising set decoration of Clare Keyte.
The acting is generally pretty good with standouts being Emmanuel (a likable and lovely presence) and Courtney Taylor of HBO’s “Insecure” as Evie’s bestie and co-worker with whom she FaceTimes through the flick. Taylor is to “The Invitation” what Lil Rel Howery was to “Get Out,” i.e. some much-needed comedic relief.
“The Invitation” is a hard PG-13 (there’s a good deal of violence, two F-bombs and a woman’s bare buttocks is glimpsed), but it would’ve benefitted from being R-rated and 15 minutes shorter as I really wish it were both leaner and meaner … more throat-ripper than bodice-ripper if you will. As is, it plays a modernized genre rendition of something like “Downton Abbey” or “Bridgerton” by way of The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries.” I’m guessing it’ll go over like gangbusters at sleepovers attended by middle and high school girls.