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‘The Invitation’ Review: Jessica Thompson’s vampire flick lacks bite
'The Invitation' - Jessica M. Thompson
2.5
The style of the mid-2000s floated around in an indescribable ether that combined the gothic aesthetic of Tim Burton with the pop-punk sensibilities of early internet culture. “Rawr,” whispered the pioneers of such a trend, consuming vampire movies by the dozen, starting with Hollywood’s idea of counter-culture ideals in The Lost Boys before moving on to the contemporary Twilight movies that pitched A4-white vampires against hair-matted werewolves.
Going through a distinctive trend during the time, vampire movies have indeed transformed a lot since the 2000s, taking on a more romantic look and feel, adopted by Jim Jarmusch for his 2013 movie Only Lovers Left Alive, among others. Having lost the energy created by the subgenre in the noughties, vampire flicks can still attract a legion of loyal followers, something Australian filmmaker Jessica Thompson was well aware of before releasing The Invitation.
Undoubtedly inspired by the fish-out-of-water narrative popularised by Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Thompson’s latest addition to the world of vampire movies takes a more generic approach to its world of gothic horror and suffers as a consequence.
Following her mother’s death, the film sees Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel), a young American woman, reach out to unknown corners of the globe for distant relatives to connect to, only for an unlikely British gentleman to respond to her. Going for dinner together, the man convinces her to come with him to a family event in England, which she accepts, dragging herself unwittingly into a dark gothic conspiracy.
Though the event itself transpires into something far more sinister, at least Evie had the time to enjoy the view, with the film being captured at a stunning castle where Budapest is captured for England. Peculiar and ancient, the setting is perfect for the unfolding vampire drama, even if Thompson doesn’t entirely use the expanse of its exterior beauty to the best of its potential, with much of the film taking place in dusty bedrooms and dining halls.
Plodding from scene to scene, it’s in The Invitation‘s pacing where the film loses its bite, moving from a placid second act to a chaotic climax without the necessary time to transition from one to the other. Before we can even think about enjoying the blood-soaked action, we are whisked off our feet and handed the film’s finale in bullet-point form, preventing the otherwise promising conclusion from stewing in its own juices.
What results is a fabulous range of well-cast actors, including Thomas Doherty, Stephanie Corneliussen, Alana Boden and Carol Ann Crawford, in buffed-up ancient attire, who are left with little fun to have at all. Though all the ingredients are there, the film doesn’t give itself enough room to flail its arms and have the joy it deserves, cramming this into the final ten minutes with little conviction.
Having once thrived many moons ago, vampire movies may not be the force they once were, but this hasn’t put a stake through its heart. Indeed it’s a subgenre that fails to die, thriving after every resurrection. Unfortunately, The Invitation simply hasn’t got the guile to wake it from its slumber.
