Whether it be unexpected twists or the fear of the unknown, thehorrorgenre has learned to subvert expectations to keep audiences shocked and petrified. FromAuditiontoAlien,there are many exceptional examples of movies that lull their viewers into a false sense of normalcy before throwing them into a chaotic mess of blood and terror. These reveals are typically placed in the early to middle of the film, ensnaring viewers at just the right time with the scares they’re waiting to see. There is one film that stands apart from these, though, one that struggles to find its place in the genre because its horrific elements don’t appear until the movie is almost over.
Directed byKaryn Kusama,2015’sThe Invitationexpertly uses uncertainty as to what kind of film it is to make those watching constantly second guess themselves, wondering where its true horrors may lie: in malicious characters, or the devastating examples of loss on display. No matter which, until the very end this film offers a sorrowful depiction of the struggles of grief — and the unorthodox lengths people will pursue to cope with the loss of a loved one. This resonant drama may frustrate many of the viewers who signed up for your typical scare fest, disappointed that the carnage they were expecting has been replaced with an hour of melodrama. Yet this large portion is essential because it’s the beautiful and artistic beginningthat makes the horrifying end of the movie so devastating. By taking its time to get viewers invested in the plot and the fate of the characters,The Invitationmakes its inevitable horror all the more crushing.
The Invitation
When a man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, the unsettling past reopens old wounds and creates new tensions.
‘The Invitation’ Uses Its Characters Against You
The Invitationestablishes its tone in the first scene when Will (Logan Marshall-Green)and his girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) drive through the Hollywood Hills to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife Eden (Tammy Blanchard). This comes after Eden has disappeared for two years after the death of the pair’s son, an intersection of emotional trauma that leaves Will tense and Kira worried if their attendance is a good idea at all. It’s as they navigate this tension that Will accidentally hits a coyote in the road. Will swiftly gets out of the car and, upon seeing the state of the animal, mercifully kills it. This action defines the film; not only does it establish an eerie atmosphere thatdrives the anxiety of the characters and viewersalike, but it ultimately reveals two major themes: the acceptance of death, and the belief of many that freeing someone from this cruel world is the ultimate act of mercy.
15 Best Horror Movies About Cults That Prove Togetherness Is Terrifying
Be sure to get your 101 Demon Summoning certificate.
When Will and Kira finally arrive at Eden’s house the audience is introduced to an ensemble’s worth of new characters in the form of Will and Eden’s old friends. These characters vary wildly, from Ben’s (Jay Larson) inability to take anything seriously to Claire’s (Marieh Delfino) quiet nature setting her apart from the spirited group. But no matter their demeanor, each is written with a reality that grants them alla surprising amount of complexity. And as the film continues, one thing becomes clear: they all hold a deep love for Will. Even as the night’s events (and Will’s mental state) begin to spiral, they react with misplaced compassion unusual for your typical horror fare; their characterization elicits care from the audience as we see the clear commitment each has to helping their friend through this difficult time. In another film, this plot ends with this group recognizing the hardships of grief and vowing to help Will however they can — unfortunately for them, this is not that movie. And as a person watches these heartwarming moments, it’s a shock to remember: this is a horror movie.And these are our side characters…
‘The Invitation’ Is Just as Much About Grief and Loss as It Is About Horror
The dinner party is hosted by Eden and her new husband David (Michiel Huisman), though Will and the friends are introduced to the couple’s odd companions Sadie (Lindsay Burdge) and Pruitt (John Carroll Lynch)— as well as the spiritual collective they’ve joined, “The Invitation.” This cult focuses on the release of negative emotions (and the belief that death is a beautiful thing) and it offers a skewed perception of grief and what it means to truly cope. And while Will is incredulous over Eden’s belief that in embodying this mission she can easily ignore her trauma, his own grief journey is not healthy either. To a lesser degree for sure, but he’s shown to do the exact opposite —he embeds himself in the gut-wrenching feeling of loss, not allowing himself to heal out of fear of dishonoring his late son.
Recovery does not exist on a timeline, but it’s clear that despite how different their approaches are both have failed to truly understand and live with their pain. This interrogation of what it really means to heal offers nuanced ideas surrounding how people could attempt to handle such a monumental tragedy. It’s a complex and real conversation; though inThe Invitation, it’s used to foreshadow just how destructive a person’s attempt to “let go” can be. It’s as Will begins to question not only the cult but also the strange events he’s witnessed that another frighteningly real aspect ofThe Invitationis revealed: how a person’s mental state can lead to disbelief from those around them. While the film resists full horror until its end it does feature many eerie momentshinting at something insidiousoccurring just outside the guests' view.
From bars on the windows to Pruitt admitting that he entered “The Invitation” after accidentally murdering his wife, Will is constantly raising concerns about the weird things happening. And each time, he is assured that nothing is wrong and that all of his worries stem from unresolved trauma from his son’s death. This patronizing demeanor discounts the faculties of people who are undergoing stress and provides an example of gaslighting sure to frustrate all who echo Will in being unnerved by the cult members' strange behavior. But even if the audience resonates with said frustration, the movie meets each of Will’s concerns with a reasonable explanation, making those watching ask: Could Will’s friends be right? Could he just bereading into things because of his grief?The Invitationplays with audiences' assumption of what’s going on to thrilling effect, making the ultimate horror of its climax both validating and devastating — viewers finally get the scares they’ve been wanting, but at what cost?
What Happens at the End of ‘The Invitation’?
The climax ofThe Invitationis bittersweet on every level — affirming its place in the horror genre through the visceral deaths of characters the film had purposefully made compelling. Both Will and the audience realize that the uneasy moments sprinkled throughout were more relevant than anyone could have expected and all served to foreshadow this tragic end. In constructing such realistic characters whose complexity gives the whole film a level of reality,The Invitation’sending cruelly offers audiences the scaresthey’d been yearning for and grants its characters tragic, gruesome deaths — ones befitting for a horror movie.
A film’s pacing is essential in how effectively it can elicit a (hopefully positive) response from its audience. With so many ofThe Invitation’sscares happening in the last 20 minutes, it’s understandable thatviewers may grow frustrated, feeling they were falsely advertised a horror movie when the film is actually a melodramatic grief fest. Yet, when the film is understood beyond its capacity to scare and appreciated for the emotion, loss, and embodiment of grief on display, it creates a viewing experience that pairs anxious fear with a level of depth necessary to understand how horrifying this situation is. It surprises viewers by engrossing them in a real human story of what it means to move on from trauma before reminding them that they are, in fact, watching a horror movie — one that highlights how far someonewill go to forget the past. It stuns with a story that touches so many important conversations surrounding mental health and fanaticism, with all of it coming to one heartrending, unspeakable, and most of all, bloodyfinish.
The Invitationis available to stream on Amazon Prime in the U.S.
WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME
