I was asked to review two vampire movies for the month of October to celebrate Halloween, I’ve chosen this film as one of them. I first saw The Invitation with my husband when it came to theaters in August 2022 and now again on HBOMax. This film was directed by Jessica M. Thompson and screenplay by Blair Butler (Hell Fest [2018]) from Sony Pictures and is a different take on a Dracula/vampire films of old.
Virág Bárány
The Invitation opens with a woman running in a house trying to get away from something and winds up killing herself stating “It all ends here…with me.” However, the real story starts with Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel), an aspiring artist is working as a waitress with her friend Grace (Courtney Taylor) and swipes an extra DNA kit at a catering event. Since she has just lost her mother and has no known family, she decides to take the DNA test and the results reveal a cousin from the UK, Oliver (Hugh Skinner) who invites her to the family wedding of their cousin.
Hugh Skinner and Nathalie Emmanuel
Once in the UK, Oliver takes her to the De Ville Estate and she comes across the arrogant butler Renfield (Sean Pertwee (Dog Soldiers [2002])) and this is where she meets the Lord of the Manor, Walter “Walt” De Ville (Thomas Doherty). Renfield apologizes for his rude behavior takes Evie to her lavish room, she then meets her maid Mrs. Swift (Carol Ann Crawford) who wakes her the following day which starts the “family reunion.” She is later introduced to two of the maids of honor Victoria (Stephanie Corneliussen) and Lucy (Alana Boden.) Walt starts getting real cozy with Evie, which is making the family happy, and this is where we find out when Oliver and Victoria start talking that all is not what it seems.
Carfax Abbey
Evie is keeping in touch with her friend Grace who warns her not to get swept up with the lavish surroundings and people despite all the dark and odd happenings going on, but she can’t resist since it’s all new to her and she never experienced anything like it. As I said Evie and Walt are getting close and even go to bed together, which is very important especially since the following day she finds out what really is occurring. The nuptials is for her wedding to Walt and she finds out he’s a vampire and tries to run out of the room but is trapped and put into the dungeon but Victoria and Lucy who tell her that she’s needed to be part of the family and have Walt’s blood in her for the family power and that woman in the beginning was Evie’s great grandmother Emmaline. Luckily, she has Mrs. Swift on her side and helps her escape but doesn’t get very far and winds up marrying Walt and remembers what she was told and drinks a little too much of Walt’s blood and starts her escape plan which does eventually happen after many obstacles. When she returns to the United States she meets up with Grace to get revenge on Oliver, but an important question is Evie still a vampire or is she mortal since Walt is dead? I guess you’ll have to watch and see.
Nathalie Emmanuel and Thomas Doherty
Alana Boden and Stephanie Corneliussen
For those who had the luxury to read Bram Stoker’s most famous work in 1897 or as everyone knows the Universal movie Dracula [1931] and many variations especially the wonderful one from 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The film presents a dark setting, almost as if the director was trying to go back to the gothic vampire movies of Hammer Studios, rather than Universal however, the storyline doesn’t match as the vampire scenes are only alluded to until the end, when the vampire fangs emerge for the bite itself. It has a light comedic tone, which is not necessary. I think Thompson was trying to attract modern horror fans or fans of the Twilight franchise. All in all, it was an average vampire flick but with no jump scares.
Nathalie Emmanuel in Gothic Setting
TAGLINES:
- You are cordially invited to a nightmare generations in the making.
- This family’s dying to meet you.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12873562
IMDb Rating: 5.3/10
3C Rating: 5.0/10