The Top 10 Best Invisible Man Movies

5. Invisible Agent 

I can’t fault a guy for using invisibility to punch out a couple of Nazis, which is exactly what happens in Invisible Agent. In the middle of World War II, the original Invisible Man’s grandson decides to step up and do his part in helping to defeat the Axis powers. The only condition he has is that the formula can only be used on him. It turns out that one invisible spy is more than enough to cause problems for the Nazi and “Japanese” antagonists in the film, but it certainly helps that he’s got a little help from a beautiful double agent on the indies. This is one of the few invisible man movies where the character is genuinely heroic of their own volition. Other versions are at best, unfortunate victims and at worst, actual monsters. Then again, even if this Invisible Man wasn’t a hero, he’d have to be pretty awful to look bad next to Nazis on the big screen. Invisible Agent is a fun spy adventure that earns a spot for breaking the norm with invisible man movies. 

4. The Unseen

Now we’re getting to the really good stuff on this list of invisible man movies. The Unseen is an intense sci-fi thriller following a man suffering from an unknown disease that is slowly turning him invisible. Hoping to hide his condition as long as possible, the man moves to a small town up north, limits his interactions with people, and wears plenty of layers to hide the parts of his body that have already become invisible. This leads to him becoming depressed and turning to alcohol to numb his loneliness. Before he can drink himself to death though, he gets a call from his ex-wife telling him that his estranged daughter has gotten mixed up with a dangerous crowd. Desperate to do at least one thing right as a father before he disappears completely, the man returns to save his daughter. The Unseen is a metaphor for absentee fathers and how mental illnesses (such as alcoholism and depression) can make victims “disappear.” It’s hard-hitting and hard to watch, but definitely worth it.    

3. The Invisible Man Returns

Vincent Price is one of the undisputed kings of classic bad movies. So, I’m glad that I could include him on this list of invisible man movies. Just as with Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, this version of the character (played by Price) finds himself wrongfully accused of murder. Good thing that the brother of the original Invisible Man just so happens to be nearby and can give the condemned man an injection of the invisibility formula before his execution. Using his newfound powers, Price seeks the murderer for the sake of justice and to clear his good name. It’s a pretty campy film, but it’s that classic Vincent Price style of campy. The only downside is that this is another movie on this list with a misleading title since it’s technically not the return of the invisible man, which is unfortunate considering that the invisible man is usually so… Transparent.    

2. The Invisible Man (1933) 

They call the original The Invisible Man a classic film for good reason. Based on the novel by H.G. Wells, the film tells the intense tale of a chemist driven mad by the formula he uses to turn invisible. His mind twisted by the rare chemicals he utilized, he embarks on a mission to dominate the world through a reign of terror. I’m not exactly sure how he saw his plan working out, but the killing spree he sets out on is impressive considering this film was made in the early 30s (he murders well over a hundred people). With numbers like that, it’s clear why monsters like the wolfman and Dracula were willing to accept him among their ranks. All joking aside, The Invisible Man was an impressive leap forward for movie special effects and it’s respected in the film community to this day. That combination of story and special effects is everything that Stars & Popcorn believes in. Until recently, it would have been a shoo-in for the top spot on this list. That honor goes to another The Invisible Man though.

1. The Invisible Man (2020)

It’s not every day that a horror remake turns out better than the original, but the newest version of The Invisible Man is absolutely chilling. It tells the story of a woman played by Elizabeth Moss, who escapes from an abusive relationship with a brilliant, narcissistic, psychopath. The said psychopath isn’t going to let her go so easily, so he does what any reasonable maniac would in this situation: fakes his death so he can gaslight her into going insane using the advanced optics suit he built that allows him to turn invisible. The scientist’s obsession and need for control over all aspects of her life grows until the two are sent hurtling towards an inevitable confrontation that asks just how far she’ll go to finally get away from him. Director Leigh Whannell masterfully captures a sense of tension and dread that leaves audiences on the edge of their seat throughout this modernized take on Wells’s story, making it perfect for the top spot on this list of invisible man movies.

Honorable Mention: Deadpool 2

I have to give credit where it’s due, and while Deadpool 2 might not have been a true invisible man movie, it features the best use of an invisible character I’ve ever seen on the big screen. When Deadpool puts together his own special team of mercenaries, he handpicks The Vanisher who’s unique ability makes him the perfect stealth operative. Too bad that Deadpool forgot to check the wind advisory before his team parachuted into their first mission, because The Vanisher winds up fatally tangled in some high voltage electrical wires. So, why does The Vanisher get an honorable mention? Because in the few seconds we actually see his face flicker into vision while he’s being electrocuted, we discover he’s played by Brad Pitt. Now that’s how you do a cameo. 

Shout-Out: Mystery Men

The Mystery Men is made up of superheroes with pointless powers. The most pointless of which probably belongs to Invisible Boy (Kel Mitchell) who can only turn invisible when nobody (including himself) is looking. It sounds like the sort of thing a crazy person would say, but it’s never clear if Invisible Boy is crazy or not., he manages to get past the dreaded laser eye trap that will vaporize anyone it sees come near it. Invisible Boy might be the strangest character to ever use the power of transparency on the big screen which is earning him a shout-out.

Those are the best Invisible man movies I’ve seen (last pun, I promise), but if I missed any good ones, be sure to let me know in the comments below. As always, I’ll be updating this list as new invisible man movies appear on the big screen (I lied. That was the last one). So, stop back by from time to time to check if the rankings change. Until next time, watch out for any invisible adversaries (I know, I’m a monster).