The Invisible Man Movies Ranked from Must-See to Unsightly
by Cineanalyst | created - 12 Mar 2020 | updated - 29 Jul 2020 | PublicI read "The Invisible Man" by H.G. Wells a couple years ago and decided to make this list ranking adaptations and reworkings of his book after seeing the 2020 movie and a few more movies about transparent figures. Although Wells's novella is an easy read, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it; the better adaptations are improvements overall. That shouldn't be too surprising, though, given that the idea of invisibility is one well suited to a visual and audial art form such as cinema. The letter motif and the business of an "invisible" narrator of the book may be (and has been) easily replaced by more cinematically-reflexive constructions, too.
(Note: Superheros and Cheshire Cat-inspired invisibility not included, and I've intentionally not gone out of my way to see some of the more kiddie-looking, direct-to-video or TV variations.)
List now also at and open to comments at letterboxd: https://boxd.it/4YFzI
My average rating of ranked movies: 5.3 stars.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The Invisible Man (I) (2020)
R | 124 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.
Director: Leigh Whannell | Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Harriet Dyer, Aldis Hodge
Votes: 255,698 | Gross: $70.41M
It's a close call for me between this and the 1933 classic, but this recent version does such an extraordinary job with the cinematic gaze and the remaking of the invisible man into a cinematic construction himself, along with taking the unorthodox perspective of the seen (a terrific Elisabeth Moss) rather than the unseen, that I'll give it the edge.
My Full Review
2. The Invisible Man (1933)
TV-PG | 71 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane.
Director: James Whale | Stars: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers
Votes: 39,971
One of James Whale's campy horror classics from the 1930s that's right up there with his Frankenstein films, it also features the memorable voice of Claude Rains and works well as an allegory for the then-still relatively new technology of talkies. In the age before digital cinema and CGI, John P. Fulton's traveling matte work for the visual effects is impressive, too.
My Full Review
3. The Invisible Man Returns (1940)
Passed | 81 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
The owner of a coal mining operation, falsely imprisoned for fratricide, takes a drug to make him invisible, despite its side effect: gradual madness.
Director: Joe May | Stars: Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, John Sutton
Votes: 5,298
The first sequel to the above 1933 film, Vincent Price is a worthy successor in the unseen role, and the film is one of the more underrated classics from Universal's monster movies of the 1930s-1940s. By expanding on the procedural aspects of its predecessor, it's especially a treat for those familiar with semiotics as it relates to film theory.
My Full Review
4. The Invisible Woman (1940)
Approved | 72 min | Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi
An attractive model with an ulterior motive volunteers as guinea pig for an invisibility machine.
Director: A. Edward Sutherland | Stars: Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, John Howard, Charles Ruggles
Votes: 3,357
Funnier than I expected, this entry in Universal's Invisible Man series swaps genders for the titular invisible woman, with a lot of the jokes playing with the notion of the "male gaze," as well as an unseen naked woman wanting a man named "Dick." Even past his prime, John Barrymore is a hoot, too.
My Full Review
5. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Not Rated | 83 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
The Wolf Man tries to warn a dimwitted porter that Dracula wants his brain for Frankenstein monster's body.
Directors: Charles Barton, Walter Lantz | Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi
Votes: 19,576 | Gross: $4.80M
Not an Invisible Man movie per se, as it mostly focuses on Dracula, the Wolf Man and the Frankenstein monster, as well as Abbott and Costello's usual shtick, in this comedic monster mash, but the best gag in the entire film is relevant to this list.
My Full Review
6. The Invisible Mouse (1947)
Approved | 7 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
Tom chases Jerry into a bottle of invisible ink, and Jerry then proceeds to have fun torturing Tom.
Directors: Joseph Barbera, William Hanna | Star: William Hanna
Votes: 1,373
A Tom-and-Jerry cartoon short, the inclusion of invisible ink here is a rather clever self-reference for a drawn film.
My Full Review
7. The Invisible Maniac (1990)
R | 86 min | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
An invisible scientist escapes from an asylum and teaches high-school physics to nubile teens.
Director: Adam Rifkin | Stars: Noel Peters, Savannah, Stephanie Blake, Melissa Moore
Votes: 3,612
Sexploitation adapts the voyeuristic potential of an invisible-man scenario remarkably well. Although, granted, it spends so much time in the girls locker room and on low-production gore that it's mostly enjoyable on a so-bad-it's-good level.
My Full Review
8. Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)
R | 85 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
A spoof of low budget 1950s science-fiction movies, interspersed with various comedy sketches and fake commercials making fun of late-night television.
Directors: Joe Dante, Carl Gottlieb, Peter Horton, John Landis, Robert K. Weiss | Stars: Rosanna Arquette, Michelle Pfeiffer, Arsenio Hall, Donald F. Muhich
Votes: 12,639 | Gross: $0.55M
Sketch comedy in the vein of "The Kentucky Fried Movie," includes an episode that parodies Universal's classic "Invisible Man" films.
My Full Review
9. Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
PG-13 | 99 min | Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi
After a freak accident, a company executive turns completely invisible, goes on the run and becomes hunted by a treacherous CIA official, whilst trying to cope with his new reality.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah, Sam Neill, Michael McKean
Votes: 26,980 | Gross: $14.36M
Despite being directed by John Carpenter, this film based on what is seen and not seen is not visually creative, and despite starring comedian Chevy Chase, it's not very funny, either. There's an amusing nightmare scene, however, that depicts castration anxiety.
My Full Review
10. Hollow Man (2000)
R | 112 min | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
A brilliant scientist's discovery renders him invisible, but transforms him into an omnipotent, dangerous megalomaniac.
Director: Paul Verhoeven | Stars: Kevin Bacon, Elisabeth Shue, Josh Brolin, Kim Dickens
Votes: 138,458 | Gross: $73.21M
Directed by Paul Verhoeven, renowned for poor taste, there's unfortunately nothing amusing about turning Wells's novella into a generic slasher flick. That's just in poor taste.
My Full Review
11. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951)
Passed | 82 min | Comedy, Family, Horror
Two bumbling private eyes help a man, wrongly accused of murder who has become invisible, to clear his name.
Director: Charles Lamont | Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Nancy Guild, Arthur Franz
Votes: 6,099 | Gross: $3.38M
Another Abbott and Costello parody, this one features some decent sight gags--although not enough--for a comedic duo best known for their verbal wit.
My Full Review
12. The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944)
Unrated | 78 min | Crime, Horror, Mystery
An eccentric scientist helps a fugitive from the law become invisible, unwittingly giving him the power to exact revenge on his former friends.
Director: Ford Beebe | Stars: Jon Hall, Evelyn Ankers, Alan Curtis, Leon Errol
Votes: 2,738 | Gross: $1.67M
A poorly-written mess of a movie that I only don't rank as Universal's worst entry in the series because the film below is nauseatingly bad.
My Full Review
13. Invisible Agent (1942)
Passed | 81 min | Action, Adventure, Romance
The Invisible Man's grandson uses his secret formula to spy on Nazi Germany.
Director: Edwin L. Marin | Stars: Ilona Massey, Jon Hall, Peter Lorre, Cedric Hardwicke
Votes: 2,656
Manages to take a promising idea of exploiting invisibility for spy craft and making buffoons out of Nazis into something that's not fun, including an annoyingly stupid protagonist.
My Full Review
14. The Amazing Transparent Man (1960)
Approved | 58 min | Crime, Horror, Sci-Fi
A crazed scientist invents an invisibility formula. He plans to use the formula to create an army of invisible zombies.
Director: Edgar G. Ulmer | Stars: Marguerite Chapman, Douglas Kennedy, James Griffith, Ivan Triesault
Votes: 2,740
This B-production suffers without John P. Fulton's visual effects from the Universal series. All that's left is a poor story poorly executed and not even in a so-good-it's-bad sort of way despite its being featured on "Mystery Science Theater 3000."
My Full Review
15. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
In an alternate Victorian Age world, a group of famous contemporary fantasy, science fiction, and adventure characters team up on a secret mission.
Director: Stephen Norrington | Stars: Sean Connery, Stuart Townsend, Peta Wilson, Jason Flemyng
Votes: 184,023 | Gross: $66.47M
I guess they couldn't use Griffin from Wells for copyright reasons or something, so a thieving, ripped-off version of the Invisible Man is included in this CGI monstrosity of a movie.
My Full Review
Tell Your Friends