The Invisible appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.35:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Though a somewhat dated presentation, the image largely held up fine.
Sharpness became a moderate weak link, as delineation occasionally lacked great clarity. Still, much of the movie offered fairly positive accuracy.
No issues with jagged edges or moiré effects materialized, and edge haloes remained minor. Print flaws didn’t turn into a concern.
Colors leaned toward a lot of teal and amber. These hues seemed a bit heavy but worked well as a whole.
Shadows demonstrated pretty good delineation, but blacks tended to seem a bit crushed. Though more than adequate, the image showed its age.
As for the Uncompressed LPCM 5.1 audio of Invisible, it worked given the story’s ambitions. A moody character piece, the film didn’t open up to lots of scenes with sonic pizzazz.
Still, the mix managed to show good spread to music and used the surrounds in a moderately involving manner, especially during violent or supernatural scenes. Although nothing here dazzled, the soundfield seemed more than satisfactory.
Audio came across well, with music that appeared full and rich. Effects offered solid clarity and range.
Speech tended to sound oddly artificial at times – iffy looping? – but the lines remained acceptably natural and lacked any issues with edginess. The movie sported a perfectly appropriate soundtrack.
As we head to extras, we find two separate audio commentaries. The first comes from director David S. Goyer and writer Christine Roum, both of whom sit together for this running, screen-specific look at the source and its adaptation, story/characters, cast and performances, sets and locations, music, camerawork and visual design, effects, and related areas.
Goyer and Roum combine for a highly effective chat here. They get into a strong array of topics and offer an informative and insightful view of the film.
For the second commentary, we hear from writer Mick Davis. He presents his own running, screen-specific discussion of story/characters and changes from the original Swedish movie.
Because Davis wrote that earlier script, you might expect lots of great notes about those topics and the adaptation for the US production. Instead, you get a whole lot of nothing.
Sure, Davis occasionally spells out some changes, but he provides precious little real insight. He also either sits silently or just narrates the film too often.
A few interesting notes emerge – such as when he reveals his inspiration for the film’s mother character – but these worthwhile details seem intensely rare. This ends up as a nearly useless commentary that viewers can skip and miss almost nothing.
11 Deleted Scenes span a total of 13 minutes, 45 seconds. These offer some semi-abandoned subplots, such as one in which Nick’s mom pushes him toward a potential girlfriend.
We also get a bit more with secondary characters. These don’t seem memorable but they can feel moderately intriguing.
We can watch the scenes with or without commentary from Goyer and Roum. They tell us about the sequences and why they got the boot.
Finally, we get Music Videos for “The Kill” by 30 Seconds to Mars and “Taking Back Control” by Sparta. “Kill” shows a live performance from the Jared Leto-led band and seems wholly forgettable as both song and video.
“Control” delivers a more traditional video, as it mixes the usual lip-synch band shots with clips from the movie. It also proves unexceptional as tune and video.
The disc opens with ads for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Wild Hogs, and Déjà Vu. No trailer for Invisible appears here.
A mix of supernatural thriller and teen melodrama, The Invisible leans far too much in the latter direction. This means it becomes tedious and dull. The Blu-ray brings generally positive picture and audio along with a mix of bonus materials. Don’t expect anything provocative from this sluggish dud.
