In director Jessica M. Thompson's horror thriller, The Invitation, New York based freelance artist Evelyn "Evie" Jackson learns about some distant relatives from England after taking a DNA test. Evie is curious about these new relatives, as she has no living family. Before you know it, Evelyn is whisked off to London, after being invited to a wedding by a cousin she never knew she had. Evelyn is in store for a few more surprises once she learns the real reason she's been asked to attend this event. Despite being intrigued by her cousin Oliver, and carrying on a flirtation with Walter, the owner of New Carfax Abbey, the house where the wedding is taking place, Evie begins to witness disquieting behavior around the manor, and experiences some disturbing events.
Evie apparently isn't up on her classic horror literature because (spoiler alert) New Carfax Abbey, and Whitby, the town where it's located, are featured in a famous novel by Bram Stoker about a certain blood-drinking Count. There are all kinds of clues afoot that things are not what they seem, and a lot of talk about blood, eternal life, and multiple brides. It soon becomes apparent that Walter is none other than Dracula, and he wants Evie to be the third in his trio of vampire brides, which will solidify his power and long life. Turns out Evie is a member of several families who have provided women to Dracula throughout the decades, in exchange for protection and wealth. But Evie isn't going willingly to the altar with Dracula, or is she?
The Invitation is smoothly directed by Thompson, and there's some atmospheric cinematography courtesy of Autumn Eakin. The script by Blair Butler provides a neat twist or two on the story of Dracula, featuring some characters from the original novel in variations on their original roles, as well as some commentary on modern gender, race and relationship issues. There are some good performances, with Nathalie Emmanuel of Game of Thrones doing a nice job as Evie, and Thomas Doherty providing a smooth, slithering take on Dracula. Sean Pertwee (Alfred on the TV series Gotham) is Mr. Field, who runs the manor, and is clearly inspired by Renfield from the novel.
The film is entertaining and well-produced, but the jump scares are predictable, and there aren't any real surprises once the Dracula reveal occurs. The movie is enjoyable enough, but it doesn't quite go all the way into a classic Hammer films vibe, nor does it push the envelope in new directions. There are some more interesting recent variations on the tale of Dracula, including the 2018 BBC production with Claes Bang, and the Showtime series Penny Dreadful. Still, The Invitation is certainly better than most of the run of the mill horror fare that you can find in theaters and on demand these days, and fans of the macabre may want to give it a look. Here's the spoiler-ish trailer: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=the+invitation+triler.
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