The Invitation (2003) - Movie Review

Roland Levy (Lance Henriksen) is an author who’s life was being crushed by personal demons until a trip to Africa and a meeting with an indigenous tribe forced him to face up to his own evil or die. Feeling better than he has in years, Roland decides to offer this same opportunity to six unsuspecting guests to his island, secretly poisoning them and offering them a chance to confess their darkest secret or die.

At face value, The Invitation doesn’t have a whole lot going for it. The budget is between a Lifetime original and Skinemax. With some editing, this movie could actually be shown on Lifetime. The acting is of soap opera quality with the exception of Lance Henriksen. No matter how minimal his role or how low the movie budget, Lance Henriksen always brings his best to the table.

Written and first-time-directed by veteran TV and movie actor Pat Bermel, the story too has some surprising moments – heartfelt, even – so I will not completely disregard this movie. There are some feel-good moments that make it worthwhile if you’re willing to get past the previously suggested negatives (I say “suggested” because it’s an opinion. Remember those? Those were valid before the internet seemingly made everyone’s opinion an inarguable fact, punishable by death if you don’t agree with them.)  However, the aesthetic value almost falls off the rails with the poorly edited cut scenes used to initiate flashbacks and mind freaks, but manages to keep itself together through the dialogue.

The Invitation is a suspense film; there is no gore, there are some failed attempts at frights, but overall you get a decent story that, most people might ignore because of the subpar image and acting qualities. I wouldn’t recommend it as a first choice, more like a rainy day selection. However, if all you’re seeing it for is Lance Henriksen (like me); you’ve really got nothing to lose. 

There is no available trailer for The Invitation, so here's two minutes that explore Lance Henriksen's extensive career and a brief word from the man himself.