If you’re looking for a horror movie to watch this week, you could try “The Invitation.” According to Netflix’s official Top 10, the film is the fourth most-watched movie in the UK for the week of May 13 to May 19. And it is also available on the platform in the US.
“The Invitation” stars Nathalie Emmanuel, who is best known for her role in Games of Thrones as Missandei, as well as appearing on the Fast and Furious franchise. She recently also had a role in Francis Ford Coppola’s epic “Megalopolis.” Thomas Doherty, known for starring in the “Gossip Girl” reboot, also stars.
This horror film was directed by Australian filmmaker Jessica M. Thompson, who is known for her directorial debut “The Light of the Moon” (2017). Meanwhile, the script was written by Blair Butler, and it is inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Here’s what to know about this movie.
‘The Invitation’: An horror thriller for fans of vampires
The movie, which was originally titled “The Bride,” follows Evie (Emmanuel), a young woman who loses her mother and is left alone with no other known relatives. However, after taking a DNA test, she discovers a long-lost cousin and is invited to a lavish wedding in the England countryside. There, she will be seduced by an aristocratic host (Doherty), but quickly realizes the unsettling intentions behind their sinful generosity.
Stephanie Corneliussen, Alana Boden, Hugh Skinner, Sean Pertwee, Carol Ann Crawford, Courtney Taylor, and Tian Chaudhry complete the cast. The plot has some similarities with other modern survival thrillers, especially “Ready Or Not” (2019), which stars Samara Weaving.
It grossed $38 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. Also, on Netflix US, the movie was a total hit at the time of its premiere on the platform, reaching the Top 5 in January 2023 with 12.2 million hours viewed on the service.
However, received generally mixed-to-negative reviews, with critics praising Emmanuel’s acting. However, many criticized the script and horror elements. For example, Natalia Winkelman of The New York Times described the dialogue as “banal” and the scare pattern “repetitive.”