Sean Parker
Horror fans have a lot of tolerance for schlock, sometimes tolerating movies with ridiculous names that take things way too seriously and other times rolling their eyes at films that don’t take their premise seriously enough. There’s something great about a horror-comedy that knows how to walk that fine line. Director Mike Hermosa and the crew behind The Invisible Raptor knew exactly what they were doing: spoofing Blockbuster movies, most notably Spielberg films, while creating something entirely their own in the process. They’ve even gone the extra mile to cash in on popular blockbuster movie toy lines, offering an Invisible Raptor figure that is just as silly as you think it is.
Watching the movie ahead of its English premiere at FrightFest, the kitschy research cave where a nefarious corporation is keeping a top-secret invisible raptor underground, does provide a certain Syfy movie of the week feeling. I mean that lovingly, I have absolute nostalgia for that. Occasionally, you would catch a half-decent movie on the cable network, but sometimes you watched Miami Magma, aka Swamp Volcano, or one of the Sharknados for the tenth time.
However, The Invisible Raptor immediately quells any doubts by cementing the idea you’re going to have a good time with an A-level cameo gracing the cold open and an overt amount of direct foreshadowing, leading to the actor’s demise. The special appearance isn’t necessarily a secret. You don’t have to search too hard to find out who the actor is, but I think their presence is a wonderful surprise, and I’d hate to spoil that. Comedic callbacks and just the silliest of visual jokes begin to hit right away, providing the relief that you’re in for more of a Naked Gun movie than one of those Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer post Scary Movie cringefests (Date Movie, Meet the Spartans, Disaster Movie, etc.).
The Invisible Raptor begins similarly templated to Jurassic Park until writers Mike Capes and Johnny Wickman begin evolving their characters and narrative into more of a monster movie affair. The film starts with the Raptor escaping, then dives into a scene mirroring Sam Neill’s paleontological dissertation on dinosaurs at a dig site. Not to be outdone by a scene that lives rent-free in all of our heads, The Invisible Raptor sees this scene unfold at a dinosaur-themed tourist trap, with our lead protagonist, who is also named Grant (Mike Capes), rapping to children with his pal Denny (David Shackelford) in a big, puffy dino-suit. To make it more awkward, Grant’s love interest, Amber (Caitlin McHugh), is present for the whole presentation.
When Denny’s security dog goes missing, and one of Grant’s Dinoworld regulars has his house broken into, leaving the police without any explanation as to his whereabouts, Grant begins to suspect that a raptor is on the loose. Quite the leap? Sure. Particularly when no one has seen a six-foot-tall dinosaur roaming the neighborhood. Yet, I bet you can probably guess why.
The production value of The Invisible Raptor is very high, all things considered. I mean, it helps that the lead antagonist doesn’t have to appear on screen, but it allows the production funds to cast a bunch of familiar faces with character actors in various roles. Office Space’s Richard Riehle, Napoleon Dynamite’s Sandy Martin, Billy Madison’s Larry Hankin, I Am Not Okay with This’ Dave Theune, and Somnium’s Bill Kottkamp are some of the familiar ensemble cast members helping to support the lead performers. Speaking of which, Capes and Shackelford show magnificent chemistry together, becoming a buddy comedy duo worth rooting for on par with Tucker and Dale. The two characters are attuned to their pasts and see an invisible raptor as an opportunity at greatness if only their egos don’t get in their way. Thematically speaking, it’s a great message of persistence and perseverance.
After clearing the first act, which probably goes about a scene too long, The Invisible Raptor really takes off. Slapstick humor and quick-witted jokes prevail as the gore starts flowing. While they’re primarily practical effects, the use of digital is far better than many other films incorporating CGI. Hermosa is able to mix the two elements very well, and for a film where the audience is often treated to shots with nothing in the frame, it’s incredibly fun. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, some quizzically horny moments, a ton of movie references, and a very edgy ending, but if you’re a fan of R-rated comedies and spoof movies like Crabs!, Blades, or Velocipastor, The Invisible Raptor is absolutely for you.
Audiences are going to have a great time with The Invisible Raptor. It’s a very communal movie with a lot of laughs, and a lot of grizzly kills. The film held its English premiere at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on August 22, being brought to London after a fantastic UK premiere at the Glasgow FrightFest back in March.
