The Invitation was released in theaters on August 26, 2022. This supernatural thriller made $7 million within the opening weekend, making it the lowest grossing film to the top box office since May of 2021. Critics did not hesitate to state their brutally honest reviews about the film.  

The movie stars Nathalie Emmanuel as the main character Evie and Thomas Doherty as the mysterious Walter. When Evie’s mother passes away, she decides to take a DNA test to discover any living relatives of hers. When her test shows that she has a long-lost cousin from London, she decides to meet him for lunch. Her cousin invites her to a lush wedding in London, which Evie accepts. Once arriving in London, she is greeted by the captivating Walter, who owns the Victorian style mansion in which she will be staying. Evie and Walter start to fall for each other quickly. But little does Evie know that she has just fallen into a trap. After discovering the dark truth about Walter and her newfound family, she must fight her way to survival. 

It was announced in 2020 that The Invitation was being planned. However, the film was initially called ‘The Bride’ and was described as “the story of a young woman who attends a lavish destination wedding, unaware of the horrors that await.” The script was written by Blair Butler but revised by Jessica M. Thompson. Butler took inspiration from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel ‘Dracula.’ Although the script was revised, the dark Victorian themes inspired by Dracula remain in the final product. 

The film received a rating of 4.8/10 on Rotten Tomatoes. The website ultimately stated that “Despite a very likable lead and a refreshingly light touch, The Invitation is ultimately too predictable to thrill as either a romance or a horror story.” CinemaScore graded the film a “C” on an A+ to F grading scale. 

If you’re looking for a gothic thriller with a strong female protagonist, this is the film for you. Hopefully, you can just overlook the predictableness and enjoy the movie. So, grab your popcorn and friends and go form your own opinions on this supernatural thriller before listening to critics.