The Invitation
The Invitation

The Invitation

2016Movie100 minEnglish

Will and his new girlfriend Kira are invited to a dinner with old friends at the house of Will’s ex Eden and her new partner David. Although the evening appears to be relaxed, Will soon gets a creeping suspicion that their charming host David is up to something.

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Insights

IMDb6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes88%
Metacritic74/100
Google Users78%
Director: Karyn KusamaGenres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Plot Summary

A man accepts an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new husband, years after a tragedy drove them apart. As the evening progresses, he grows increasingly suspicious of the hosts' peculiar behavior and the unsettling atmosphere, leading him to believe they have sinister intentions for their guests.

Critical Reception

The Invitation was met with generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its slow-burn tension, psychological horror, and Karyn Kusama's direction. The film was noted for its effective build-up of dread and a satisfying, albeit disturbing, climax. Audience reception was also largely favorable, appreciating its unique approach to the thriller genre.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its masterful build-up of suspense and psychological tension.
  • Hailed as a clever and unsettling modern horror film.
  • Director Karyn Kusama's confident hand keeps the audience on edge.

Google audience: Audiences generally appreciated the film's atmosphere of dread and suspense, finding the psychological aspect of the horror compelling. Some viewers felt the pacing was slow in parts but ultimately rewarded by the payoff.

Fun Fact

Director Karyn Kusama initially envisioned the film as a more direct thriller but decided to lean into the psychological and unsettling aspects, making the "cult" element more ambiguous and creeping.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

5 reviews
beyondthecineramadome

beyondthecineram...

Full review: <a>https://www.tinakakadelis.com/beyond-the-cinerama-dome/2021/12/28/worst-dinner-partynbspever-the-invitation-review<a> It’s a bold choice to decide to set a movie exclusively during a dinner party. In this film, the singul...
Repo Jack

Repo Jack

It's weird enough when your ex invites you to a dinner party with friends and her new significant other, but "The Invitation" piles on more uncomfortable / weird circumstances until it really goes off the rails (in a good way).
The Movie Diorama

The Movie Dioram...

The Invitation incites audiences to attend the most anxiety-inducing dinner party ever. Grief. The melancholic turmoil of loss. A catalyst for unwanted prominent personality alterations that change the very fabric of who we are. Each indivi...
Reno

Reno

**Think carefully before attending your ex's party invite!** My first impression was, not another 'The Perfect Host'. And it is not, but the same category. This is a comeback film for the director after the average 'Jennifer's Body' that...
teix

teix

This film was a very nice surprise for me. I didn't know much about the plot, which helped. Right from the start you are increasingly presented with atmospheric stimuli that help to increase the overall tension for the story. The photogra...