“As fascinating and satisfying as it is, The Invisible Man is one of those ‘horror' films which never seems totally deserving of the label... it seems closer in spirit to science fiction or fantasy. Like H.G. Wells' other work, The Invisible Man is tinged with a didacticism common to that streak of romanticism so prevalent in early science fiction....

“...Despite (Universal's) efforts, the idea of an invisible character remains more intriguing than frightening, and the film comes closest to threatening our complacency in those sequences where Griffin (played by Claude Rains) is quite visible.... Sequences in which Griffin is invisible, on the other hand, frequently derive much of their impact from the macabre humor so closely associated with director James Whale or from the wizardry of special effects expert John P. Fulton and his staff. Through complicated matte photography, wire work, and mirror illusions, the effects crew does allow us a remarkable suspension of disbelief, and they deserve much of the credit for the film's ultimate success.”