a film by David DeCoteau 2009 | 83 mins | US ›› The Invisible Chronicles a voyeuristic take on the HG Wells classic. Some works of literature are ripe for rainbow adaptation and clearly it was just a matter of time before the HG Wells classic, upon which this feature is loosely based, was given a gay makeover. Only was it worth the effort? And if you know the films of prolific writer, producer and director David DeCoteau, then you'll not only know the answer, but equally have a fair idea of what to expect here. For this is the story of University student genius Griffin; a cutie who when not working late in the lab, finds himself subjected to a brutal physical assault by a trio of buffed to perfection jocks - is there any other kind? Longing to avenge his assailants, a breakthrough invisibility serum provides him with the means to vent his wrath. But where will it end? And in more ways than one. For what could have been a great take on the HG Wells classic and still could be in the right hands, has been all but reduced to lightweight homoerotica, courtesy of the voyeuristic "I can see you, but you can't see me" angle of the piece. Yet for a film that has been made with the boys in mind, it remains surprisingly coy when it comes to full frontal nudity. What you do get to see however is Griffin whilst invisible; a sure case of a naked desire for man flesh, working hand-in-hand with the constraints of a limited special effects budget. The result is a trade-off, as character development and dramatic tension are sacrificed in return for a seemingly never ending series of strictly from the waist up shower scenes. So heads you win on pretty boys; but tails you lose on narrative. That a number of the cast, if not DeCoteau himself, have potential for more demanding work, goes without saying. Gay Visibility - homoerotic.  Nudity - strictly from the waist up.  Overall - file under ... 1 star.  ›› Available to buy from Amazon France. available on DVD as part of the Optimale catalogue 29.September.2010 / France. starring: Trevor Duke / Griffin, Kyle Leatherberry / Tom, Jocelyn Gauthier / Elyse, Bryan Lillis / Jordan, Chaz Wood / Roger, Dominick Monteleone / Stewart, Oskar Rodriguez / Bobby, Danny Max / Proctor and Chira Cassel as Dr Kemp. dedicated to the memory of Kirk Hansen and Mark Williams. Copyright 2012 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. archive reference #478 ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹