To be fair to this visibly low-budget adaptation of H. G. Wells' seminal science-fiction novel, it doesn't always settle for the cheap way out. Though it still leaves much to be desired in its visual effects, awkward action scenes, and generally unimaginative direction, Fear the Invisible Man makes a valiant effort to deepen its story by placing a strong, unlikely protagonist at its center (played in all seriousness and with admirable resolve by Mhairi Calvey). Since the titular villain isn't actually the star of the show—nor is he made out to be an ever-present threat, like in the modern 2020 adaptation—this version of The Invisible Man is able to circle relatively newer ideas about a woman's "invisible" place in the world, and how she's tempted to go down a path of pride and violence. If only the rest of the film could keep up with the script's ambition.

Lead actress Mhairi Calvey deserves to be in far better projects that can give her greater opportunities to show off what she's capable of. She almost single-handedly keeps Fear the Invisible Man afloat, and gives it an emotional center of gravity through which the villain's insanity actually begins to carry real weight. Calvey is still held back by the film's direction and dialogue, but all things considered, she does an excellent job placing her Adeline somewhere in between fear of this mysterious man returning into her life, and a morbid curiosity of what he's been able to achieve and get away with through his science.