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Swedish film generally remains in stating the obvious and sticking to the conventions of the time, but then there are those rare exceptions, reaching an unforeseen level. 'Invisible' is one of those few. A splendid achievement by the team Bergvall and Sandquist in their first full-length movie.

A couple of years ago they got an Academy Awards nomination in the short film category, for 'Victor', also on the grave theme of death. 'Invisible' is based on a novel by the Swedish writer Mats Wahl, a mighty storyteller.

This story is indeed mighty. A high school senior, bound by his mother's high expectations, is beaten up brutally, due to a misunderstanding, by a delinquent girl of his age, and left for dead. When he comes to school the next day, he finds that everybody ignores him, as if he had become invisible. Soon, he realizes that he really is.

This slight ingredient of the paranormal, makes the story rise to a mythical magnitude, and the film makers, as well as the actors, manage to keep it there, to explore the grand perspectives suddenly appearing. Still, the very concrete psychological drama continues, and intensifies.

It all amounts to one formidably gripping experience, not easily forgotten. There are, of course, clear links to 'Sixth Sense' and a number of other movies about the mysterious borderland between life and death, and the necessity for our lives to reach some kind of conclusion, some kind of harmony, before passing on.

If searching for them, one can find some small weaknesses - like the unnecessary presence of a gun, or the inability of the dialogue to deal with those profound existential questions - but that's easily forgotten in the very touching and beautiful whole of the film, and more so after its uncompromising and magnificent ending.

Without revealing too much or nothing at all, let's just say that the theme is a big classic of the fantasy cinema but we are presented here with a completely new twist and it works so wonderfully; with no money the director chose another road and it's amazing; I saw it at the Brussels fantasy film festival and I should have congratulate the director; and to add even more pleasure to the vision of this movie , we don't have a Hollywood-feel-good-everybody is happy ending, thats so good and different!

Niklas who soon will be graduating high school is a talented writer who dreams are truly fulfilled when he's invited to intend a interview in London where his writing aspirations can be realised, but his mum has no idea about. When his mum does finds out, Niklas is torn between either staying or leaving, but he finally goes with the latter. Walking home one night after a party he's set upon by a group thugs from his school, who heavily beat him up and leave him for dead in a ditch. The next morning he goes off to school on his supposedly last day, but what becomes clear is that no one can see him and he slowly learns that he's a ghost who can only watch on, as the authorities try to figure out what happen to him.

Ideas might be running short in Hollywood, but it's not the trend in this Swedish fantasy-drama that's powerfully moving without being overly wretched. Like fellow users have mentioned the strong aspect about this story is how the cards play out, especially that of certain characters. You can't help but feel sorry for those ones you think that you'll hate and vice versa. I've got to take my hat of to the young cast; Gustaf Skarsgard as the very promising Niklas and Tuva Novotny as the hard nosed delinquent Annelie are exceptionally good. The concept behind the story might not be new, but the cleverly defined presentation was definitely refreshing and it did put out many questions that folded out rather intriguingly and lead to some surprising advancements. It does start off like your glum (if basic) teen high school fare where you have your good and bad students, but then it breaks the mould when it heads into its fantasy territory, but still it does keep that raw edge. After the death of Niklas we follow (just like he does when he finds out he can't interfere) the police investigation of his disappearance and we see that of emotional developments; why certain people hide behind images they create and see people learning when its best to let go, which makes the whole experience even more depressingly, down trodden. Stuck in are some brutally violent and arrestingly intense moments that come from nowhere and give the story some biting attitude mixed in rather well with the wholesomely, heart-felt moments. The script is pretty serious with the odd dark joke here or there and a nice couple of surreal moments, but mostly its torn between sprawling out on the harrowing burden that these characters face. The production does feel like a TV movie but these glossy elements are silkily done with great verve in its direction and the films moves along in a rather snappy pace.

A emotionally, touching fantasy-drama that's beautifully implemented with excitingly, different results.

I absolutely adored this movie as well. I was fortunate to see it when it premiered in Chicago at the Siskel Film Centre. I had a chance to see it with subtitles since I am still learning Swedish.

The imagery that this film gives you will leave a lasting impression. It is very graphic but that is the pain, the tears, and anger in the film that gives off the imagery.

The main actors did such a splendid job that I felt that with such a tough storyline that they wouldn't be able to do it but they performed flawlessly. This film is a definitely must see! I managed to get a copy of the DVD but it didn't have English subtitles but actions speak louder than words in this movie. Thus it is a favourite.

I was bored a night several weeks ago, when this movie turned up on a channel when I flicked by. I missed a little bit of the start, but something in it caught my attention. It had something in it worth continuing watching. Maybe it was the "odd" gangster (Tuva Novotny) in her hood? And am I glad I watched it until the end. The story is very beautiful, sad, heartbreaking and emotion-gripping at the same time. It is amazing what the performers and the directors created out of such a small budget.

The most amazing part in the movie for me, was still how cunningly you start having good feelings for the villain. Small, subtle changes and all of a sudden, you feel really sad for the "wrong" character.

All in all, a movie worth watching, even for those of you who don't like subtitles, since you can still feel the characters strongly through their voice tones and body language.