Invisible Sue

AVAILABLE ON TUBI! What’s the perfect super-power for a teenage wallflower? Invisibility, of course! That’s what we get with writer/director Markus Dietrich’s superhero film, Invisible Sue, a little movie suited perfectly for the younger set.

Ruby M. Lichtenberg is the titular Sue, daughter of the brilliant geneticist, Dr. Maria Hartmann (Victoria Mayer) and her “regular” dad, Christoph (Luc Schiltz). Maria is under great stress as she is just moments away from unleashing a major scientific breakthrough, only to be interrupted by Sue and Christoph’s surprise birthday cake. Her project is called NT26D, and it’s designed to fight illnesses genetically.

While wandering the lab at night, Sue entangles herself with the NT26D giving her the powers of invisibility. Freaked out and scared, Sue goes to her mother, who suddenly becomes excited and commences research and analysis on Sue. Happy birthday, Mom. Sue is now proof that her mother’s experiment is a success, and Maria is torn over whether or not to turn her research over to the military. Sue is non-plussed her mom’s excitement.

Meanwhile, Sue’s power of invisibility has no effect on her at school, as she’s been invisible there for years. Things change when she meets new student Tobi (Lui Eckhardt). He’s not only handsome, but he likes reading comic books, as does Sue. But the popular girls think Tobi is too good for her and tries to invite him to the popular party.

“…who suddenly becomes excited and commences research and analysis on Sue…”

The film is two stories interwoven together of Sue finding acceptance at school and a military conspiracy to capture and dissect Sue to replicate her powers. She finds a reluctant ally in Tobi and an even more-“invisible” wallflower in Kaya (Anna Shirin Habedank), also known as App. Kaya’s computer and electronics genius/ hacker skills help the crew break into a military installation after Sue’s mother is kidnapped for her research.

Invisible Sue falls firmly into the teen hero drama, where young people save the world from adult greed and thirst for power. From a teen perspective, Dietrich’s movie stands tall amongst its Disney and Nickelodeon peers. What Invisible Sue brings to the table best comes in Sue’s relationship with her mother. I love how it leans into the idea that Sue is only an experiment to her, and in a way, by becoming invisible, Dr. Maria’s success brings her closer to Sue; but in a dysfunctional way. Again, the military stuff is typical, but when it comes to mom’s involvement, that’s when it finds ways to stray from the formula.

Other than that, Invisible Sue plays out like a typical mid-budget teen thriller and does a good job doing the standard stuff right. Habedank as Kaya is fun as Sue’s “Q,” and Tobi makes a strong lead, who occasionally misinterprets signals from Sue (you know, kissing stuff).

As a teen superhero thriller, Invisible Sue is a good one to add to the collection. There are major plausibility issues for the adults that will spoil the fun. But, it’s not meant for you.