They're Coming..... Again
 Feb 3rd, 2008
Advantages:
Reasonable retelling of a classic horror tale
Disadvantages:
What's up with Kidman's face
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
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Story
Characters / Performances
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  sghawken
About me:
Finally Gold!
Member since:31.10.2005
Reviews:896
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Review rated by 57 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
The first thing that came into my head as The Invasion began was "Plastic Surgery"; in the two years since actress Nicole Kidman had made a physical appearance on screen she had lost a good five years, and most annoyingly she had developed that rather annoying Victoria Beckham pout, perhaps the two things are connected. I know this is a hard line to take at the start of a review, but this age reversal process is striking to the extent of being the most overpowering thing about the movie. The Invasion is technically speaking the forth official Bodysnatcher movie, while Bodysnatchers: The Invasion Continues in 1993 was a dramatically different variation the other three movies all follow similar paths. In the case of this 2007 (actually finished a year before release) version of the movie, the space shuttle Mayflower explodes during a hasty re-entry to earth's orbit. First man onsite (official figure speaking) is Tucker Kaufman (Jeremy Northam), who shortly after arrival comes into contact with a piece of the shuttles debris. While things seem fairly normal, upon arrival home his treasured companion, a pet dog takes an immediate and unusual
dislike to his master's return. This is just the unfortunate start for Tucker who during the night enters a "cocoon" transition and awakens quite simply a different man.
Dr. Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) is a psyc hiatrist who has noticed some changes in her clientele; she also happens to be the ex-wife of Tucker; as events fall scarily out of control, and it seems an alien invasion is underway with more and more people undergoing "changes" Bennell finds herself on the front line; desperately searching for answers and her missing son. The Invasion has been on the receiving end of some pretty bad press, most notably being regarded as unoriginal. The trouble being is that you really have to give this some focus, of course its unoriginal; it's a tale that is familiar to anyone above a certain age. The Invasion does not try to make itself a new retelling of an older tale, what it does is simply updates a traditional story. There have been a lot of technological advancements since the last "straight" remake in 1978. You need to take into account that many people 25 years or less would regard the 78 version of Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers as an "old" movie; and like all cleverly designed stories each generation needs to embrace the story, hence I suspect the remake this time round. What of course is painfully obvious to anyone who remembers the 78 version, is that this is a movie with difficult ground to match because that version was so cleverly solid, well acted, and deeply scary.
There are obvious differences between the movies Dr. Bennell has traditionally been played by a male actor, in the 50's Kevin McCarthy, and in the 70's Donald Sutherland, here of course Bennell is played by a woman. In previous movies Bennell clings to a woman as his travelling companion through the horror, here the female Bennell's travelling companion is her son. This being said she does have some strong male companionship in the form of Bond actor Daniel Craig (here actually pre-Bond although the film was not released until after Casino Royale). But this aside the differences between this and the 70's versions are slight, with obvious changes to scenario's. The Invasion has some flaws; I feel the use of CGI for actual make-up effects cheapens the feel of the movie. Seeing someone with an obviously digital face rather than covered in latex masking does not give a pleasing feel, well certainly not to me. The other big issue is that the build up to "the events" feels a little rushed, trying to make the movie appeal to a new high speed audience that like things now.
Nicole Kidman gives me a big problem, not only is she scarily plastic looking; but she displays some slightly dysfunctional attributes from the movies offset. Almost like she was the first person to be "snatched" a thought that stayed with me through the movies duration, rightly or wrongly I guess; maybe this was the producer's requirement. With both Sutherland and McCarthy you grew to love the character before the story began, and I feel that for older Bodysnatchers enthusiasts this is a factor that is hard to forget. The Invasion is a capable movie to most other extents though, it's relatively well pieced together, it has a strong supporting cast; and it looks fantastic. Both previous encounters (and I don't include the 93 outing, it was just too dire) looked kind of dirty and too gritty. This 2007 offering looks lovely and clean, everything is so immaculate this is almost a testament to our time, that despite certain backwards movements our world's cities to some degree look a lot better.
There is a nice homage, one that follows tradition; Kevin McCarthy returned in the 78 version albeit for a brief moment. Here Veronica Cartwright one of the supporting cast from 78 takes a reasonably supportive role as one of Bennell's patients and ultimately the first person to draw her attention to the weirdness that surrounds them. Sadly this offering misses the boat in the final moments choosing the Hollywood style ending, as opposed to the one that creates more impact. We all like a good shock at the end of a movie, sadly this fails to deliver one.
The Invasion is due on DVD from 25th of February. Spencer Hawken 02/08
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by (2%):
13.02.2008 14:33
An E just for the opening paragraph. Well written.
10.02.2008 21:03
I like your points about the furore there tends to be over "remakes". A good review, but not my kind of film.
08.02.2008 16:19
What a suspicious review you've written here... almost as if you've been taken over by.... no, that can't be right. Or can it?