Cast: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeffrey Wright

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel

Screenplay: Dave Kajganich

Genre: Thriller/Sci-Fi

Running time: 1 hr 39 mins



CRITIQUE:


Somewhere along the running time of the recent umpteenth remake of the seminal THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, there are two established, good-looking, talented actors trapped within the misery of the film’s conventionality. Nicole Kidman (an appreciable performance undermined by her slippery character) and Daniel Craig (a good actor in a not-so-good role) are testaments that no matter how enormous Hollywood marquees could flash their names, there will always be a scintilla of chance that they’ll be unconsciously drawn into a disappointing project. Here is THE INVASION, both a suspenser and a messenger, it tries to amp the ante, whizzing us into the atmosphere of the zombified society while injecting a complex affair of philosophical dogmas and political undercurrents. The result is a confusion of subterranean mess.


The story is nothing compelling. A psychiatrist discovers that people around her are not what they seem to be, and when she discovers along with a co-doctor that an alien virus has “snatched” the bodies of the citizens, it is time to run. She embarks into a painful journey, with herself as infected, betraying her human emotions, to save her son. And of course, prevent herself not to fall asleep.


Despite of its thrilling efforts and some chilling moments, the film’s main flaw lies on the editing room. Somehow this films moves without any hint of subtle flow (not that it should be complained for it’s a thriller), but scenes feel like they are stacked up instead up being piled up neatly. It also strives to be politically correct with the philosophical values it implies: citizens being controlled by a virus, which is believed to be a governmental conspiracy, and that human passivity is the solution to the global crisis of wars and conflicts. That is all very well, but see the dinner scene where Kidman’s character academically argues with a Russian elite, who claims that terrorism, starvation, genocide are part of being human. So killing millions of people is part of being human? It borders the territory of confusion.


Potentially speaking, it could be a far better film, if not for the very much obvious staged attempts to thrill. See car chase near the end where for some reason somebody throws a flame-thrower to make the speeding car awesome to behold. It’s indeed awesome, but strangely unfulfilling. It leaves you without bare explanations, tied with a script that’s without life as its zombified creatures.



VERDICT:

Feels more like a contrived effort rather than an effortless remake. The undercurrents that once made the original compelling are lost without a trace here, and only Nicole Kidman’s presence in this film remains an impression.



RATING: C