The Invasion

Release date: August 17, 2007
Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jeffrey Wright

There are several reasons why you may not be interested in seeing The Invasion. One, it's the umpteenth remake of the classic Invasion Of The Body Snatchers from 1956, which was based on the book by Jack Finney. And two, its production was fraught with reshoots and director changes that leave the finished product feeling rushed towards the end. No doubt, this Invasion won't usurp prior film reincarnations, but it does at least have some redeeming qualities.

When a space shuttle explodes upon re-entry from outer space, contaminated debris is spread from Dallas to D.C. At first, the authorities caution citizens not to touch the wreckage, however, Tucker Kaufman (Northam), an official with the Centre For Disease Control, unsuspectingly does just that. In the meantime, D.C. psychiatrist Dr. Carol Bennell (Kidman) is unaware of what's happening around her. When a patient complains that something is wrong with her husband, then Bennell's child's friend exhibits the same strange behaviour — a lack of emotion and inability to react to trauma — Carol starts connecting the dots.

After finding a bizarre silicone-like substance, she takes it to fellow doctor and best friend Ben Driscoll (Craig), whose tests reveal that human DNA is being taken over by a strange entity when a person enters REM sleep. As the epidemic unfolds, D.C. is transformed into a police state patrolled by the alien-like humans. It's at this point that Carol, separated from her son, embarks on a mission to get him back, while avoiding the evil mass inoculation that will take over the entire population.

Nicole Kidman is often detached in all her performances and in The Invasion that plays to her favour when her character is mingling amongst the invaders and pretending to be emotionless while painfully trying not to fall asleep. Jeremy Northam's performance as one of the body-snatched civilians is quite disturbing. Daniel Craig's role is too small and is overshadowed by Kidman.

Ultimately, The Invasion tries to comment on today's political climate, replacing McCarthyism from the first film with contemporary issues such as West Nile Virus, Iraq, Darfur and Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, The Invasion's political message is diminished by constant foot chases and car crashes, as opposed to being a suspenseful, psychological sci-fi drama, which is what made the original a cinematic classic.