The Invasion

The Invasion This movie, apparently a more positive remake of the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers,  has several things in its favor for the general, female audience. Both Daniel Craig and Jeremy Northam give passable performances (acting in a film full of stepford-zombies is a tricky proposition for anyone), and Nicole Kidman gets in on the indomitable mother-love fun. Always a crowd-pleaser.

Truthfully, though, the film resonated unpleasantness from the nasty brain-eating slasher previews to the distrust and misery in the final pseudo happy-ending scene. Nicole Kidman's acting was better than, say, the opening third of Australia, but worse than her playful Moulin Rouge. Boys may enjoy an early scene in which Kidman does a Meg Ryan/catwalk strut commando under her pyjamas. I found it a little nauseating. I suppose my socio-economic background calls for granny-panties. The strut is probably what irritated me. I don't like Meg Ryan either.

A few nit-picky points include unrealistic marksmanship (Kidman, while holding a gov-issue glock in one hand and without seeming to aim at all, manages to pick off five antagonists with as many kill shots, and hit Craig squarely on the knee), bitter and disappointed politics permeating the background, and the virus spreading through some truly unpleasant vomiting into other people's drinks (and mouths. EW!).

Moments of the movie truly frightened (more than just the germophobes, I mean), and the post-modern in medias res beginning and subsequent bouncing around did help keep up the tension and suspense. The only real issue I have with the camera work was how frustrated I became after the fifty-seventh Kidman Close-up in a row. Some variety would have been nice. (I know - maybe I'm just bitter because I'm ugly). Anyway, at least her hair followed a realistic timeline.

If you like this genre, I'd say spend some time and analyze it yourself. If you're a girlfriend looking to survive a cozy evening, though, steer your boy towards something a little more palatable, like Silence of the Lambs.

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