Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The Invasion Blu-ray Movie Review

Another remake of the original classic fails to deliver the goods.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 3, 2008

One thing's for sure, it ain’t from around here.

If there is one thing that's really hurting Hollywood today, it's the lack of original thought. For every Danny Boyle, perhaps one of the most original filmmakers working today, there are a hundred wannabe's who dig up the classics, slap some nifty special effects on top of a story that's already been made into a movie that's good enough to begin with, and call it a day. Every now and then the strategy works, as we saw in the phenomenal 3:10 to Yuma, but more often than not, the end result is a lackluster effort at best like Planet of the Apes or the 1998 atrocity Psycho. The Invasion is unique in that it's a remake of a film that's been remade before. Following the norm, updated special effects, a color image, popular actors, snazzy visuals, and fast paced direction and editing just can't help it to surpass the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Hollywood really needs to figure out a new strategy, because remakes and sequels just aren't going to cut it forever, and as box office returns continue to dwindle, now would be a really good time to bring out some fresh ideas.

Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig laugh off the negative reviews of their newest film.

The Invasion stars Nicole Kidman as Carol Bennell, a psychiatrist who one days sees a patient who informs her that her husband is no longer her husband. He's become a changed man, an emotionless man, someone with a blank stare and no spring in his step. In fact, it seems this phenomena is becoming widespread. The government is calling it an outbreak of the flu, but people begin to realize that the tragedy that destroyed a space shuttle upon re-entry might have something to do with what's happening. Scientists learn that a new, extraterrestrial virus has made its way onto Earth via the wreckage, and it is able to survive both the frigid cold of space and the extreme heat of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. As more and more people become infected with the virus, Bennell, her friend Dr. Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig, Layer Cake), and his colleague Dr. Stephen Galeano (Jeffrey Wright, Casino Royale) must find a cure that may lay in Bennell's son Oliver (Jackson Bond, In Case of Emergency) before they all succumb to the effects of the virus.

All I could think about after I finished watching Warner Brother's latest sci-fi/action film to arrive on Blu-ray was, "this could have been a whole lot better." The Invasion is a well made, competent movie that's admirable in its atempt at updating old, somewhat stale material we've seen several times now. Unfortunately, the end product just doesn't click, and that's a shame. The potential is here for an incredible, edge-of-your-seat, horrific, and mind-boggling film, but we instead see a sordid, lackluster film that only manages to peak the audience's interest for so long until the film turns into a series of predictable and boring chase scenes. Frankly, it's a shame that director Oliver Hirschbiegel couldn't do better. He's the man responsible for a film I consider to be a cinematic masterpiece and one of the great World War II films, Downfall. As a filmmaker, he commands some serious skills, and I don't blame him completely for the ultimate failure of this film. Nicole Kidman is simply passable as the lead character, and Daniel Craig seems to be sleepwalking as he bides his time in between Bond films.

I felt the film ultimately lacked a grittiness and grotesque realism that would have aided in bringing the story to life. We see some pretty generic and stupid special effects, notably the "spitting" on others or in their beverages to transfer the virus from person to person. The source material absolutely screams for a bloodier and harder edge, rather than the mostly spit and polished, toned down, almost family friendly PG-13 version we see here. There's also the underscored political rhetoric, and the suggestion near the end of the film that the characters come to realize that maybe being mindless drones might just be preferable to being independent thinkers proved rather odd, especially after spending the last ninety minutes rooting for just the opposite. Then again, it's only fitting to have the old Russian character speak the final words of the film that effectively state that living in a world that wholly controls the peoples might be the best route for mankind to take.

The Invasion Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented on Blu-ray in 1080p high definition and in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, The Invasion looks very good and is one of the best efforts from Warner Brothers to date. The transfer is mostly excellent, featuring a pristine print devoid of any troublesome blemishes. The image is sharp, clear, and highly detailed and offers excellent color reproduction. Colors are bright, vibrant, and pop off the screen, resulting in a very nice three dimensionality and creating a lifelike image that we've come to expect from the best Blu-ray releases. Blues are especially vibrant and stand out as the predominant color in the film. Black levels are very good, but fall just short of perfection, appearing a few times to be just a bit on the bright side. A scene taking place at street level in Washington in chapter 3, around the 9:45 mark, shows off what an incredible looking transfer this is. There are a few odd scenes that demonstrate a less than stellar look, showcasing what looks to be an artificial softness and overly processed color reproduction, but I think that it's artistic intent rather than a flaw in the transfer. Overall, however, The Invasion is a standout transfer from Warner Brothers.

The Invasion Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Warner Brothers delivers a Dolby TrueHD lossless soundtrack on this disc, and the result is a pleasant yet slightly underwhelming listening experience. The opening sequence of the film is most impressive with an active sound field and some notable uses of the rear channels to create a chilling atmosphere in what is perhaps the best sequence of the film. From here on out though (read: basically the entire movie), we experience a rather standard sounding track with a few nice surprises (such as the shuttle fly over) until the final chase sequence. As the end of the movie approaches, the sound picks up in intensity as cars smash into one another, a helicopter flies over, and music blares from the speakers, all coming together to create an outstanding sonic experience. The minutiae of the track is excellent as well. Dialogue is reproduced faithfully and with no audible faults, except, perhaps, that it at times sounds recorded at a slightly below average volume, an easily correctible problem that doesn't effect the remainder of the track. Bass is solid when called upon, producing an appropriate rumble and reverberation that is never overly boisterous or distorted. The track flows very well but it's not a completely immersive experience. This is a solid effort nonetheless, and it suits the film well.

The Invasion Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Invasion offers little in the way of supplements with nary a meaningful extra to be found. First is The Invasion: A New Story (1080i, 2:57), a short feature where cast and crew discuss the meaning behind the movie and its place amongst its "Invasion" movie brethren. The Invasion: On the Set (1080i, 3:23) looks at the where the movie was filmed and why locations were chosen for both technical and symbolical reasons. The primary cast also discusses their pleasure in working with director Oliver Hirschbiegel. The Invasion: Snatched (1080i, 3:15) examines the method by which the virus was spread and also takes a peek at making one of the special effects in the movie. Finally, We've Been Snatched Before: Invasion in Media History (1080i, 18:54) examines the history of real life fears in science fiction. Also featured is how "Body Snatchers" films examine the fears of the day as remake after remake is made, and there is a prolonged look at the history of deadly illness in the world and the likelihood that alien viruses could affect the planet.

The Invasion Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As a Science Fiction fan, I was eager to screen The Invasion. The concept is excellent and if done right, is ripe for a scary, sharp, shocking, and gruesome film. Unfortunately, this remake of the original classic, like so many other remakes, fails to capture the spirit and horror of the first, putting snazziness and a certain "family-friendly" sheen on top of what should be dark and scary material. As much as I generally dislike remakes, I wouldn't mind seeing someone take another shot at this one ten or twenty years from now, scrapping the polish and creating a desensitized, scary version akin to something like 28 Days Later. For fans of this edition, Warner Brothers has provided a spiffy transfer and a fine lossless soundtrack. Unfortunately, the supplements are as dull and lifeless as the movie, offering nothing of any real value. Even as a hardcore fan of Sci-Fi and some horror, I just couldn't appreciate into this film. While it had its moments, the movie as a whole failed to impress. Along with substandard special features, this is a movie that, unfortunately, I cannot recommend as more than a rental.