The world didn’t need a remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The original took the concept as far as it was probably going to go. However, if it’s going to happen, it might as well end up like this Nicole Kidman-starring piece. While flawed, there are enough tension and characters to make this an exciting update to an old concept.
As a space shuttle crash lands on Earth, so does an infectious alien being. Turning the human population into emotionless pieces of themselves, the standard array of scientists sets out to find a cure and stop the spread. Nicole Kidman is stuck in the middle as a psychiatrist who slowly figures out what’s going on, and her son is caught in the middle. What follow are loads of creepy sequences, thrilling chases, and an occasionally uneven pacing.
The romance between Daniel Craig and Kidman goes nowhere, and is a plot device better left unused. However, the superb build-up to the full realization of what’s going on makes up for it. Creepy scenes are here in droves, the best being the eerie visit to Kidman’s character’s house by a supposed census bureau employee. The film effectively pulls off scenes in which the audience is unsure of who has been taken over and who hasn’t. A creepy kid doesn’t hurt either.
The concept of sleep playing a role in the aliens' process of taking over the body is a solid one. It creates an extra layer of tension and fear in the audience, and lets the script lead into a few dangerous scenes that would otherwise be avoided. Fancy camera work and destruction lend a nice sense of panic to the driving sequences, especially the phenomenal finale.
As the film hits its high gear, the endless scenes of running or driving recklessly do grow tiring. Some of the annoying, jumpy editing is not only irritating, it’s confusing. The quick cuts jump from one time to another for brief flashes. The style is needless and only takes away from the film.
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