“Do not show emotion” “Do not fall asleep”
Based on the Jack Finny novel The Body Snatchers, Invasion is another take on the story previously filmed in 1956 by Don Seagal, then again in 1978 by Philip Kaufman and also in 1993 by Abel Ferrara. It is no wonder this 2007 remake, The Invasion, was met with a lot of scepticism.
A space shuttle crashes to Earth carrying an alien organism. Soon people are changing, becoming detached and emotionless. People like CDC director Tucker Kaufman (Jeremy Northam) who is investigating the crash.
Meanwhile, his ex-wife, psychiatrist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman), sees the same behaviour in a friend of their son, and a patient claims that her husband is no longer her husband. As people all across America become infected and the insidious epidemic spreads, Carol must fight to protect herself and her son, who might hold the key to stopping the escalating invasion.
Watching it today The Invasion was ahead of the curve, it’s eerily predictive shift toward a virus-like contagion more frighteningly resonant in a post-pandemic world.
This version of the story does away with pod people, this is a cosmic virus started by a crash of the Space Shuttle and infected debris landing over a large area. Cosmic spores were attached to the wreckage and it did not take long for the infection to spread.
It is then spread by liquids and also by the infected people vomiting onto others. It takes control while you sleep so a large part of the movie is Nicole Kidman’s character desperately trying to stay awake while searching for her lost son, who seems to be immune to the virus.
The last section of the film is about them trying to reach safety at the nearest military base while scientists try and find a cure.
Again watching the film today you can see the connections to Covid 19 and how vaccinations were almost mandatory and curfews were common. It is shown on TV at first to be “a dangerous Flu virus” and shows long lines of people waiting in line to get “vaccinated”.
The film takes no time in getting the story established and moves at a brisk pace which in these days of over-long movies makes a refreshing change. While not as chilling as the Abel Ferrara version it does have some good moments.
The cast are all good in their roles, although Daniel Craig as a doctor friend has little to do apart from running around trying to save mother and son. Veronica Carlson who was also in the 1978 version has a nice cameo as a wife who knows her husband is not what he was but no one believes her.
This new release from Arrow is from a new 4K remaster and has an excellent transfer. Audio gives you a choice of 5.1 surround or stereo mix and the extras are also worth a watch.
Extras include –
- Body Snatchers and Beyond, a new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller Nicholas – A very interesting essay on the film and its structure.
- That Bug That’s Going Around, a fascinating new visual essay exploring The Invasion as pandemic prophecy by film scholar Josh Nelson
- Brand new audio commentary by film critics Andrea Subissati and Alexandra West, co-hosts of The Faculty of Horror podcast
- We’ve Been Snatched Before, an archival featurette from 2007
- The Invasion: A New Story, an archival featurette from 2007
- The Invasion: On the Set, an archival featurette from 2007
- The Invasion: Snatched, an archival featurette from 2007
- Theatrical trailer / Image Gallery
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by film critics William Bibbiani and Sally Christie
- Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket
- Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket
A solid sci-fi thriller, not as good as the 1978 or 1993 remakes but worth a watch, especially post-pandemic where some of the scenes are eerie in their predictions.
CLICK HERE TO BUY 4K UHD OR BLU RAY FROM ARROW.
