jbmorgan-1

The basic premise of this film, and about the only original aspect of it, is, "What if you took a science fiction trope (alien invasion) and put it into the framework of a traditional war movie?" And, ultimately, this film is much more of a war movie than a science fiction flick. All of the clichés from war movies are there ("Black Hawk Down" seems to be the single biggest source), and scarcely any attention is paid to the science fiction elements at all. This premise could have produced a great movie if only the writers were up to the task. As it is, the film is pretty bland, containing just about every cliché in the book, both in terms of story and dialogue, although I give it some credit since it certainly did hold my interest for two hours. And it is the first alien invasion movie I've seen that actually attempts to depict the terrestrial military's response to the attack in a realistic manner. In that it is somewhat original and enjoyable. Both the 1953 original and Spielberg's remake of "War of the Worlds" toyed with this concept a bit, although since the emphasis in those films is on civilians rather than soldiers I don't think they count.

To enjoy this film, you have to resist the urge to analyze it too deeply. Or to think about it at all, actually. It's yet another in the long line of recent films about aliens with the capability of crossing the galaxy but who still have difficulties foiling a handful of enterprising Earthlings ("Signs" is the worst offender in this regard). Still, I have to say, I love war movies about tough, determined soldiers, and if you do as well then you'll probably like this film. I certainly enjoyed it much more than either "Independence Day" or "Avatar."

Hopefully some other group will use this concept to make a really GOOD SF war film, but I'm not going to hold my breath considering the trends in Hollywood.

Like 95% of the original programming on "Syfy" (I have to put that in quotes as I still cringe when I see that spelling), this movie was another complete waste of time. The only reason I actually watched it all the way through was because I was doing something else in my living room at the time and it was convenient to have something on that I didn't need to concentrate on to follow it. It never ceases to amaze me with "Syfy" movies that a no doubt well-intentioned screenwriter, crew and actors spent months of their lives, and doubtless millions of dollars, to make something as bland as this. The plot is not even worth recounting since you've seen it many times before - a meteor is heading towards Earth, threatening to destroy it, and some scientists have to figure out a way to stop it, while incidentally saving their marriage in the process. Suffice it to say that there is not a single even remotely original or interesting moment in the entire movie.

The only reason I even gave this movie two stars is because of the acting. All of the acting, especially poor Michael Trucco (who must have had trouble keeping his lunch down, having to do this on the heels of "Battlestar Galactica" - I hope you were at least able to pay your rent, Mike!) and Kari Matchett, is as good as it possibly can be considering what they were given to work with.

It would be great if the executives at "Syfy" would decide to make fewer movies and focus their budget instead on making some quality films. Surely making a few halfway-decent films each year, rather than just turning out one piece of garbage after another, would help to improve their reputation.

This movie is a typical American comedy - meaning that the plot is completely predictable, it relies on a lot of disgusting visuals and bathroom material for its humor, and many of the jokes fall flat. The reason I rated it as highly as I did is because Robert Downey, Jr. and Tom Cruise, ironically the only NON-comedic actors in the group, are both hilarious. Downey, in particular, as an Australian superstar who immerses himself completely in his role as a stereotypical African-American Vietnam-era soldier, is ingenious in this film. He has some of the most brilliant comedic dialogue I've ever heard. I laughed nearly every time he opened his mouth, as did everyone else in the audience. And Cruise, virtually unrecognizable in his costume, is great as a studio executive who sees himself as a gangsta. Nick Nolte, playing the Vietnam vet who wrote the book on which the film they're making is based, has some great scenes early on. And it's a shame that Steve Coogan exits the story so early on, as he had the potential to bring a lot more to the movie. Everyone else in the cast is pretty average. Ben Stiller is a washed-up action hero trying to save his career, although nothing he does on screen is particularly memorable. Jack Black is a heroin-addicted teen comedy star trying to make it as a serious actor, but unfortunately he isn't given much to do. I don't know what the producers thought was funny about watching a man go through heroin withdrawal for 107 minutes, but Black is never allowed to get beyond that. Jay Baruchel is basically there to play the straight man, while the actual African-American actor, Brandon Jackson, who is given about six lines of dialogue, is clearly only there to ease the producers' conscience about having a White man in blackface in their movie. Matthew McConaughey, as Stiller's agent, is only there as eye candy for the ladies (and to provide an unlikely deus ex machina at the movie's climax). There's not much else to say about this movie - the plot is trite and ridiculous, although film buffs who, like me, are burnt out on Vietnam films will appreciate the many references to "Platoon" and "Apocalypse Now," some of which are quite subtle.