With a wooden Nicole Kidman frantically evading slobbering zombies in a virus-stricken Washington DC, The Invasion is another disappointing entry to the Oscar winner's recent lacklustre filmography.
An update of the 1956 horror-thriller Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the film focuses on a psychiatrist (Kidman) crusading to stem the spread of an alien virus which transforms humans into emotionless automatons.
Laden with political references such as the Iraq war and Sudan crisis, the movie explores an age-old question - if free thinking breeds inequality and chaos, is a peaceful utopia filled with obedient zombies a better way of life?
The movie would have been a poignant study of the 'autonomy versus conformity' debate had the director handled the plot strands better.
While much screen time is spent tracing the spread of the epidemic, key elements critical to a coherent narrative, such as the reasons for the outbreak and how the crisis is resolved at the end, are glossed over.
With gory graphics of infected victims overshadowing logical plot development and serious discussions of the human condition, The Invasion is nothing but another soulless zombie horror film.
