After James Bond, Daniel Craig Starred In A Sci-Fi Horror Movie About An Alien Invasion

Daniel Craig is no stranger to alien invasion movies, but his haven't exactly set the world on fire. "Cowboys vs. Aliens" gave him and Harrison Ford a box office flop, but people at least remember that film. The same probably can't be said about "The Invasion," the fourth adaptation of Jack Finney's "The Body Snatchers" novel. "The Invasion" came out a few months after "Casino Royale" turned Craig into a megastar — but audiences didn't show up to see it.

"The Invasion" sees Craig and Nicole Kidman play scientists who notice that everyone around them is acting strange. That's because an extraterrestrial epidemic has taken over America, causing humans to lose their individuality. Sci-fi fans know this story well, but how does "The Invasion" rank among other "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" movies? 

Some sci-fi remakes are better than the originals, but "The Invasion" probably isn't one of them. The film received mostly negative reviews upon release, as evidenced by its 21% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Most of the criticisms were lobbied at the movie's thematic elements (or lack thereof), despite trying to commentate on real-world conflicts. So, what did critics have to say about the Daniel Craig thriller?

The "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" movies are renowned for their sociopolitical commentary and reflecting the anxieties of their zeitgeists. However, Roger Ebert — and other critics — believed that "The Invasion" lacked its predecessors' intellectual qualities. "If the first three movies served as parables for their times, this one keeps shooting off parable rockets that fizzle out. How many references in the same movie can you have to the war in Iraq and not say anything about it?"

"The Invasion" was also subject to reshoots courtesy of the Wachowskis, with the studio removing the final cut from director Oliver Hirschbiegel's hands. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the behind-the-scenes debacles ruined what could have been a better film. "[Hirschbiegel] appears to have wanted a much more claustrophobic film, a paranoid nightmare about a frantic need to stay awake rather than sleeping oneself into a placid, lotus-eating nonexistence."

It isn't all bad, though. Some critics praised the film's action set-pieces and style, but still noted that the narrative and thematic weaknesses overshadowed its strengths. Sci-fi buffs can probably skip this one, but "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" fans might be interested in seeing how it compares to the other flicks.