This remake of the 1956 original scared a lot of people at first because it was treading into a territory that easily could've made this movie something less than the original, but, this movie simply is better and an extraordinary addition to the sci-fi genre. This classic theme that hasn't aged what-so-ever is a great idea and leaping point for this movie, this is a commentary on how we live our lives, and how media dictates our lives so that we lose our individuality. The story is simple, we meet some scientists and health department investigators who discover some strange happenings going on in the city of san francisco. They then have to survive these biological attacks brought on from outer space through weird plants or pods. Basically these main characters try to avoid these parasitic attack and what we get is a very smart but very entertaining piece of film that is chilling right to the bone.
This film pays tribute to that old style of film noir as each frame captures a particular classic moment in film history, we have hitchcockian moments, cameos from the story's creators, an ageless Leonard Nemoy and simple yet effective camera movements. We have sequences with incredible shadow effects and running sequences that are as thrilling as a high speed car chase and even some of the city walks will make you're head spin and make you believe in the paranoia that this movie emplies. The acting is top notch too featuring a rather young Donald Sutherland and a more chill, sympathetic Leonard Nimoy that is a joy to watch during this flick, until the end that is. The story of this movie is very plausible too as the aliens represent something more than extra terrestials; like I said earlier this movie is a direct comment on how we need to keep our individuality otherwise our world will turn into a creepy sensational world that is rather dull and scary.
Overall, this is a classic film that has made it's mark and is still continuing to make it's mark in the lives of viewers old and new. It's a creepy revelation and comment on our lives but it never ceases to entertain or even show us some heart. The characters are believable and well conceived, and the sound design and visual design makes this movie all the more creepy. This sci-fi flick has stood the test of time and will for a very long time simply because it's a poignant film that scares us with very simple ways that can affect anyone and are not dated. This is a classic film noir and every movie lover should have this in their library. Movies aren't made like this anymore, it's a shame.
