Imagine a world were human beings ceased being human. No war, no crimes against nature, against god or man. A world with 'no other' to make war against.
Now, imagine how frightening it would be if that happened over night. This is the world in the science fiction thriller, 'The Invasion' starring Nicole Kidman as mother and psychiatrist Dr. Carol Bennell.
Having seen Heston in the Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Donald Sutherland in the 1970s film of the same name, I have to say that I am rather impressed with this updated remake.
This is a film that has always questioned the worth of humanity. The Invasion is a cleverly rendered slice of sub context when one considers the previous heroes of this tale were men. Nicole Kidman plays the part of a postmodern feminist working mother so consumed with her own problems she hardly notices the creepy changes happening to the people around her. But the viewer does.
Carol Bennell (Kidman) is a "type A independent modern woman" who is afraid of losing that independence in every way. She has her work, her son, and her world in perfect working order.
And at every moment the viewer see it crumbling around her as she loses her friends, her world and slowly her mind.
{I don't like to induce spoilers into this blog. So I won't. }
Like in previous movies, the invasion occurs when one falls asleep. Unlike previous movies there are no stupid Giant pea pods. The alien entity is a viral spore that moves from person to person. Once the infected is asleep a fungal shell covers the face and skin. Once they wake up, they have all their memories, faculties, and no emotions. They find others to infect and infect them.
Because her son is immune to the virus (the invasion), the human race has a chance if only Kidman's character can stay awake long enough to keep the boy from being killed. The movie becomes a story about how far a woman will go to protect her son, rather than just keep her independence.
The Invasion shows us that a person is more than just human when you peel back all the layers. Yes, human beings are capable of great violence and inflicting terrible atrocities on one another. But we are also capable of the antithesis of those actions: love, kindness, caring, sheer humanity, etc.
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Side note: I would like to dedicate this blog to NIU. I have been thinking about the atrocity that occured there for a while now. I went there a long time ago and experienced humanity at its worst. However, I would not wish or want death to occur to anyone there now. When you peel back the layers sometimes I think everyone is a victim at one time or another. SO I dedicate this to the survivors and families of the deceased in the hope that they will continue to be just that. Survivors.
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3 comments:
That is not what I thought The Invasion was about. It sounds like a good time (watching not living).
A very humane lead in to your dedication. I was in Broadview today and watched the super long funeral procession go by during green, yellow, and red lights for the student from Cicero.
I put my car in park and removed my foot from the brakes in silence.
Your right. It is not entirely what the invasion was about. I just had too much on my mind.
Oh no, those were two seperate thoughts! What I meant was that I didn't realize there weren't aliens or monsters in it.
Sorry to seem like an ass. I meant well.
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