Customer Reviews

Invasion Earth: The World War Has Begun

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I love invasion films...saw most and this one rates pretty good.
The story is solid and the acting pretty good, but like any TV science fiction...there seem to be missing a few millions dollars on
their production. Instead of a large scale movie we end up with a small scale movie that has not enough people in it...too much of
some actors/actresses and that sleepy moog synthesizer music for all
the mushy scenes(too many...we dont care).
I still bought the movie as there is not enough good alien invasion
movies out there and this is is worth a visit.

This was a creative and well produced miniseries. The use of location, props, makeup, etc. were well handled. The second part of the three parts is by far the most powerful and best story telling in the series. It could have been better as part three leaves you a little down with weak character resolutions, but the truth is that these situations are more real-life than fantastical and over dramatic. Very intelligent, realistic and well acted. Any fan of serious science fiction and story telling should give this a try because its great qualities by far make up for its detractors.

An RAF pilot shoots down a UFO and the pilot is recovered. This sets in motion an escalation of a war that had been going on for fifty years without humans being aware. There are two alien races. The Echo are peaceful and want to warn the Earth about the dimension-hopping NDs. A NATO General gets put in charge of the escape craft and its occupant. While he is quickly convinced of the existence of aliens, there is no real hard proof that his superiors accept. But if the General is right, the NDs have been tainting the Earth's water supplies for the past fifty years but with the downing of the Echo craft, they are stepping up the campaign.

The NDs civilization is based upon the manipulation of living matter. They take over worlds where life is present. Earth may have an intelligence but that means nothing to the NDs. They will go about harvesting humans as they need them. Finally the extent of their plans is revealed and NATO command accepts the existence of the alien threat. But it is still up to a small handful of people to develop the strategies against the aliens and carry them out.

Although the plot is similar and the title is identical to Harry Harrison's novel INVASION: EARTH, there is no credit given and the story soon deviates drastically from Harrison's. While the special effects are good, it is the solid acting and drama that drives this mini-series. I really enjoyed the acting and the way the plot unfolded. The way some people bought into the alien story and some did not seemed very plausible to me. I was just a little disappointed in the ending although it made a lot more sense than many movie endings. If you like your science fiction filled with solid drama then this one is for you.

Invasion Earth is an excellent example of British sci-fi at its best, following in the tradition of Quatermass rather than Dr Who. Some of the acting is rather stereotyped and the dialogue at times is like wading through thick mud but the originality of the concept and the intelligent tackling of complex ideas eclipses the shortcomings of this movie. The exploration of an alien species (NDs) that is just that, alien, is rarely done in science fiction. The Aliens in Star trek or Babylon 5 are usually a human with bumpy foreheads but here they are very alien with a totally non-human psychology. It is this alien ness that gives the movie its suspense and drama. It is interesting to see North American viewers commenting on the unusual end. The British, unlike the North Americans, often like their drama to have realistic themes and if necessary messy endings; just like real life. Look at our Soaps if you want other examples. This movie is no different; an alien invasion or take over would be far more likely to be successful or hugely destructive than to finish with an independence day ending, also as in real life there would be a lot of loose endings. It is refreshing to see a science fiction movie ending with the death of a key character, a lot of unanswered questions and with no guarantee of the survival of the human species.

This was shown in Australia a few years ago on late night T.V.Times and days were always changed and never saw the ending.What i saw was fantastic and gets you hooked on this show.I love SciFi and this was very different to watch.Its a shame there is no sequal and longer series.I was waiting for this to come on on dvd(Not released in Australia at all)and got a copy of Amazon.Now i have a copy I can watch again and again.
It could have had more special features but i am happy now its on dvd(Finally)
I recomend this show - 100%
Paul Haigh (Melbourne, Australia)

The Brits have done it again, creating a gripping SciFi drama that is not only engaging but innovative as well. Invasion:Earth explores first contact from alien species in a way we've not seen before, two warring alien species colliding with ours. Just when you think you've figured it out, wham, there's a new twist. This is a plot driven series, something the Brits do best. Invasion:Earth doesn't rely on monosyllabic characters and stacks of mind numbing visual effects in order to keep us engaged; it introduces a complex plot and characters with depth. The series is moody, rather like early X-Files meets "V", and often what we don't see, is more terrifying that what we do. The direction is tight, the acting, for the most part, is top notch and although there is a predictable subplot romance between two of the main characters that falls into maudlin sentimentality there is enough of a focus on the actual story at hand to make this no more than a passing irritation. Predictably, Phyllis Logan shines as Sqd.Ldr. Helen Knox and although her role is a secondary one it is clear that her acting is the most refined. She is decisive, gritty and has a piercing stare that reaches right out and stings you. She never wavers for a moment. It is also gratifying to see a woman given the command of an RAF base for once. Invasion:Earth comes to its final conclusion in an incredibly realistic way; there are no easy answers, and although there is plenty of heroism there is no perfect Hollywood finale complete with a pounding musical score to tug at our emotions. Some of the dialouge is over the top, especially that delivered by Fred Ward, and the story, trying to span two time periods, may be slightly over ambitious. Invasion:Earth is definitely worth a second look. You won't be disappointed.

Following in the tradition established by Nigel Keane and the Quatermass series (particularly Quartermass And The Pit), this well done science fiction miniseries captures the attention of the viewer by telling a tale of first contact with a number of unique twists. The sinister nature of first contact has never been explored in science fiction film in quite this fashion.

The title, although accurate, doesn't begin to do the program justice (and, in fact, sounds a little cheesy). While the plot is well thought out and imaginative, the characters are to real people what an impressionist is to the original person he or she is imitating; a collection of quirks, mixed with a dash of persona and topped with cliched reactions.

Still, despite its shortcomings, the film does dazzle with the intelligence and imagination of the plot. This is a story well told, although it would have been even more satisfying if the characters that participated in the telling were a little more realistic.

The direction is precise and controlled. Every scene creates additional tension as the alien's intentions become clear. The fourth act is quite a shocker and, unlike most science fiction films, there is no easy resolution. This isn't really designed for folks who find Doctor Who or Red Dwarf to be the ultimate in BBC science fiction fare. Instead, this program is designed to challenge viewers, entertain them, but also present the hard choices the world might really face if the same situation really occured.

Highly recommended!

Alien invasion movies are a dime a dozen, but only a few linger in the memory. INVASION EARTH is one such. This is a BBC production and as usual the producers, writers, director and cast combine to present the unlikely as near possible. Originally shot as a six part mini-series, INVASION EARTH is a gripping drama told in occasional flasback. During WWII, a British lieutenant discovers a humanoid figure emerge from what appears a spaceship in bombed out London. He disappears from the plot only to reappear decades later (minus aging due to near light speed) as an observer who has devastating news for modern day England. At first, he is thought to be of an alien species, but he slowly convinces the military that the real threat comes from a weird spiderlike species that has mastery of multi-dimensional transportation and is determined to terraform the earth in a manner suitable for their own life form. Maggie O'Neill is Dr. Tucker, a civilian scientist who is first kidnapped by the aliens called NDs then released for a reason which I shall not reveal here. Vincent Regan is a British pilot who is her love interest and helps prepare a defense. Fred Ward is General Reese, a tough as nails American on loan to NATO who supervises the entire operation.

Each episode relies heavily on the interactions among the large cast, many of whom are quirky enough to retain our interest. FX are minimal. We see only glimpses of the NDs, who resemble impossibly high leaping spiders. We further see a few scenes where kidnapped humans are kept as prisoners while suspended in an amorphous miasma of tree-like branches. The NDs have conquered one civilization after another with the earth as the latest potential victim. All the others have gone quietly and with minimal resistance. General Reese in the final episode sets the proper tone when he notes that human beings have an ungodly habit of making life difficult for would be conquerors. The ending, of course, is the showdown, although a few reviewers have commented on what they saw as a lack of finality almost as if the series' ending and future life on British television was not decided until late and an indeterminate closure was filmed. Such criticism, I think, misses the point that in time of a clear and present threat to human survival, a plan of defense might very likely go through the stages of disbelief, then acceptance, then grim determination that INVASION EARTH suggests might be the norm. I learned to care about the cast regardless of their fate. Only the better dramas of any sort manage to do that.

I was impressed with the series. The ending may not be emotionally satisfing for everyone, but it is consistent with the story. It's more Si Fi drma than battles in space, although the "alliens" are violent and quite horrifying. The plot reminded me of an episode from the 1960's Outer Limit series. It's a rather dark film, both thematically and visually, but the writing is tight and acting solid. Apparently, it was a big budget miniseries via the combined forces of the Si Fi Channel and BBC Scotland. It's drawback? Except for Maggie O'Neill, I never really found the characters that compelling. But 4 solid stars nevertheless, I just bought a copy.

This starts of fantastic and full of promise. Then while you're on the edge of your seat it gets behind you and kicks you off the couch stealing your popcorn and soda. You can only go "what the heck?". There is literally no ending, good or bad and you really get left with a bad taste in your mouth. If you're still thinking about buying this, I suggest spending the money on having someone punch you in the gut first, it's quicker, probably cheaper, and it will be easier to forget. Also, that cool alien on the cover is completely useless as part of the movie.