Body Snatchers (1993) User Reviews

Aliens take control of everything...even your body and soul !

[Coventry · 6/10 · 26 November 2003]

Normally, I try never to watch any remakes before I had the chance to see the originals...So, watching this movie really was an exception for me since I never saw Don Siegel's version from 1956 and neither did I had the chance so far to catch the Philip Kaufman remake from 1978 starring Donald Sutherland. But this movie came on TV the other night and I watched it anyway. Besides, there were a few very interesting and respected people involved in this production. First of all, there's director Abel Ferrara of course. He already delivered a few true masterpieces before and some of them are personal favorites of mine ( like Driller Killer, Bad Lieutenant and The Addiction ). But I wasn't completely convinced about watching this movie before I noticed that both Larry Cohen and Stuart Gordon took part in writing the screenplay. All three are very talented and influential men in the field of horror and I figured a collaboration between the three of them could only lead to something good.

Well, it certainly is a decent movie and it provides the viewers with several scares. But - in general - I have to admit that I expected a bit more of it. The whole movie looks "unfinished" from time to time and the basic plot-idea isn't explained well enough, I think. I also had the feeling that everything moved too quick...Body Snatchers only lasts 87 minutes and that's a bit short for a rather complicated story like this. I would have preferred it to be a little longer and more detailed. Because of the fast storytelling, the ending also looks really fake and too abrupt. That was my biggest disappointment about it, I guess. Nevertheless, Body Snatchers contains multiple memorable scenes and it actually has the ability to raise the hair on your arms...That's quite an achievement too, I may say. Especially the sequence where both the daughter ( an adorable Gabrielle Anwar ) and the father ( a terribly boring Terry Kinney ) are being "body-snatched" is really frightening and a beautiful example of suspense-cinema and building up a tight atmosphere. This terrific scene ends with a powerful monologue by Meg Tilly's character. The entire movie is in fact recommended if it were only for this scene !!

The further cast of Body Snatchers also contains a washed up Beverly Hills star ( whose name I don't remember ) and very enjoyable little roles by first class actors like Forest Whitaker and R. Lee Ermey. I guess this last one is doomed to play the authority figure ever since his outstanding performance in Full Metal Jacket but what the heck. He's brilliant every single time. In conclusion, Body Snatchers contains a few very bloody and explicit sequences so horror fans won't be disappointed completely. It could have been a lot better, that's a fact. But on the other hand..it could have been a lot worse as well.

They Get You When You Sleep

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 12 October 2006]

The teenager Marti Malone (Gabrielle Anwar) is traveling along her summer vacations with her father, the EPA inspector Steve Malone (Terry Kinney), her stepmother Carol Malone (Meg Tilly) and her young stepbrother Andy (Reilly Murphy) to a military base where her father will inspect some toxic products. In a gas station bathroom on the road, she is scared by a soldier that advises her to not sleep, because they get you when you sleep. Once in the base, she becomes friend of Jean Platt (Christine Elise), the daughter of the general in charge of the base, and the helicopter pilot Tim Young (Billy Wirth). Marti and her father see that people are acting strange, and sooner they find that aliens are cloning the human beings in the base and invading Earth.

Abel Ferrara's remake of Don Siegel's 1956 "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is more violent than the original movie, but is also very good. There are three particular moments that I like very much: the first one is certainly when Marti throws Andy from the helicopter. I believe very few directors would have the courage to make such scene. The second one is the scary screams of Carol and Jean later. Last but not the least is the scene in the hospital when Gabrielle Anwar is naked and partially shows her breast. Although the end of this version is happier than the original one, it is open with the helicopter landing and Carol's voice saying "Where you gonna go? Where you gonna run? Where you gonna hide? Nowhere, cause there's no one like you left." And then, "THE END" is highlighted with uppercases, probably meaning that Marti and Tim would be the last human beings on Earth. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Invasores de Corpos - A Invasão Continua" ("Bodies' Invaders - The Invasion Continues")

Note: On 05 July 2015, I saw this movie again.

Somewhat Unnecessary

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 23 February 2003]

Everyone knows the plot of THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS because they`d already been two adaptations before the 1993 remake . The same basic plot had also been done in the 1955 television serial QUATERMASS 2 which was also remade by Hammer films in the late 1950s and we`ve seen DOCTOR WHO stories like Spearhead From Space that uses a very similar premise . In short the idea had been done to death by the 1990s

On its own BODY SNATCHERS isn`t a terrible film , it is moody and dark as it should be , but it does have a rather mechanical script with a scene featuring some teen angst followed by a mysterious scene followed by a scene featuring teen angst followed by a mysterious scene followed by a scene featuring teen angst . Everyone knows that the plot revolves around alien infiltration so do the audience get to find out why the aliens come to Earth ? Not really , unlike the 50s original there`s no real ambiguity as to the aliens motive or subtext either . I should also point out that aliens taking over military bases makes perfect logical sense if they want to nullify humanity but unfortunately setting the story on a military base where through necessity human individuality is disallowed and where the newly introduced protagonists don`t know the other characters means we have a story that lacks compelling and terrifying drama . We find it somewhat difficult to care about the people involved because they lack individuality to begin with .

As I said it`s by no means terrible but BODY SNATCHERS fails alongside the 1978 version which I rate as the greatest paranoid thriller ever made

Good – but not in the same way as the original

[bob the moo · 3 August 2002]

The Malone family move to a military base to help contain a toxic spill. Many of the soldiers and families are behaving strangely but is it the toxins or something more sinister?

I'm not a fan of remakes, many try to just copy the success of other films while some lift the original scene for scene to poor effect. However this at least tries to do something slightly different with it by setting it in a military base and bringing the drama into the family setting. In fact this setting creates some of the best scenes – my favourite being where Carol tells her daughter Marti that `there's no one like you left'. The greater effects are good but really I preferred the paranoid tension of the 50's original rather than the horror of effects.

However I still think this is a very workable horror from a good director. Of course it suffers with comparison with the original – that's because the original is a sci-fi classic. But as it's own film it is pretty good. Indeed the ending is what director Siegel intended – but he was forced into having a more hopeful epilogue ending. Naturally it has it's weaknesses – the effects overpower the story at times but really I found this to be enjoyable as a horror.

The cast are one of the weak links. I love Kinney because I'm a big Oz (HBO) fan, but here he doesn't really make a mark. Tilly has all the good lines and she is actually quite good. Anwar is also very watchable. But Ermey is type cast in his usual military role and Whitaker is far too calm and reasoned to do the job – he needed to be more like McCarthy in the original.

Overall, this should be watched and not compared. In it's own right it is a good horror with only a few weaknesses that spoil it slightly. And if you do want to compare it to the 50's version then please remember than this is the type of ending that Siegel wanted and to me is one of the strengths of this film.

They get you when you sleep.

[lastliberal-853-253708 · 7/10 · 5 October 2013]

In this remake of a classic, they used Bad Lieutenant and King of New York director Abel Ferrara, and cast the young beauty Gabrielle Anwar (The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines) and "thirthsomething" Terry Kinney in the leads.

Kinney went on to do The Laramie Project later and was fantastic.

If you want conformity, then setting your movie on a military installation ensures that you have an easier time of it. Younger people will love this version, but just updating to modern techniques and special effects doesn't always make for a better picture.

Skintastic Moment: Great view of Gabrielle Anwar's ta-tas waking up on a stretcher.

Third version about a creepy story in which the nightmare that threatens the world takes place in a military base

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 14 August 2013]

Acceptable Sci-Fi picture which achieved a moderated success on its appearance and dealing with a teenage girl and her father discover alien clones are replacing humans on a remote U.S. military base in Alabama . This is a passable rendition starred by a good cast such as Forest Whitaker , Meg Tilly, Terry Kinney and Gabriella Anwar . It is an average budget version , though sometimes slow-paced and including some jolts of horror . Science Fiction , military and fantasy is presented in its most horrifying form . A genuinely frightening , chilling exercise in nightmare dislocation in which hideous creatures from outer space arrive on Earth with plans of conquest by means of pods and being freely based upon a novel by Jack Finney . There are not monsters only the residents of a military headquarter , as their wills , minds and bodies taken over by a weird form of life from outer space . This is the third adaptation , still very scary and creepy about a vintage novel deals with some military residents who are being replaced by duplicates hatched from weird pods . It creates an altering the human behaviour in the new invaders . As a doctor (Terry Kinney) must protect his daughter (significant role for gorgeous Gabriella Anwar) and her new stepmother (Meg Tilly), and soon aware that pods from outer space are duplicating and menacing everyone there . Meantime , the teenager daughter befriends a handsome attack helicopter pilot, Tim Young (Billy Wirth) and a young girl named Jenn Platt (Christine Elise) , daughter of headquarter commander (Lee Ermey). The doctor may hold the means to avoid the extraterrestrial invasion as he discovers their friends are being taking over by cold human-duplicates , as one by one are turned into aliens . While examining specimen, Doctor Malone is approached by angst-ridden Major Collins (Forrest Whitaker), who asks him about psychological effects particularly narcophobia . The mysterious epidemic from outer space is spread along military camp , everybody are being taken over by emotionless , cold behaving beings . The strange seeds from outer space are growing and destroying a little base at an alarming attack.

This scary Sci-Fi displays a tense screenplay freely based on Jack Finney novel titled ¨Body snatchers¨ that can be considered truly disturbing . Packs eerie suspense , chills , thrills , spectacular scenes , chilly events and pretty turns and twists . A ceaselessly inventive , ghastly rendition of the alien take-over paradigm , including a a nice built-in paranoia about a small military base is infiltrated by pods from outer space that replace and replicate human beings . It profits from an intense acting by Terry Kenney , Forrest Whitaker , R. Lee Ermey along with an enjoyable Gabrielle Anwar ; furthermore , a right direction by Abel Ferrra who proved himself master of the eerie clutch at the base of one's spine . Appropriately exciting and frightening musical score by Joe Delia , though composed by means of synthesizer. Atmospheric cinematography and evocatively eerie ambient by cameraman Bazzeli , this was the first film shot with Arriscope anamorphic lenses, which were created for Arri by the German manufacturer Isco-Optic. Adequate production design and considerable visual and special effects . The motion picture was professionally directed by Abel Ferrara . Director Ferrara brought an entirely new approach to the Sci-Fi field to a well known story that has been shot various times . He filmed an attractive tale and it has emerged as an acceptable Sci-Fi thriller that brings astonishing nightmares . Lovers of the thriller/chiller should no miss this considerable Sci-Fi , everybody will have fun being scared by this expertly crafted film .

Other versions about this known story are the following : a post-McCarthy paranoid fantasy epic titled ¨Invasion of the body snatchers¨ (1958), stunning and frightening adaptation which emerged as a cinema classic which achieved tremendous and unexpected success on its appearance , so well tuned for the times that some saw it a parable Communist Witch Hunts ; being compellingly directed by Donald Siegel with Kevin MacCarthy , Dana Wynter , Larry Gates , Carolyn Jones , and Sam Peckinpah ; 1978 new version also titled ¨Invasion of the Body Snatchers¨ , one of few instances where a remake is an improvement on the original , directed by Philip Kauffman with Donald Sutherland , Brooke Adams and features cameos by Don Siegel and Kevin McCarthy from the original , realized with great originality in spite of being a remake concerning again about mysterious seeds duplicating people . Lately recent version that results to be the least satisfactory and yet another inferior titled ¨Invasion¨ with Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman , Jeffrey Wright and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel , this so-so take on , it takes advantage of the advances in FX , sound technology and some interesting visual effects .

solid execution of familiar premise

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 17 March 2016]

The EPA sends Steve Malone (Terry Kinney) to a military base in Alabama for a month. He brings along his daughter Marti (Gabrielle Anwar), his second wife Carol (Meg Tilly) and their son Andy. Marti is scared by a soldier who tells her that "They get you when you sleep". She befriends base commander (R. Lee Ermey)'s wild daughter Jenn Platt (Christine Elise). She falls for chopper pilot Tim Young (Billy Wirth). There are strange things happening and Maj. Collins (Forest Whitaker) asks Steve if it could be chemical toxins. Military personnel delivers mysterious boxes to the Malones. Carol is the first to turn.

The major drawback is that the premise is known to everybody. There is no surprises except for the sci-fi uninitiated. The bathtub scene is pretty good although it's nothing shocking. This is a solid execution. The army base location is pretty good. Body snatchers can be camouflaged by being stoic soldiers and they are pretty creepy. There is nothing wrong with this version but it adds nothing new to the idea.

Solid Variation on a Classic Tale

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 7/10 · 31 October 2023]

This film is one that I saw parts of on the movie channels growing up. I didn't know what it was but there was a scene in the bathtub that stuck with me. I also remember the iconic lines that Meg Tilly says as well. This is one that I saw all the way through years ago and decided to come back to it as part of my Traverse Through the Threes. It also works in an October movie challenge.

Synopsis: a teenage girl and her father discover alien clones are replacing humans on a remote U. S. military base in Alabama.

This starts a family moving to a military base from the synopsis. The father is Steve (Terry Kinney) and he works for the EPA. There are chemicals that are being stored at this base and he is there to make sure they are properly handled with minimal chance of leaks and contamination. He's married to Carol (Tilly). Steve has a daughter that he brought to this marriage in Marti (Gabrielle Anwar). Her mother passed away. The parents do have a son together, Andy (Reilly Murphy).

The family stops at a gas station before reaching the base and Anwar goes to use the restroom. She is attacked by a soldier inside. He has a knife and he covers her mouth. The weapon was put to her throat. The soldier is played by Keith Smith. He warns her about how it happens in your sleep. He lets her go and disappears as she goes for help.

They arrive at the base and get settled. Marti befriends the daughter of the general in charge, Jenn Platt (Christine Elise). She does get in trouble when they stay out later than they're supposed to. Andy has a rougher go. At daycare, all the children have the same drawing. He runs away and is found by a helicopter pilot, Tim Young (Billy Wirth). He takes a liking to Marti and he's part of why she gets in trouble.

Steve has an interesting go as well. Gen. Platt (R. Lee Ermey) helps with the investigation, only to get him off the base as soon as possible. Steve also meets Dr. Collins (Forest Whitaker) who has had patients coming in and seeming to suffer from hallucinations. Steve states that the chemicals wouldn't have those effects on people. Things at home are different as well when Carol acts more robotic than she did previously. Paranoia sets in as they try to figure out who has been taken and who is normal. Time is ticking before it is too late.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'm going to start is that this is a scary concept. If you don't know, this is another take on the novel 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. I've not seen the 1950s original, but I've seen the one from 1978, this and the Nicole Kidman/Daniel Craig version in the theater. I'll try not to compare this to other versions, but I do want to at least point out the differences and what works.

First, I do like that this starts with seeing space and stars. I get the idea this is signifying flying through it while it gives us the credits. I hope this isn't a spoiler, but the pods that create copies of us are aliens. They are exact copies except that they don't show emotions. This is terrifying to me that you could have someone you know look and act like themselves, just being off. There's the other side of being changed. They are taking us over to create their own utopia society. There would be no hate or hurt. Everyone would work together. You also lose your individuality as well.

Then to shift from this, I love the change that this is taking place on a military base. There's a great scene where you see them fishing out pods from a swamp. That feels right in seeing that. What makes it scary in starting with military people, there is aura of command they bring. If they tell you to go into a room where they change you, you tend to go along with it. There is that fear of violence. We see a great scene later in this movie where trucks are going to various military bases around the United States. We are seeing the apocalypse in real time.

The next thing I want to bring up involves acting. This does strategic things in setting up characters. We see Carol, Steve, Marti, Andy, Tim and Jenn before they change. That is what you need. Marti and Carol don't get along. Carol is affection toward Steve and Andy though. I'll credit Tilly, Anwar, Kinney, Murphy and Elise here. We don't know if any of them are themselves as it goes on. Wirth is an interesting performance to me. He is emotionless from the start. I'm not sure if this is just him or if he was asked to play it this way. It doesn't ruin the movie, because of how things play out. He is also a soldier so it could be his training. I'll also credit Ermey, even though I want more of him. Whitaker is also solid in his role. The acting is good across the board. We also get to see Anwar and Tilly nude if you are curious.

All that is left then would be filmmaking. I think that the cinematography we get looks good. They capture the isolated location of this base through the opening sequence. The gas station looks rundown and there are shots of fields that go on for long distances. Also showing the swamps as well. There is then the shots of the trucks heading out into the world that add to how this needs to be stopped before it is too late. The effects look good. They went practical. I love how we see the pod and the people it is creating. If stopped, they look old and lacking the nutrients to survive. This worked for me. There is only one spot of bad effects, but it is quick and at the end. Other than that, I'd say that the soundtrack fit what was needed as well.

In conclusion, I think that this is an interesting take on the body snatching narrative. It has elements that I've seen in other versions. What I like here is focusing it on a military base and how that could lead to the end of the world. I thought that the cast we had was good. Anwar isn't great as our lead, but she is attractive so that doesn't hurt. What I did like was seeing the baseline of characters before they change. Wirth adds there since he is emotionless from the start. This is well made with credit to the cinematography and the effects. This doesn't work as well as the 1978 version, but it still stands on its own with the changes that it made. I'd recommend it if you like these 'alien/body snatching' narratives.

My Rating: 7 out of 10.

Three times not a charm

[pitstick9 · 4/10 · 19 October 2003]

"Body Snatchers" is definitely the poorest of the three Snatcher films. It is uninspired and sloppily written--lacking all the style and finesse that the other two "Invasion" films are famous for. The film is set in a military instillation which isn't conducive for good horror and thrills. The locale fails for the same reason it did as the setting for "Child's Play 3". It's too distant from us, too foreign...we can't easily relate to it. Movies set in small towns and cities scare us because that IS our world--it's our familiar.

The special effects are great and it's a fun rental. I like some of the scenes, most were so cheesy I had to laugh. (Especially when the "pod soldier" let the protagonist fly away in the helicopter because he didn't emotionally react to, "I F___ed your girlfriend." Give me a break!) It's an okay film--treasure the first two "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and throw "Body Snatchers" on if you have nothing better to do. 4/10

Different from the others

[mm-39 · 6/10 · 8 May 2002]

This film is different enough from the other two, and has originality. This is not a classic, but entertaining. The more I watch the 78 version the less I like it and the 50's film holds up well. The film's tension is a slow burn, and differs with the other two by having a teenage female perspective, and a new location at the military base. I give it a 6/10.

Poorly scripted and way too fast-paced

[burgerkalif · 4/10 · 15 February 2017]

Meg Tilly is phenomenal, as well as disturbingly sexy, as the cold and distant pod woman. Otherwise, this movie is silly, poorly scripted, way too fast-paced, has characters you never really care for, nearly none of the cleverly, slowly built-up paranoia and tension that made the '78 version so damn effective and engaging, yeah the list goes on ..

First of all, choosing an army base as the location for the movie was a downright ridiculous idea .. I mean, soldiers are pretty much supposed to be cold, adhere strictly to conformity and suppress individuality already .. So how are you gonna tell the difference between humans and pod people?? This kinda defeats the entire purpose of the film, I think ..

Then there is the pacing .. It simply moves on way too fast and abruptly. When Meg Tilly is transformed, no one except the little boy who saw the transformation first hand seems to notice it -- only when it becomes alarmingly clear that something isn't at all as it should be (when she gives her famous speech: "there's no one like you left"). Where is the growing suspicion, the fear and self-doubt that the '78 version portrayed so well? I guess there was no time for that in this version, as it moves from 'building-up tension' to 'fast paced action with no time to think' like all of a sudden, and way too abruptly .. And no time to actually get to know your protagonist family and learn to care for them .. Almost the entire family is wiped out by the pod people, and it didn't really get to me .. Unlike the '78 version, where both Elizabeth's and Matthew's transformations were absolutely horrifying ..

4/10

"Only the race counts - not the individual".

[gridoon · 8/10 · 3 September 2002]

Okay, the 1956 original paved the way and has to get the credit for that, but from an objective point-of-view, both the 1978 and this 1993 remake are better, scarier, more developed. In comparison to the second version, this one has a nowhere nearly as brilliant, rather disappointing ending, but the pacing is must faster. Abel Ferrara keeps the movie running for only a tight 85 minutes, and pushes all the right buttons along the way; the horror ranges from the gory (the melting heads) to the supremely subtle (the scene in the classroom, where all the kids draw the exact same picture, except for one, who naturally realizes that something is wrong - the teacher seems to want to punish him for being different). This is a spine-chilling, absolutely terrific little picture - but even if it wasn't, it would still be worth seeing just for Meg Tilly's exceptional performance - her "where are you gonna go?" monologue is as scary as anything in say, "Psycho" or "Rosemary's Baby". (***1/2)

Different but certainly not bad.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 29 July 2010]

Over the years several 'The Body Snatchers' movies were made. Non of them were much alike really and they are set at different places with different characters each time. This version of 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' is certainly not as bad as its reputation and as a matter of fact is actually a quite good genre movie on its own.

This time events are taking place at a military base. The concept is still the same though, in which in alien invasion takes place by letting mysterious pods replicate and killing human bodies in their sleep. The pods look like an exact copy of their victim but of course they are not. In my opinion the story behind 'The Body Snatchers' has always been one of the most original and best ones, concerning movies dealing with an alien invasion.

Its concept provide the movie with plenty of tension and also mystery, especially when you have not seen a 'The Body Snatchers' movie before. This particular movie version does also handle its concept well. It's not as great as the previous two movie version of it but it still has plenty of good moments and originality of its own in it. It's certainly better and way more exciting to watch than the 2007 movie version, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.

I still wished this movie had some of those great actors in it. There are some good actors in this movie but they play secondary characters, such as is the case with R. Lee Ermey and Forest Whitaker. The main parts are being played by some big unknowns, who aren't really charismatic or likable enough. A missed opportunity.

A good, different version of the well known story.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Duplicates that actually have a sense of emotion

[Playa9978 · 2/10 · 2 August 2001]

I saw this unconvincing movie last night via video rental. I thought it was over-acted in many phases of the word: The screeching, the weak attempts at testing people to see if they are actually cloned, or just pretending to be(Pretty corny)with the basis of the characters evolved around a family of four and a stoned-faced military base. The acting is mediocre at best, and often over-acted(Which I stated earlier). The direction is sloppy, with no real suspense or irony. Sorry, I just could n't adhere to this film. The plot contains a group of family members being victimized, while at the same time terrorized by a large system of abductors disguised in the form of military ground. The parasites are going around rather quickly with no one suspecting fast enough to stop it. With the supposed drama being dispersed, the victims never become involved in trying to figure how what has happened, and what's causing it. Not very exciting, but rather preposterous. I saw "Body Snatchers" of 1956 and 1978, and found both to be creative with the re-make merely the best piece. The third outing did not live up to neither one. Rated *1/2

Abel Ferrara makes another quality film!

[ManBehindTheMask63 · 19 January 2012]

Abel Ferrara is a talented and interesting director. He's made some great films ("bad lieutenant", "china girl") and he always seems to bring out the best in his actors. With "Body Snatchers", Ferrara tackles the task of directing a big budget, studio sci-fi film. And for the most part, he succeeds. Ferrara injects the film with tight closeups and experiments with tilted and off balanced framing. Making the viewer feel like something in the film is off and eschewed. But the film just isn't that exciting. It's more of a slow burner. It never really lives up to it's own potential sadly. But the effects are solid and some of the semi-transformation scenes are disturbing.

The acting for the most part is solid with Meg Tilly giving the best monologue in the film. Gabrielle Anwar is gorgeous to stare at and Billy Wirth (Lost Boys) plays the chopper pilot hero. It could have been a better film, but "Body Snatchers" is entertaining, well-acted, and often creepy. I'm always surprised that an independent director like Ferrara was the guy chosen to helm such a big budget studio film...

An above-average midnight movie

[KevinR1990 · 7/10 · 17 October 2009]

I watched this last night via the PlayStation Network's movie rental service. Before I get started, I'd like to say that, while I haven't seen the '56 original, I have seen the '78 remake with Donald Sutherland, which I feel ranks as one of the best horror films I've seen. Going into this, I wasn't expecting it to live up to the '78 version, but I was expecting to be entertained. And while it wasn't a great movie, it did fulfill my expectations.

First off, the special effects for the pods are phenomenal. The pods are all practical effects, which is made more impressive by the fact that, unlike the '78 version, they had the option of CGI at this point. The scene where the pods are attacking Marti and Steve (two scenes for the former) are extremely tense, and honestly had me thinking "oh my god they're actually gonna do it they're gonna kill the main characters". However, I feel that the effects here are overused. In '78, when you saw Elizabeth crumble into dust as a result of being absorbed by her pod, it hit hard. Here, however, the same effect is used at least half a dozen times for cheap shocks, wearing it out quickly.

The setting also served to provide some nice commentary on the '90s. All of the films are basically products of their times. In '56, the theme was, depending on how you look at it, either the Red Menace or McCarthyism. In '78, it was pop psychology, born-again Christianity, and the alienation of urban life that got satirized. Here in '93, the theme is the conformity of modern life, which turns people into soulless pod creatures even without aliens taking their bodies. It's fitting that the takeover is already underway when the Malones arrive at the base, because to some extent, the soldiers have long ago suppressed their individuality in the name of their community. It's just how the Army works. And by having the protagonist be a teenage girl, the concept is extended to suburban drudgery as well. Some have complained that this defeats the whole point of the movie, but I feel that it strengthens it. After all, what is the difference between the titular body snatchers and the mindless conformity of our suburban lives? And now you know why the basic "body snatcher" idea is so scary and effective -- it can be applied to anything, in any era.

The acting is serviceable. Gabrielle Anwar and Meg Tilly are the standouts here, the former carrying much of the film and looking damn good doing it, and the latter delivering the "where you gonna run" speech, which is the film's single greatest line. Forest Whitaker and R. Lee Ermey are wasted though, each having only a couple of scenes, and the latter not breaking from his typecasting as a hardass authority figure. Billy Wirth gets the "hero" role and plays it well enough, although he and Anwar had no chemistry. Their kiss was one of the most unconvincing that I had ever seen, and the most unintentionally funny scene in the movie. Terry Kinney is rather plain as the dad, while Christine Elise does well in her small part as the general's rebellious daughter. One complaint that I have is that the pod people have a bit too much emotion. You're supposed to believe that they're soulless and emotionless (like, well, pod people), but seeing them raise their voices, as if they're angry, takes away from this.

Overall, I had a good time with this movie. It had its scary moments, some standout performances, and good ideas behind it, but overall, the execution didn't quite live up to the promise. If you're looking for a modern take on the "body snatcher" story, I'd recommend The Faculty, although this is also worth a watch.

Another pretty good update

[BroadswordCallinDannyBoy · 7/10 · 28 September 2007]

Another version of the 1958 classic, which was previously updated in 1978.

This time the story is set on a military base where Steve Malone moves in with his family. His job to look for toxins that might be at high levels in the grounds of the base, but soon strange things begin to happen and certain people "aren't themselves anymore." People who have seen the previous two versions know exactly what this means. However, whether you know or not the film manages to be an eerie thriller in parts. There is a change in perspective from the previous two versions as the focus here is more on the family, but it still remains in subtle ways as a parable. But it is that family aspect that gives this version its push. The examination of trust and mistrust within the family unsentimental and compelling. Carol's monologue to her husband Steve in a key moment will literally make you grow goosebumps. And the end, which will be familiar to those of you who've seen the previous version, has it's own spin and take on the situation and what led up to it. The way hope and despair are mixed and shown makes the ending worth seeing, but unexpectedly abrupt. Though, abrupt in this case means "chilling." That makes it not quite the first which ended in despair. Different from the second which was chilling, but final moment was that of terror. Here it is... just chilling.

Then the special effects are pretty good too with the pods getting just enough screen time to keep you thinking about what they are, but also enough to send shudders down your spine. --- 7/10

Not Rated, contains violence and horror. Ages 13+.

Solid premise, good special effects and some memorable, chilling moments. What more could you ask for?

[squirrel_burst · 7/10 · 13 April 2015]

"Body Snatchers" is a good horror/thriller with excellent special effects. I can't speak as to whether or not it's a remake that stays faithful to the original, but my gut says that this Is a worthy adaptation. The ending isn't as strong as the scenes that precede it, but overall it's an enjoyable sci-fi paranoia film. The premise is basically that there's an alien invasion going on right before our eyes. The extra terrestrials wait until you fall asleep and when you do, you get sucked up Inside of a weird pod and replaced with a doppelganger. There's a lot of potential there and I bet you can already see why this premise has endured over the years. How do you know who you can trust, how are you going to convince the others that something is amiss and how are we supposed to win? I found that the picture takes a bit too long to set up. I understand that every plot point needs to be introduces thoroughly and all, but considering this is the third version of the film, and the material has been imitated and ripped off countless times, you probably already know where it's going in the beginning, and you'll grow restless waiting for everyone to catch up to you. Once it gets started there are a lot of tense parts that will keep you on your toes and some real surprises as friends and foes become indistinguishable from each other. The film really convincingly portrays the body snatchers and their pods and the special effects alone make the movie worth a watch, even though the very end of the film is anti-climactic and contains one very bad special effect that's embarrassing to see. There's a really chilling moment when you realize really how dire the situation Is that's permanently ingrained in my mind. Just thinking about it makes me uneasy, and no matter how many times it's made fun of, it still gives me the shivers. It's worth seeking out. (On DVD, November 6, 2012)

A Big Let-Down...

[Trampyre · 7/10 · 23 January 2005]

The first two "Body Snatchers" are amongst the most terrifying films ever made. The philosophic concept of a loved one suddenly becoming a total stranger is scary and haunting, and both INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS easily induce nightmares. That said, what a let down BODY SNATCHERS is. The first key element that fails us is in the main characters. In the first two films, we embrace the main protagonists Miles/Becky or Matthew/Elizabeth...we care what happens to these people. We don't want them to succumb to the alien enemy. And when they do, we feel major loss and horror. In this update, there's NO ONE to really care about- our "heroine" is a sullen teenage girl(Gabrielle Anwar). Her Dad(Terry Kinney)is a self-involved and remote scientist, she's at odds with her stepmother(Meg Tilley), her little brother doesn't have much joy in his life...and this family is plopped down on a military base in the midst of being "taken over" by the pods. When you don't really have any in the film that you care about, seeing them "converted" doesn't really register(as it does in the first two films). Also, in the those films, we're dealing with a small town and a big city- there's LOTS of varieties of personality types to examine... but what can you expect on a military base, where the soldiers are all pretty zombified into conformity already? As agreed by most, probably the creepiest scene is delivered by Tilly, when her pod version whispers "Where ya gonna go? Where ya gonna run? Where ya gonna hide? Nowhere. Cuz...there's...no one...like you...left." Simply bone-chilling. Unfortunately, that's about it. Yeah, the "transformation" scenes are a lot more evolved than the '78 SNATCHERS, but there's simply too little emotional involvement to what's going on, let alone any suspense. And the ending is simply a sloppy mess- like the previous versions, there's no real resolution to the invasion, but in this case, it's simply NOT satisfying. In conclusion, the two "INVASION" films remain classics, because their incredible mix of sci-fi horror and the dramatic depths they draw their audiences into. BODY SNATCHERS, for the most part, is an uninvolving bore.

Awful

[NJCondon · 3/10 · 2 November 1998]

"Body Snatchers" is the second remake of the venerable "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", and it serves as yet more evidence that remakes are usually a bad idea. The plot involves some pods of rather nebulous origin that kill people while they sleep and replace them with emotionless copies. The filmmakers steadfastly ignore all of the interesting metaphoric possibilities of this plot in favor of failed attempts to make 3-dimensional characters, through overuse of cliched familial strife, and a series of very uninvolving, uninteresting, un-scary action sequences. The only thing of any interest in this film is the characteristically luminous Gabrielle Anwar, who strives vainly to make her cardboard-thin character interesting. Forget this pathetic version of the film, and rent the 1956 original instead.

Overall Rating: 2 (out of 10), or one-half star (out of 4)

Erotically Intriguing

[GOWBTW · 7/10 · 6 February 2003]

I was in Mass. when I saw this movie. Gabrielle Anwar was great at doing this movie. I'm glad they didn't put "Invasion of.." on this one. This version of the movie was sultry, mesmerizing and indeed good. In some way, this updated version was highly more erotic than usual. And I really think this one is best seen at night. I didn't like the part when the little brother became one of the pod people. He was one on of the good guys, WHAT HAPPENED? Who knows? It probably hard to tell who to trust in some places. Comapared to the original, this version provided plenty of sexual energy. Maybe a little too sexual. Trust vs. distrust, If I was in this movie I would be fighting all the pod people and not succumb to their single-minded views on how to live life.

But everything else was good. The rest have kept on fighting to preserve. And most of all, fighting temptation that consumed everyone in that Army base. Steamy and intriguing is what this movie was. 2 out of 4 stars.

I went in with the wrong mindset and expectations

[keenansean-69856 · 3/10 · 26 January 2019]

I found this film boring and uneventful, due to the wrong expectations and mindset. Seeing the 'parasyte' anime and working of their version of the body snatcher idea made me wonder how this film would approach the story of aliens in plain sight. unfortunately, this mindset ruined the entire movie, waiting for these aliens to do crazy body morphs and bloody kills. this is zombie aliens and they just try to convert other people to aliens. if i went in without the expectations i did most likely would have given me a different rating. Acting is sub par and the alien noodle worms are evil pasta.

There's a lot to like about this film and many unpredictable turns. I recommend seeing this.

[kevin_robbins · 8/10 · 7 July 2021]

Body Snatchers (1993) is a movie I recently rewatched on Amazon Prime for the first time in a long time (it used to be on HBO regularly). The storyline picks up after the 1978 film on a military base that is just discovering the outbreak and trying to put together a team to combat the invasions...but is it too late? This movie is directed by Abel Ferrara (King of New York) and stars Gabrielle Anwar (Scent of a Woman), Meg Tilly (The Big Chill), R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket) and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland). The storyline for this is very fun and unfolds wells. As you're watching this you kind of forget it is tied to the other Body Snatcher films. I always had a crush on Ferrara in this movie. The special effects and gore in this are definitely the best of the series. The body invasion process is more intense compared to all the other films. The acting is actually pretty good too. There's a lot to like about this film and many unpredictable turns. I recommend seeing this and would score it a solid 7.5-8/10.

A Foggy High-Camp Recollection of Lots of Other Superior Versions

[jzappa · 7/10 · 7 February 2011]

Ferrara made spiritual what Kaufman made satirical what Siegel made political: The invasion hasn't been thwarted, it's merely waiting on the right filmmaker every twenty years for passionate revision. Were there to be a "re-remake" of Jack Finney's pulpy source who better to attempt it than Ferrara, the hysterical director of Bad Lieutenant, King of New York and a slew of other overwrought films? I mean, discernment and restraint are the last things a third Body Snatchers required. However, they're the tendency of this slick but uninspired version. It could've been wheeled by any bland director who knows how to point a camera and resist affronting or disturbing anyone.

Don Siegel's Invasion virtually declared McCarthyism the emblematic gist behind the obedient body snatchers. Ferrara probably didn't want to bother anatomizing the '50s fear politics with those, if any, of the '90s, and knew that the premise was well-known even to viewers who'd never seen the first two versions. So he's short and snappy. In the first 5 minutes, a frenzied soldier traps the alienated teenage daughter of the EPA agent protagonist in a gas station bathroom, lunging from the dark to present the distraught forewarning, "They're out there. They get you when you sleep." Nothing that ensues approaches that opening shove. Some tilted camera angles and some misty lighting are the only tinges of Ferrara's excessively melodramatic style, except perhaps Meg Tilly's chilling turn. This talent-filled interpretation boosts its creepiest dashes from the 1978 version: the tentacles that slither out of the pods, the way the pod people draw attention to humans and unleash a mechanical-seeming screech. But this third of four adaptations of the 1955 novel doesn't impart Phil Kaufman's film's feeling one can enjoy from the right kind of horror or sci-fi movie that makes you just want to snuggle up in front of the TV late at night or on a really rainy or snowy day, everything you need in arm's reach of the couch and ottoman, and lose yourself in it's eerily fun atmosphere.

And there is merely a hazy recognition of lots of other superior horror material that Ferrara's anamorphically shot sci-fi thriller calls to mind. The opening credits indiscreetly recall The Twilight Zone. One teary mother echoes The Stepford Wives. The worry of sleep, which was in the original film, has since been declared by the Elm Street series. Ferrara and his capable writers fellow exploitation veteran Larry Cohen and uniquely Bohemian horror director Stuart Gordon must've understood this, but there's no lighthearted drollness about these loans.

Excellent special effects, but characters we don't care about...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 25 June 2017]

Chemist and his family move to a military base in Alabama to investigate the level of toxins in their water--could this pollution be the reason why the military personnel are exhibiting such odd behavior? "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" with both a new milieu and environmental overtones, also a heavy emphasis on the grisly body duplications. The protagonist this time is the chemist's teenage daughter, who also provides an infrequent voice-over in the past tense. Director Abel Ferrara makes the attempt to slowly build suspense, however his morose, darkly-filmed opening (some 30 minutes in) backfires; tension doesn't so much mount as it does bide its time. Adaptation of Jack Finney's novel "The Body Snatchers" was worked on by several writers who provide lots of activity but no interesting people. Some effective and hair-raising moments, a good performance from Meg Tilly in a small role, but a fiery finale that falls flat. ** from ****