You'll either love it or you'll hate it

Rating: 3/10 (9 April 2004)

M. Night Shyamalan seems to have a knack for writing and directing both bizarre films and offering actors who's careers may or may not be a stalling a chance to give new and interesting characterizations.

Exit Bruce Willis, enter Mel Gibson. Mel's played the larger than life hero so many times we've almost forgotten films like "Tim" and "Man Without A Face". So naturally he tackled this film in hopes of reminding people that there's more to him than just Mad Max, Martin Riggs and all those other tough guys.
Mel plays a down and out widower reverend who's all cut off from his kids and has a live in brother played by Joaquim Phoenix. When all sorts of weird things start happening like crazy dogs and crop circles, the logical explanation is of course, aliens.
It's not quite successful though. Mel's too mechanical and flat for you to really identify with him. Sometimes unintentionally funny, you keep expecting the irony to be that Mel is the alien. Mel is actually upstaged by Phoenix as his would be baseball playing star. The kids get on your nerves after a while.