Great performers wasted by poor story

Rating: 6/10 (14 April 2003)

I thought the performances by all those in the film were very good but the story was a bit silly and incoherent with an abrupt ending that took me by surprise as there appeared to be several loose ends in the story that were yet to be resolved. The most glaring hole in the story was water. As we find out water is what kills the aliens much like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz. Knowing that why would they come to a planet that is 75% water and frequented by rain, sleet and snow? Other silly parts of the story are that the aliens move so fast in the opening scenes that neither Mel Gibson or Joaquin Phoenix can hope to catch up with them on foot. Yet by the end of the film the local vet has one locked up in his pantry and it can't seem to move fast enough to avoid a baseball bat.