Boring characters run away and avoid a plot

Rating: 4/10 (8 July 2005)

With the exception of liberal Tim Robbins' brief appearance in this film, all of the characters are either unlikeable or boring. What makes the matter worse is the simple, even more boring plot: humans running away from deadly aliens. What is more amazing is that Spielberg was willing to make the aliens evil. A few years ago he criticized the movie "Independence Day" for portraying aliens as monsters. He thought that they should portrayed as E.T. The special effects are first-rate, but they do not make up for the boring characters and weak plot. Thank God for Tim Robbins' appearance mid-way through the film to keep me awake.