Anonymous Andy (Minus_The_Beer) Because every fifteen years or so Jack Finney's seminal novel, "The Body Snatchers," is apparently required to be re-adapted to the big- screen, we have been treated to some versions that are absolutely iconic (1978) and some that are downright awful (2007). Riding the middle lane is Abel Ferrara's 1993 digression, simply titled "Body Snatchers."Set on a military base, "Body Snatchers" is notably different from other versions of the story in more ways than one. Because of its isolated (and often one-note) locale, the plot feels slightly claustrophobic and, at a breezy 87 minutes, a little half-baked as well. A change in pace, this version of the story concerns an EPA agent (Terry Kinney) and his family, who are stationed at the aforementioned base. Naturally, an alien life-form has slowly crept in, turning his already dysfunctional family against one another. Meg Tilly plays his wife, who is given perhaps the film's most interesting dialogue (it's all about that chilling "Where you gonna go?" speech). Teen daughter Gabrielle Anwar, meanwhile, mashes up with a few locals, which happens to include a walking cliché gen-Xer played by Christine Elise. This piece of the plot doesn't really add up to much and only distracts from the tightly-wound story. Maybe they were trying to play to a younger audience? At any rate, it doesn't really do the film any favors as, aside from the always-game Elise and charming Anwar, the other teens/youngsters are almost as cold and lifeless as the husks left in the aliens' wake.In spite of its flaws, the film is really quite basic in a charming way yet it's all over seemingly just as it starts to gain momentum. Abel Ferrara's direction is, erm, able. With the look of a Tony Scott or even an early Michael Bay production, his film is perhaps the most stylized of all the "Snatcher" films and most definitely a product of the '90s. The special effects are the true star here, with some truly grotesque stuff including the birth of the "pod people." None of this improves on the 1978 version, which is arguably the best adaptation thus far, but as a keyhole, glimpse into a small story taking place within a larger event type film (think "10 Cloverfield Lane"), it works quite well. If you find this one languishing on a shelf, collecting dust, it's certainly worth snatching up.

amesmonde On an army base in Alabama aliens being a plan to replace the human race and a family is subjected to the horror of the takeover.Loosely inspired by Jack Finney's novel Abel Ferrara's version creates a maternal nervousness mostly from overlooked child actor Reilly Murphy who plays Gabrielle Anwar's Marti Malone half brother Andy. What Andy sees and goes though is quite horrific, conditioned at preschool, chased by soldiers and loved ones, seeing dead bodies fade to dust. Things children shouldn't see or be subjected too. This Ferrara's strongest aspect along with some, interesting bloody effects with the pod's creeping tentacles snaking up into noses, ears and open mouths.Ferrara's 1993 version of Body Snatchers never quiet reaches the paranoia of 1956 version or character development of the '78 remake but it has a good stab at it. Ferrara is limited in terms of creating atmosphere due to the confined setting of a military base but makes the most of shadowy hangers, warehouses and swamp which grows the effective looking pods. Due to the South set base he's unable to muster Philip Kaufman's grittiness or raw emotion of his own King of New York (1990) or Bad Lieutenant (1992).The cast are notably Tilly offers a great looming performance and gets the best lines, memorably – "Where you gonna go, where you gonna run, where you gonna hide? Nowhere... 'cause there's no one like you left.". Anwar (23 at the time debatably by default) delivers a fitting subdued, introverted teen. Notable is underrated Christine Elise as Billy Idol-like wild child Jenn Platt and Lost Boy's Billy Wirth as Anwar's love interest pilot Tim Young. In addition, there's R. Lee Ermey and Forest Whitaker in military roles both of which, like the rest of the cast, are sorely underused. Anwar awkwardly bookends with some dated voice-over narration which adds to the unevenness of Body Snatchers, aside from Tilly, the characters are sketchy and underdeveloped. Some effort is made to give Wirth's Young a troubled history but its a single throwaway line. Only Miami Vice's Terry Kinney as Steve Malone gets some meaningful dialogue.Like Kaufman's predecessor it features some shrewdly fit in nudity and comes courteous of Meg Tilly and Gabrielle Anwar. But the final act feels rushed and hastily edited with an array of explosions and Ferrara's 90's vision feels incomplete.Overall, choppy studio production issues aside, its an interesting underrated physiological horror.

851222 Greetings from Lithuania."Body Snatchers" (1993) is probably the best flick from these so called "Body Snatchers" movies. I saw 3 of them probably, but this one always was my favorite (the one with Donald Sutherland was also pretty good). It has good acting for this material, a very spooky mood, good direction and script. It's not particularly gory, but it has it's moments (make-up effects were very solid). The ending was very good and creepy - that last screaming sound was chilling.Overall, although "Body Snatchers" isn't very original or highly entraining or even a great art, it does exactly what it promises - it's has some scares, some thrills and a great feel of uncertainty which is always was a driving force in this so called franchise. This is a very solid genre movie and if you like the genre and premise, you will definitely going to like this flick.

The_Film_Cricket By its very definition this movie shouldn't be special. First, it resides in a genre that typically repeats itself over and over and over. Second, it is the second remake of a classic, in this case 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'. But unlike most horror remakes this one is different. It's actually scary.We know the story by now: Aliens are dropping to earth and killing off human beings and leaving soulless clones in their place. A young girl named Marti (Gabrielle Anwar) not only discovers their plot but finds that it has settled in her home. Naturally, no one will believe her.Now this seems like a lot of hum-drum hooey but director Abel Ferrara gives it a genuine style. He avoids the haggard clichés that often are the norm for this kind of film. He cleverly uses the rigid military as the alien's base of operations. There is something at risk in 'Body Snatchers': Our very humanity.Why did so many people miss out on 'Body Snatchers'? I guess they were so tuned into these clichés that they didn't recognize a horror film without them. This is a horror movie that is steeped in it's atmosphere, it's action and doesn't waste time with a lot of talking heads and theories. Its a strange concept . . . a horror movie this is actually scary!