Invasion (2021)

Apple TV+ | Release Date: October 22, 2021

4.1	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 59 Ratings

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Lord-XaffaxNov 5, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Yep! They actually let somebody swim in space...So forget about science, know that its coming to soften the blow, and look at it as Horror/fantasy/drama. Then still it doesn't stand out, where with a little better writing it could have. The evil aliens are run of the mill and not very special. The characters are one dimensional and rather flat and they do not really develop but in the most predictable way.There are plenty of ways they could have made things a little spicier but they never seem to want to go there.That makes it all very average.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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ozymandias79Oct 26, 2021

Trying to wade through all the drama to get to the meat of this show, the actual invasion. If things don't get interesting soon, it's a pass.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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FindwritersJun 16, 2023

I have gone neutral on this rather than negative only because this series has two redeeming features that are praiseworthy - a) the acting which is generally excellent and b) the production, which is technically brilliant albeit with oneI have gone neutral on this rather than negative only because this series has two redeeming features that are praiseworthy - a) the acting which is generally excellent and b) the production, which is technically brilliant albeit with one major caveat.

Apart from that, it is an unmitigated disaster in terms of scriptwriting.

Plenty of other reviewers have mentioned this. Essentially, this is a series of not-very-interesting interpersonal relationship dramas as the mainline story with the alien invasion providing little more than some backdrop scenery. It remains an ongoing mystery why production companies do this. For heaven's sake, if you want to make a series about personal relationships then by all means do so. However, if you brand something as Sci-Fi then make the bulk of your story and mainline plot about that!!!! Why is this seemingly so difficult for so many writers and producers to grasp these days?

By all means, use sub-plots. Equally, some background detail on the characters is useful to pad them out and make them real. However, those two components together should constitute perhaps 10-15% of the storyline. In this mess, it feels like the inter-personal stuff takes up about 75% of the time available for the story to progress.

The answer is presumably cost reduction. To have two characters spending 10 minutes talking about their past lives is I assume a lot cheaper than filming on location. Yet when all this is said and done - THIS IS BORING AND ANNOYING!!!! Frankly, the characters aren't interesting enough for people to care about and it's not even well written.

The next major failing is the cut-and-paste into the script of tropes that are 50 years past their sell-by date. Once again, presumably attributable to cost reduction, as one doesn't have to pay decent writers to cut script but simply glue into place pre-packaged drivel.

Let's examine them here.....we have the:

Trope 1 subplot - the all-American dysfunctional family with a husband-wife about to split and the obligatory 2 precocious brat young children who run around saying "I love you Mommy" at every opportunity shortly before doing something so incredibly stupid that it endangers everyone's life. At least this time they were missing the usually mandatory dog that takes over in trying to kill everyone when the kids are otherwise occupied. Oh yes, don't forget the "right kids, it's desperately dangerous, so I'm going to leave you alone while I go off and engage in a meaningless discussion about personal issues elsewhere. Please don't go anywhere". Yeah, right.

You'll be stunned to know that events start to force the couple back together. Try to suppress a yawn if you can. Who on Earth do the writers think this sort of stuff is going to interest?

Trope 2 subplot - the bunch of younger (this time British for novelty) teenagers, one of whom saves everyone with magic powers branded with a pseudo-science explanation for respectability's sake. OK, leaving aside they miraculously survive unharmed a bus crash that would certainly have killed all of them instantly, we're then subjected to lots of inter-personal discussion about essentially their relationships.

Once again, who are the writers aiming this at? Teenagers know what it's like to be one and adults can remember. So why do we need to see all this? Is it aimed at toddlers?

Trope 3 subplot - the grizzled US soldier or marine who also has a marriage on the rocks. He's going to get home to his family from Afghanistan whatever it takes. Cue lots of emotional phone calls and square-jaw determination.

Does nobody anywhere in a script anymore have a 'normal' husband-wife and family relationship that is at least predominantly happy? These I believe are still the vast majority, so why are they invisible in modern drama?

Trope 4 subplot - the same-sex relationship that's hidden due to society's prejudices etc etc etc. Now here, I'll concede that the exploration of this personal relationship in Japan IS relevant because it is directly linked to the story and its outcome. So, no problem there in theory.

However, it is over-dwelt on and is sickly-sweet. Far too long is spent on it too and I fail to see the necessity of introducing one of the partners' fathers just to add to the emotional and relationship burden that is swamping the plot. Still, the writers held off introducing several third cousins twice removed and lengthy explanations about their backgrounds, so I suppose we should be grateful. I was very surprised to see there is a series II to this. I hope against all expectations some of these catastrophic writing flaws will have been addressed.

The caveat about production - why oh why is so much of the shooting done in near darkness again? Trying to pick out what's happening in the gloom isn't fun and it's a massively outdated technique these days.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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UncleWillardNov 26, 2021

I don't hate it, but I get the criticism I've seen. Unless there's a big connective plot denouement, there are some loose ass plot lines. Otherwise, if this is all world building and there's a plan for it to come together, I'm intrigued.

SoI don't hate it, but I get the criticism I've seen. Unless there's a big connective plot denouement, there are some loose ass plot lines. Otherwise, if this is all world building and there's a plan for it to come together, I'm intrigued.

So far the doctor is my favorite character. Her husband seems like a douche, and she's not only wrestling her weird son, but an alien invasion. Actress is great. I've seen her in a few things, but she's good at capturing all these conflicting plotlines for her character.

Worst character is the Navy SEAL. No professional would act so stupid. Who comes to a foreign base and just says "I'm a Navy SEAL give me what I want and do what I tell you?" No real SEAL would act so unprofessional. He seems like he's never even seen combat and had no discipline.

And what did they do with Sam Neill? He was there, then poof!… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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eva3si0nMar 17, 2022

Invasion is a series that showed everything interesting in the trailer. Series about an alien invasion - where the invasion begins in the middle of the season. The peculiarity of the series is to show as realistic as possible the invasionInvasion is a series that showed everything interesting in the trailer. Series about an alien invasion - where the invasion begins in the middle of the season. The peculiarity of the series is to show as realistic as possible the invasion itself and the meeting with extraterrestrial life. But everything is served so dull and protracted, which causes longing. Another downside is the division into several storylines plot. Most of these storylines crumble and only the storyline about Japanese is impressive. Invasion is beautiful, but stupid and boring. I don't know what will happen in season 2, but the first clearly failed.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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mattarnold008Jan 5, 2022

Invasion is a mixed bag. The music, animation and locations are diverse and stunning. The plot moves along at a good pace and there are some gritty and jumpy moments. Some of the characters are super cool and interesting and have actualInvasion is a mixed bag. The music, animation and locations are diverse and stunning. The plot moves along at a good pace and there are some gritty and jumpy moments. Some of the characters are super cool and interesting and have actual stories that don't have ridiculous actions like the kids in England and the soldier in Afganistan. The thing that lets down in Invasion is that some characters are constantly crying, constantly being stupid/allowing their children to be stupid and saying the most cringe things(the Mom and the Japanese lady) Also, at the end it's quite ridiculous in how people emerge from this 'Invasion'Slightly above average but nothing to write home about.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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