Remake of the 1953 sci-fi classic has some good names behind it (Stan Winston and John Dykstra did effects, Dan O'Bannon co-wrote and Tobe Hooper directed) so it's hard to fathom why it turned out such a low-scale feeling pile of junk.

Hunter Carson (who is one poor child actor, and son to co-star Black) is a young boy who sees a U.F.O. land close to his house. No one believes him but soon everyone in town starts to act strangely (his parents even start to eat raw hamburger).

Turns out they have been taken over by martians and he has to team-up with school nurse Karen Black and Army captain James Karen to try and stop these "invaders from Mars".

While the cast is filled with familiar faces and there's some okay mood early on (and a fairly cool scene where alien-ized teacher Louis Fletcher eats a frog whole) this is pretty mediocre not only in story but in effects (which are somewhat weak) and action sequences. In fact, the whole last third of this movie is almost unwatchable because it's so crappy.

Another mis-fire from director Hooper.

Directed By: Tobe Hooper.
Written By: Don Jakoby, Dan O'Bannon.

Starring: Karen Black, Hunter Carson, Timothy Bottoms, Laraine Newman.