Phil DeGeorge

Unexpected! Some one was thinking outside the box, for a change. Not a thing we see in Sci-Fi much any more. This was a good romp. (Also, thinly veiled 'we - not-them-or-us' morality tale, but they didn't rub it my face, either.) Nicely done!

Never expect A-grade sci-fi from JJ Abrams. He understands big, messy hardware, but clearly failed grade school science. He favors 3D scenes at the expense of the story, and has a tendency to speak down to the audience. He also likes emotional immaturity in his characters, which produces unbelievable reactions and needless drama. (AKA, cheap drama.) In spite of all this, he produces solid, entertaining, B-grade sci-fi. This movie is entertaining, and may even introduce the viewer to some cool (but actually standard) sci-fi concepts. Enjoy it, but don't expect any new ideas or any "raised bars" for movie sci-fi.