Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Play trailer

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

PG

1978

1h 55m

Sci-Fi

Horror

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

76 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

This remake of the classic horror film is set in San Francisco. Matthew Bennell assumes that when a friend complains of her husband's strange mood, it's a marital issue. However, he begins to worry as more people report similar observations. His concern is confirmed when writer Jack Bellicec and his wife discover a mutated corpse. Besieged by an invisible enemy, Bennell must work quickly before the city is consumed.

Critics Consensus

Employing gritty camerawork and evocative sound effects, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a powerful remake that expands upon themes and ideas only lightly explored in the original.

Read Critics Reviews

Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

02/19/2024

Kaufman’s invasion tracks the encroachment of consumerist conformity upon the liberated individualism of 60s Frisco – and would acquire new, unintended resonance when its theatrical release was immediately preceded by the collective madness of Jonestown.

Go to Full Review

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

09/12/2023

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is more sheer fun than any movie I’ve seen since Carrie and Jaws and maybe parts of The Spy Who Loved Me.

Go to Full Review

Adam Nayman

The Ringer

10/02/2018

A decade after the Summer of Love, Invasion of the Body Snatchers essentially weaponized flower power, hinting that the erosion of individual consciousness in favor of groupthink was as natural and ingrained as photosynthesis itself.

Go to Full Review

Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 10

The reason it's so effective is that throughout "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" the horror is a deeply felt, brilliantly imagined and visualized horror, not just a matter of special effects.

Go to Full Review

George Anderson

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Jul 8

B+

A relentless pessimism pervades the action, and it is chillingly absorbing.

Go to Full Review

Scott Collura

IGN Movies

04/04/2025

What can I say? A world where people forsake their feelings, their beliefs, their thoughts, to join with a collective community where they don’t have to truly feel, or believe, or think about anything, but just blindly follow the herd? It’s too easy.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Noel L

@RT15930389 Mar 15

Kind of obvious that this is a B movie, but that's not saying it's a bad movie

See more

Jordan P

@Jordanpiantedosi Feb 10

Very spooky but not too scary for me! Young Jeff Goldblum is here, love to see him. Nice old film quality and very interesting modern sound track.

See more

Taylor H.

@TH0809 Jan 26

Decent plot. Great filming and special effects.

See more

Farah R.

@Farah Jan 17

Invasion of the Body Snatchers isn’t a campy horror film from the 70s; it’s a well-crafted social commentary reflecting the anxieties of the Cold War. Feeling more like a psychological thriller with its elements of paranoia, it has become one of the most influential alien invasion films thanks to its strong performances and fantastic visual effects. But at the heart of this story, what really got me was the emotional romance between the main characters.

See more

Kevin L

@Lakeman Jan 11

Still a stone cold classic. Kaufman did a fine job of creating a sense of a population slowly morphing into a new, less human form. Tone is set well early, and changes w/ the added tension. There are visuals early on that show that something isn't quite right with the world. Strong cast in general. Sutherland is esp. good. I always like seeing Brooke Adams, and she doesn't disappoint here. Nimoy is almost a Spock on Earth, though. But I see the point of having a presence of pure logic to cause the two leads to question themselves more in the face of the extreme claim they're making. I don't get Goldblum, though. But this was before it became clear that Goldblum is pretty much just always this. I don't see why a director making a sci-fi drama would think, "I need a Goldblum type for this role.". And the ending is nailed. At first, we're not sure if Matthew was faking that he was a pod person to 'fit in' and not get taken. But then it's made all too clear. Good stuff. 3.7 stars

See more

Will G

@Kingofthepixies Dec 27

Top cast at their best in an excellent remake of the classic.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Philip Kaufman

Director

Donald Sutherland

Matthew Bennell

Brooke Adams

Elizabeth Driscoll

Leonard Nimoy

Dr. David Kibner

Veronica Cartwright

Nancy Bellicec

Jeff Goldblum

Jack Bellicec

Coma

81%

66%

Coma

Watchlist

Meteor

5%

14%

Meteor

Watchlist

Somewhere in Time

54%

87%

Somewhere in Time

Watchlist

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

91%

85%

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Logan's Run

58%

67%

Logan's Run

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

50 Fresh Scary Movies and TV Shows to Watch on Netflix

Swiss Army Man, Blade Runner, 12 Angry Men and More Available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and FandangoNOW

Jeff Goldblum’s 10 Best-Reviewed Movies

Jeff Goldblum Said It Best Mashup

0:58

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

This remake of the classic horror film is set in San Francisco. Matthew Bennell assumes that when a friend complains of her husband's strange mood, it's a marital issue. However, he begins to worry as more people report similar observations. His concern is confirmed when writer Jack Bellicec and his wife discover a mutated corpse. Besieged by an invisible enemy, Bennell must work quickly before the city is consumed.

Director: Philip Kaufman
Producer: Robert H. Solo
Screenwriter: Jack Finney, W.D. Richter
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Solofilm
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 1978, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 27, 2017
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo, Dolby
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

Most Popular at Home Now