I really wasn't sure what to expect when I rent this one out, as I had never even heard of it before. The cover did look interesting enough however. It certainly has all the elements of an interesting sci-fi thriller, unfortunately at times, perhaps a bit too much. This gives a sense of unbalance when toward the middle of the film we are suddenly overwhelmed with so many clichéd themes which can be hard to mentally digest. We have seen so much of this before, from the "Day the Earth Stood Still", "Invasion", to "They Came From Beyond Space" etc. So this doesn't get many points for originality. And of course, the wooden acting of Cameron Diaz doesn't help much either, especially in the forced dramatic climax toward the end. To be sure, Frank Langela acts as sinister looking Klaatu who pretends to test the moral fiber of us flawed humans. Yet from the very beginning, his methods are suspect. As when we realize that his box contraption which supposedly tempts us to willfully chose the death of another human being when activated, is really set to coincide with the death of someone who already chose to die moments before. Ultimately Langela forces people to assuage their guilt by killing someone dear to them. And it all starts with an offer of a million dollars, a veritable deal with devil. All in all, the performances are OK, again, with the exception of Diaz whose acting is almost a distraction. James Marsden seems kind of young to be playing her husband and almost looks like James Franco's younger brother here, not just in looks but acting style as well. While obviously this film does not live up to the ambitions of it's makers, (sorry this one's no block buster), it is still fairly decent entertainment.. in the vein of an overblown twilight zone episode. Great fare for a long night when you have nothing else to do.
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