Writer/director M Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable) here once again deals with extraordinary events from an intimate perspective. That he fails to pull it off entirely is owing to the enormity of the HG Wells-inspired science-fiction backdrop - which sits uneasily with his low-key approach - and his inclusion of "meaningful" moments that feel awkward and manipulative. Where Shyamalan does score highly is with the edgy, apprehensive atmosphere that he builds up, as Mel Gibson's Pennsylvania farmer (a former minister who's lost his faith) discovers crop circles in his wheat field. This, combined with other inexplicable events, leads the reluctant hero and his family to believe that an alien invasion is imminent. Credible performances from Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, as his brother, combine with a spooky ambience and some very effective, old-fashioned jolts to lead us into what should have been an enthralling final act. However, mawkish sentimentality and creaky flashbacks blunt the suspense - yet even those misjudgements are overshadowed by a ludicrously melodramatic climax that reveals the film-maker's true intentions. Entertaining, if a little disappointing.

A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.