The combined clout of DreamWorks and Ivan Reitman (Stripes, Ghostbusters, Twins, Dave) bring you a predictably entertaining (or is that entertainingly predictable?) sci-fi comedy adventure starring Jones and Duchovny as scientists who stumble upon a rapidly-evolving alien life form that has snuck onto earth piggy-backing on an asteroid. Sound stupid? Well, funnily enough, the idea behind this film is actually a bonafide scientific theory proposed by some astronomers. It is thought that it is possible for life to begin on planets trough a process of panspermia, whereby life smuggles onto a planet via an asteroid collision (this must be true, I read it on the internet). Anyway, these alien guys turn out to be not altogether too nice, so it is up to the good guys to save the world and the bumbling Feds to try to stuff everything up in return.
Formulaic? Sure. Entertaining? Like many of these blockbuster movies, only on the condition that you accept it for what it is. The aliens are of varied make-up and look great (remember Starship Troopers? Same guy), the movie has a pace most often frenetic enough to at least keep boredom at bay and there are some genuinely funny and indeed thrilling moments scattered throughout. David Duchovny is pretty effective as the lead character (although it probably will seem a little unusual for fans of the "X-Files") and as what can only be described as an added bonus for some Duchovny fans, he shows us all his bum. Just come along, suspend a little of your higher-order cognitive functioning for 90 minutes and let yourself have a good time.