Most of it is standard sci-fi hokeyness. The characters are unintentionally hilarious when they react to seeing flying saucers for the first time, or having parents die, like it's a minor nuisance. Thankfully the fun factor reaches 11 when aliens start crashing into national monuments.

The title tells it all. About the only point of interest is the special effects work of Ray Harryhausen.

Not good--even for Fred Sears.

Well overall it's a stupid film. Without the fabulous special effects (e.g. that ball lightning) it would be awful, but because of them its charming and lovable.

WHERE WAS CLINT EASTWOOD?

Between the savvy stock footage, dull romance, uniquely clunky invaders, and fun effects. this is easily one of the most archetypical 50s sci-fi film. Some great images, too, like that eerie floral translating device, and one show-stopper of a line: "You're starting something you can't finish..."

"One of countless pieces of '50s pulp to come out of a social fabric defined equally by interest in the unknown and mounting Cold War paranoia." - Rob Humanick

Harryhausen's effects work offers beautifully graceful moments in what's otherwise a pretty clumsy film. I'm not gonna lie, the force field around the landed saucer made me do a double take. It just looks so good.

hahahahaha

This and a bag of popcorn. Passable way to spend an afternoon

Actually, a lot of pretty hokey special effects (especially considering the source--the Wizard himself). But the Washington Monument and Capitol dome sequences are of course iconic (with Hugh and his wife seemingly traveling through another part of the city--or the movie). Fans of innuendo should check out the "You're starting something you can't finish" exchange toward the start of the film.