What first appear to be meteors plummeting to earth turn out to be alien invaders. They're heading to cities including Los Angeles for one thing: water. Apparently our precious supply of the substance is what powers their technology.
Led by Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), a platoon of soldiers including Elena Santos (Michelle Rodriguez), William Martinez (Ramon Rodriguez) and Kevin Harris (Ne-Yo) are the Angelenos' last line of defence against an army of terribly outdated-looking aliens.
In alien invasion scenarios, human forces usually outnumber the enemy but you can expect a worthy battle, thanks to the aliens' advanced intelligence and technology. But in World Invasion, a small group of humans takes on an entire army of aliens. The invaders seem to be the underdogs here and you might even root for them.
World Invasion is plagued by boring cliches and takes itself too seriously. At one point, Sergeant Nantz honours fallen soldiers by reciting both their names and military ID numbers by heart.
You also get the obligatory scene where a dying hero detonates an explosive in the ultimate kamikaze-style sacrifice. The movie often makes you laugh - for all the wrong reasons.