This surprisingly surefooted feature is much more about the very Terran Cold War than the coldness of space and Earth-vs-flying-saucers warfare. Starting out as a UFO-spotting pilot's struggle to be believed, the story gains considerable traction as the action shifts to Red territory, and the hero finds himself facing foe more home-grown than ET's. For the first half of the flick, the audience may perceive it as corny, anti-commie fare, and those who enjoy such jingoistic, chauvinistic overkill should be tickled pink. Then, as the movie evolves into more of an enemy-mine, psycho-social study, viewers will realize that there's more to this tale than blustery, red-blooded Americanism. Throughout, the film sustains a steady flow of suspense and excitement, and it tries to deal realistically with scientific pursuits. The relationship between John Ericson and Lois Nettleton develops at a believable pace, and the consistent use of non-English languages by foreign characters gives the story a credibility seldom seen in earlier offerings. The characterizations have depth and are well drawn, and even Dan Duryea's portrayal of a stereotypical all-for-the-cause military man is deeply treaded.