This is basically your typical popcorn summer film, but War of the Worlds manages to actually involve its audience. It's exciting and scary at times, other moments it's a bit humorous and dramatic. This is a film with hardly any plot, but rather a chase film with very believable characters(especially the Ferrier family). I rather wait before I give away any major spoilers(since no one was reviewed it yet), but I do suggest people to go see it because of it's visual effects, characters, drama, and dialogue. There is nothing extremely bad about this film, except for a very rushed and somewhat weak ending, so...go see it! Plus, if you're feeling bitter about how Tom Cruise is acting toward the press, public, and Brooke Shields, you'll be glad to hear he goes through hell in this.

-ONEY

If you plan to see this movie, be warned: it is much more about the family unit than it is about the invasion (we're not even given a reason for it, except that the invaders were jealous of us... somehow) or how the world reacted to it. But that's not to say that there's no action. The first half of the film plus is pretty much non-stop edge-of-your-seat awesomeness. What's that? You want death rays? You got 'em! Giant lumbering robots? Check! Earthquakes? Explosions? Massive body count? Check, check... er, well... not check on the last one, and you'll understand if you see the movie. Suffice to say that the invading force has a few different ways of... disposing of bodies. This film screams Spielberg.

While the son was interesting, the daughter (Dakota Fanning) had little more to do during the first half than scream. And WOW does she have a set of lungs. Sometimes I wished that Cruise had turned around to the backseat and smacked her and said "SHUT UP! YOU ARE NOT HELPING!" But then she probably would've screamed more, so, oh well. At one point during the film, the son, Robbie, tells Ray that his only motivation in going to Boston is to dump them (the kids) off on their mom so he can worry about himself. I gotta tell ya, I wouldn't blame him.

Earlier I said that this film screams Spielberg. Well it does in one more way that kinda... irks me. There are plenty of people dying EVERYWHERE, but in true rifle-to-walkie-talkie fashion, anything that might show the act of bleeding is conveniently hidden from view. If you're going to allude to a grotesque happening, you might as well show it. Some, if not most, will disagree with me on this one, in the vein of the film not being a gore genre film. Eh, whatever. Blood does not a gore film make. Although, though he didn't come right out and reveal it, the "dust" that's all over Cruise toward the beginning of the film is a nice touch.

Overall, it's a fun flick. Is it a great film? Nah. There's nothing new, nothing innovative, and nothing to make you think (except maybe how to plan against an alien invasion). If you plan to see it, understand that it really is just a summer popcorn flick. With that in mind, you probably won't be disappointed.

-Zavier

H.G. Wells' novel "War of the Worlds" is probably one of the most influential novels when it comes to Sci-Fi movie making.  In the same way that every zombie film follows the basic rules set up by Romero, just about every alien invasion flick follows the guidelines set down by Wells.  So, this must mean that films actually based on "WotW" would be old hat, right?  Well, as Byron Haskins proved in 1953 and now Spielberg proves in 2005, that is not necessarily true.

Haskins' '53 version of "War of the Worlds" is my favorite, classic Science Fiction film.  I love the vehicles, I love the sound effects, and I love the Martian design itself (that E.T.-looking fucker used to keep me up at night as a child).  Nothing can beat that initial showing of the heat ray as it disengrates three unlucky gentlemen thinking they made a handful of new friends.  Well, with all the new special effects brew-ha-ha as well as finally using the tripods, does Spielberg top Haskins?

No.  But, in proper Spielberg fashion, "War" '05 kicks some major ass.

The most powerful thing about this new version is that it is not so much a horror film as it is just... disturbing.  Like "Batman Begins" a few weeks ago, this is not a film for the young ones.  The heat ray itself is a horrifying device that literally turns people into nothing.  It is almost like a less comedic version of the Martian death rays from Tim Burton's underrated comedy, "Mars Attacks."  

As for calling this just another "pop corn flick," I have to disagree.  When I think "pop corn flicks," I think of fun-trash like "Van Helsing" and trash-trash like "The Day After Tommorrow."  What sets "War of the Worlds" apart is not only its classy direction, but also some great, memorable images.  Of course, most of these memorable images are also the disturbing ones, but that's okay.  

Another thing that sets this one apart is that this is probably the first film since "Schindler's List" that I actually feel for both the main characters and the background characters at the same time.  This goes for major crowd scenes as well.  Never have I actually felt the same horror that hundreds of people are experiencing.  In "Day After Tommorrow," everyone just felt like fodder, there to die for my entertainment.  

In this one, specifically during a large boat scene, I felt the pain and absolute horror that these poor people experience.  The moment a single tripod appears and its spot lights shine on the crowd, the screams get progressively louder.  And these aren't your usual, lifeless horror flick screams; instead, these are cries of terror.  You know what these machines can do and they know what these machines can do.  And when these three legged metal monsters shout their death whistle, you know exactly what is to come.

One of the things that most critics are saying slow the film down is Tim Robbins' character.  The preview had me believe that he was that crazy nut that shows up in every alien-invasion flick.  Well, though he eventually becomes that nut, I am happy to see that Spielberg doesn't settle for the old cliches.  Instead, at first anyway, you feel that Robbins really is trying to make sense of what is going on.  Though this is also the part in the film where the Martians' little camera appears and creates a great scene of dread.

Unfortunately, the introduction of Robbins' character is also the part where the aliens themselves show up.  This happens to be the one big problem I had with the movie.  As I stated earlier, the Martian design in the original 1953 version used to scare the crap out of me.  From the second that thing's hand rested on Ann Robinson's shoulder and it makes that very eerie squeal of pain, I knew what "scary" was.  Unfortunately, in this new version, these aliens are just so... basic.  They look sort of like a mix between the aliens from David Twohy's "The Arrival" and the tripods themselves.  It just didn't sit well with me, and they didn't produce the same level of horror I hoped they would have.

That problem aside, I enjoyed this one quite a bit.  As for the ending, it doesn't bother me simply because it's just how the ending of the novel is.  It really wasn't a surprise... but then again, it is alot better than Will Smith piloting an alien craft into the mother ship and uploading a virus.

That was just fucking stupid.

***1/2 out of ****

i loved this movie
but speilberg should not of made the happy ending to a tragic story

Let me make this simple, Love the movie, hate the title (even if it was a book)  The book shows more of a war...this is just...Tom.  Great Story none the less.  Ending with the family is horrible. Ending to the whole movie, didnt see it coming. Grats to all who made this movie, no grats to whoever wanted to focus on one family, and no grats to whoever casted Tom...grats to whoever casted the girl...I felt like she was a real character, now I dont want a little girl, hated the character.

Good up untill the last 20 minutes, got dull, unrealistic, clunky. Robbie should have died.

I agree fully with u, it would have rocked then.  I would write good things.

yes. The movie was all great until the happy do da ending. The ending with everyone living is something that would be fun to watch Mel Brooks parody. I mean

(spoilers)

You got Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning here all dirty and crap and then the mom open the door and is clean like a whistle hanging out with her parents who look like they are perfectly fine. not a scratch on them even though the aliens have been destroying crap. then Robbi shows up out of nowhere. He just appears. HE SHOULDVE DIED! He was in a giant explosion!!!! The aliens would have got him! it got stupid after tom escaped from Tim Robbins basement...

You are soooooo right, who wrote that ending?  They should have their computers ripped apart and their note pads spit on.

Saw this today and thought it was fantastic.  All of the effects looked every bit as good as I had hoped they would.  The wheels come off during the last 5 minutes or so (yes, the "happy family" is quite ridiculous), but it is easily forgiven with all that comes before it.

The characters are real enough, and the effects and many of the non-CGI sets are absolutely stunning (My jaw dropped at the sheer detail in that plane wreck).  Speilberg doesn't put out crap, you know?  You can find quibbles with any movie, but this is an excellent, solid effort.  And it's a "theater" movie, too.  It will not have the same effect in your living room on DVD.  

In fact, I will not want to watch it at home after seeing it in a high priced theater with F-ing AMAZING sound....sadly I may skip this one when it comes out on DVD.

well...if you have good surround sound and a good TV with all the lights off and the volume blasted all the way it'll still do good with me. I'm sure the sound on the DVD will be absolutely amazing. Probably the best since Saving Private Ryan.

I LOVED this film!  This is the destruction movie that we have been waiting for after several disappointments, most notably last year's "The Day After Tomorrow."  I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise, but I felt he did a very exceptional job as the immature father of two bratty children.

The destruction is awesome, the visual effects are some of the best I've ever seen(they're REALISTIC for once), and the invading spacecraft are incredibly inventive(especially that chilling sound that they make).  Last but not least, the film is INTENSE!  It builds emotion and makes you cringe in your seat at some of the destruction sequences and the scenes which show human nature(which left me disturbed)

My only problem with this film was Tim Robbins.  I felt the sequence involving him was way too long and hit the film in the back.  But overall the film was a huge success and saved me from thinking that all of the films from 2005 will suck.  Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the one decent remake this summer with all the crap that Hollywood has been putting out like Herbie, Bewitched, and the Exorcist.

I loved this movie alot! The only problem is the ending was way too rushed and at times in the movie it just felt like Tom and his family just kept running to a action sequence to another! over and over again!!! But it's impossible to hate this movie!

I thought it lacked in several areas, the plot holes in it were astounding, and even though the acting was solid, and the characters were too unlikable. This was a bear bones alien invasion flick that played out as Speilberg's ode to Speilberg.

** out of *****

A weak effort by Speilberg.