War of the Worlds (2005)'s comments

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Scratch47

OK - to clarify: the bad parts are the basement sequences with Tim Robbins, the Jurassic Park ripoff, and showing of the creatures. Plus the characters and story (ending especially) are thin foils for the spectacle and detail. This is less a 3 act character journey and more a horror show, and at the end, you are THANKFUL it ended so abruptly.
BUT - the first hour IS amazing. The score and effects are superlative. Cruise and Fanning are excellent and portray the bludgeoning terror perfectly. The intensity and emotional impact are ridiculously absolute, and highlighted with horrific and macabre detail that harkens back to 9/11: the burning train, the desperation, the picture board, the looting of the car, the bodies in the river, the ash, the clothes, desaturated colour...how the hell did this get a PG-13 again?
Plus, the choice to focus on the family instead of the destruction was wise, and makes us feel the psychological unease...The moments that always leave me breathless...Cruise wiping the ash off his face, his life changed in 10 minutes...the bridge collapse... when Rachel turns around before getting on the ferry, watching the trees move...and Ray looking out helpless over the 'red weed' that has snaked over the landscape... a truly devastating and awful image that has a cold alien beauty, spoiler

One of Spielberg's best, I feel.

12 years 1 month ago

Duke of Omnium

The ending is too abrupt and is much too ex-machina. Spielberg's penchant for injecting family drama into even horror shows pops up in inappropriate times; and the character of Robbie is so obnoxious that you'll want to drain his life essence on your own. Even Spielberg's flair for shot composition and sequencing seems labored: it's pretty obvious that the tracking shots are stitched together digitally.

I didn't hate it, but "meh"

5 years 1 month ago

Marko1975

Hollow blockbuster.

5 years 8 months ago

IreneAdler

I found this one pretty entertaining. Dakota Fanning was incredible.
I'm actually not a big fan of Tom Cruise, but he sure is a really good actor and this is one of the movies where he can show it.

The story was entertaining and gripping. Not among the best movies ever made, but definately worth watching. Some nice effects and scenes and a pretty scary atmosphere.

10 years 7 months ago

Peeble

Lots of pretty effects but there's no story line. I consider this to be a tad bit better than Battle LA when it comes to the story. Dakota Fanning and that other kid were horrible actors.

12 years 4 months ago

troggie7mtdew

Love the book by H.G. Wells. Liked the movie. It is in my top 15.

13 years ago

Scratch47

I love how dark this was, but as soon as they went down into the cellar this started going bad. Watch the first hour for some serious apocalypse and forget the rest.

13 years 5 months ago

caley

Good film. How Dakota Fanning didn't get an Oscar nomination is beyond! Seriously, she looked TERRIFIED throughout the film and made everyone else look bad. There are some weird moments, some gaps in logic etc. but not enough to override what's a really enjoyable film.

12 years 9 months ago

Esso

It was okay.

13 years 3 months ago

squeamish movie lover

Love this one. One of Spielberg's greatest.

14 years 6 months ago

devilsadvocado

The ending worked in the original novel because it was written well before that type of deus ex machina had already been established in alien invasion movies as a cliché. Unfortunately for Spielberg, you just can't end a story like that anymore, even if you are trying to stay true to the author's vision.

Anyway, I'm not sure why I'm taking the time to scrutinize a hollow blockbuster like War of the Worlds.

11 years 10 months ago