Customer Reviews

NEW Cruise/fanning/otto - War Of The Worlds (2005) (Blu-ray)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

A lot of people who wrote reviews say it's all action and no story. But if aliens invaded Earth, you had a claustophobic child, everyone around you is being killed, and people are killing each other for a truck, I don't think there'd be much of a story to tell except about the people running and fighting for survival. That's the type of thing Spielberg wanted to put into perspective. (I.E. If you were in the middle of WW2, you think there would be much of a story except kill the other guys and don't get youself killed?)

This is a fun film and should be taken by the perspective that if aliens seriously did invade Earth, there would be a ton more action than story.

* * * * Four stars

H.G. Wells created the aliens-attack formula over a century ago, in the classic "War of the Worlds," and Orson Welles' radio drama caused mass panic. So even if Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" were a good movie, it would have a lot to live up to.

And between the idiotic aliens, lackluster script and the screeching children, it's not a good movie. It's another vehicle for Tom "Last Samurai" Cruise to act like a hero in. Yes, indeed -- between impregnating grinning starlets, enraging half the AMA, and leaping on Oprah's couch, Tom Cruise actually made a movie... a bad one.

The story: Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) is not having a good week: His ex-wife (Miranda Otto) has just left the kids with him for the next few days, and the kids hate him. To make matters worse, aliens invade, and Ray and his kids must escape their home and find sanctuary with his ex-in-laws, who live in a safe upper-class suburb. (WHY is it safe? We're never told)

Easier said than done. Alien tripods are savaging the city -- some of them rising out of the earth -- and the populace is (understandably) panicking. Ray and his children struggle to escape, only to have his son get lost in the muddle.

That's pretty much the plot -- and it isn't much. The main bulk of the movie is Cruise and kids hiding from the tripods, running, screaming, hiding, running, and repeating. While Spielberg tries to throw a few loops in the story -- the son going missing, for example -- we don't doubt that everything will turn out okay at the end. For Ray and his family.

Ah yes, Spielberg -- the guy who brought us "E.T.," "Jurassic Park" and "Indiana Jones" makes a misstep in "War of the Worlds." This movie is simply too flimsy for him to salvage. He does manage some truly stunning moments with the tripods, which are excellent displays of CGI. And if they had made up the movie, it would have rocked.

But it isn't. The script is plagued with a hair-raising lack of logic. Very little about this movie actually makes any sense. If the aliens have been planning this for millennia, why did they wait to invade? Why not check what would be dangerous do them? Why didn't anyone detect the buried tripods before? And most important: is it because of Cruise that the movie has a nasty smack of Scientology? (Check references: Xenu, ancient invasions, alien souls, and all the rest of it)

And finally, the acting isn't up to par either. Cruise does his usual bland action-hero shtick, while Justin Chatwin sneers and Dakota Fanning screeches. They do this for the remainder of the film. Tim Robbins and a visibly pregnant Otto do good jobs, but they are on too briefly for their performances to register.

In a movie with no logic and no good acting, the tripods are what are really striking. And yes, they are creepy, scary and weird-looking. By the end of the movie, you may be cheering for them instead.

Bought the DVD because I love this movie. Still chilling after watching it a few times. If you love sci-fi, you'll love this movie. And with Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning, the acting is exactly what you'd expect in such a blockbuster.

I had to repurchase the DVD as my origional copy was damaged by a friend. It is the one most recently made and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the movie. It also has great special effects and a very touching ending; very well produced. The only drawback is that some scenes may frighten smaller children so I do not recommend small children watching it. Overall great movie.
perrinking

when i first saw this film in the theatres,i was not too impressed.the
movie didn't have much of an impact.however,upon watching on DVD
recently i have a different impression.i really liked it this time
around.there are some terrifying scenes,which gave me goose bumps.I
recently reviewed another movie with Tom Cruise,where i said that
although he has screen presence,i didn't think he is a good actor.i may
have to adjust my opinion on that subject,at least as far as this movie
is concerned.in this movie Cruise plays the everyman,and does a very
good job of it.he had me convinced.Dakota Fanning so far,seems to be
quite talented,but she annoyed me little in this movie.i found her too
whiny at times.Tim Robbins has what amounts to little more than a
cameo,and was just used as a plot device.as for the movie,the effects
were very good.there was CG used,but it's pretty seamless.the aliens
were very well done.this movie is more character driven,then effects
and noise.i put this movie way above "Independence Day" in terms of the
alien Invasion genre.but then,that movie focused on special effects and
spectacle more than anything else.for me "War of the Worlds is an 4/5

A lot of bad things said about this movie. I liked it though. Speilberg is a good director but not the best. He has a bad tendency of creating stupid events or introducing pointless character(s) into a movie; almost ruining the whole movie. There are some good examples of that in this movie. Like for example the crazy old man in the basement of the house, the son running toward the war zone thinking he's a soldier and the ending of the movie. The ending was the worst part, good job Speilburger. You'll know what I'm talking about when you watch it.

Why did I rate it 3.5 stars? Because the visuals where great, good acting and nice concept designs of the aliens and alien ships. Jurassic park is still my favourite though.

It's actually frustrating to see a work of art being produced over and over zealously for monetary gain. I'm not implying that it's been performed not to my liking; I'm here to merely say that it's pointless to re-re-reproduce a classic, making people wonder about what the original was.

I was sold when I saw "Director: Steven Spielberg"; "LeadActor: Tom Cruise". I guess Tom have opted in for business, for I have seen many movies of him which had better impact. For Spielberg, it couldn't be more hypothetical. A director who gained world-wide recognition and fame for capitalizing upon human aspect in every given story, this production seems to be the worst he has chosen so far. So aliens invade... We don't even see any hero who actually changes the flow of events. Granted, that's how the story goes, but what kind of insight do we get from the movie? Other than nice effects and execution, the story itself is enough to bring Spielberg's reputation down.

Humans did not win that war. The viruses did. There was a pathetic attempt to make you identify with humans in distress, by throwing in a broken family.

If not only facts, also the way we percept and accept things change. I wouldn't daresay that the earlier science fiction stories by, say Edgar Allan Poe or Arthur C. Clark is ridiculous because they are obsolete. I rather say, just forget this story with a poorly picked name. The whole movie can be summarized in one sentence. If those producers of the filming industry want to make money, they better start reading science fiction except browsing for stuff to rehash.

It's actually frustrating to see a work of art being produced over and over zealously for monetary gain. I'm not implying that it's been performed not to my liking; I'm here to merely say that it's pointless to re-re-reproduce a classic, making people wonder about what the original was.

I was sold when I saw "Director: Steven Spielberg"; "LeadActor: Tom Cruise". I guess Tom have opted in for business, for I have seen many movies of him which had better impact. For Spielberg, it couldn't be more hypothetical. A director who gained world-wide recognition and fame for capitalizing upon human aspect in every given story, this production seems to be the worst he has chosen so far. So aliens invade... We don't even see any hero who actually changes the flow of events. Granted, that's how the story goes, but what kind of insight do we get from the movie? Other than nice effects and execution, the story itself is enough to bring Spielberg's reputation down.

Humans did not win that war. The viruses did. There was a pathetic attempt to make you identify with humans in distress, by throwing in a broken family.

If not only facts, also the way we percept and accept things change. I wouldn't daresay that the earlier science fiction stories by, say Edgar Allan Poe or Arthur C. Clark is ridiculous because they are obsolete. I rather say, just forget this story with a poorly picked name. The whole movie can be summarized in one sentence. If those producers of the filming industry want to make money, they better start reading science fiction except browsing for stuff to rehash.

Bad acting, Tom Cruise is especially bad and amateurish, impossible to believe in his character.
Very bad script.
Uneven special effect quality.
Good to great sound track and sound effect, the one and only quality to this movie, good enough to warrant watching this...once. Rent if you can, don't buy.

I confess that I am a sucker for sci-fi flicks, and this adaptation of H. G. Wells' classic novel, which was first published in 1898 and often touted as the world's first published work of science fiction, is no exception. I simply loved this film and was riveted to the screen the entire time. Updated to reflect the world of today, the film does the book justice, maintaining the core of the story and keeping many of its moral imperatives at the forefront. Steven Spielberg definitely pulls out all the stops, rendering a first class, alien invasion film.

When the film begins, the world is just as we know it. Our intrepid working class everyman, Ray Farrier (Tom Cruise), is a divorced, blue collar worker and an irresponsible father of two, who is estranged from his children, precocious pre-teen daughter, Rachel (Dakota Fanning), and rebellious teenage son, Robbie (Justin Chatwin). When his ex-wife (Miranda Otto) leaves their reluctant children with him for the weekend, while she and her current husband go and do some visiting in Boston, they all think that it is just another weekend. Little do they know that the world, as they know it, is about to change.

What at first appears to be an unusual atmospheric weather condition, a series of electrical storms that seem to be peppering the world, soon reveals itself for what it really is, and weather has nothing to do with it. All electricity is suddenly sapped, cell phones stop working, cars drop dead in their tracks, and another unwanted weekend at Dad's place turns out to be something else altogether, as the world is plunged into total chaos. Ray is forced to think not only of himself but also of his children, for once, as they try to make sense of their new, incomprehensible reality and struggle to stay alive. The alien invasion is seen through the eyes of the Farriers as they flee, and the viewer knows only what they know of the events into which the world has suddenly been plunged. The film is grounded entirely in this context.

This is an exciting film with spectacular special effects. Spielberg has outdone himself. Giant alien tripods traipse across the landscape, destroying everything in their path with their incinerating death rays. The concept of mercy never even enters the picture when the aliens come marching along, and the loud trumpeting sound that they make, heralding their presence, will chill the blood of even the most equanimous viewer. Resistance initially appears to be futile, as mankind's conventional warfare just does not do the trick when confronted with the superior technological capabilities of the aliens. The aliens' plans for the human race, which the alien invaders are hell bent on annihilating, are ghastly, and Ray Farrier is forced to grow up in a hurry and keep his head, while all around him others are losing theirs. During the ongoing maelstrom, the relationships between the three main protagonists undergo a change for the better, while the world undergoes a change for the worse.

Tom Cruise, notwithstanding all his negative personal publicity of late, gives a marvelous performance, infusing his character with just the right amount of initial cock-of-the-walk insouciance. His swagger, however, quickly dissipates when faced with the surreality of his new circumstances. As disaster strikes, his character rises to the occasion, struggling to keep himself and his children alive amidst the chaos and carnage, while trying to make sense of the changing circumstances around them. It begins to dawn upon him how much his children mean to him, just when he is on the very verge of losing them. Cast out into a world that he no longer recognizes and given a clear purpose by his children, Ray is a man who is forced to do the unthinkable to ensure their survival. Tom makes the transition of the character from irresponsible to caring totally believable. Make no mistake, however, Ray is no superhero, and Tom Cruise maintains the everyman frailty of his character throughout the entire film.

Dakota Fanning, as always, gives an excellent performance, infusing the role of the tormented Rachel with the right amount of angst and shock, but make no mistake, this is Tom Cruise's film all the way, and she fails to steal the show. Justin Chadwick also rises to the occasion as Bobbie, the irritating teenage son who wants to do things his way. Tim Robbins gives a compelling performance as Ogilvy, an ambulance driver in a pre-invasion world, who has seen his entire family annihilated by the alien invaders. Ogilvy is clearly a man on the edge of reason, who wants to destroy the aliens and get the better of them. As he is armed only with a shotgun and a shovel, however, his prospects do not look good. When he gives sanctuary in the basement of his home to a fleeing Ray and Rachel Farrier, he expects Ray to become a sort of resistance fighter to the death with him. Ray, however, sees things differently, as he still has something to live for: his children and their survival. This brings about an eventual conflict between the two with an unsettling and primal resolution.

The film begins and ends with a voice over narration masterfully done by Morgan Freeman, whose mellifluous voice lends just the right note to the film. Coupled with a great story, really spectacular special effects, fine performances, and deft direction by Steven Spielberg, this film, despite its flawed final scene, has all the makings of a great sci-fi flick. It is a film worthy of being in one's personal collection. Bravo!