Movie Review: War of the Worlds (2005)

[Dave Gray]

War of the Worlds (2005)

Premise: Aliens attack Earth, leaving an estranged father protecting his son and daughter from the extra-terrestrial onslaught, as well as panic-stricken humans.

Rating: Okay, but really cool to look at.

The special effects in this film are fantastic.  I am okay with there being no story, too.  ...I was just weirded out by some of the things that were in the movie that didn't really add to it.

[spoilers]

I didn't care for the scene where Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, and Tim Robbins were underground, and the eyeball thing came around looking for them....it didn't seem like it added anything to me.  ...also, the aliens getting out of the ship and walking around didn't work for me either.

I also had a problem with his son wanting to leave him for whatever reason.  There didn't seem to be any motivation for it.

Also, Speilberg is a pussy and never makes a tough choice, so to have a happy family together at the end made me a little bit gaggy, especially since the son essentially chose death.

Strangely enough, I've heard people were bothered about how the aliens were finally defeated, but I rather liked that.  I thought it made sense...and was expecting something worse, along the lines of Independence Day's Mac laptop virus.
[/spoilers]

Overall, the movie is entertaining while you watch it, but after it's over, I sort of thought that things didn't make sense -- and not the alien aspects of it -- the way that the human characters acted and reacted.

[bsfins]

Wow,Dave and I agreeing on a movie...this rare..i only rated it ** though...Even with the special effects weren't enough to carry the movie.I actually got bored with the movie....It didn't make alot of sense ...I thought up to the lightning scene,and the aliens appear was ok...from there on...it went a stray...

[Denver_Bronco]

How long is it ?

[Dave Gray]

How long is it ?

Not sure if you're just poking fun of me, but I actually pay attention to that, always.  It's just under 2 hours.

[Denver_Bronco]

Not sure if you're just poking fun of me, but I actually pay attention to that, always.  It's just under 2 hours.

No i was dead serious. I thought this was like a 3+ hour flick.

[Thundergod]

Eh,  it was an ok movie to watch once.  There were no explanations to some things and the ending was just plain STUPID...

Then I hear people say, "Well that was how the original story was".  My response,  "and that was stupid".




[spoiler]

THAT'S how the alien threat was defeated???  Germs?!  Humans didn't prevail,  the aliens were just stupid! Humanity was dead in the water if it wasn't for this "minor" oversight.

I also had a problem with his son wanting to leave him for whatever reason.  There didn't seem to be any motivation for it.

Also, Speilberg is a pussy and never makes a tough choice, so to have a happy family together at the end made me a little bit gaggy, especially since the son essentially chose death.

Ditto 


[spoiler]

[GUATARICCAN]

My biggest beef was after the EMP knocked out everything electronic, you see this guy filming on his camcorder! I mean come on. I accepted the car thing cause he changed out the solenoid, but the camera thing, I can't swallow that.

[Sunstroke]

I didn't really like the remake so much...though it did have some great effects that made watching it not a total loss.

For those of you who like older rock, I recommend the double CD rock opera

"Jeff Wayne's Musical Version
of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds"

One of my favorite rock "theme" albums...it has an amazing cast. Richard Burton narrates, and the singers include opera great Julie London, Moody Blues, Thin Lizzy and the singer from mannfred Mann's Earth Band.

[fyo]

I would really recommend reading the book. I'm not one of those people who always say the book is better, but in this case... well, it is. By far.

[Pats2006]

I like the old one better! The new one was ok.