War of the Worlds

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War of the Worlds

PG-13

Released Jun 29, 2005

1h 56m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

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Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

264 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) struggles to build a positive relationship with his two children, Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin). When his ex-wife, Mary Ann (Miranda Otto), drops them off at Ferrier's house, it seems as though it will be just another tension-filled weekend. However, when electromagnetic pulses of lightning strike the area, the strange event turns out to be the beginning of an alien invasion, and Ferrier must now protect his children as they seek refuge.

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Critics Consensus

Steven Spielberg's adaptation of War of the Worlds delivers on the thrill and paranoia of H.G. Wells' classic novel while impressively updating the action and effects for modern audiences.

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

This superior popcorn flick revels in the unabashed joy of blowing stuff into oblivion.

Jul 5, 2022

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Nell Minow

Beliefnet

The story is affecting, the action scenes are thrilling, the issues are resonant.

Rated: B+

Aug 15, 2013

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Spielberg's calculations turn out to be more prominent than any effects they could possibly produce, and the less pretentious 1953 version by producer George Pal emerges as more likable.

Jun 8, 2007

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

The first (and much the superior) hour is a masterclass in escalating tension, with grandiose and brilliantly executed sequences following in rapid succession.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 12, 2024

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Highly influential, ever innovative, and full of emotion and slick formal trickery, the film lives up to the precise definition of what "Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds" should be.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 5, 2022

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James Croot

Stuff.co.nz

Cruise is in fine dramatic form and Spielberg's journey to the dark side is superbly realised.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 29, 2022

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Bradley P

The effects were amazing, but, I wasn't impressed with the storyline. The fact that the buried alien ships were never discovered over time was alittle far fetched and where the aliens knew where to bury them was alittle far fetched as well. How could the tripods not be discovered when cities were being built? They were not buried that deep. Think about it. The ground would have to be dug up pretty deep when cities were being built. Plus, there could have been more battle scenes between the aliens and humans. Kind of a silly movie in my opinion.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/18/25

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Brian W

Just watched this again tonight and although passable as a popcorn flick it just doesnt meet the standards expected of Spielberg and Cruise. A rushed affair which is ironic given the second half of the movie becomes slow and weak within itself it ultimately wraps itself up too neatly overall without any real payoff. Worth a watch to pass the time but dont look for too much in character development, plot contrivances to the forefront here.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

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Edward E

One of my favorites. I may be biased though cause I love the Cruise. I feel like it captures the " every man for himself" tendency of human nature perfectly. Good story, good acting, and awesome special effects. Tim Robbins is the ultimate crazy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/25

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Perry B

I have mixed feelings about this one. Overall, it's a pretty solid film. The alien ships look impressive, and the special effects are top-notch. However, I found myself more entertained by the 1953 version. That movie had some welcome comic relief, like that memorable exchange: "What do we say to them? '...welcome to California?'" In contrast, the 2005 adaptation lacks any humor. It starts off with an intense pace and keeps it up all the way to the end. While the original featured Martians, the newer version opts for a more generic alien presence. I can't help but think that Morgan Freeman deserves more narration gigs — he’s just that good (wink, wink). If Spielberg had chosen to stick closely to the original plot while upgrading the special effects, the film could have been much better. All in all, I expected more from it. So, I'm giving it three stars.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/25

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Garrett B

The VFX were great though the plot was muddled and the characters were unrelatable.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/25

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Mark J

Pretty much have no worry if any of the characters die as they’re all unlikeable. The risk doesn’t ever feel close enough to the characters. The ending comes to quickly, just not the best adaptation of the original story.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/15/25

Full Review

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Steven Spielberg

Director

Tom Cruise

Ray Ferrier

Dakota Fanning

Rachel Ferrier

Miranda Otto

Mary Ann

Justin Chatwin

Robbie

Tim Robbins

Harlan Ogilvy

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - No Shield

2:13

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - Ferry Disaster

2:07

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - Probing the Basement

2:13

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - The War Begins

2:11

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - Fight on the Hill

2:07

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - Taking Down a Tripod

2:00

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - Not on the Same Page

2:12

War of the Worlds: Official Clip - Abduction

2:13

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War of the Worlds: Trailer 2

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War of the Worlds: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) struggles to build a positive relationship with his two children, Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin). When his ex-wife, Mary Ann (Miranda Otto), drops them off at Ferrier's house, it seems as though it will be just another tension-filled weekend. However, when electromagnetic pulses of lightning strike the area, the strange event turns out to be the beginning of an alien invasion, and Ferrier must now protect his children as they seek refuge.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson
Screenwriter: H.G. Wells, Josh Friedman, David Koepp
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Frightening Sequences|Disturbing Images|Sci-Fi Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 29, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 14, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $234.3M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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