War of the Worlds

Audience Reviews

View More

Judd L. @rjmatlanta 5d Spielberg’s adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic novel is a lean, visceral thriller that strips away the grandeur often found in alien invasion films and replaces it with something far more unsettling, panic at ground level. Tom Cruise is surprisingly well cast against type. Less heroic than desperate, a flawed man who’s a better runner than he is a father. Dakota Fanning delivers a raw, emotionally believable performance as his terrified daughter. Spielberg keeps the camera close and the perspective narrow, which is both the film’s greatest strength and presumably a deliberate choice. We never get the “big picture,” just chaos and the thunderous roar of machines we barely understand. The first tripod emergence sequence must be one of the most genuinely frightening set pieces of 2000s blockbuster cinema. The ending, while faithful to Wells is a bit abrupt. Still, as a post-9/11 film of collective dread and civilian vulnerability, it hits hard. This is disaster cinema with teeth. See more JM H @JMH9999 5d Well made, but… 1. Dakota Fanning, usually a good child actress, screams her way through the film. I kept wondering how in the hell this kid was supposed to survive ANYTHING, let alone an alien invasion. 2. Cruise bumps off Robbin’s to prevent him from attacking the aliens and giving their position away. He’s protecting his daughter, who then promptly goes screaming hysterically out of their hiding place to be caught by the aliens, neglecting the need for the murder Cruise has just committed. Blech. I haven’t found the need to see this again. See more Nathan J. @NathanDirector 5d Rated: 7.1/10 ⭐️ Revisiting Spielberg’s intense, hyper-realistic alien invasion. I honestly forgot how terrifying this gets; the pure panic completely blew me away. What Worked: • Keeping the camera tight on one family’s view honestly makes the chaos feel super personal. • The giant Tripods moving like creepy ballet dancers look incredible and totally pop. • Fanning brings a raw energy that completely sells the terror for me. The Friction: • The Harlan Ogilvy basement part really dragged for me when things ground to a halt. • Cruise starts off too unlikable, making it hard to root for him early on. Verdict: Watch for a dark sci-fi ride. Skip if frantic screaming annoys you. See more Jason H @RT50328122 5d This is one of my favorite Spielberg movies. See more K G @KatyG-S Jun 10 Like a war on their world. This iteration on "War of the Worlds" may not be too great, but it enough for me to look at. Not much a bore, when FX not at their worst had been out into place, high enough for a modern audience. You know, mu favourite parts of the movie were those terrorising aliens & hiding. You see, I have gotten onto the genre of apocalypse & action movies ever since "World War Z" or "I, Robot". Characterization sticks out too. Tom Cruise is Ray Ferrier, the divorced father of 2, including Rachel (being portrayed by Dakota Fanning). Dakota Fanning had been iconic with her lines, she is memorable everywhere. Many parts of the family feel sympathetic. At first, I felt bad that Ray could not remember "Lullaby & Goodnight" but then they knew "Hushabye Mountain". The child should be grateful to have gotten to see her mother again & the mother thanked her ex-husband. Now that is what I like: divorced fathers not being vilified. See more lizzy M. @lizzymurrs Jun 8 I remember this being better when I first watched it as a child. Dakota Fanning is such an excellent child actor- she really steals the show See more Read all reviews

War of the Worlds

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING