Just saw 'War of the Worlds' The verdict? "Eh...2 stars."

[Placebo]

*Potential Spoilers Ahead*

It was O.K. as far as these world disaster/alien invasion movies go.

It's just nothing special. And it's full of those annoying Spielberg touches, like an illogical "happy" ending and far too much irritating family drama when...hello, the world is being torn apart here! Maybe it's just the way Spielberg does it, I dunno. If I had to hear Dakota Fanning scream her high-pitched shriek one more time in full surround sound...*shivers* And it so stereotypical; the moody teenage son who has his headphones in 24/7 blasting rock music and not doing his homework. The little girl who's more mature than most of the adults.

Spielberg doesn't even try and push his artistic talents with this film. The aliens themselves are done well, from an aesthetics POV, and so are the special effects. But that could be accomplished by any 'ol FX studio, so he doesn't get credit for that.

By abandoning widescreen format and going for a more gritty "real" look and shape for this film, with it's familiar aperture and washed out colour palette, Spielberg was trying to make it seem so much more believable and...you know, in your face, like it's happening all around you right now. (Think footage of 9/11. Terrorism is even referenced repeatedly throughout)

The casting of Cruise is a shame. A more talented but lesser-known actor could have taken Cruise's place. Spielberg's name alone is enough to rake in the bucks. You didn't see any huge stars in 'Jurassic Park'.

Blech. It was almost a total disappointment.

And if you're gonna rip the original story apart this much, why not go all the way and try and solve some of the problems with Wells' story that can now be seen through our newfound technologically advanced eyes?

Like...why did these aliens wait millions of years to rip our planet to shreds? Why not just do it when we're a bunch of weak primitive peasants (or worse)? Did their society advance nowhere beyond that goal in all that time? Talk about a grudge. Why do their tripod craft have to A) rely on physically walking and B) use some kind of recycled 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' horn attack noise? Why would aliens with such great power and knowledge go walking around on an alien planet unprotected and just drinking water from and 'ol source? They've been studying our planet for that long but never tested for germs? And what's with the giant anus that sucks people into the tripod from those little human killing jars?

At least the 1950s version tried to be edgy. Remember that preacher uncle who tries to evangelize to the aliens and gets vaporized in the process?

We get none of that (adapted for our modern times, of course).

It's just same 'ol same 'ol.

Complete with Morgan Freeman narration.

2 stars

[HuckleB]

1. Uh oh, now you're in trouble.

Here's a middle of the road take by a reviewer I used to disagree with far too much, but now find myself agreeing with, uh, far too much.

Aliens up in arms:
http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/112003902281460.xml?oregonian?alfs&coll=7

[Tempest]

2. The critics haven't been kind to the movie

I'm going to wait until it's out on DVD.

[Radio_Lady]

8. HuckleB, are you in Portland, too?

Shawn Levy gave us everything for his backgrounder on Spielberg and rated the movie a "B".

When the bar gets too high for this reviewer, I still try to jump over it. I gave it a "B" on Oregon Public Broadcasting's "Golden Hours" -- a good movie, part scary, part family -- not bad.

However, none of it was filmed in Boston (liars!) where I am from.

In peace,

Radio Lady

[HuckleB]

14. Yep, been here 13 years.

Levy said it was filmed in Boston?

Salud.

[Radio_Lady]

15. No, he didn't say that. I said it, because there was a sign in the

film purportedly identifying that Cruise and his daughter had arrived in Boston. But "filming locations" did not include Boston at imdb.com.

Mea culpa....

[HuckleB]

16. Ah, now I understand.

Clearly, it was the lack of coffee.

[Elidor]

3. Dayyum, my SO is rabid to see it

She even scoured DU earlier for reviews. I'll have to show her this one. Or maybe not. She's going to enjoy it no matter what. That's good enough for me. I'll probably see it this weekend, reluctantly.

[Placebo]

5. Well I saw it...

so I'm not saying people shouldn't go. The eye candy was good, at least.

But in all fairness it was just mediocre at best, all 'round.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

4. tom cruise has driven me away from the film

i love the novel, the original film, the orson welles radio play-but mr scientology makes me physically ill. he plays the same guy in every film-a smarmy pretty boy named tom cruise

i've never enjoyed him in anything and i'm sure he would take this movie down a few notches in any event

[Placebo]

6. There's a lot of swearing in it for a PG-13 movie.

If that helps. :)

I'd still save my money and just rent it if you must. It's nothing special. And Tom Cruise does ruin it. You have to listen to him sing a faux lullaby. That's all I'm sayin'. :o

[UdoKier]

13. I could deal with the swearing

We hear that on any city street. But the violence was horrific. I would not take any child under 10. I regret taking my 7yo.

[The Straight Story]

7. Thanks for the review

My 4 yr old has loved the earlier version since she was 2. Used to watch it almost nightly before going to sleep, she loved the 'robots' in it. It was a good movie for it's time and I for one love it. I am not looking forward to the new version but will download it...errrr....buy the DVD when it comes out :)

There was something soothing to me about the original - from the film grain to the clothing to the portrayal of certain things. It had an innocence to it. There were things I did not like about it (and it was, imho, sexist in it's portrayals) but I found I could watch it again and again and relate to the small town folk at the start of it.

[Placebo]

9. Indeed.

And download...errrr...get the DVD when it comes out. ;)

Like tomorrow around 2AM. :P

[Radio_Lady]

10. Um-m-m, you're not thinking of taking your four-year-old to this, are you?

It's really a very intense and provocative movie and I am wondering if it shouldn't have had a stronger rating than a PG-13.

Blood and gore everywhere. People vaporized. Bodies floating in a river. People being sucked up into a large "people vacuum". Long legged and scary aliens. And streets, a church, a bridge, buildings, automobiles, factories and humans disintegrated before your eyes. Clothes floating down from above after the "people sucker" gets finished with its work. Cities on fire and glowing in the background.

Hardly what a mother should want to show a pre-schooler.

However, your results may vary.

In peace,

Radio Lady

Wife, mother of two, stepmother of three, grandmother of ten.

Film reviewer in Oregon

[Placebo]

11. My parents took me to see 'The Untouchables' when it came out...

and I was like 1. They never shielded me from Rated-R films and I turned out alright! :)

I don't think WOTW is that bad. Certainly not "Paaaaaart ooooooooof aaaa team."-scene, Untouchables bad. :)

[UdoKier]

12. The very idea of alien invasion is extremely farfetched.

The probability of any alien species being able to traverse the millions of light years that probably separate us from the nearest habitable planet in numbers sufficient to mount an invasion is infinitesimal.

If you can suspend your disbelief for that, why not just let the other silly plot holes slide?

Personally, I don't ask for plausibility in alien invasion movies. Just an exciting plot and good eye candy.