War of the Worlds (2005) Movie Info
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Movie Name | War of the Worlds (2005) |
| Director | Steven Spielberg |
| Screenplay Writer | Josh Friedman, David Koepp |
| Based on Novel by | H. G. Wells (The War of the Worlds) |
| Lead Actors | Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin |
| Cast | Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins, Rick Gonzalez |
| Genre | Science Fiction, Thriller, Adventure |
| Release Date | June 29, 2005 (United States) |
| Duration | 1h 56m (116 minutes) |
| Budget | ~$132 million |
| Language | English |
| Country | United States |
| Box Office (Worldwide) | ~$603.9 million |
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Summary
When aliens set their plan in motion to destroy earth, a father (Cruise) tries to save himself and his children.
Review
Especially due to his recent rants about Scientology and enthusiasm for his bride to be, it’s easy to forget that Tom Cruise is a great actor. Proof of this fact is his most recent collaborator with Steven Spielberg, as Cruise tackles the most stereotypical of characters the dead beat dad.
He does so, however, by transforming throughout this summer blockbuster from a care free, irresponsible father to a proud, heroic patriarch. In between, the utter fear and confusion about what is going on around him and how to best handle it is a joy to watch.
Similarly, the entire movie is based around what has become a cliched story line aliens invade earth. There isn’t anything especially unique about this particular version of that plot. It’s just a very well done movie, tugging at the proverbial heart strings when necessary and delivering action and suspense throughout. Occasionally, the film felt like a cartoon, most specifically when there were any long close ups of any alient creatures. I’d prefer to have all invaders be kept at a distance, mystery seeming more frightening than familiarity.
I also could have done without the voiceover in the opening and closing of the movie. It wasn’t some epic that needed a profound message. It was an exciting, emotional summer adventure that does a perfect job of depicting Cruise as a top actor. As always, Dakota Fanning was also brilliant.
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