Most surprising is actually Cruise himself, who's cast against the typical heroic mold in favor of a conflicted self-centered father forced to accept his responsibilities in the face of imminent death, which even then is questionable considering his plan of action. With superb effects and nerve-rattling sound design, War is filled with its share of jaw-on-the-floor awe moments, but they simply wouldn't work as well if not presented through the narrowly focused perspective of Cruise's character. The somewhat maligned third act with Tim Robbins is a perfect example of this, with Spielberg closing in the action to a single basement, where the fear comes not from what you see, but what you don't. In another person's hands, this could have been a soulless exercise -- as it is now, War of the Worlds stands as a strong allegory for its time, taking its place in a summer full of movies with more on their minds than simple popcorn entertainment. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide http://ww...