Spielberg Shows Us Aliens Aren't Just Cuddly and Trying to Phone Home

Rating: 9/10 (3 July 2005)

May contain spoilers.
I'm probably one of the last people you want to go to when asking about a Steven Spielberg film, because I'll always tell you they are always good. Or great. Or awesome. Or spectacular. I think there might be one other director who I'll make myself like their films. One.
I mean, Jurassic Park made me choose two career paths: 1. a paleontologist, and 2. a filmmaker. So you can blame that movie for everything. But seriously, Spielberg has changed my life with most of his films, and even his weaker ones I'll make myself like if I have to.
Whenever I walk into a Spielberg theater I think, "Okay, I'm just going to immerse myself in this world you're presenting and even if the largest plot-hole ever exists, I'll believe it." And it hasn't failed. I've never had to make myself like a Spielberg movie, either. I always have. He obviously is very much in control of his material. Self-proclaiming directors like Lars von Trier don't have anything on him.
Tarantino should quiver in his presence. The only other filmmaker almost on par with Spielberg in Scorsese. Seriously, Spielberg was named the greatest filmmaker by a British magazine. Hitchcock and Kubrick are excellent as well, but. . . . I don't know, basically I have a bias towards Spielbergian films. I always will. I have had one since 1993 and it hasn't gone away, even when I've gone through my different phases and whatnot.
So, on to War of the Worlds.
I loved it. And it is, by far, the best film of 2005. Batman Begins, Star Wars, Cinderella Man, and all those other films have nothing on this.
First of all, Spielberg gives us believable characters. He is going to make you like these guys, because, if you don't, you won't care what happens to them. And that's what tension is all about. Second, he gives us a story. Actually, it's H. G. Wells's classic masterpiece story, though vamped up a bit. The ending and events are all relatively the same, but just in a different time period. Finally, when characters and story are out of the way, Spielberg knocks us out with the visuals.
It's a running movie. Tom Cruise and his kids run away from the alien creatures. And just like Spielberg made it seem like they could be our friends, he turns around and shows us how they can rape us as well.
The tension. Man, some of those scenes are incredibly intense, I can't even describe (though one of them mimics Jurassic Park, but that's all good). I couldn't take my eyes off the screen, I was engulfed in what was going on.
Then, I squirmed in a few places. Like the red mist scene.
Brilliant film.
And we get performances out of everyone that is actually worthwhile. Cruise proves he can act and isn't always just a pretty face (think the Mission: Impossible films). I'm not a big fan of Dakota Fanning, but she was excellent.
Again, the story gives us plenty of moments of intensity. And great, and loud visuals. Kaminski's cinematography always makes you think that the entire thing is surreal, but very real, like the worst adrenaline rush ever.
The ending was kind of a bit off, but it can be forgiven by the brilliant scenarios that proceed it.
Anyways, I still think this is the best movie of 2005 by far. See it now.
***1/2 /****