War of the Worlds is not Independence Day

Rating: 8/10 (1 July 2005)

First, before you go see this movie directed by the world's greatest director Steven Spielberg, make sure you know that this is not another Independence Day (1996). It is not a pure escapism alien-killing movie, you won't see Tom Cruise pilots a fighter aircraft and fights the aliens. War of the Worlds is a disaster sci-fi movie more like The Day After Tomorrow (2004).
It is not only me who said Steven Spielberg is the world's greatest director. He has been voted the greatest director of all time by movie magazine readers. In fact, who else can compete with Spielberg. There is no doubt that Spielberg is the greatest. I don't understand why some people voted for George Lucas. Lucas might the greatest business man in Hollywood, but he is definitely not a great director. While Spielberg gave us so many unforgettable movies in the past 30 years, George Lucas only gave us one - Star Wars. Star Wars might be great in the 70's, but the new Star Wars episodes are just good looking computer graphics.
Spielberg has reached a status that he doesn't need to prove himself a good director any more. After winning the Oscar with Schindler's List (1993), he put down his burden and concentrates on make high quality movies. And War of the Worlds is the latest entry to his list. Understanding that War is a disaster movie, you'll find War is an excellent movie of its kind. Some viewers may not be satisfied by the ending because it does not have Tom Cruise figuring out the weakness of the alien machine and using his expertise (driving a container crane) to explode the alien machine somehow. It is because, as mentioned, War is not Independence Day. As in The Day After Tomorrow, you can't fight the weather, the movie is not about how human fights back, it is about how human survives in severe environment.
In a way, War is much more like Signs (2002, directed by The Sixth Sense director M. Night Shyamalan and starred Mel Gibson). Both movies are about alien invasion and the big situation is profiled by depicting how a small family survives. While Signs adopted a low-budget Hitchcockian approach, War is shot as a visual stunning disaster movie. War and Signs also shares some similar plots - worldwide alien attack, hiding in a basement, weakness of the aliens. But War is not just a thriller as Signs, it is an entertaining disaster movie with spectacular special effects. The visual effects are jaw-dropping, you'll see some effects that you have never seen before. The camera movement is sometimes unbelievable. You'll be thrilled for whole movie. Of course, Spielberg will not be satisfied only by the technical aspects. The emotions between characters are rich. The father/son relationship is especially good and creative. In their journey to Boston to find his kids' mother, Tom Cruise's character discovered how little he knew about them. He began to know his son, understand his son's good intention of helping other people in need and had to let his son do what he wished despite of his hope to protect him. On the other hand, his son finally understood his father's love towards me, his father was not a irresponsible dad who just wanted to dump his kids to their mother as he thought.
In fact, contrary to its title, War is Spielberg's anti-war movie. Sci-fi fans may find the behavior of the aliens somewhat unreasonable. I can't deny. But serious viewers will find the metaphoric meanings of such behaviors, for example, aliens exists as long as we exists and they are buried right under our ground, aliens are blood suckers, etc. Tim Robbins' character (the guy hidden in the basement) is the biggest metaphor in the whole movie. He lost his rationalness and acted crazy in the situation, trying to turn to violence and had to be stopped by Tom Cruise's character. Also, human did not really fight back in the movie, the aliens just cannot survive on our planet. It may be too idealistic - evil can't win, but it is clear that Spielberg's message is against war.
Without considering the meanings, as a disaster movie, War is still good entertainment. Spielberg's direction is great. Just do not see it with wrong expectations. It is not a pure action/adventure movie. Tom Cruise is not an earth-saving hero. And there is no big explosion in the ending.