A satisfying adaptation, remake or re-imagining, whatever you choose

Rating: 8/10 (26 April 2008)

This movie could be considered as an adaptation for the novel by H G Welles , as well as a remake for the original War of the Worlds movie or even of the Orson Wells radio dramatization, you could even call it a rip-off of Independence Day (or the other way around, I should say).
This is the first time Steven Spielberg gives the audience the hostile theory of the aliens. In Close Encounters and in ET we had the more friendly aliens, but here, they're mean spirited and with the sole purpose of wiping us out.
It's full of differences from the original novel, as I felt it was more faithful to the 50's movie, mainly the prologue and epilogue (this time narrated by the imposing voice of Morgan Freeman).
Still, the visual effects are stunningly great and, ironically, very realistic. There were scenes with one shot, no cuts, when all the mayhem is going on around, and it looked brilliant.
Tom Cruise is an overall good actor, and this is not an exception. The worst miscast I found was Dakota Fanning. The producers cast her just for her star power. The problem is, because she has grown so used to playing more mature and sometimes mentally disturbed parts, she just can't play a frightened baby girl, crying for mommy. Tim Robbins played an interesting character, though I didn't find much use for him.
The movie is sci-fi, still, it transforms very subtly into horror, and it works, although it can extend itself a little too much.
As for the score, well, it's John Williams, people. Yet, this one stands for it's Bernard Herrmann inspired end credits music, a brilliant fast paced intrigue cue.
Overall, it's very enjoying, fun and exciting, and pays tribute to all previous WotW adaptations and the source material itself.
Steven Spielberg has gone to a point where he doesn't need to try hard to make a very good movie. He just says the word, and the movie gets done. Although, I noticed that his movies are longer lately.
You can add War of the Worlds to Spieblerg's best movies list.