How and Where did our Steven go?!?!

Rating: 7/10 (8 July 2005)

A fun summer popcorn movie! Fun to watch on the surface but lacks substance- or so it would seem to the untrained eye.
OK so the movie wasn't so bad but it also wasn't to good either. I don't even go to many movies anymore- why? I am sick of feeling cheated along with the rest of the audience by filmmakers that hash out trite and tired Hollywood clichés.
We as an audience are tired of movies that are poorly written, with little to no character development, and too much emphasis put into the special FX. Some movies that fall into this trap are "Independance Day", and "The Day After Tomorrow" plus numerous others. These films all fall into a new-sub-genre of *End-of-the-World* Films. They're have been more that have been forgotten about over the years. See Kyle MacLachlan's "Trigger Effect" also by Koepp.
I never thought I would see this film because these kinda movies have been done over and over again add nauseam (and furthermore they have never been done very well either). But Spielberg is the the best at dressing up a B movie to top notch over the top productions, such as Jaws. Jaws is arguably one of the best made films of all time! But ultimately Jaws is a B movie plot idea taken straight from the 1950's Drive-Inns. I was hopeful that I might be surprised and delighted by Spielberg. He has and undeniable way of charming, shocking and surprising us, the audience, time and time again.
That is why I am SO surprised to see Spielberg drop the ball here! But then again I missed the point of AI which in my estimate was one of only a few bombs that he has ever made.
My question is how do the aliens die at the end? What kills these invaders? What did I miss? Was there even a reason given for there invasion? Whats with the spray of blood all over the ground when people seem to just get vaporized? What ever happened to all the cute little Spielbergian aliens who just wanna raid the 'fridge, drink all the beer in the house and make collect calls to "phone home"? There's more questions but right now I just NEED answers!!!