Speilbergs finest?

Rating: 8/10 (26 August 2005)

I saw this movie with high expectations, I wasn't too badly disappointed either. But as a fan of the original, I think it strayed from the plot, of which the idea was "stolen".
A lot of people I talked to, said they thought it was rubbish, based mostly on the ending, which I had to educate them, by telling them the opening Morgan Freeman speech told us of our allies and its true to the original. I think most of these people expected an Independence day style ending.
I thought Cruise was great, slightly cardboard, but he got to show his true human nature as being grumpy and crap with kids! lol The effects for me tho, didn't fulfil the most expensive movie ever to be made, category. They were good, but not that good. But what broke it for me was the aliens were already here, but it made mention that the aliens watched this planet with envious eyes, yet they were already here! That doesn't match for me.
The film was a great movie on its own merits, but don't compare it to the original plot...