Standard Hollywood Box-office let-down

Rating: 4/10 (5 July 2005)

Although Spielberg can usually be relied upon to present us with the ideal summer blockbuster, this marks the third in a run of major let downs from one of Hollywood's finest. I had my premier tickets booked well in advance, but found War of the Worlds to be bland, uninspiring cinema that resembled too much films like the Day after Tomorrow, in that the promise of the first half hour was ruined by the slow pace and cinema-emotion-by-numbers approach to the rest of the movie. Tom Cruise tries to add a new facet to his repertoire by being 'unlikeable useless Dad' but ends up as 'unlikeable useless Tom Cruise', clearly uncomfortable with a role that doesn't see him saving the world single-handed or being the perfect parent. Rising child star Dakota Fanning was schizophrenic in her role, switching from wise-cracking, sharp, old-before-my-time kid to hysterical, unstable daughter, fonder of her brother than Cruise at the drop of a hat. My main argument with the film is, however, the score. After the terrifying radio play, how John Williams felt a string-laden Hitchcock-style suspense theme, coupled with the occasional feel-good horn tune (ripped off from Day after Tomorrow, ripped off from Sibelius) could ever compare to the glory of David Essex, synthesisers and THAT theme, that still strikes fear into the hearts of listeners that 'they' are coming, is beyond me. Bog standard suspense music is what let down the otherwise impressive special effects, and with the right music behind him, even Cruise could have been convincing. What a let-down.