Aw, c'mon folks!

Rating: 8/10 (2 July 2005)

This movie is really taking a beating. Now I confess that, because my mom read sci-fi (Galaxy and Science Fiction, Fantasy, etc.) while she was pregnant with me, that I have an unnatural love of a great spaceship or alien critter up on the big screen. Especially embarrassing in that I am a woman, and we're not supposed to love that sort of thing. So I liked the tripods. They looked cool. And I'm one of those suckers that directors and producers love. The kind of person who willingly suspends her disbelief, drops the price of a matinée, and goes into the theater to be entertained. I spent the dough. I want the experience, and I'm willing to give the picture a break. In short, I'm easy.
But the lint I'm picking that makes me mark this movie down does not have to do with the premise. Spielberg respects the source material. It doesn't have to do with Cruise's performance. Compare his performance to any other space opera you've seen in the last few years. 'Star Wars'? Please. Independence Day? Someone shoot Bill Pullman.
Nope. I'm a little peeved about telegraphing. There just weren't enough surprises. There were some good ones. But in this flick, we all know the story. So Spielberg needs to find more places to surprise us in the script with minor things.
However, having said this, I really liked the film. It engaged me. Great eye candy. Good effort, a la Stephen King, at making us care about characters, and then scaring the bejeezus out of them, which scare us, too. And Spielberg put every penny of his budget up on the screen.
So, if you're a sci-fi sucker looking for a great summer treat, this is a good film. If you're a jaded punk who likes to pick things apart just so you won't look like a dork, stay home, and let us dorks be happy idiots.