Well worth seeing.

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2005)

Spielberg's skills -- both in special effects and scene creating suspense -- are admirably on display. But these skills would have been of little use without the superb performance by Tom Cruise. As is often the case (most notably as in Rain Man), Cruise's performance is likely to be overlooked or minimized. He holds the movie together and keeps it moving, while he is very effectively supported by Dakota Fanning.
Many reviews state that the first 100 minutes are superb but are diminished by a weak ending. Basically, that's true, but don't blame Spielberg. It's the inherent weakness of the underlying Wells' story, not the director's shortcomings.
The movie exceeded my expectations and was summer time well spent.