Left me wanting...

Rating: 5/10 (4 July 2005)

Firstly I find the acting very good and consistent throughout. Whoever watched the movie (or trailer) will not forget that look of fear in Dakota's face. That girl is someone to watch out for in the future. Cruise is also pretty good, he really had come a long way since Cocktail.
The graphics and sound effects put together were mindblowing especially, the "coming out scenes" at the beginning of the movie. Pretty scary stuff. However, I find the alien tripods similar to a British TV show in the 80s called (what else) Tripods.
So what exactly went wrong with the movie? Firstly, the bad script. I don't know about the rest of you guys. Some of it just don't make sense especially the narration (that sounded so much like Morgan Freeman) at the beginning and the ending of the movie - it's like watching a badly-done documentary. There were good moments like when Cruise's son asked "Is it the terrorists?" but they were few and far in between.
Second, Spielberg seems so bent on blowing us away and shocking us with the graphics and effects that he forgot all else, like the logic and storyline. When the movie ends, I am stumped. Am I the only one who don't get it? What happened? Was it the birds? Or was it the human blood? And what the hell was the root-like thing that spread all over the ground? What was it purpose? And how come Boston was not affected when all other parts of the world were in rubbles? All of these were unanswered. And who could not see that camcorder goof? And how come the military helicopters, tanks and lorries were in working condition? Were they from Boston? I also hated the last minute effort at ending the movie in a peachy note - the tears, the hug and everyone is safe blah, blah, blah...it's so...typical.
So, if you stripped the movie off its effect, you will left with good acting and not much else. There were parts of the show which I got quite restless because it was so boring and slow moving.
I think I rather rent the 80s "Tripods" and read the book.