H.G. Wells and Orsen Wells turn over in their graves with this one

Rating: 2/10 (9 October 2005)

This is one movie out of principal should be avoided. If you have not seen this movie yet, please do not bother to rent, buy or even tune in on cable or sat TV. If you have to see how bad it is or more so insulting, download it from the internet for free.
Between the two mega egos they ruined a good novel's story line, and the various adaptations of the novel for radio and screen, this is a sad representation. Cruise's and Spielberg's self centered ego's have come together in to a massive effort to ruin a great story/plot line.
Cruise has done to this story what he did to the Mission Impossible story line. As time goes on I wonder if there will be a screen wide enough to fit his head on.
If you have seen the 1953 version or even listened to the original radio broadcast, if not I suggest you make a effort to do so, you will understand what I mean. This attempt of a remake in no way portrays people at their best nor even attempts to portray what people should strive for. It is an insult to the previous efforts and the original authors efforts.
This type of movie I swear is one of the problems with our modern world as it does not give us strong images to look up too as we had in the movies prior to the 1970's. Even the propaganda films of WWII where better.
If you have seen this film was there any portrayal by any of the cast that made you feel better or want to strive for or want your kids to strive for in later year? There are no heros in this movie. well maybe the bacteria.
I had to watch this movie 5 times to finally get thru it, because I was bored or just plain disgusted. Cruise is far from a hero in this movie, don't expect anyone else in the movie to even have a chance at being one either. The closest scene is when his son wants to join a military column and Cruise tries to stop him. Cruise's dialog with his pleas and excuses sounded as though Jane Fonda wrote it and the son was wanting to go off to Vietnan, not wanting to fight back at a threat, defending hearth and home. The logical dialog for this scene should have been the argument he was needed more to save his sister and get her to Boston then he could go off and fight. Gee but loyality and commitment to family first is a not a PC idea anymore. All Cruises dialog did was to show him as weak and not worth respect or leadership status.
The son in this film showed the only courage and backbone in the whole film. If Cruise was my dad in the movie and I was his son, think I would have decked him took my sister and made for Boston leaving him behind.
As for the daughter played by Dakota, well she was just plain annoying, based upon Cruise's performance it was a understandable performance. Of course a child will loose it in a situation like this when the adult in her life is weak, selfcentered, and a failed role model who even fails to rise to the situation.
All she did thru the whole movies was act like a spoiled brat, screaming (easy dialog) to the point even if I was her father I would have at the least backhanded her, or dumped her out the door and let the aliens have her. I sure found myself cheering on the aliens in this aspect, just to shut her up. I can understand panic in a young child but not being strong willed and showing strength doesn't give a child something to draw strength from to deal with the danger around them.
Again, a good movie should inspire strength, leadership, and hope. All this move inspired was weakness, hesitation, panic and despair. Every film with conflict or strife should have it's John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, or William Holden.
If this movie is to portray human beings in a good light it failed, if this movie is to do justice to earlier efforts of the story it failed. If this is the best that can be done and this is what we are, then maybe we deserve aliens to come and dine on us.
Avoid this flick and don't add to Spielberg's and Cruise's ego nor their bank accounts until they have produced something of worth and inspiration.
If your into weak willed, poltical correctness, lack of inspiration and seeing people at their worst, then it is the film for you.