Unimpressive

Rating: 6/10 (3 July 2005)

I agree with some of the previous reviewers saying that the cinematography in this movie was excellent. In particular, I was impressed by the camera movement accompanying Tom Cruise as he escapes crumbling New Jersey in a van with his kids. Amazing how the "lens" weaved in and out of traffic as the car rode down the turnpike. Great job overall.
The storyline was intense but had a questionable integrity. Here we have beings who have effectively fried our electronic circuits, yet conveniently some TV crews and random pedestrians are still filming, not to mention the fully operational army combat vehicles and the Hudson ferry. Perhaps the EMP has a narrow radius, but if the aliens could thrust Earth back into the Stone Age, why stop with a few blocks of New Jersey? Why not EMP the entire planet if you had the capacity? That would put any resistance to rest, and make for an interesting story.
My biggest concern; however, is for Ray Ferrier. As a father, Tom Cruise's character goes through a positive transformation from a selfish, uncaring individual into a tender, protective parent. Why then does he coldly kill the slightly paranoid Oglivy (played by Tim Robbins)? I thought it was an evil and unnecessary twist in Ferrier's character development. There are other ways of keeping someone "quiet" to avoid being detected by blood-thirsty invaders. I'm sorry but that Heart of Darkness/everyone for himself attitude may fit a faceless mob but not the main character who is supposedly undergoing a positive change.
I give the movie 6/10.