A Mixed Bag of Goodies in War of the World...

Rating: 7/10 (29 June 2005)

War of the World has all the potential in the world (No pun intended), to open with a box office bang, but end with a slight whimper, much like the alien beings from beyond. It's a special effects laden film, which has just enough character development to keep it going, amidst the endless pile of ruin surrounding Tom Cruise and his bandaged together family. The plot of the film, an alien invasion from within (sort of) moves at a brisk pace and gives the viewer a sense of immediate panic and horror, which one can assume is Spielberg's intention all along. The first action sequence of the film is the best in the film, setting us up for a nearly two hour journey nobody would want to make. The film speaks volume about human nature and how basic the need to survive is to all of mankind. There are several intimidating scenes, which potentially could make the viewer uncomfortable in their own skin, and contemplate how they would handle each scenerio, should it present itself. The ending of the movie is a disappointment personally, as it runs too long and becomes almost a side to what is actually important, that being survival from extinction. Still, I would recommend this film to any Speilburg fan, Cruise fan, or anyone interested in seeing the world destroyed for the one millionth time.