realism beyond belief in this fantastic Spielberg remake!

Rating: 8/10 (26 August 2005)

i have never actually read the H.G. Wells masterpiece The War Of The Worlds but i've heard that this film doesn't follow the storyline properly. i'm actually all for following the original book when a film based on one is released, and it annoys me when a film doesn't follow on properly. if i'd read the book this comment may have been more negative.
this film really impressed me! it starts straight into the action with amazing realism and got me hooked from the very beginning. i thought the tripods were very cool, and they looked fantastically real. the heat ray was great as well. Cruise is very good as a father on the edge but what really impressed me was the amazing performance from Dakota Fanning. i don't know very many good child actors but Dakota was the star of this film i think. one of my favourite parts of this film was undoubtedly the time spent in the mad dudes lair. it added a very creepy edge to the film and when the aliens were crawling through the house i could feel the tension in the cinema. the slow conflict build between cruise and the mad dude is portrayed very well. i watched in awe when the ferry capsized, that part was very well done, and as i've already mentioned, Spielberg made realism a very important factor in this film. here's a bit of ridiculous trivia: Spielberg bought a whole jumbo jet just so he could blow it up in the film! worked well though. overall i thought this film was excellent, good performances, ultimate realism, and very atmospheric. however, i think that Spielberg should not have strayed from the actual storyline. my advice: watch the film before you read the book! a great piece of cinematography: 8/10