Great spectacle with no ovation

Rating: 6/10 (11 July 2005)

This movie is a good representation of today's mainstream Hollywood productions - tons of money spent on visuals, leaving the plot obsolete and bleeding far behind. To be quite honest, I was disappointed - through 3/4 of the movie I was picking up my jaw from the floor, but what is wrong with this terrible, clueless ending? First the invaders take us to the ground and beat us to pulp. The human civilization is literally dying, with no chances whatsoever to stand up to those robots. And what happens? For some unspecified reason we win! I mean it's good, but how? We didn't do anything! I was expecting Tom Cruise to accidentally find a solution against the aliens, and save the world - that's what I have expected. And I have also expected Spielberg to surprise me and do against those every men's expectations, if you know what I mean. And what happened? Nothing. Nevertheless, the first part of the movie, especially when seen in a high quality audio theater, is breathtaking. And of course Tom Cruise - I think he's found some kind of magic potion for eternal youth :) Go and see this movie, and judge for yourself - I think Spielberg, though surely still able to build a tension (see the scenes in Tom Robbins' cellar), is now over the hill with his talent.