Spielberg takes a "dark" approach.

Rating: 8/10 (4 January 2006)

"War of the worlds" is a Steven Spielberg adaptation of H.G. Wells' story. It is a dark disaster movie, that follows the family of divorced dock worker Ray Ferrier, and his two children. We see them struggling to stay one step ahead of an alien invasion, which we are told has been in planning for more than a million years. This invasion starts when a barrage of lighting comes down and uncovers a stash of alien tripods that have been hidden under the earth's surface since before man existed.
Tom Cruise plays Ray Ferrier, and does a decent job portraying the "bad" dad, but struggles at times to convince as the working class dock worker. However when the action begins, the panic and desperation he shows adds to the films suspense. The acting highlight would be Tim Robbins as a crazy survivor who shelters the family in his basement. Spielberg returns to the tried and tested formula of a summer disaster movie, after recent films like "The Terminal", and as he often does involves a family story at the centre. He does a great job cranking up the suspense, and the special are brilliant, with the devastation of homes etc. by the tripods very realistic, making the film quite scary. As said the film is very dark, with little comedy, or joy, and thankfully the ending is not cheesy or particularly happy.
Memorable scenes include a section where we see crowds of people fighting over a working car, and it shows the human desperation often shown in times of disaster. Post 9/11 fears are also conveyed when Ray's son asks, "Is it terrorists?"
In conclusion i would say "War of the Worlds" is an excellent movie, with it dark and gritty, and i am thankful that Spielberg did not allow Tom Cruise did not take on the alien invasion single handedly, as in some blockbusters, rather showing him as an "average Joe". The tension is built up, the acting decent and the special effects scary.
8/10