A Must-See Scary Summer Movie

Rating: 7/10 (4 July 2005)

Steven Spielberg has always been known for his outstanding use of special effects, whether it was the mechanical shark from Jaws or the subtly integrated futuristic scenery of Minority Report, so it comes to no surprise that all of the CG in War of the Worlds are beautiful. What is remarkable, is that from a director known for sentimentality, sometimes going overboard in that department, comes what is the most bleak summer movie ever.
War of the Worlds is a hard movie to sit through at times; the amount of tension and the atmosphere of constant dread are at times almost overwhelming, and I mean that as an accomplishment. This movie is scarier than most horror movies, but I don't recall jumping during any scene. The way the aliens exterminate their prey, the way the humans helplessly try to flee, all of it fills you with a sense of terror. Even when the invaders aren't on screen, the human paranoia around the protagonists comes into play. As Tom Cruise and his kids drive through a crowd of people while in one of the few working vehicles remaining, the results are just brutal. I don't want to give anything away, but when it's finally revealed just to what purpose the aliens intend to use our species for, I guarantee revelation will disturb you long after you leave the movie.
Acting in the movie is all around exceptional. The audience only has a limited time to get to know the characters of Ray, along with his kids Rob and Rachel, so it's quite an accomplishment that they are able to make you care about them their quest to reach Boston. Tom Cruise does a very good job of playing someone legitimately fearful for the safety of himself and his family, and for those reluctant to see the movie because of his off-screen behavior, you'll quickly forget such trivial issues once you watch his character for a minute or two. A few minor complaints have been made that towards the later portions of the movie, he acts unrealistically heroic, but I definitely disagree with this view (saying more would likely spoil some things). Dakota Fanning, who plays Tom's daughter, is convincing, especially for a child actor. Also, watch out for Tim Robbins; he plays a shell-shocked hermit that Ray and Rachel meet late in the movie, and he steals every moment he's on screen.
One thing keeps this movie from being a classic. This movie has arguably the most abrupt ending I've ever seen. I can't believe after constant building of tension throughout the entire movie, it takes such a steep dive after the long climb. The resolution isn't a bad one (water isn't the aliens' weakness, thankfully), but it isn't satisfying because it just seems to come out of nowhere. When you hear Morgan Freeman narrate the epilogue, the first thing that will enter your mind is, "That's it?!" Still, even with this minor flaw, this is the second best movie to come out this summer and worth every minute of your time.