Spielberg blinks again...

Rating: 7/10 (24 August 2005)

War of the Worlds is a film that is easily recommendable, but simply fails to achieve greatness. The opening half hour shows that Steven Spielberg still knows how to scare people. The revelation of the tripod alien machines is without a doubt one of the most frightening scenes I have witnessed on the big screen and alone makes the film worth seeing. In terms of technical achievement and suspense, War of the Worlds hits its mark.
Unfortunately, War of the Worlds is yet another example of Steven Spielberg approaching greatness in a science-fiction film, only to blink in the game of chicken that is being an unapologetic artist. Like Minority Report and A.I., Spielberg shows great potential to not wimp out with a dark subject matter... and then wimps out. As seen in those two films, he seems to feel it is necessary to wrap up a film with absolute, perfect happiness, thus negating any sense of reality to the situation whatsoever. While we see such an apocalyptic nightmare as the alien invasion is presented, in the end the main character suffers no loss: both his children survive even when we are almost assured of one's death.
Spielberg is one of the few filmmakers alive today that could afford to take his name for a spin and risk making a film that does not conform to the Hollywood rule of making everything work out in the end. I will never understand why he feels it necessary to ensure that the main character suffers no loss or that the horrors of the situation are always resolved in such a way as to let the audience breathe a complete sigh of relief.
Even Frank Capra knew that this was unnecessary. Did Mr Potter ever pay for his actions in It's A Wonderful Life? No. However, Spielberg doesn't seem able to accept the fact that life doesn't work out perfectly. Until he does, he will continue to make films like War of the Worlds that are very entertaining throughout, but ultimately disappoint in the end.