An exciting potpourri of FX and clichés

Rating: Null/10 (24 January 2006)

"War of the Worlds" (2005): Steven Spielberg is, I hope, using the money he makes from this thing for another SERIOUS work of art. I am SO SICK of retreads  oops, s'cuse me  reMAKES  of which this is a fine example. Heavy doses of special effects (and yes, some are very good), with relentless action, pounding scores, running and screaming, hiding and gasping...it's all there...in a slick, soulless package. Don't let the divorced Father/trouble relating to his kids-n-Ex routine fool you  they are faux-emotional set-ups that go nowhere. Most impressive were a few of the scenes with Dakota Fanning. She outshines Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins (he slept-walk through this, his now-patented role of oddball creep), and the others. So, to sum up (not deserving much discussion), it's an exciting potpourri of FX & plot clichés, gives you an excuse to lay around on the sofa, and satisfies like Chinese take-out. There...how do you like having another cliché shoved down your throat? Kids: forgive it it's lower-techness, but see and enjoy the REAL thing made half a century ago (1953). Notice how THOSE machines DON'T have to be half a mile high to be threatening! Gimme a break!