Surprisingly faithful to Wells; surprisingly, a paean to family life

Rating: 8/10 (1 September 2005)

I admit to a great deal of apprehension about the news that this science fiction classic would be retold by Spielberg with Cruise; but once in the theater, almost all of my fears quickly faded away.
With one major exception, Spielberg has hewn closely to H.G. Wells' original story. (That exception concerns when and how the tripods first reach their destination.) This in itself was a pleasant surprise; but when I saw how the story unfolded at the micro, family level, I truly appreciated Spielberg's vision in trying to connect a modern audience with what is by now almost a parody of a First Contact story between alien cultures. By keeping the focus tightly on Cruise and his highly dysfunctional family, Spielberg tells the story inside-out, in a way that keeps the viewer glued to the plot.
Highly recommended, although young children are certain to be frightened by the dark, claustrophobic scenes of panicked flight and one-sided combat that characterize much of the film.