Gripping and truly terrifying - Spielberg's Alien Apocalypse !

Rating: 10/10 (29 June 2005)

"Bonjour, messieurs. Parlez-vous Français ? Well I'm sorry, but my English is not very good" ( François Truffaut in CE3K ) Greetings from Paris, France, puny Earthlings ! I just saw the French press preview of WAR OF THE WORLDS this morning - one of my favorite books adapted by my favorite movie director, Monsieur Steven Spielberg. Two hours later, I just went out the movie theater, absolutely shocked and confused - like after an massive air attack... WAR OF THE WORLDS is an absolute masterpiece of cold and ruthless sci-fi terror, a shaking experience which will let you breathless. This is neither an spoof of the "Aliens Invade Earth" like MARS ATTACKS !, a brainless summer blockbuster like ID4, nor a Spielberg-wannabe-movie like SIGNS. This is a extraordinary piece of film-making, which hides some subtle re-interpretations of one of the most mysterious, esoterical works of the Story of Mankind - St.John of Pathmos visions, in the Apocalypse. WAR OF THE WORLDS : some kind of a prophecy for the End of Mankind ? The script is faithful to the H.G. Wells's novel ; great acting ( Tom Cruise is great - forget the Katie Holmes/Scientology media mass hysteria crap ; and I mention especially Tim Robbins in a short but memorable, and creepy apparition ), terrific sequences ( the Tripod's first apparition, the Ferry sequence... OHMYGOSH !!! ) and a very chilling score by the great John Williams. I went back to my home after the screening. I looked at the sky - same "color" as it is at the beginning of the movie. I walked in front of a church and looked at some holes in the ground in front of it... Uh-oh... 10/10