Special effects do not a great movie make

Rating: 6/10 (10 July 2005)

It seems that director Steven Spielberg has a thing for aliens. First it was Close Encounters of the Third Kind back in the 70s, then his cute and cuddly E.T. in the 80s. Now, Spielberg creates yet another tale of otherworldly invasion, this time based on the novel by H.G. Wells, and that famous radio broadcast by Orson Wells which sent cities into panic, thinking it was really happening. (Spielberg nods to Wells' broadcast by having Morgan Freeman narrate the story using Wells' exact words) And Spielberg seems to be trying to achieve the same effect as the broadcast, to have the audience literally believe they are being invaded.
As a result, the story is told from the perspective of Ray Ferrier, (Tom Cruise) an oceanside mechanic who doesn't happen to be the world's greatest dad, and his two estranged kids, 18 year old Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and 10 year old Rachel (Fanning). When the aliens attack, Ray must not only try to get himself and his kids to safety, but also learn to connect with them more strongly. It's the same kind of 'human drama in the midst of Armageddon' that Spielberg often incorporates into his films (Saving Private Ryan is a perfect example) but it's never been his strength, as is the case in War of the Worlds. The scenes of Ray trying to bond with his children are too long and too frequent, and they don't seem truthful enough to retain our attention - it seems like all involved are trying to force the emotion. Obviously, the strength of a movie such as this is the special effects, which are admittedly mind-blowing - but special effects do not a great movie make. (if only Spielberg's buddy, George Lucas would learn this...)
Unfortunately, Spielberg seems to be committing most of his focus to the computerized mayhem, and letting his cast run amuck in terms of performances. Cruise in particular, seems to be trying too hard, forcing an intense performance to the point of verging on over the top. He is just too emotional, too worried, too desperate throughout - if he could tone himself down (this seems to be true off screen as well...) he would succeed with a much better performance. The cast standout is Tim Robbins as a panicky survivor of the alien attack, obsessed with the idea of striking back at the aliens. Miranda Otto also gives a gentle, forceful performance as Ray's ex-wife and mother of his two children (although her pregnancy seems to simply disappear at the end of the film, and it is never clarified if she gave birth or not) Their two children themselves are less strong performers: Justin Chatwin seems to be the perfect contrast to Cruise as his father - where Cruise was always too emotional, unable to tune himself down, Chatwin seems to struggle to portray any emotion whatsoever. And Dakota Fanning seems content to coast along on the girlish screams and terrified looks one might expect from an actress her age, despite the fact that she is far more talented then she lets on here.
The main problem of War of the Worlds is it's ending. Without giving anything away, Spielberg seems afraid to provide answers to the many questions he provokes throughout the film. He leads us on continuously, waiting breathlessly for these questions to be clarified, to fill the many huge gaps in logic... but answers are never given. It's this weak and horribly predictable ending which makes one remember War of the Worlds on a sour note - which is a shame because the special effects and computer generated destruction, which is, of course, the main reason most audiences would see this film in the first place, are pretty much unparalleled in terms of raw destruction. If you are looking for a fun afternoon filled with lots of big, noisy explosions and crashes, War of the Worlds would be the perfect film for you. But if you're searching for a little logic as well... there are better movies with almost as much destruction to see.
-6/10