Terrible movie. Could've been so much better.

Rating: 1/10 (1 February 2017)

It's 45 to midnight and war of the worlds is on TV. I watched it back in 05 and I decided to rip this movie apart, because I remember it crushing my expectations back then. I expected a lot and Spielberg failed to deliver on almost every count.
1. Tom Cruise - I think any other actor would've been better for the role. 2. Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin - interestingly both kids are annoying in this. The girl far worse than the boy. 3. The absurdity of certain scenes with depiction of mass panic and mayhem. There is one scene, where a guy is trying to get into the car through a hole in the front, and he's cutting his hands and fingers while breaking the glass open, but he's still going on.. terrible. 4. They should've written something else. The whole estranged-father-routine is a bad fit.
These are only a few reasons I could think of right away. This movie is very flawed and not worth my precious time.
There were some scenes that were actually OK. And yeah, I liked the tripods.
All in all, extremely dissatisfying. I think one would be better off listening to Welles' radio drama program. H.G. Wells is turning in his grave. Shame on you Spielberg.
I'm giving it 1 star. I've never given one star, but since this movie had like a gazillion dollar budget, I think 1 star is very appropriate.