First Rate Except...

Rating: 6/10 (3 July 2005)

My daughter and I just saw the Spielberg edition of "War of the Worlds." The cast is all first rate and Dakota Fanning is dynamite. I am not a Tom Cruise fan but I do love Spielberg and that is why I went to view the movie. The music is adequate and does not get in the way of the plot or dialogue. When I don't notice the score, it is a good thing--except in "Cape Fear" and "Mystic River" for which the score becomes an extra character. The intensity level is maximum and I love a good scare! The special FX are pretty good--under created rather than overdone. Morgan Freeman does the prologue and epilogue which serves to tie the movie together with a bow. My only criticism of this first rate film is the abominable conclusion--NO I WON'T SPOIL the movie, but like Spielberg's "AI" the movie should have ended 5 minutes from when Spielberg did. This lack of knowing when to stop the movie is now officially a problem with the director who I worship and adore for his responsible movie making. This could've have been a perfect movie, but because of the sloppy ending, it is regrettably NOT!