A remake work making.

Rating: 9/10 (26 December 2005)

The War of the Worlds has been told, and retold in many ways, and all but one variation was very successful. Steven Spielberg's version is one of many that was successful.
The variations of War of the Worlds has had an impact on the society that had watched or listened to it. The 1938 radio broadcast for the fear of the rise of the Nazis in Germany. 1953, the fear of communism. Independence Day, using the story as a blueprint society's view of alien visitations, abductions, the Roswell incident, and Area 51. And now 2005 living in the post 9/11 world.
Unlike the 1953 version, this version hits us closer to home, where we can relate to the characters much more easily. It isn't a brilliant scientist who tries to save us this time, it's where we see a man trying to save his children from the invaders, as we all would try to do. The incredible acting and character development helps to build the intensity and the drama of the movie, and even several comical moments.
The invaders themselves are just as intriguing. Where as all the other versions of the War of the Worlds has us technically know where they came from, like from Mars or outer space in general, the origin of the invaders in this movie is still unknown to us. The primary assumption is that they too are from outer space, but as far as we know, they are from another dimension, or another time. That lack of knowledge and not knowing their motives makes them even scarier and more mysterious.
The scene where our heroes are first fleeing from the invaders in the van is incredible. The tripods, excellent. Both mechanical and yet living.
A classical story remade by a man who usually knows how to make movies. Once again, Spielberg at his best.