Relevant

Rating: 10/10 (4 July 2005)

***CONTAINS SPOILERS***
Most of the great science fiction films are relevant to its time. Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds is no exception. I know that most fans of HG Welles' novel might be somewhat disappointed, but I think Spielberg and the writes made a smart decision. Notably because there are many images that are close to home. For instance, a scene in which Tom Cruise and his children are walking towards the ferry, we can see a wall filled with pictures of missing families. I don't know about you, but that reminded me of 9/11. Then there is another scene where we see that the Martians are trying to turn Earth into Mars with red fungus. I don't know about you, but doesn't that remind you of what the United States is doing right now. Aren't we trying to change everyone? Whether you agree with the films politics or not I applaud it for being relevant.
In addition, I loved how Tom Cruise was not the hero. Under the wrong hands Tom Cruise would have saved the world. Here Spielberg decides to have Cruise save his children from the Martians. This is a character who isn't interested in saving the world. He is only interested in saving his children. I find that refreshing in a world where Will Smith has saved the planet countless times.
Overall, I think this is probably one of the best films of the year. It is smart and relevant. Of course the film isn't flawless. Like many I thought Robbie should have died. It seemed to convenient for Cruise to accomplish his mission without some loss.
RATING: 4 STARS