War within our Worlds

Rating: Null/10 (15 October 2005)

As a science fiction movie, I thought it was the worse - it lacked the scientific details that make good science fiction; the film however, excels as an exploration of familial values and the war within our worlds.
This review deals explicitly with Spielberg's adaptation, because I haven't read the original novel.
Many people who watch the movie will find it a great piece of escapism. Indeed, it is tribute to Spielberg's virtuoso ability to manipulate the audience; great music, which does much to instill tension, and at the same time, can easily be blinded over because of its very orthodox sound. Now, the latter is especially important because in doing so, the audience is not distracted - one's attention is fixed upon the events unfolding before one's eyes. There's much more to the directives; the fact that he got most of us at the edge of our seats is testament to that fact. But I won't comment.
In the opening scene of Cruise's character, Ray, we see him as a man of contradictions; his qualities tend towards the irresponsible, yet he exhibits the skills of a man who can only be responsible - one who knows his work. This contradiction shows itself literally in a myriad of ways. The fact that he is a divorcée; and in possession of disarrayed home and a vacant father-child relationship - he is even unable to play a baseball game with his son without making quirky comments about hats, or discussing the aspects of divorced life. Fact is, this contradiction reveals Ray to be character which is not so much childish, but rather, incomplete and unfulfilled. In a sense, he doesn't even feel like a real person. He sees his ex-wife's present husband, and feels little obvious jealousy or pain; he shamelessly throws himself under the table when lightning strikes, then he laughs - its almost surreal. Having said that, even his actions seem a little odd. He wanders off, pushes his way pass the crowd, and stares into the hole made by the crash; there's no dialogue, no indication of what he might be thinking, so we can't say that he's simply adrenalin hungry, or that he is a satisfying curiosity. Anyway, the overall effect given is that Ray appears to be lost, and searching. His world is filled with contradictions and incompleteness; a fact that is central to the movie.
We will see that he undergoes certain revelations... certain changes in character that ultimately quells the 'war in his world'. A pivotal scene in the movie is when he meets with the seemingly gratuitous nobody in the underground cellar. One could argue that the just-arrived character is in fact the Hyde in Ray; or in a way, the person we see working in the crane earlier in the movie. He yearns to strike at the enemy, a scenario that one could involve Ray in if he was still in the role of the contractor. Clearly also, he is irresponsible as he lacks concern over the possible repercussions of his actions. So it is because of this that Cruise's attack and murder of this man is significant. In his murder of the man, he has effectively eliminated his other half. He turns responsible and becomes conservative in action, because he feels an obligation to protect his daughter.
However, it is not specifically familial love that saves Ray from the same fate as his Hyde brother. Rather, I'd like to think that the main theme is responsibility and devotion to ideals; it is this which stills the conflict in the people's worlds. The mother for example, is unharmed. Which seems strange at first... but in accordance to the previous point, one could argue that she is unharmed because she stoically maintains her ideals of marriage, love and family; she marries again after divorce, and yet, still trusts her ex. In contrast are the people who thwart Ray and his children in their escape: the 'masses', who attempt to steal our hero's car, and even use guns in the process. Such people have no integrity/responsibility and hence, do not survive their/the war(s). As for Ray, there is devotion/ responsibility to his children reinforcing his will to survive. All of which is reflected in his drive to reach Boston; a place not to be taken literally, but rather, symbolic of family and home.
I hope that the latter point helps to ease any 'discomforts' over the strange and abrupt ending. When Ray reached Boston, the movie HAD to end. Oh of course, seeing aliens die would be fun. But again, just *seeing* an alien would ruin the movie by making it thematically pointless.
Robbie's disappearance and appearance is also interesting. His apparent death is a necessity to the movie. If he had not disappeared, then there would be no way in which the middle scene (previously commented upon) could be inserted into the movie. And that scene was quintessential to the movie. On a metaphorical level, one could also view the son's temporary departure as further indication of that restless, child in Cruise's character, leaving to be replaced by the mature albeit paranoid character displayed by his daughter. And at the end, he had to 'become alive' because Boston as mentioned before, is symbolic of family. If he doesn't return, then there would be the complication of his mother's feelings, and etc. The family had to be whole to convey Cruise's character's fulfillment.
I hope I've done something to change your mind about the movie if you thought it was bad. I know many people walked out cursing, expecting aliens. In that sense, I guessed the title and trailers were misleading... especially since its a Wells piece. One wonders if they could have put the movie under a different name and gotten away with it. Chill guys!