War of the Worlds - People toying with humanity and nature.

Rating: 8/10 (5 July 2005)

War of the Worlds is a science fiction film much more comprehensible than the poorly depicted book by H.G. Wells, upon which the film is based. Mechanical, laser cutting, liquid spewing, long tentacle armed aliens prey upon unsuspecting people of the east coast, including New York, New Jersey and Boston. It appears they suck human blood only to spill it out, making things of nature, like vines on trees, grow at an insurmountable rate, all in red blood.
The movie begins with Ray Ferrier's (Tom Cruise) taking care of his two children Robbie ( Justin Chatwin) and Rachel (Dakota Fanning), while their pregnant mother, Mary Ann (Miranda Otto) and her second husband, Tim are making a trip to visit parents, I believe. Tom's role as lower-middle income father, is quite possibly more credibly evil, than his last summer's character, Vincent, in "Collateral." He is careless with petite, but strong, Rachel and flat out rude to teen son, Robbie. With Rachel, he neglects to help her out of the van or to thoughtfully watch over her at home, even telling her to order take out for dinner, from his, what looks to be battered lazy boy chair. And with Robbie, he simply throws the baseball, a little too hard in play, possibly thinking that he can toughen up or make his son "a man," on one pitch. But regardless of his poor fathering skills, ultimately he hawks over his children, at the onslaught of an alien invasion and will stop at nothing to protect them.
Even with the east coast under alien siege, the film manages to clearly and methodically focus upon one family's struggle to escape the quite seriously deadly attacks. But one cannot deny that there are just a few unanswered questions that distract us from events feeling authentic, such as why does not the news media arrive at any scene much sooner, if only for a moment, until with more precise accumulated actualized drama, we see for ourselves that the power is lost? Or why doesn't Ray turn on the TV., at his ex-wive's house, to find out what is transpiring around him? Why does his vehicle work, but no one else's does? Is it because he has an older model van, without an electronic key lock? Certainly, he couldn't be the only citizen driving an older manual door lock vehicle? A CBS news woman finally presents herself in the film, but it is too little and too late to capture our minds, as any real experience. But beyond some obvious questions, without logical answers, we are still intrigued by a never seen before alien invasion upon the community, and specifically the stars of the film, the Ferriers. Dakota Fanning doesn't just get a gold medal, but something more like a diamond ring, for having to act out every heart-racing scene, for which she is a part. Robbie, something like her would be alter ego, on the other hand, is just taking the invasion as it comes, stepping out of the circle of reaction, just to be in the midst. The special effects and the action scenes are really incredible. When the ferry turns over, and the family falls first into the water, followed by a car spilling fast right into them, we can't imagine this family surviving, but they do. For them, scenes such as this one, must be like Fear Factor, to the nth degree.
In one part, Ray and Rachel, Robbie now left for dead, take shelter in the basement of a man's home. Olgilvy (Tim Robbins) is dueling with his psyche, wanting not to be hurt by the aliens, but at the same time, wanting to madly make a show and fight them, above ground. It is his carrying on delusional state, which puts them all in jeopardy. Ray, analytically minded must silence him, in order to protect, first and foremost, as he states, his daughter. When Olgilvy finally strikes Ray with a shovel, he puts an end to this impending sadly dangerous threat. From dumpy dad to something of his own healthy heroism, he turns. Ray blindfolds his daughter and behind closed doors, we can only imagine, but do not know for sure, that he has terminated Olgilvy's life. Now it is quiet, a place that will not attract the carnivorous and human flesh eating aliens. Steven Spielberg, it appears, uses his strength to let the actors really infuse their own spirit and authenticity into each role, which gives breathing room to creativity. Although sometimes we feel that the actors are struggling too much in their own lives, and instead we're watching them, rather than the characters that they are portraying, which detracts a little from that of becoming and playing another character.
It is not without the help of ground force army troops that civilization has a chance to survive. Do aliens take over the east coast, or does humanity prevail? Watch the film and discover for yourself, how justice is served, in a mind bending metaphor.