Better than the Original... but not the Definitive Version

Rating: 5/10 (26 November 2005)

H.G. Well's sci-fi novel has had  to some  quite a good year. Not only have three different versions of his book been made into celluloid renditions but Jeff Wayne's cult classic musical version has been fully restored and re-released. But I'm not here to badger about the musical version.
I'm a massive fan of the book and Spielberg has done a good job with the atmosphere and horrific loss of life of the masses. The tripods are tremendous as is the CGI effects for them and the SFX for their ominous war-cry. There are faithful nods back, not only to the 50's original, but to the book itself. Whilst the film boasts a mixture of "Saving Private Ryan" style filming and "Independence Day" alien invasion (without the sickening American patriotic tosh, and Will Smith one-liners) it has something else, something that has never been done before. Whatever it is you can decide for yourself because I don't want to give too much away.
Whilst it is a cut above the rest so far, Spielberg's adaptation of the survival-horror / sci-fi classic was actually not due out until 2007. The executives must have got hot-pants for the project and green-lit it too soon. It created the con's result as thus. One of them is employing superstars and not actors. I like Tom Cruise and respect him as a professional but not even his talent was enough to make a convincing unsteady family guy (especially Dakota Fanning), unlike the Freelander's from "Poltergeist". Whilst Spielberg captures Wells' inspiration of a world super power brought to its knees by invading Martians (or to Mr Spielberg Aliens *groan*) and their monstrous fighting machine tripods, the flick's failing point  the same with the 50's version  is the ending. The film literally ends half-way through the story. Had the film not have been so rushed would we have a better and much more of a bitter-sweet ending, like the book? And could we have had more footage after the army's bitter defeat? With Steven "They-All-Live-Happily-Ever-After" Spielberg at the helm, I say, probably not. But he has surprised me so far.
But all hope is not lost, until 2007-8 that is. Remember Mr Wayne? Well with the success of his album he is due to release a CGI animated movie so will that be the definitive version and zap the others with its silver screen heat-ray out of the lime light? Let us hope so. Let the Martian war-cry ring out true ULLA!!!