Wanted to like...really hated it

Rating: 3/10 (29 June 2005)

I really wanted to like this movie. I really did. But I found myself wanting to choke out the characters by the end of the film. Steven Spielberg's homage to the Orsen Wells radio hoax and George Pal B movie is shoddy at best.
First, the casting was suspect, with the exception of Dakota Fanning. I find it very had to believe that Tom Cruise is a dock worker from New Jersey, although the marital problems weren't a stretch at all. He has no pot belly, no accent, and his jeans don't let you see his butt crack.
Second, the first fifteen minutes of the movie- where the lightning storm and machines are first seen- is just completely unrealistic. Suspension of disbelief aside, there's no way you could tell me that all these people would just sit around and watch this giant menacing machine come out of the ground, tearing up an entire city block in the process, and not run away! There are also continuity errors during this sequence, mentioned in several other comments, in regards to an EMP cutting all power.
Third, I just never was able to believe the parental bond relationship between Cruise's character and the two children. While Fanning seemed very natural throughout, Cruise was in some Jerry Maguire meets Aliens alternate universe. And the son character was never fully developed, too many of his lines ended up on the cutting room floor I'd imagine.
Fourth, while the ending basically remained true to the George Pal original there were more continuity errors. It made the film seem too much like a children's movie when the rest of the movie tried to speak to adult sensibilities.
All in all I'm sure there are people who will speak volumes about how wonderful this film is but as someone who is a huge fan of the Wells radio show and the George Pal film from the 50's I was really disappointed. That's $7.50 I'll never get back!