War of The Worlds...no meteors?

Rating: 6/10 (30 June 2005)

Saw WOTW yesterday. Have mixed feelings about it.
SPOILERS MENTIONED NEXT.......
The ending bothered me (though mirrored from the H.G. Wells' novel) for two reasons. (1) If "they are already here" wouldn't they have known that earth germs were fatal? Since the director changed how the invaders arrived, he should have changed their demise. Coming to earth in meteors suggested they would have had no knowledge of the affect of sub-atomic particles. (2) The ending happened too quickly...all of a sudden, they die? With all the butt-kicking the invaders do, there should of been more about humans defeating them in some way other than getting caught in a cage and sticking a hand-grenade up it's butt.
If you buy into Dakota Fanning's character, you'll get swept away by this movie. Her performance is very disturbing making the point that young children shouldn't be allowed to see this film. If you don't buy into her character, she'll annoy the heck out of you.
And what was the point of all the blood? What was this? The "Day of The Triffids?" or a "Little Shop of Horrors" remake? The special effects were good of course and the lightening sequences though confusing were very effective in building tension. But after awhile I kept wondering how many more basements were Tom Cruse and the kids going to hide in. It started to feel a little stupid and not thought through very well. The aliens looked too goofy with faces a little too Walt Disney-like. The aliens looked better and more weird in the 1953 version and fit the idea of there being everything in three's (remember, 3-legged machines, 3-eyes, the ships traveling in three's).
Finally, I also kept waiting for Sigourney Weaver to pop up and save Dakota Fanning. The child in danger-screaming for help-being saved-falling into danger again...was way too much like "Aliens". But this seems to be a general problem with most films today...directors love putting children in danger for some sick reason. I think that is the biggest flaw with this movie...it had a sickening feeling to it.