Newsletter/Submissions/Articles/Movie Reviews
War Of The Worlds (2005 Remake)War of the Worlds.com:
Hopefully, it's fair to say that everyone has seen, or read at least one adaptation of WOTW sometime in their life (either the original H.G. Wells story, heard tapes of the original Orson Wells Halloween Broadcast, saw the original Film Starring Gene Barry, the TV Show, or even read the "Classic Comics" version) and I don't have to worry about revealing any "Spoilers". (LOL)
I finally got around to renting the Tom Cruise / Steven Spielberg remake of War of the Worlds. Since it wasn't the Box Office Smash they were hoping for, I wasn't expecting all that much to begin with. Although it was a pretty good rental, I'm glad I didn't go to see it when it was at the "1st Run" theaters. While Spielberg likes to try an Mix Things Up when he does "re-tellings" of classic stories, I feel he should have stuck to the traditional Sci-Fi story line this time out.
The usual plot line has the "Machines" coming to Earth from "Above". In THIS version, only the Aliens (He never calls them "Martians") come from above in small pods, riding Lightning Bolts, which deposit the Aliens into their Machines, which were deposited underground long before Man built cities (thousands of years ago?). Fine... Except for One thing. If the machines were already here, why wait until NOW to take over? Why not take over the Earth when they dropped off the machines? Too Busy? Were Their Day-Runners booked solid? Did They have "A Thing" to do that kept them busy until 2005? (LOL)
The thing is, as in the original story, the Aliens are done in by the very micro-organisms that Humans have learned to live with LONG ago. (Actually, I think it was the Broadway Hot Dogs and Coca-Cola they stopped to try in NY City that did them in.) (sorry... Couldn't resist) If they'd have shuffled a few appointments and took over Earth back when they deposited the machines, we'd all be livestock for the Aliens now. Just goes to prove... "Don't put off until the Millennium, what you could do today."
There are some great aspects to the film...
- Acting: The acting by Dakota Fanning as a neurotic annoying little Screamer is right on (really). Tom Cruise goes back to his acting roots of Top Gun and Days of Thunder, where he starts out as a self-centered person you don't like, only to finally face reality and see the Big Picture. Tim Robins also does a good job playing an Ambulance Medic on the edge (I've seen enough to know the type), only thinking about Kicking some Alien Butt.
- Special Effects: It's a Spielberg film. What more needs to be said? The Aliens and Machines were well thought out by the SFX Teams, the various crashes (Airliners, Ferryboats, Over-Pass collapses etc) were also very well done, as was the initial EMP (Electro-Mechanical Pulse) Storms which delivered the Aliens to their machines.
- Cinematography: Again... It's a Spielberg Film... enough said.
If you're into Special Effects and cinematography, you'll love this film. If you're looking for a new telling of a 100+ year old story, you may be a bit disappointed. If you're a Die-Hard Tom Cruise fan... This MAY test your loyalty (grin).
Rob Johnson, IC-MFI
CO, MFS Sutherland
