Alarm: Humans step back in fear as an alien emerges from a crashed craft in War of the Worlds.

War of the Worlds
Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto

Synopsis: Aliens attack Earth in an attempt to annihilate humans. Aboard tripod-like walking killing machines, the aliens get around shooting people with giant lasers while the humans must work together to survive.

Flawed from the beginning

The War of the Worlds concept isn’t new, with H.G Wells’ book released nearly 100 years ago, people’s fears have changed – but the new movie still has the Earth being taken over by aliens. Not Martians this time, but definitely creatures not from this planet.

You’d expect a bit of bang and sparkle with a Steven Spielberg production, and quite frankly, that’s all that held this 116 minutes of overacting together.

The very talented Dakota Fanning’s script was mostly filled with high-pitched screaming, while most of the film has crowds evading alien lasers.

There’s not too much scope for change when re-releasing an old favourite. The sub-plot has a less-than-attentive Ray (Cruise) looking after his kids for the weekend. He doesn’t know how to be a dad, and they’d prefer to be with their mum. “Look after our kids Ray,” his ex-wife says, and you just know something bad is going to happen.

Flaws in the looking-after-the-kids plan start to become evident when Ray is more interested in running into town when the aliens land – instead of going to protect his children. He’s the big tough one at the front of the crowds to see what’s popping out of the ground, then when he finally goes home, goes into shock. Doesn’t quite weigh up.

Spielberg did nothing to make viewers feel empathy for the humans slaughtered by the slithery creatures from the skies. Overall, this movie consisted of an enormous group of extras and special effects. Don’t rush out to see it.

Rating:

– Lt Simone Heyer

Old ideas well executed

Maybe that’s a bit harsh. I didn’t think it was as bad as all that. Bear in mind when watching this film, it is an adaptation of a book written almost 100 years ago when these ideas were all new and exciting, and the invasion of Earth by a vastly superior extraterrestrial force wasn’t a tired old plot.

I think the idea of having the sub-plot of Ray’s conflict and resolution with his family was meant to help today’s audience identify with him.

After all, he is based on a fob watch toting bowler hat wearing Victorian gentleman – who can relate to that?

Ray is just like the rest of us, flawed and unsure of himself.

I thought there was a clever sense of realism to the film (as far as alien invasions go) the mass panic of the crowds was feasible, as was the lack of information, and, as annoying as it was, Fanning’s incessant screaming was not entirely unsuitable.

What else can you expect from a 10-year-old girl after witnessing hundreds of giant machines kill everything in sight?

If aliens did decide to invade, this is how they would do it. There would be no intense build up, no ominous sun-blocking space ships (they’re too big a target) and no geeks stumbling upon secret code transmissions on a laptop.

It would indeed be wholesale slaughter and there would be no escape.

If you’re a fan of H.G. Wells, the film is definitely worth a look.

Rating:

– AB Kade Rogers

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