A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: War of the Worlds (2005)

Date Viewed: 7/5/05

Details:

Tom Cruise

Dakota Fanning

Justin Chatwin

Tim Robbins (Harlan Ogilvy; Orson Wells' unnamed "Stranger" and militia man)

Miranda Otto

Morgan Freeman (Narrator, voice)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Score: 0

The Review: Long- and eagerly-awaited; disappointing.

It's been quite awhile since the last film version of H. G. Wells' original novella (1953, with Gene Barry), and considering how little time passes these days before "remake" is yelled, this has been due for some time. The 65th anniversary of the 1938 Orson Wells Mercury Radio Theatre version came and went, and we were still waiting for a new visual implementation. First there were the rumors, then the announcement: Spielberg and Cruise -- War of the Worlds. The bar was set; the wait was on.

What a let-down. This is a dark, depressing, though enthusiastic, retelling of Wells' story. If you want to feel what it's like to be totally helpless, out of control, massively overwhelmed by forces beyond comprehension, thrown into despair and mortal peril, and scared shitless -- then this is the movie for you. In that respect, Spielberg did good. But for the same reasons I don't normally watch horror flicks, these are not a cluster of feelings I relish, nor find in any way entertaining. For all that, the action never stops; at times heart-stopping, at others awe-inspiring -- you are taken on a wild ride with little time to breathe.

The SFX and cinematography are, however, excellent. This is the only reason that this movie achieves a ranking in neutral territory. The technology of the tripods, the critter design, the ability to shoot some stunning images at (what appears to be) night -- all this was quite well done.

A few plot elements were mutated or extended, beyond the Wells plot, to good effect -- particularly the source of the tripods. Some of the most chilling scenes are not the attacks of the tripods, or the tense wait in the cellar, but the violence done by man against man. In the throes of turmoil and fear, the heroic is often subsumed by dark and petty concerns. And it's not always a crowd mentality that catalyzes such behavior.

This is not the first joint excursion with Spielberg and Cruise: Minority Report (2002) was on the whole a much more interesting and effective film. Both were taken from short fiction, both were transmuted on their way to the silver screen, but Minority Report impressed me more as a fascinating intellectual effort, replete with philosophy, laced with mystery thriller overtones.

(30-Jul-05)

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