War of the Worlds

Well, its got plot holes big enough to drive a mack truck through, but at least its a scenic drive. Tom cruise takes a break from saving the world from drug-pushing psychiatric professionals to save the world from aliens using the time-honored method of looking really shocked and running from things.

Hey Spielberg, I'm sure that making a movie that everyone already knows the ending to is a difficult task, but it may flow better if the little touches you add make any sense at all. Like this: The alien electrical storms knocks out all power and turns all electronic devices into useless doorstops, the cell phones wont turn on, all the cars die right in the middle of the road, but wait! whats this? Its the guy-with-a-handycam videotaping the alien mayhem. Gee, everything electrical is dead, except for my handy Sony brand Camcorder available where-ever fine electronics are sold! and just so you don't miss it, here's a close up of the working screen! Thats a reliable product!

Cruises character 'Ray Ferrier' is a bit of a mechanics whizz - he's got a V8 engine in his kitchen that he's repairing, he drives a classic mustang and he gives a mechanic working on a minivan the handy tip 'try the starter solenoid' which results in the one remaining vehicle on earth that works, unless you count military vehicles, which all work flawlessly presumably because a camoflage paint job protects all of their delicate internal electrics.

The design of the alien invaders is suitably retro-threatening, and is clearly the star of the show, unless you think that conspicuous incongruencies are star material, or a batty basement dwelling Tim Robbins in a grubby white undershirt. There's lots of screaming "whats happening?" and "somethings happening!" but it all works out in the end, and we get to see people vaporized, pureed and flung though the air on the end of robotic tendrils. I prefer vaporization, but hey maybe I'm just traditional.

Review by:
Pope Opinionated II