War of the Worlds (2005)

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise, War of the Worlds follows a father and his two children in the aftermath of an alien invasion of Earth. Following some unusual weather activity, huge three-legged machines mysteriously appear on Earth and begin destroying everything in sight. When you watch a movie like this, you're not exactly dreaming of fine acting performances, and there wasn't really much to mention on that tip. Spielberg's directing was nice, particularly during a tense scene in a car in which the camera was circling around outside the car. I hadn't seen this effect utilized in such a way before and found that it helped build the tension in that scene.

Based on the novel by H. G. Wells, this sci-fi thriller was gripping from start to finish as the action kept the film moving along nicely. I was literally on the edge of my seat. I don't know how well it held up against the book, but I don't think it's an important issue. I don't recall the movie's sub-plot, which dealt with the father's relationship with his children, from the book, which I read many years ago. The special effects were excellent and if you have a chance to see this film on the big screen you should probably look for it.

My only real knock on the film was that there were a few too many American flags scattered throughout, but otherwise, well worth the 100 minutes. It was also quite disgusting, as the space invaders seemed to ingest earthlings and expel their blood back onto the planet in a kind of blood rain, which may not sit well with some folks. All things considered, it was a good ride and that's about my only requirement for a movie.