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June 29, 2005
War of the Worlds (2005)
9/10 
Holy...freaking...hell.
I don't even remember when the last time I felt like that walking out of the theatre was. It's been a few years.
This is what a blockbuster should be - terrifying, manipulative, and explosive.
The way I left the theatre - and how I felt during much of the film's runtime past the initial dragging portion - renders it a 10/10, but to rate it that highly would be to ignore the film's problems and flaws, and there were a few.
The initial slow exposition worried me, and left me dreading another A.I. or Minority Report experience - but as the movie progressed, and now, I see the reason for it - it was necessary to show us the lives of these normal people with normal problems to most effectively show how this disaster could affect us. It could happen in our backyard.
I haven't been so frightened by larger-than-life unreal beings since Jurassic Park, which is somehow appropriate. I hold a flame of hope that this signifies Spielberg's return to amazing directing of the most smashingly entertaining movies that grace our DVD shelves, but 'tis only a flame.
Cruise's remarkable performance in this movie will probably erase a lot of the irritation he's flooded the public with lately, unless he keeps it up, and then he's fair game. Hee hee.
The absolute show-stealer though, without a doubt, was Tim Robbins in a minor role. Absolutely astounding, I fully believe it to be deserving of an Academy Award nomination. The character development in this film was plentiful, and the way he evolved in our eyes in a short span of time was amazing.
The terror in this film worked on several levels. One, the fear of giant monsters destroying our familiar surroundings - there was never anything that was odd or unfamiliar about the houses or farms or hills in the film. We can relate. Two, fear of what happens to people when they start to panic and become self-preservatory. And three, fear of losing people we love due to their own choices.
I walked out of the theatre and down the street, and there was some construction going on nearby. Every time I heard a loud slamming sound from the site, I jumped. My gaze wandered to the tops of the downtown buildings, and I wondered what it would be like to suddenly see a gigantic otherworldly monster appear above them - and start destroying things.
I love being terrified.
#1 of the summer so far, beating out Batman Begins and Revenge of the Sith. Awesomeness.
Posted by astor at June 29, 2005 03:20 PM
Comments
Good review. I cried during one scene and I was terrified during parts of it... that doesn't happen all too often.
Posted by: Katrinaro at June 29, 2005 06:22 PM
I liked it alot, My thoughts are posted on Axis and my RT journal.
Posted by: Jonathan at June 29, 2005 07:43 PM