@Drooch said:

Spielberg's genius is secretly making a holocuast film disguised as a family sic-fi adventure. I remember being surprisingly frightened by the slow build to the emergence of the first tripod, then couldn't believe it when it started incinerating everyone.

Later images also haunted me - when a tripod lowers a man to the ground, then a huge spike sticks into him and his legs twitch as his blood is sucked up a tube, mostly obscured from Ray's view by a parked car, which makes it all the more chilling.

Spielberg uses cars a lot in his films - the jeeps in Jurassic Park, the vehicles in Duel, the Truck fight in Raiders, and the many cars that get tossed around in this film, often with the characters still inside - we can all relate to being in a car and it's a great domestic prism through which to shoot action, it connects us to the threat.

But yeah, disturbing film that brings home the horrors of mass extermination, and has something to say about our connection to the planet.

While I didn't necessarily find this film disturbing, I thought it was okay. I have it on DVD and I believe I'll watch it soon. I was not aware (or had forgotten) that Spielberg directed this WOTW.

I think that while this one was closer to the HG Wells story, I actually liked the 1953 version somewhat better. Normally, the closer a movie is the source novel, the better I like it.

It's good but would be a hell of a lot better without the family melodrama throughout. The world is ending, you're not gonna act like a spoiled brat.

yeah, they could have done it in a more nuanced manner... spoilt brat until the Aliens appear...

@Arrrrrrrach said:

It's good but would be a hell of a lot better without the family melodrama throughout. The world is ending, you're not gonna act like a spoiled brat.

Totally agree with you... The kid needed a kick up the backside..

@ausfem said:

@Arrrrrrrach said:

It's good but would be a hell of a lot better without the family melodrama throughout. The world is ending, you're not gonna act like a spoiled brat.

Totally agree with you... The kid needed a kick up the backside..

FWIW, both of the kids could have used a good swat on their butts.

I just watched this yesterday BTW and thought it was a decent film.

I enjoyed the movie quite a bit and I always enjoy Tom Cruise's movies--he never phones it in--but the ending pissed me off. While I would have struggled with a downbeat ending, at least it would have been honest and it would have demonstrated that Spielberg doesn't always take the safe route. Unfortunately, like all of his movies that aren't documentaries, Spielberg prefers the typical happy ending. I still find the early part of the film, when the walkers emerge from the ground, to be the most thrilling. I also agree, though, that the kids were annoying, especially the son.

Now I want to go watch the movie again. :)

Apparently in the original story the main character’s wife pops up at the end after we’re led to believe she dies, and Spielberg simply reworked that with Robbie. What many people don’t recall is how Dakota Fanning goes from smartass adult-child to severe trauma victim whose innocence has been stolen by the horrors she witnessed and endured - pretty dark.

Although main concern of movies was about how family gets reunited. It was mainly not about how humans will defeat aliens. But still the end was disturbing as end is very fast and happy. Also the character of tim robbins was small even he did great job but felt to be useless.

@Arrrrrrrach said:

It's good but would be a hell of a lot better without the family melodrama throughout. The world is ending, you're not gonna act like a spoiled brat.

One thing that would have improved the film was not having Tim Robbins in it. I never really cared for him for some reason.

Travelling half way across the galaxy on the trip of a lifetime without getting your vaccinations and booster shots was a little far fetched. I'm guessing the little grey bastards must have their own version of Jenny McCarthy fear-mongering alien adults in to not vaccinating their little 'uns.

@mechajutaro said:

A thoroughly unremarkable take on one of Wells's most venerated works, from what I remember of this one. Assume then, Drooch, the director's cut featuring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning's sex scene is what you're referring to. No doubt that really did make for a disturbing sight.

There wouldn't have been a sex scene. Cruise and Fanning played father and daughter.

@ausfem said:

@mechajutaro said:

A thoroughly unremarkable take on one of Wells's most venerated works, from what I remember of this one. Assume then, Drooch, the director's cut featuring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning's sex scene is what you're referring to. No doubt that really did make for a disturbing sight.

There wouldn't have been a sex scene. Cruise and Fanning played father and daughter.

I agree. Besides Dakota was ten years old--eleven at the most when the movie was made.

@mechajutaro said:

Surprisingly Disturbing

A thoroughly unremarkable take on one of Wells's most venerated works, from what I remember of this one. Assume then, Drooch, the director's cut featuring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning's sex scene is what you're referring to. No doubt that really did make for a disturbing sight.

Actually it’s remarkable for being a mega-budget Cruise/Spielberg sci-fi blockbuster which turns out to be a relentless 2-hour holocaust, with scant relief from the horror. Any Cruise-Fanning ‘sex scene’ is thankfully confined to your imagination alone.

@mechajutaro said:

Surprisingly Disturbing

A thoroughly unremarkable take on one of Wells's most venerated works, from what I remember of this one. Assume then, Drooch, the director's cut featuring Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning's sex scene is what you're referring to. No doubt that really did make for a disturbing sight.

Yes, this film made me physically ill. Easily my least favorite movie of the decade. It's like a loathsome, repulsive creature.

@mechajutaro said:

Actually it’s remarkable for being a mega-budget Cruise/Spielberg sci-fi blockbuster which turns out to be a relentless 2-hour holocaust

You were surprised that the dude who helmed Schindler's List put forth a film featuring a different sort of Holocaust?

Any Cruise-Fanning ‘sex scene’ is thankfully confined to your imagination alone.

Not unless my imagination is interchangeable with the dry cleaner that got rid of any DNA remaining on Tom's clown costume after the dirty deed transpired. Just cause it remained on the cutting room floor don't mean it didn't happen.

Just on the slim (very slim) chance that you are not a troll, what is your evidence that a 'sex-scene' between Cruise and Dakota Fanning was done? You are the one that says or implies that such a scene did take place, so the burden of proof is on you.

This brings to mind a situation in another film where a poster insisted that a scene was filmed where a grown man 'comforted' a little boy as they showered together. He kept alluding to a 'gay' theme in this film and finally it came upon us that this person was deriving some sick thrill out of thinking of such a scene and most people in the board ignored him.

The best response to people like this person whom I am quoting is no response. So, unless concrete evidence in support of this absurd notion is presented I suggest that we ignore him.