War of the Worlds (2005)
Country: US
Technical: DeLuxe 116m
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins
Synopsis:
A slobbish, shiftless dad gets to look after his reluctant teenage son and daughter for the weekend at a time which alien invaders happen to have preset for their eons-in-the-making takeover of Earth. The ensuing fight for survival proves excellent family therapy.
Review:
After 9/11 they said they'd never make another disaster movie...and still they come. Here we see something of the undistilled panic and incredulity at the fact of the world's most powerful nation being under attack close up; that's the liberal interpretation. A more ironically-minded (or Neo-Con) viewer might simply see yet another enactment of the 'we can lick 'em' fantasy purveyed so many times in the past. The reason this predictable personal drama/effects fest works is something to do with the totally committed fusion of the two genres. The characters' backstory is far more than incidental disaster movie stuff since they are the focus the whole way through the film; the only character outside the family unit to be given any kind of role is Robbins's survivalist fanatic. Having secured this sound, convincingly acted (by Cruise and the girl) core, Spielberg slaps on the terror and destruction. It's just what he was doing in Jaws basically. Which makes one pause and wonder when he'll grow up and do something different.
Country: US
Technical: DeLuxe 116m
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins
Synopsis:
A slobbish, shiftless dad gets to look after his reluctant teenage son and daughter for the weekend at a time which alien invaders happen to have preset for their eons-in-the-making takeover of Earth. The ensuing fight for survival proves excellent family therapy.
Review:
After 9/11 they said they'd never make another disaster movie...and still they come. Here we see something of the undistilled panic and incredulity at the fact of the world's most powerful nation being under attack close up; that's the liberal interpretation. A more ironically-minded (or Neo-Con) viewer might simply see yet another enactment of the 'we can lick 'em' fantasy purveyed so many times in the past. The reason this predictable personal drama/effects fest works is something to do with the totally committed fusion of the two genres. The characters' backstory is far more than incidental disaster movie stuff since they are the focus the whole way through the film; the only character outside the family unit to be given any kind of role is Robbins's survivalist fanatic. Having secured this sound, convincingly acted (by Cruise and the girl) core, Spielberg slaps on the terror and destruction. It's just what he was doing in Jaws basically. Which makes one pause and wonder when he'll grow up and do something different.
Country: US
Technical: DeLuxe 116m
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins
Synopsis:
A slobbish, shiftless dad gets to look after his reluctant teenage son and daughter for the weekend at a time which alien invaders happen to have preset for their eons-in-the-making takeover of Earth. The ensuing fight for survival proves excellent family therapy.
Review:
After 9/11 they said they'd never make another disaster movie...and still they come. Here we see something of the undistilled panic and incredulity at the fact of the world's most powerful nation being under attack close up; that's the liberal interpretation. A more ironically-minded (or Neo-Con) viewer might simply see yet another enactment of the 'we can lick 'em' fantasy purveyed so many times in the past. The reason this predictable personal drama/effects fest works is something to do with the totally committed fusion of the two genres. The characters' backstory is far more than incidental disaster movie stuff since they are the focus the whole way through the film; the only character outside the family unit to be given any kind of role is Robbins's survivalist fanatic. Having secured this sound, convincingly acted (by Cruise and the girl) core, Spielberg slaps on the terror and destruction. It's just what he was doing in Jaws basically. Which makes one pause and wonder when he'll grow up and do something different.