Written by: Josh Friedman & David Koepp
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins, Justin Chatwin
Rating: [3/5]
As with many things in life, no playbook exists on how to properly react to an alien invasion. A scare and threat that will rattle individuals down to their frightened core and succumb to our most primal instincts built solely for the purpose of survival. When operating in this realm War of the Worlds excels, but unfortunately for vast stretches, we spend time with the main characters and there it mightily struggles.
Having his kids for some time, Ray (Tom Cruise) does not have everything necessarily together and his kids know it. After a mysterious lightning storm occurs in their town, mysterious figures appear from beneath the Earth that is to exterminate humans. As Ray attempts to get his children to Boston for safety, he must contend not only with these aliens but also with other humans acting out in desperation.
With the prevalence of alien invasion films and the general sense of fear they imbue through their narrative, creates fertile ground for something both terrifying and entertaining. Films like Independence Day work this fear of the unknown out from space and turn it into an action thriller, while Arrival takes a more thoughtful approach. War of the World dives fully into the fear these aliens cause upon their arrival with the added mix of them possibly planning this for a while when we see the vehicles they navigate.
These aliens not only land on Earth to make their presence known but they have the sinister intention of causing some wreckage. As we see throughout the film, they cause some serious damage and we have no indication of what they aim to do other than just vaporize humans as they run away. Displaying these particular scenes shows this film working at its very best. Scene after scene of Ray and others running away from these attacks builds out this horrific sense of dread of there being absolutely no hope. This inherent bleakness makes these moments difficult to watch but brings much of the entertainment this film has to offer.
Every scene when exhibiting the aliens attack demonstrates what makes this film undeniably entertaining, but every second we spend with these characters and the familial unit brings it all to a screeching halt on multiple occasions. Ray does not have the best relationship with his kids as a divorced father and it shows in the very first scene they all share. Rachel (Dakota Fanning) certainly has more care for him than the older brother, Robbie (Justin Chatwin). Watching Robbie bicker, yell, or pout around Ray makes for such a grating experience and simply just takes away from the elements this movie succeeded the most with. You would think the moments we spend with him would make for something resonant when it comes full circle but nothing could be farther from the truth. Justin Chatwin gets saddled with an unfortunate role and what he receives on screen does him no favors.
The family dynamic fails the film but then we get the dreaded scene that involves Tim Robbins in his portrayal of the paranoid Harlan. Another scene that breaks up the momentum of the film and delivers an unwatchable sequence. It surely attempts to further drive the point home of individuals losing their minds when brought down to this primal fear of this unknown but it works best when looking at the crowds, as seen in other films but when filtered down to the individual, it mightily struggles. Robbins just does not fit the role and it just made me wish the aliens would wipe out the house to get back to the good stuff.
With the complaints I have about War of the Worlds regarding the characters, it remains something that certainly entertains and creates some visually spectacular scenes. Several moments of these alien crafts wiping out individuals as Ray runs away display some of the most effective scenes depicted in an alien invasion film. The film does so well in eliciting this mass hysteric fear that makes these individuals lose all sense of hope allowing for an enjoyable viewing experience in spite of the horrific character work, which surprises me as a film crafted by Steven Spielberg. Certainly not his best overall but still has plenty to appreciate.
Films with Josh 
