War of the worlds

  • Thread starter Thread starter Slick Rick
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I don't know how many of you have read the book before but the only similarities I could find was the title and the fact there were aliens. But then again is was a modern interpertation of the book so maybe I'm being a little to harsh.

The endind wasn't terriable, just incrediably blunt. No falling action but it wasn't bad.

**Spoilers**





Overall the movie was action packed and I enjoyed it, although most people couldn't understand why the aliens died off at the end. It was that they couldn't survive in the environment for those who didn't pick up on it.
 
God!? God!? Hang on...God gets a mention? Wells must have spun so fast in his coffin it probably burrowed to the earths core! Wells hated religion and was a stout athiest. In fact in the novel a village Parson is found cracking up and going totally bonkers and ends up getting eaten by the Martians (though we are not told this explicitally)!
It strikes me that this War of the Worlds is a re-make of the '53 Byron Haskin film which also credited mankinds salvation to God. Well, that's really put a downer on the film for me. Oh I think I'll just read the novel again thanks!
 
Some of the comments in the thread above make me fear for the future of the human race if there are posters out there who can write and use computers but can't, for example, figure out why the Martians in the film are dying when the narrator actually explicitly states it at the end of the film :crikey:!

I agree with the majority of those who have taken the tack that, whilst it is not a film-of-the-book but a remake of the earlier War of the Worlds, it is still a pretty good watch.

I was particularly disposed to scorn and despise it as I chose H.G. Wells as my English Literature dissertation way back when we still had to learn things in school {pauses to push that particular soapbox away before I get going :D}. So, I was therefore surprised that, despite the inconsistencies here and there and the liberties with the story, it was quite emotionally engaging.

The feelings of fear and helplessness and impotent rage (particularly around the Ferry scene when the Tripods are striding over the hillsides randomly slaughtering/harvesting the fleeing population) were very well put across. The all too human frailties of the main characters worked well too. Even the screaming daughter with her multiple modern-day allergies and weaknesses that rapidly became secondary when everything fell apart.

The greatest let-down, as others have said, is the unexplained survival and journey of the son. A few scenes that hinted at how he evaded incineration would've been welcome but you can always use your own imagination to fill in the blanks I suppose.

I would recommend anyone to go and read some of the H.G. Wells classics. He was a great 'futurist' and scientific thinker; one of the Great Minds of the 19th century. Some of his novels seem a bit pedestrian and predictible now but you have to remember that the things he was writing of hadn't even been invented (and some still haven't). So don't be so quick to dismiss certain elements of his work just because a hundred years of advancement for us have revealed a wider horizon.
 
EvilToast
we should write a letter to george lucas to NEVER EVER cast dakota fanning again as she is the most annoying little grl i've ever seen, and i have a little sister but shes not even half as bad as her.
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Maybe you should write that letter to Steven Spielberg instead seeing as it was him who directed this.
I really have little to add to criticisms of the movie (the unkillable son, the annoying as **** little girl, how DID the aliens die? and so on..). Still not a bad movie though, the effects really saved it since they weren't over the top like many movie CG and some scenes, the initial lightning "attack" and subsequent rise of the first alien and also the scenes in the basement, hiding from the alien eye were very entertaining.
I laughed really hard at this too:

Robbie: "Are they terrorists?"
Cruise: "No Robbie, they aren't terrorists..."
Robbie: "Where did they come from then? Europe?!"
Cruise: "NO ROBBIE! THEY'RE NOT FROM EUROPE!!"

:lol:
 
I actually loved the movie, despite some plot holes; I just got back from seeing it.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Firstly, I thought Dakota Fanning was great. Lots of you found her to be annyoing, but she was supposed to be annoying. Think about it, how many little girls would be able to go through an immense struggle like she did, and not whine and complain at any point. It's realistic.

I really was able to get into the movie, it really sucked me in. Speilberg did a great job with it.

Oh yeah, I also loved the European comment. It was especially funny considering I was watching the movie with a friend from France at the time!

But now, I feel like pointing out some plot holes.

Firstly, as mentioned before, there were people using electronic cameras and video recorders despite a massive emp blast just minutes before. Also, the son should have died. If he was anywhere near that huge wall of flame, he should have been incinerated. Damn Hollywood and their picture perfect endings...

But, what really bugs me is how the aliens died. How they died, and how their machines stopped working made perfect sense to me (how can they fight a war and maintain their machines properly if all of them are becoming ill?). But, this invasion had been planned at least hundreds of years before, and this race has advanced technology, including intergalactic travel. So, why didn't it occur to any member of this advanced race to work out a way to defend against 'simple' microorganisms? Huge plot hole.
 
Hi Evo

Not really a plot hole as such with regard to the viral suseptability of the aliens. More something that needs a little creative interpretation.

Perhaps the aliens learned millenia ago how to wipe out all the harmful micro-oraganisms on their home world(s). If so they would have no immunity and if they had provided themselves with a sterile environment long enough ago then perhaps they no longer had a body of scientific knowledge about them. It's sort of the flipside of the concept that if we make it out there into the wider universe we won't need to worry about alien diseases because our bio-chemistry would be too different (at least in the short term) for the little 'bugs' to get a handle on.

Not that an explaination is required to enjoy the movie of course - that's why the God of Celluloid invented the suspension of disbelief :).
 
Anderton Prime
If you're going to make an old book into a summer blockbuster movie, you're going to have to update it somewhat in order for audiences to buy it. If something's not believable in a movie, you can't simply say "Well, that's the way it was in the book."
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They did. It was called "Independance Day". They even updated the virus...


Watch the original "The War of the Worlds". Much better than this dross-fest.
 
I enjoyed this film, I'm a fan of the book and the story, and I thought it was a nice 21st century telling of a 19th century story. Most of my points have been mentioned, but I'll chime in to say the sound designer and foley team did an excellent job. I noticed the foley was mixed hotter than most films to give that close-up feeling, and I enjoyed that a lot of the tension was built with sound.

I did wonder, though, after the EMP's destroyed everything, including watches, how did the cameras keep on working?
 
the DV cam working when there was that EMP blast or summet was dodgy. and the news van. other than that it was an alrite movie. didnt keep me interested but killed a few hours at least. and yea, it finished WAAY too early
 
Overall I thought it was a good movie. The whole EMP thing though was a bit messed up. It supposedly killed everything electronic, yet changing the starter and starter solenoid in some Chrysler van made it run again. Then as previously mentioned, the news van and everything inside worked, and so did all the US Army/USAF jets, helicopters, hummers, 6x6 trucks, etc. Even the ferry...but all that didnt really bother me. Dakota was annoying, the kid was a retard and should have died, and the ending could have been better but I have seen much worse...
 
Great movie, overall. Spielberg always fluffs the endings up. Anybody see "AI"?

I loved the homages to the 1953 movie. There were lots of them, including that quick cameo by Gene Barry (star of the old movie) as the white-haired grandpa right at the end.

You guys that are trashing the performances of the kids obviously don't have any. Got news for you: 16-year old guys are like that, especially when they have a flakey divorced Dad like Ray. He had a V8 engine in his kitchen, for God's sake! How would you treat him if you were Robbie?

Dakota Fanning was perfect as Rachel. Another news flash: A 9-year-old girl watching the world and the human race being destroyed around her would not behave like Trinity in "The Matrix". She would act exactly like she did in the movie, and the tiny actress nailed the performance. Like the L.A. Times reviewer said, pound-for-pound, she's the best in the business at the moment. You guys are completely out to lunch on that aspect.

Sure, there were a few mistakes made (Like the one camera working, and how did the shields suddenly go down?), just as there are in just about all other movies, but I've seen it twice so far, and wouldn't mind seeing it again.
 
It sucked. 2/10. Not since Napoleon Dynamite or mission to mars have I seen a movie this crappy.

The only good thing was that Mustang fastback in the beginning, and the fact that there was an engine block in the Kitchen.
 
menglan
The only good thing was that Mustang fastback in the beginning, and the fact that there was an engine block in the Kitchen.
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Let me guess: You really liked "Armageddon", didn't you?
 
Come on... Pbbleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase spare me another armageddon movie. :rolleyes: Watching it now. OMFG this is so damn predictable. Maybe I can tell if I'll get a GF or a job from it too. :dopey: Why is it Tom Cruise never dies?

Robbie
What did they come from Europe?!
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Moron... :rolleyes:
 
I just finished watching this DVD and I must say, I am impressed. 👍 Some in this thread thinks Spielberg has lost "it". I was thinking the opposite.

As mentioned by you guys, there was that magical digital camera that didn't die, Robbie who somehow survives the explosion/fire that kills the entire army and the ending that might be bit hard to swallow. Even considering all that, I gotta give it "A-" for all the positives. Actually, there was one part that nobody has mentioned that bothered me, and it's the scene in the basement. End of that sequence didn't feel right to me(was that Tim Robbins?).

Anyways, in the beginning, this movie is actually funnier than "Meet the Fokkers"(I hope I spelled that right). Acting is above average. Annoying kids were superb. Special effects and action were just GREAT. I think I'm going to pick up a copy of it. 👍
 
Alright concept...alright movie..

Not worth buying IMO, i rented it and watched it 1 1/2 times...then took it back...

I don't understand how the son lived, I don't understand how we havn't seen these things...

I want to know WTF those laser beams were..were they so cold they burned you?
or were they lightning or WTF...

and i'm sorry, but that ending was extremely lame....

very "believable" though..

if we were ever attacked by aliens, I think we've F'ed our planet up enough to kill them off without fightning back
 
Not a very good movie. I didn't end up caring about any of the characters. I found myself WANTING robbie to die... imagine how much I enjoyed the ending. I wasn't bothered as many of you were by the daughter's leech-like attitude, I found it to be fairly realistic. What I didn't like was her spastic behavior changes. She went from being calm and collected to freaking out to exorcist-like-possessed girl in no time. She needed a bit more consistency.

Cruise's character was also no good since he was obviously a lousy father and pretty much useless.

So Robbie 👎, Daughter 👎, Cruise 👎, Mom & Stepdad 👎.

The step dad and mom were also bad. We don't see anything about their story but the ending leaves you with a lot of questions about their ordeal - which casts the ending into doubt.

So the movie had no life. I might have enjoyed it if I weren't so apathetic.


But what I did like about the movie was how true it stayed to the book. Where it strayed (tripods buried underground, cruise has children, method of alien transportation) it didn't do well. But it stayed with the book even through the weird blood business and dealing with the captives. Obviously we all knew what was going to happen at the end of the movie (in terms of the aliens), because we've all seen and heard about the war of the worlds story. But what usually isn't shown is the complete lack of hope by the main character, and his refusal to try to fight (unless he's saving his life). All in all you have to give this one props for staying close to the book.
 
This is my review of War of the worlds, copied from another site. And i cant beleive how so many of you didnt like it!

Excellent film, but whatever you do, don't, i repeat DO NOT see this on a (bad Q) pirate. The sound really does make this film & if you see it with crap sound the film will seem pretty average.

You all know the plot of this. Evil alien tripod things are destroying the planet. Thats it really. This is Spielberg in Jurrasic Park mode, not ET mode.

Tom Cruise & Dakota Fanning are the stars of this. Tom is very good as the bad father. He isnt your typical Cruise in this, he isnt Mr hero, he's just a dad & (in the film) not a very good one. Dakota is about the only tolerable young actress that exists & she is such a good actress (she even made me cry in Man on Fire!).

Ok, good points. Cruise, Fanning, Robins all the actors are extremely good. The CGi is superb. The alien thingy's weaponry is deadly & bloody effective at makin you on the edge of your seat. The hole film is really intense.

Bad points, err. Well the ending isnt bad, but its a bit of a anti-climax. Also (even though he is great) Tim Robbins part could almost have just been cut out, its really quite pointless.

I don't think i have ever seen a film this intense before. Its probably cause of the surround sound. But it truely is excellent. I even when "jesus christ" at one point, which i never do. I rarely speak during a film, i absorb myself into the world of cinema, but this. Well go and see it!

8/10


On reflexion now, it really is just a extremely jumped up popcorn flick. But still a very good one. All these peopl that are complaining about the ending as well, what did you want to happen?? have a nice huge dramatic explosion like Independence Day?? and if they did, you'd have had people moaning that it didnt follow the book! Some people cant win.
 
555
All these peopl that are complaining about the ending as well, what did you want to happen??
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I'll tell you what I wanted to happen (SPOILERS)

I wanted the son, mother, and step dad to be dead.
 
Like many movies, it started very strong. the first 40 minutes or so was great (as was the ferryboat scene).

Then problems developed. The second time I saw it, I realized how little sense the airliner crash sequence made. I would also like to know how little Tom apparently killed big ol' Tim Robbins with his bare hands, why the shields went down on the tripods, and how Robbie escaped total incineration.

And, like everybody else, I despised the feel-good family reunion ending.
 
hey, i rented this today and i gotta say the visuals are awesome. enjoying it for it's eye candy I loved it. its a surreal movie with plenty of action. i liked the surreal sequences of the warring between the us army and aliens the most
 
Zardoz
Like many movies, it started very strong. the first 40 minutes or so was great (as was the ferryboat scene).

Then problems developed. The second time I saw it, I realized how little sense the airliner crash sequence made.
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Because when planes hit the ground and explode..

they stop on a dime right where they landed....and stay pretty much well intact....UH DOI

I would also like to know how little Tom apparently killed big ol' Tim Robbins with his bare hands
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I'll show you how...

filmmi17kk.jpg



VS


filmshaw2ig.jpg


That's how
why the shields went down on the tripods
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Everyone knows, that amoeba's....And...parasites..and polution....Disable sheilds...
don't be dumb!
and how Robbie escaped total incineration.
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I guess ugly Emo/goth make up isn't completely useless afterall
 
I was bothered by that shield bit as well, but in Spielberg's defense, alien inside that thing were so messed up they probably couldn't think straight by the end. So, I'd say it's entirely possible they turned off the shield by accident and weren't even aware that it wasn't on.

Also, when the hatch was opened, fluid dumps out the vehicle/craft first, then the alien reaches out. It looked like they operated inside the fluid.
 
Driftster
Because when planes hit the ground and explode..

they stop on a dime right where they landed....and stay pretty much well intact....UH DOI

I'll show you how...

VS

That's how

Everyone knows, that amoeba's....And...parasites..and polution....Disable sheilds...
don't be dumb!

I guess ugly Emo/goth make up isn't completely useless afterall
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ROFLMAO!
 
555
All these peopl that are complaining about the ending as well, what did you want to happen?? have a nice huge dramatic explosion like Independence Day?? and if they did, you'd have had people moaning that it didnt follow the book! Some people cant win.
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My ending issue is not with how teh aliens die. That is key to the entire point of the story. What I hated was what Danoff mentioned. What is the deal with the everyone survives happy ending? The whole family gets together in theonly section of the city that apparently wasn't attacked.

My biggest complaint was that I hated Tom Cruise's character and had no concern for his well being and if killing Dakota Fanning was the only way to shut her up I would have accepted it. Tim Robbins shouldn't have even been there. He was the most pointless character I have ever seen.

Oh, and the whole when aliens catch bird flu they shut down their shields thing made no sense.
 
they didn't catch the bird flu...

It's just their body couldn't handle the bacteria and microscopic organisms that made earth their home..
it's like...every little thing in the water was some new disease to them.....

THAT makes sense..

We've intoruced enough crap into our environment to kill off anything that wasn't "born" here....

but the sheilds thing still doesn't make sense..
 
Driftster
they didn't catch the bird flu...
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It's called a joke. I was referring to current events in a joke.
I am fully aware of what was going on having read and owned the book, having heard and owned the radio drama, having seen and owned the original movie, and having watched the TV series.
It's just their body couldn't handle the bacteria and microscopic organisms that made earth their home..
it's like...every little thing in the water was some new disease to them.....

THAT makes sense..

We've intoruced enough crap into our environment to kill off anything that wasn't "born" here....
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It wasn't anything we introduced, it was microscopic organisms that we have battled since before we were sentient beings. It had nothing to do with us introducing anything (pollutants?) into the water. The point of this was to show that we as humans are insignificant and the War of the Worlds was not won by humans but by creatures so tiny that we can't see them with the naked eye. It is the same thing that happened to Native Americans when they met settlers. The settlers gave them a cold and they died because they had no immunity built up against it.
 
Driftster
it's called you went through way to much trouble to defend a crappy statement about the crappy ending of a crappy movie
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And a very slow day at work.
 

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