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Movies / On DVD / War of the Worlds
War of the Worlds

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War of the Worlds (2005)

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Reviews Counted:240

Fresh:176

Rotten:64

Average Rating:7/10

Consensus: War of the Worlds delivers on the thrill and paranoia of H.G. Wells' classic novel.

Rated: 12A [See Full Rating] for frightening sequences of sci-fi violence and disturbing images

Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:01-07-2005

Synopsis: On June 29th, 2005, Earth goes to war. From Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures comes "War of the Worlds," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring international superstar Tom Cruise. A... On June 29th, 2005, Earth goes to war. From Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures comes "War of the Worlds," directed by Steven Spielberg and starring international superstar Tom Cruise. A contemporary retelling of H.G. Wells's seminal classic, the sci-fi adventure thriller reveals the extraordinary battle for the future of humankind through the eyes of one American family fighting to survive it. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin, and Tim Robbins. Cruise stars as Ray Ferrier, a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife (Miranda Otto) and her new husband drop off his teenage son Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and young daughter Rachel (Dakota Fanning) for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down. Moments later, at an intersection near his house, Ray witnesses an extraordinary event that will change all their lives forever. A towering three-legged war machine emerges from deep beneath the earth and, before anyone can react, incinerates everything in sight. An ordinary day has suddenly become the most extraordinary event of their lifetimes - the first strike in a catastrophic alien attack on Earth. Ray scrambles to get his children away from this merciless new enemy, embarking on a journey that will take them across the ravaged countryside, where they become caught in the desperate tide of refugees fleeing from an extraterrestrial army of Tripods. But no matter where they run, there is no safety, no refuge … only Ray's unconquerable will to protect the ones he loves. Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures present an Amblin Entertainment/Cruise|Wagner Production, a Steven Spielberg film, "War of the Worlds." Directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Josh Friedman and David Koepp, based on the novel by H. G. Wells, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. The executive producer is Paula Wagner. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Justin Chatwin and Tim Robbins. This film has been rated PG-13 for Frightening Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence and Disturbing Images. Spielberg's core filmmaking team, which has collaborated with the director on numerous projects, is led by director of photography Janusz Kaminski, ASC, production designer Rick Carter, editor Michael Kahn, A.C.E., and costume designer Joanna Johnston. Music is composed by John Williams. Visual effects and animation is by Industrial Light & Magic, led by senior visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. "War of the Worlds" opens worldwide on June 29, 2005. The film's official website is: www.waroftheworlds.com -- © DreamWorks Pictures [More]

Starring: Tom Cruise, Miranda Otto, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins

Starring: Tom Cruise, Miranda Otto, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins, Justin Chatwin

Director: Steven Spielberg

Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Josh Friedman, David Koepp
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Paula Wagner, Colin Wilson, Tom Cruise
Composer: John Williams
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC

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Reviews for War of the Worlds

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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The film succeeds as pure sensation, an exacting distillation of fear.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Jessica Winter
Jessica Winter
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Surprisingly dark for a blockbuster and delivers handsomely in terms of thrills and special effects.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
07/05/05
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

A greatest-hits package from our greatest living entertainer, there is almost overmuch to admire here, but only the moments that aspire to post-9/11 relevance chill as well as thrill.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
07/05/05
Colin Kennedy
Colin Kennedy
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Steven Spielberg has delivered the blockbuster of the summer, a stunning sci-fi spectacular that’ll blow you away. Yes, I know I’m gushing, but War Of The Worlds really is that good.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
07/05/05
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

The story may be sci-fi, but the product is a horror film, plain and simple: a brilliantly constructed scaring machine.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
07/05/05
Paul Arendt
Paul Arendt
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

How refreshing to see Spielberg rock the boat with nothing more shocking than pure old-fashioned fear

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
07/05/05
James Christopher
James Christopher
Times [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Spielberg effortlessly centres on the human drama amid the astounding imagery. So it's a pity the adaptation of HG Wells' classic novel becomes so contrived.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
06/28/05
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Event movies as brilliantly executed as War of The Worlds come by very, very rarely indeed. Easily one of the finest disaster movies of all time.

Full Review Source: FilmFocus | comment Comment
06/28/05
Joe Utichi
Joe Utichi
FilmFocus
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: NPR.org | comment Comment
10/18/08
Bob Mondello
Bob Mondello
NPR.org
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/18/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

great flick from spielberg

Full Review Source: sbs.is | comment Comment
03/02/08
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
sbs.is

This is Spielberg at his unabashedly commercial worst %u2014 bland, unimaginative, and more interested in his bang than his brain.

Full Review Source: BrandonFibbs.com | comment Comment
02/28/08
Brandon Fibbs
Brandon Fibbs
BrandonFibbs.com

Spielberg blows stuff up better than anyone -- he proves himself the maestro of that by-now-degraded game.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/23/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

Spielberg flips the E.T. script with this sci-fi flick which reverts to the pulp fiction notion of aliens as the enemies of earthlings.

Full Review Source: Princeton Town Topics | comment Comment
06/27/07
Kam Williams
Kam Williams
Princeton Town Topics

Spielberg's calculations turn out to be more prominent than any effects they could possibly produce, and the less pretentious 1953 version by producer George Pal emerges as more likable.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
06/08/07
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader

Reconfirms Spielberg as a master of action, here seamlessly integrating spectacular visual magic into the most mundane and familiar settings.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
02/26/07
Kevin Lally
Kevin Lally
Film Journal International

Like disasters in real life, the film hits you in the gut with a vision of catastrophe, and leaves you to sort out what it all means.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
11/17/06
Peter T. Chattaway
Peter T. Chattaway
Christianity Today

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
10/30/06
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
 
 
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Latest News for War of the Worlds

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