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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 comments; UK critics are listed first)
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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]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leave it to Steven Spielberg to turn the end of the world into a treatise on responsible parenting.

Full Review Source: Flipside Movie Emporium | comment 2 Comments
06/28/05
Rob Vaux
Rob Vaux
Flipside Movie Emporium

A basic rule of thumb is - if you see Tim Robbins, you’ve stayed too long.

Full Review Source: Broomfield Enterprise | comment 1 Comment
10/27/05
Dan Marcucci and Nancy Serougi
Dan Marcucci and Nancy Serougi
Broomfield Enterprise

I just thought it was unrealistic when they killed the aliens with a chemical imbalance, because we all know there’s no such thing as a chemical imbalance.

Full Review Source: About.com | comment 1 Comment
07/07/05
Fred Topel
Fred Topel
About.com

so impressive in so many ways that it makes the frustration over its miserable final moments that much harder to bear

Full Review Source: Perihelion Journal | comment 1 Comment
10/14/06
Jay Antani
Jay Antani
Perihelion Journal
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
07/05/05
Boston Phoenix
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
07/05/05
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
07/06/05
Sydney Morning Herald

War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing but a good couple of hours at the theater.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
07/07/05
E! Online

Steven Spielberg's reasonably entertaining rendering of the 1898 H. G. Wells novel is an elemental story of predator and prey.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
06/28/05
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

...the film's only sublime moments happen in scenes where the population gets blown up.

Full Review Source: Premiere Magazine | comment Comment
06/29/05
Aaron Hillis
Aaron Hillis
Premiere Magazine

Se diga lo que se diga, captará audiencias que, como si huyeran de los extraterrestres invasores, abarrotarán las salas y se sumergirán en la tibia oscuridad...

Full Review Source: Cinenganos | comment Comment
06/28/05
Alex Ramirez
Alex Ramirez
Cinenganos

The flick is undeniably fun and Spielberg's dusted off magic still works.

Full Review Source: Juicy Cerebellum | comment Comment
06/28/05
Alex Sandell
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum
 
 
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