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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:10

Fresh:9

Rotten:1

Average Rating:7.7/10

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 - 10 (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

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
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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
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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]
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War of the Worlds can be a nightmarish trip, but it's a terrific film, a blockbuster that lives up to its billing.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
06/29/05
Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
CNN.com
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War of the Worlds is a big, clunky movie containing some sensational sights but lacking the zest and joyous energy we expect from Steven Spielberg.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
06/28/05
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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With War of the Worlds [Spielberg] has made what is arguably one of the best 1950s science fiction films ever.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
06/28/05
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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
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Exploring the dark side of his old films E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg more than does justice to the granddaddy of all alien-invasion tales, H.G. Wells' still terrifying novel published in 1898.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
06/28/05
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
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A gritty, intense and supremely accomplished sci-fier about some distinctly unbenign alien invaders.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/28/05
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
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