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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

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for War of the Worlds

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61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
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an impressive display of sound and fury that falls apart the minute any scrutiny is applied to the machinations of its plot.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/07/05
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

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

What hurts it is Spielberg's dogged insistence on turning it into yet another of his seemingly endless middle-brow meditations on the travails of the middle-class family.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
07/06/05
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Whether it represents filmmaking at its most opportunistic or most empathic will be up to each viewer to decide, but there's no denying its potency as a harrowing thrill ride.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
07/06/05
Matt Brunson
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

Imagine Jurassic Park handled with the sorrow and doom of Schindler’s List. It’s the most terrifying movie in ages.

Full Review Source: Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) | comment Comment
07/06/05
Mark Palermo
Mark Palermo
Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
N/R

Click to read the article

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

Click to read the article

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

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Movie Gazette | comment Comment
07/05/05
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Movie Gazette

An intense sci fi experience that should satisfy viewers who crave both expensive special effects and intimate human drama, assuming that such an audience exists.

Full Review Source: Zap2it.com | comment Comment
07/05/05
Dan Fienberg
Dan Fienberg
Zap2it.com

Spielberg has crafted a genuinely traumatic summer event movie, one that gives us images of violence and destruction of often devastating emotional weight

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
07/05/05
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

War of the Worlds is pure popcorn escapism of the highest order if you want it to be, or more, but it's never less than thrilling.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
07/05/05
Marc Savlov
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
N/R

Click to read the article

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

Almost every moment of War of the Worlds is heart-racing, jaw-dropping, knuckle-biting, date-grabbing adrenaline.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
07/05/05
Christine James
Christine James
Boxoffice Magazine

It’s as if the aliens landed and everyone died so that Tom Cruise could grow up one more time.

Full Review Source: New Yorker | comment Comment
07/05/05
David Denby
David Denby
New Yorker

The sappy and silly happily-ever-after ending deserves a big BOO!

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
07/05/05
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

[B]y far the biggest, loudest and most elaborate adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic.

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment Comment
07/05/05
Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper

Spielberg’s list of great movies is too long to catalog here, but rest assured: War of the Worlds now ranks among them.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/05/05
David Cornelius
David Cornelius
eFilmCritic.com

Spielberg as Hobbesian; Wells as eugenicist

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
07/05/05
Louis Proyect
Louis Proyect
rec.arts.movies.reviews

'...director Steven Spielberg has brought the story to this generation. And it is a story meant for this time.'

Full Review Source: Nolan's Pop Culture Review | comment Comment
07/04/05
Michael A. Smith
Michael A. Smith
Nolan's Pop Culture Review

Du pur divertissement de grande qualité.

Full Review Source: EnPrimeur.ca | comment Comment
07/04/05
Nicolas Lacroix
Nicolas Lacroix
EnPrimeur.ca
 
 
61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
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