Most of the film is utterly terrifying. On that level, Spielberg has succeeded totally....Where the film runs into problems is in the overall pacing and structure.
Comment
06/30/05
War of the Worlds (2005)
73
%
Tomatometer
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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.
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... [More]
Starring: Tom Cruise, Miranda Otto, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins
Director: Steven Spielberg
Reviews for War of the Worlds
101 - 120 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
There’s not much plot, depth or character development, but it more than makes up for it in relentless intensity and consistency of vision.
06/30/05
Generates chills through eerie, ambient sounds, slow-panning camera shots and pants-pissingly scared characters . . . a nerve-gripping, full-throttle rollercoaster ride.
06/30/05
For all its technical beauty, there's something lacking. It often feels a bit like Spielberg phoned the film in or at the very least painted it by numbers.
06/30/05
[A] shockingly unimaginative remake.
06/30/05
The imagery is startling not just for its symbolic resonances, but for the breathless intensity with which it sears the screen.
06/30/05
The screenplay ... is more intimate, eschewing a worldwide coverage of the invasion. This concept makes the calamity more immediate, more personal.
06/30/05
Pitched at a level of interpersonal experience amid the mayhem, this blockbuster offers no sense of loss. Given its ending, you'd think the power had been out for a few days.
06/30/05
Spielberg directs his early scenes with a vigorous and absolute sense of terror.
06/30/05
The moment two youngsters appear more frightening than attacking aliens, you can't help suspecting there'll be additional moviemaking trouble ahead. And you're right.
06/30/05
My recommendation is tempered by the fact that this started off as a great movie and ended as little more than a piece of pleasant fluff.
06/30/05
an awesome summer movie that showcases a director and some actors at the top of their games.
06/30/05
... the inventor of the summer blockbuster directing the biggest movie star on the planet... It’s big, it’s loud, and it’s what you expect an “event” film to be.
06/30/05
A sure-footed thrill ride with more suspense and spine-tingling scares than a Tom Cruise publicity junket.
06/30/05
Let Cruise rant and jump on furniture all he wants. So long as he can churn out movies like this one, he's free to make a fool of himself all he wants.
06/30/05
A Brick-breaking, glass-shattering, emotion-grabbing first half, stalls, then tailspins into a complete mess. Ending is as bad as the openning is good.
06/29/05
... like watching 100 minutes of the actual apocalypse and then switching to the climax of a sappy TV movie about parenting.
06/29/05
This is Spielberg's finest hour since 1998's Saving Private Ryan.
06/29/05
Everybody wins with “War of the Worlds,” a fast-paced summer blockbuster that will appeal to action, sci-fi and drama fans.
06/29/05
Be prepared for long intervals of holding your breath, because this is the real deal.
06/29/05
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