I’ve been meaning to write something about this since I saw it a couple of weeks ago.
Critical opinion has been very mixed, and a couple of people of work seem to have found the whole thing enormously disappointing.
But first things first, Spielberg’s transported H G Wells’ classic from nineteenth century Surrey to 21st century New Jersey. But liberties with the setting aside, he’s been remarkably true to the book.
The aliens arrive quickly (although not noticeably from Mars), and quickly terrify humankind who have no hope of defeating them. The special effects are, needless to say, outstanding.
Tom Cruise plays Ray Ferrier, an estranged father of a couple of kids, who starts the film taking them in for the weekend. He then spends the rest of the film, effectively impotent as he tries to protect them and is largely helpless.
The big thing about this film, and indeed, the book, is that things sort themselves out, and it’s not some kind of heroic Cruise intervention that saves the planet (a la Will Smith in Independence Day, when he has no problems finding the right cable to dock his Apple with the alien spaceship). Of course, Cruise does manage a couple of smallish heroics along the way, but fails to manage many more. And I think we really understand his complete helplessness as he has to try to be a father to his children.
Yes, his daughter screams just a little too much, but a young child probably would scream a lot in the cirumstances. And his son is annoying beyond belief, but then aren’t all teenagers?
Overall, the best Spielberg film I’ve seen in absolutely ages (and I speak as someone who hasn’t even seen The Terminal).