Despite super effects; a huge budget; and the cinematic pedigree of alien-happy Steven Spielberg; this take on H.G. Wells's novel is basically a horror film packaged as a sci-fi thrill ride. Instead of a mad slasher; however; Spielberg (along with writers Josh Friedman & David Koepp) utilizes aliens hell-bent on quickly destroying humanity; and the terrifying results that prey upon adult fears; especially in the post-9/11 world. The realistic results could be a new genre; the grim popcorn thriller; often you feel like you're watching Schindler's List more than Spielberg's other thrill-machine movies (Jaws; Jurassic Park). The film centers on Ray Ferrier; a divorced father (Tom Cruise; oh so comfortable) who witnesses one giant craft destroy his New Jersey town and soon is on the road with his teen son (Justin Chatwin) and preteen daughter (Dakota Fanning) in tow; trying to keep ahead of the invasion. The film is; of course; impeccably designed and produced by Spielberg's usual crew of A-class talent. The aliens are genuinely scary; even when the film--like the novel--spends a good chunk of time in a basement. Readers of the book (or viewers of the deft 1953 adaptation) will note the variation of whom and how the aliens come to Earth; which poses some logistical problems. The film opens and closes with narration from the novel read by Morgan Freeman; but Spielberg could have adapted Orson Welles's words from the famous Halloween Eve 1938 radio broadcast: "We couldn't soap all your windows and steal all your garden gates by tomorrow night; so we did the best next thing: we annihilated the world." --Doug Thomas

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The Soundtrack	The War of the Worlds (1953)	War of the Worlds - The Complete First Season (TV series)
Classic Sci-Fi Movies and Their Remakes	Aliens Invade on DVD	The Prog-rock Opera (no kidding)