In Theaters: War of The Worlds
Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning star in Steven Speilberg's latest alien adventure. Unlike the homesick lovable alien in "E.T." and the curious aliens in "Close Encounters", the aliens in War of The Worlds are here for one reason...to exterminate mankind. For those of you that have been in hibernation for the past fifty years, "War" is based on the H.G. Wells book of the same name, although the story has been tweaked and updated over the years the premise remains the same, mankind must go and make room for the new breed in town.
Cruise plays Ray, a divorcee that apparently only cares about himself and has no time or use for anyone's feelings but his own. When the aliens show up Cruise must save himself, his son ( Justin Chatwin) and young daughter ( Dakota Fanning) from the onslaught from the otherworld and redeem himself as a dad.
The movie is entertaining, well paced and delivers on most fronts. The inventive premise for the aliens themselves unfolds just slow enough to satisfy our curiousity and fast enough to get to the point. The dark tone to the film is effective as we the audience feel like we are in the same dark as the characters in the movie. Speilberg once again proves that no one can hold on to a mood in a movie like he can, this film is both heavy and light at the same time and holds the viewer in the seat until the very end. Cruise is Cruise and carrys the load in yet another film and carrys it like the veteren he is. Very few actors perform as well in "blockbusters" as Tom Cruise, its hard to fathom that it was 1983 when he slid across the floor and into the mainstream in "Risky Business". Several blockbusters later and Cruise proves he has the staying power. Considering Cruise's star power and box office clout, it is curious that he hasnt had a major film gross more in the U.S. than it did overseas since Jerry Maguire ( 1996)
I was mildly disappointed in Dakota Fanning's performance but im not sure if she flubbed it or Speilberg is losing his touch with child actors. Speilberg brought out the best of Drew Barrymore in "E.T." but Barrymore was truly a child that was acting. Fanning has worked with Deniro, Denzel Washington and Sean Penn. She is hardly a child that Speilberg has to trick into making faces and noises. Fanning has delivered truly amazing performances during her short career, most notably in the T.V. Miniseries "Taken" and the excellent "Man on Fire" with Denzel. In War of the Worlds however Fanning's screams and yells wore on me quickly as did her flopping back and forth from scared little girl to brave little girl. This in no way ruined or stained the movie, I was just expecting more from Fanning.
I enjoyed "War of The Worlds" and it is a true summer blockbuster.
Cruise plays Ray, a divorcee that apparently only cares about himself and has no time or use for anyone's feelings but his own. When the aliens show up Cruise must save himself, his son ( Justin Chatwin) and young daughter ( Dakota Fanning) from the onslaught from the otherworld and redeem himself as a dad.
The movie is entertaining, well paced and delivers on most fronts. The inventive premise for the aliens themselves unfolds just slow enough to satisfy our curiousity and fast enough to get to the point. The dark tone to the film is effective as we the audience feel like we are in the same dark as the characters in the movie. Speilberg once again proves that no one can hold on to a mood in a movie like he can, this film is both heavy and light at the same time and holds the viewer in the seat until the very end. Cruise is Cruise and carrys the load in yet another film and carrys it like the veteren he is. Very few actors perform as well in "blockbusters" as Tom Cruise, its hard to fathom that it was 1983 when he slid across the floor and into the mainstream in "Risky Business". Several blockbusters later and Cruise proves he has the staying power. Considering Cruise's star power and box office clout, it is curious that he hasnt had a major film gross more in the U.S. than it did overseas since Jerry Maguire ( 1996)
I was mildly disappointed in Dakota Fanning's performance but im not sure if she flubbed it or Speilberg is losing his touch with child actors. Speilberg brought out the best of Drew Barrymore in "E.T." but Barrymore was truly a child that was acting. Fanning has worked with Deniro, Denzel Washington and Sean Penn. She is hardly a child that Speilberg has to trick into making faces and noises. Fanning has delivered truly amazing performances during her short career, most notably in the T.V. Miniseries "Taken" and the excellent "Man on Fire" with Denzel. In War of the Worlds however Fanning's screams and yells wore on me quickly as did her flopping back and forth from scared little girl to brave little girl. This in no way ruined or stained the movie, I was just expecting more from Fanning.
I enjoyed "War of The Worlds" and it is a true summer blockbuster.
posted by Flixking at 4:48 PM
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