It's a shame Spielberg didn't cast Tim Robbins (or a similar actor) as the protagonist. I like Tom Cruise in his action roles and he was "ok" in this, but I think the movie just needed more than that. And the kids... Well, don't think I even have to go into that, they were pretty awful.
This movie is underrated in my opinion. The first two acts feel like a straight up horror movie. The hopelessness the characters feel is incredibly palpable, and the tripods are terrifying. The third act kinda crumbled under its own weight, but I still love it.
@@GabiteEditz Yeah, it had SOME good parts (the alien colonoscopy camera checking for human polyps, seeing the true face of the enemy) but God, all I could think was "Why did you jump into that guys basement?"
@@allenharper2928 My main belief on the aliens exploring the basement was pretty much for the sake of exploration. Their whole point of invasion was to basically colonize earth.
Just watched this movie again for the umpteenth time on one of the HBOs. The "emergence" scene and the attack at the ferry are still gripping 14 years later.
@@nikolaszuraff1234 the horns they sound to signal each other from their slow and methodical genocide reaping everything in their path. still haunting. they did a great job
@@cathrynmcpartland1752 it's looks like going good looking like being new DVD releases review history books documentary about biography book club fun more information about money made into store story about how much money does it take history back to the future same timeline time travel into the office interview review biography book box office in the wor of the world
My favorite scene was the dock scene, when everybody thinks they’re gonna be ok, they here a tree collapse and then there’s a tripod on top of the hill just staring down thousands of people. One of the most epic sci-fi scenes of all time.
I think he means that the soundtrack doesn't really stand without being heard in the movie. Take for example when someone uses a John Williams score in parody. You will likely get something more like Jaws or Star Wars. The soundtrack does its job very well in the movie but you don't really go home humming the tune. In my opinion however this gives it its own strength given that War of the Worlds isn't a grand spectacle like Jaws or Star Wars. It's a dark story of people running just to stay alive in what seems like the end of the world.
My dad was unaffected by these movies and basically made the family sit down to watch it and I kept getting nightmares about those arms. My 5 tear old brain was very imaginative.
Why the hell would people want to mass slaughter a tiny child for being annoying? Shes just in fear, whats next? Torturing her causing more screams while tom cruise gets beaten up by guards? Freaking- Argument Starter: *_oH YoU IdiOt sHeS ANnOyIng scReAMs_* Seriously, what is wrong with the internet.
Bananappleboy World you missed out the fact that if this was irl and I’m trying to survive but this dumbass kid keeps screaming , you ar gonna be annoyed as fuck
I really dug this movie. It’s kinda gives me the same feeling the first act of Independence Day did. Sure the family is annoying as shit in this situation, but yours would be too.
Look I don’t have a problem with the family...I know everyone would act like this...but you have to admit they don’t have to have the child screaming all the time like would if not give you a bloody head ache?
@@V1nce_man Before or after I have a heart attack from the freaky tension, atmosphere, and visuals? In my opinion, it works better being more realistic. This would be terrifying to experience as an adult, and I can't imagine a child not screaming so much in the midst of this situation. Kids don't necessarily think as rationally about what's the best thing to do in the situation. There is a crazy killer robot thing coming out there to KILL you.
TayoEXE And I get that! But... it’s just that blood curdling scream! It really hurts to listen to and I know that’s a bit weak on my part but don’t say you’d listen to it all the time... I love this movie so much I’ve watched it at least 20 times! And yet that scream still scares and makes me so annoyed
After watching this movie in theaters, I got in the car and looked at the sky. “I will never look at the sky the same way again”. And I never did. Every time I see clouds forming I get petrified. Iconic classic.
It’s not a river of blood. It is the Red Weed, essentially terraforming the earth. (Mars-forming?). The weed, in the novel, is the source of Mar’s red color
@rob slack: Having not yet read the source-material novel by Wells, would that "red weed" be in the water, though? ??? Anyway, the Martians would "water" their plants with lots and lots of Terran blood, no...?
@paper back writer: You read the book? Hmm, did H.G. Wells' novel spell fertilizer as "fertilizar lol"? ??? Nevermind that, assholes! I'm not asking anymore! I'll read the damned book myself, and then I won't tell any of you weirdos a damned thing about it thereafter, so BLEAH! I win, so take that! ua-cam.com/video/uRMpwNiiyLk/v-deo.html LOLOLOLOLOLOL BWAAHAHAHAHAHA!
This movie scared the shit out of me when I was a kid, I remember watching this and breathing heavy when the tripods started vaporizing people and every time that horn came on
This movie has a special place in my heart. It may not be perfect, but it always manages to deliver and make me fell the terror and powerlessness of the protagonists like no other movie does.
@@HuntersMoon78 the little girl is horribly annoying, the boy is a stupid asshole. Sure it makes the film more interesting in my opinion, a weird family with weird relationships and very contrasting personalities
Minor correction. The red landscape isn't literally a "river of blood" (at least not for the most part) but rather the results of a kind of terraforming where the aliens are planting down a carpet of red weed. This detail is from the book. The movie does seem to show the tripods spraying harvested human blood on it as a fertilizer, however, so you're kinda right. I actually think it makes a bit of sense if the red plant life is unlike Earth's green plants which take in CO2, but rather breathe in O2 almost like animal life--what better to spray on them than human blood rich in oxygen? But anyway, I think the color comes from the weeds themselves, not blood or gore (though the visual similarity is powerful and creepy in its own way). Thanks for the review! I've always appreciated this movie a lot, despite its final moments which undermine it somewhat.
Spielberg mentioned something around those lines, that he wanted the terraforming aspect from the book to be featured in the movie. There was also a fluff documentary released for the movie called "watch the skies!" or something around those lines that was a backdoor promotion for WOTW disguised as a serious documentary about the history of Sci-Fi, I seem to remember he mentions it there?. It wasnt too bad, it featured Ridley Scott, George Lucas and James Cameron. I cant blame Ollie though, this is a very uneven movie.
I love how the film gives you a sense of hopelessness as in most alien films the humans always have a good fighting chance and manage to beat them but here they have no weapons that can beat them and have no escape from them
That would be in the movie. In the novel the british army brought a few tripods down with field guns and naval artillery. One of the reasons why they shoehorned shields.
@@rapatacush3 It was supposed to be an unwinnable battle in the novel too. Humanity would have gone extinct, or been relegated to being basically cattle had the Martians not been killed by a virus. One of the themes of the novels is british colonialism, and how a "conflict" like that would feel from the perspective of the victims. They attack the London area, because at the time the novel was written, that was basically the center of the "civilized" world. "Hey what if the worlds biggest empire got its shit kicked on by something that makes THEM look like ants." This is also why the movies change the setting to America (we're now the biggest superpower), and why the technology in the films dwarfs that of the novel. With modern technology the Martians from the novel would've been less threatening, and it would've made that aspect of the story weaker, and the horror less intense. It's not a bad thing the Martians are OP. They were always supposed to be.
@@anarchistjesus7354 funny thing there is a history were a few cylinders fell in texas and they were quickly deal with by an angry posse of cowboys. How? They never let them to build more than a tripod.
@@rapatacush3 That's from the novel, or sequel, right? That's true, but the obvious response to that from the aliens is going to be to land further from people, and not let themselves be seen until they're already in the tripod.
the Tripods were done nearly perfect for what they were supposed to be. their movements were believable and they did a fantastic job at showing the sheer scale of the machines.
I really like this 2005 version of "The War of The Worlds." I first saw this in 2010 and it was very dark and scary but I kept on watching it to the end and I really loved watching it. I'm now 21 years old now. It was the very first "War of The Worlds" film I've watched as a young kid. I also liked the 1935 "War of The Worlds" movie as well. The 2005 Tripods are amazing and also terrifying at the same time.
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds from 1978 still remains my favourite adaptation of the story, I'll never forget listening to it for the first time back in primary school and hearing the late Richard Burton's voice was so haunting.
Who is Rake quoting, that isnt even what he said in the commentary? He said, " purchased a Boeing 747 and cut it up for the scene " (see 10:45 ) I think Rake meant ship not shipped, probably not a native English speaker. Dont try to make sense of what Rake said - imho there is none to find
weldonwin In the book the martians went "aloo" as they burned towns and people. When they were dying from the dogs and crows eating them they said "ulaa". This was because the martians had a very basic anatomy as stated in the book and likely no vocal chords.
The emergence scene still gets me, honestly. The ferry scene, the burning train. This terrified me as a kid, and even now as a mother the sheer hopelessness gets to me. I genuinely think it is vastly under-rated, especially because of the terrible more recent adaptations of WOTW. The rock opera is still the best, I think.
In the 1950s version the female lead did nothing all movie except wail and scream. That was far more annoying. Think the male lead even slapped her because she was hysterical. Imagine trying that in a modern movie or casting a woman as weak willed. The script would never see the light of day 🙂
It is so weird how often an old top comment will have another new comment under it saying the same thing but in a different way. Weird because it some how still gets voted up. That's literally the first comment you see. Not subtle just blatant I'm going to post the exact same comment that has the most views 😵
@@bilwisss He looks like my buddy who went to college with me 43 years ago. This guy is a concealed carry instructor and safari hunter. Aliens be scared of him.
I always thought that the aliens were waiting for a specific number of the Earth’s population to reach, before coming to harvest our organic matter. Much like raising cattle or chickens, waiting for the right amount of production before they can gather whatever it is they need.
The tripods were so perfect imo, Wells himself said he didn’t want them to be so stiff and robotic & they nailed it, the tripods move so organically they’re fuckin terrifying. If they wouldn’t just ditched everything else and followed the source material this could’ve been the movie that finally got the book right
In my opinion Spielberg's most underrated movie, and his last great blockbuster. Really captures the feel of the novel whilst updating it satisfyingly. Also, the visuals are genuinely striking and evocative of classic sci-fi like Invaders From Mars.
My god, you're so right on this being his last great blockbuster, sadly. Indiana Jones in 2008 was such a dull waste of time and ever since then, he's practically just been making movies to appease the Academy in Hollywood it seems. Ready Player One felt more like a Robert Zemeckis or JJ Abrams movie, I keep forgetting it's Spielberg's.
@@theminisimmer agreed and set in the wrong time period. Still waiting for a faithful adaptation. I think Spielberg's artistic license went way to far...too much family drama. I'll stick with Jeff Wayne's musical version.
They're not blood actually. They're red weeds that martians needed to colonize or sustain their own beings. Tripods just use bloods as fertilizer for these weeds.
I rewatched this film today after probably over ten years since i last saw it. Maybe not quite a masterpiece, but definitely unique and memorable for me. It’s quite a forgotten gem as nobody seems to talk about it anymore.
One of my favourite Alien invasion films. It's dark and gloomy, and the tripods are so creepy! I love the boat scene. The eerie horn sound in the distance announcing the arrival of the aliens, and then they slowly rise over the hill. It's the stuff of nightmares! Yes it somewhat struggles in the third act, I think the Tim Robbins stuff should've been cut down in favour of more scenes in the eerie red world left behind by the aliens. As it is, the film lacks a big scene at the end. Ray defeats the tripod to save his daughter a little bit too easily. And I fully agree that his son should've been dead, my god was he selfish and annoying. I guess he takes after his father ;) I didn't know about the upcoming BBC adaptation, that's got my interest!
@@ZERARCHIVE2023 Imagine if it went country through country like a mock-documentary Russia, UK, Germany, Japan, Iran, Australia, and more would all be really interesting
@@pugasaurusrex8253 There actually was something like that on UA-cam years ago. It was fan made and was based off the 2005 version of the film and the animation was semi-decent, but it was neat. I’m pretty sure it took place in Eastern Europe. Idk if it’s still on UA-cam anymore (I saw it almost 10 years ago) but if it is, I recommend checking it out
It’s a shame they can’t seem to do a faithful rendition of H.G. Wells incredible novel. The original alien invasion story may I remind you but we get what we get. Funny that the musical by Jeff Wayne is more book accurate than any movie
That's because the story is basically narrated on top of the music, while the movies actually have to show what's happening. Thus, the movie tripods (especially the 2005 one) are much more accurate to the novel in comparison to the musical's tripods.
One of my favorite Spielberg movies. It was genuinely terrifying. My only quibble with it was that the main characters somehow skipped over Connecticut on their way to Boston. The geographical logic of the film has you go from the Hudson River to suddenly being in Mass. Ironically, the scene where the creatures are dying in Boston was filmed less than five miles from where I'm writing this. In Naugatuck, Connecticut.
The ferry scene takes place in Athens, NY, which is right across the NY-Mass border. So, they basically traveled north from the NYC area up to Athens, then went east across Massachusetts. They wouldn't have needed to go into Connecticut with that route.
I can sort of excuse those kids for how they were behaving in this movie. One is a neglected teen who probably has more personal problems than we know. Rachel acts like how many other girls would in situations like this. She is probably traumatized for what happened. Trust me, kids can behave way worse than how they did in the movie. This movie is my favorite guilty pleasure movie lmao.
I think the most memorable thing about the film is the tripod bellows. Their sound resembles some of the sounds Bernard Herrmann included in his fantasy scores, especially Journey to the Center of the Earth. I feel Williams pulled back on his usual overblown arrangements, in order to let the sound design shine, and I like the restraint.
Your criticism about the photography is the same problem I have with A.I. and Minority Report. Did Spielberg ever realize those lighting techniques may work while working with film but look God awful when working digitally?
But it’s transferred to digital and the aperture gets fucked on a number of shots. None of his pre-digital work look that terrible. It sucks stylistically.
this movie makes you feel. it does not hold back. i care about literally every single person that appears in this movie because of how real it’s portrayed. if this happened in real life, this is exactly how it would play out. and i love that tom cruise is just some ordinary guy going through these events. every time something with the aliens happens my heart drops because i care about all of these people. the third act does slow down a little bit and is nowhere near as good as the masterpiece that is the first and second but it’s still alright. this is defiantly one of my favorite movies of all time idc what anyone says i love this movie to death
I saw this movie in the theater when it was released. Totally amazing in a theater on the big screen. The visual effects can't be truly appreciated on a TV screen, no matter how big the TV screen. I am a sci-fi and horror movie junkie, watching this movie in the theater on the big screen was one of the few times I've actually been scared during a movie. Great flick, great time!
It wasn't just the black and white into color. That whole transition was just like in Wizard of Oz, including the way the door was opened. Check out the video Dorothy entering Technicolor at 39 seconds in and compare to this video at 19:49. Even the design of the door is similar.
After re-watching this movie, I can definitely say that the Harvester scene was the scariest part for me. Especially seeing all the people cowering in terror, since they know what's going to happen to them.
I was a very young kid when I saw my mother watching this film, I ended up falling in love with it almost instantly and my fascination with aliens and alien invasions as a whole. Without this Movie I wouldn't have discovered the gem known as "Jeff wayne's" adaptation of War of the Worlds.
I loved this version of WOTWs. You need to see and hear it on a good setup. The Tripod horn is terrifying and so is that bloody weapon. It's in my top ten sci-fi movies.
@@atomicvinylreviews3420 Don't get me wrong, I can't stand musicals, but I enjoy Wayne's album. The book though, an absolute masterpiece. It's more about the human condition than the invasion.
Great review Oliver! War of the Worlds 2005 I feel is a good film, but it stops short of being great. As a protagonist Ray Ferrier is somewhat difficult to root for and the pacing and plot both clunk to an end in the third act. Despite this though, the film's dark tone and brilliant effects still hold up very well for me.
I've never thought of Robbies' actions as selfish, but to me they where selfless. In a time when all is on the line, robbie stood up, robbie walked right in to hell...not for glory, but because it's what needed to be done.
I watched this when i was very young, im 18 and i still get nightmares of the tripods every now and then, which helps why this is one of my favorite movies
oliver, in what world do you think a little girl would not be screaming and terrified all the time during an alien invasion? I know what you mean about the son being annoying due to going from not caring about anyone to wanting to save the world but I think the little girl has every right to be scared!
It's not that a girl wouldn't be screaming, but that you could not have the kids in the film as they are annoying. The orignal novel the main character is married but has no kids. The kids are just annoying. They aren't out of character or unrealistic however.
I don't think it was the fact that she was screaming, it was the SOUND of her screaming. I know a scream isn't melodic or anything but shrill screeching is just not pleasant to listen to.
@@nutyyyy The truth is that not all children are annoying, Rachel was a less irritable character, of children today, this is mainly due to the difference in education through the ages, but her yelling is completely natural, even that woman who appears in the Peter Jackson's king kong movie screams equally high-pitched and from being exposed to some pretty scary and distressing.
Totally agree with the review. Was so excited when it was released but ended up disappointed by the irititating characters and nonsensical plot with regard to the tripods being buried and Spielbergs desire to avoid showing a major battle. It reminded me of the recent godzilla release when the camera cuts away just as something happens. I prefer the 50s release and Jeff Wayne musical version
Surprised you don't mention Jeff Wayne's Musical version mate, Richard Burton et al. For our generation that's the introduction to this story. Absolute pop culture mainstay!
Yes. I love Dakota but her character as well as the others frankly were written poorly. They made her annoying and she is actually very charming in reality. The boy was also irritating, I feel like the writers had him leave because they didn't know what to do with him or something. It would have been more ballsy if they killed him off like Oliver said. Tom Cruises character was very under written. I do like where they were going trying to make him a bit of a selfish jerk who seems to really come into fatherhood when his kids lives are threatened, they could have developed that more with some interesting layering like maybe he had a terrible abusive father and is terrified to become him so thinks its better to be a distant father or something more interesting. There is some really great visuals and ideas. The first attack is awesome. It does slow down a bit and the Tim Robbins scene does drag on but does feel like it's necessary for the characters. There are some haunting scenes when the attacking at night happens and people including Dakota and Tom's characters get captured to be harvested is pretty intense, some great ideas and for the most part execution is great. But characters and character development are important and this would have been a much better film if they had been well written. Also, yes if your going to have John Williams it needs to be a more memorable score. Its does it's job for the movie but isn't memorable and seems phoned in which is sad for John Williams. It feels like someone else's work frankly.
+1 I get that Dakota Fanning's character is a young girl who would probably be terrified of the alien invasion taking place around her. And shrieking or screaming can be a natural response, at some level, to danger of that nature. The character was written that way, and Dakota was directed by one of the best directors out there. But by god her character's shrieking got to be annoying in the film, and also the way she constantly questioned her father/brother.
what exactly is a young girl meant to do in the middle of an alien invasion. i'd take dakota screaming over will smith's character's son in ID4 anyday.
Having studied the movie and Tripods and when you look at everything, it's actually a great movie. The aliens, Tripods along with the music and cast are good, I can and have listened to the original score on it's own and I like it, I'm currently building my own Tripod so I have to look at everything in detail...It's very fun and challenging :)
The first hour or so of this movie is excellent. I think there are even Jurassic Park-esque moments of tension that remind us why Spielberg is the best at what he does.
One of these days someone will do a big budget version of the book War of the Worlds without changing the story and the tech. The tripods looked good though.
There's supposed to be a 2019 miniseries on BBC, and it takes place in the time and location described in the novel. I haven't seen the miniseries so I don't know if it's good.
My biggest criticisms with this film are 1) The heat-ray victims' clothing remaining intact when their bodies are vaporised, and 2) Bobbie running off FOR NO REASON to get himself blown up, yet somehow still survives!!!
If it helps with your immersion, I imagine the ray instaboils any water in what it touches, like a powerful microwave. which may not affect dry clothing
I'm still waiting for someone to give the Jeff Wayne musical the big budget adaptation it deserves. Yes there is the live performance, but imagine even getting a seasoned animation studio to bring that thing to life visually. ULLAHHH!
@@Outsidecontext That's the one that I meant with "the live perfomance" I was thinking more in the lines of a proper movie treatment using the songs in the musical. Also. I never did enjoy the guy who played the Parson in the stage show on DVD. He just had the wrong vibe for the performance for me.
I remember this being one of the first DVDs i got when we got surround sound. I watched it numerous times and every time the alien appears in the basement there was a certain noise that would always play only from the rear left speaker, it ALWAYS caught me off guard thinking something was behind me.
This movie started out well. It was very atmospheric and there was a strong sense of encroaching doom. Then it slowly degenerated into the usual popcorn nonsense with screaming and explosions. What a missed opportunity!
Hello, thanks for your question. The movie has a number of issues. First, the movie focuses too much on the family drama, which actually stole most of the limelight from the alien invasion. In other words, after the first attack, the movie almost forgets what it is about. I believe that the decision to have the main character running around with his two children also tied the hands of the writers. It's difficult to give someone something interesting to do when he is busy trying to keep two children safe on his own. This comes through very clearly when the son abruptly "dies" in a silly manner, which seemed like a rather cheap attempt to get rid of some unneeded ballast that was holding the main character down. The 1950s version actually tackled this aspect better. We had the character first being a civilian and running away, then being involved in attempts to tackle the issue militarily and scientifically before finally returning to being a civilian who has practically lost all hope and is resigned to the end. Through this arc we actually get to understand the character and care about him. In the 2005 version, the family members and their general internal dynamics are not fleshed out properly so I never actually cared about what would happen to them. Additionally, in terms of writing, pacing was completely off in my opinion. The 2005 one started strong, then sagged very heavily in the middle before rushing through the ending to tie the story up. Also, I would have liked to see what was happening in big picture terms. The intro was promising when we saw a whole neighborhood being wiped out by the aliens and the following part where the plane crashes, hinting that the whole world was collapsing. Unfortunately, most of the time I felt that the story was too "zoomed in" on a family dynamic that was not interesting at all. Again, the old version actually tackled this better. Although the 1950s version focused mainly on one character, we got to see the world gradually collapsing around him through the many characters and situations that he encountered. In the new version, we only got very small glimpses of what was happening in terms of big picture. We needed more scenes like the one where the journalist showed him footage of the attacks happening in other places. Without such scenes, we cannot really know how high the stakes are. I have some other issues with the movie, but this post is already rather long as it is. Cheers!
Gauparte well though this one was actually nicer... the ferry seen was amazing... this movie was about trying to survive mostly... even though he is taking care of his children, it was mostly about surviving.... the 1950s didn't cause a emp... how'd he get to a military base?... Also, in the 1950s they were sloe, didn't make alot of scary noises etc... this war of the world's 2005 version, tripods were everywhere all around the world... it made sense... its not like you could help out or anything like that if something like this happened. In 1953 the aliens were stopped by a virus yes and but the military had an advantage and tried to stop them... a emp also makes a change of everything..
When Robbie wanted to fight aliens I can see maybe if there was a friend that was get killed by one of them or he always wanted to be in the army or something but still it makes no sense.
scottieman2 you aren’t getting what I’m saying. Tons of random people with families signed up for service after 9/11. Young people get angry. They want a purpose. And to some of them that means war.
I remember seeing the trailer for this movie in theaters, and to this day I remember how absolutely eerie it was. The people coming out of their houses to see the flashing lights and sounds beyond the hills. Something about seeing that in theaters was something I’ll never forget. I enjoyed the movie but admittedly the trailer has left a lasting impression on me more than the film itself.
Yeah, I have to agree. I do like Spielberg's version, there's a lot of good in it. But the 1950's has been the best take so far. Fantastic effects, great score, charismatic leads and killer pacing all make a film I dearly love. And it has the best coffee drinking General in all movies ever. "All I know is, when the martians begin to move no more news comes out of that area." *Drinks coffee ominously.*
I was a big fan of the 50s version, I must have watched that movie on VHS, a hundred times back in 90s as kid. that how much I love it. The part where they encounter the aliens, always give me the chills. While the 2005 version is not as great as 1950 version, I still love it all the same. More so than all the low budget versions of recent years.
I love the book, love the 1953 movie, love the Jeff Wayne musical but i didn't know what to think about this (2005) movie. When the tripod emerges for the first time, it gripped me due to the look of the tripod, the roar, the musical score and then when it started attacking but from there on, i didn't enjoy it as much as i hoped, especially those damn kids. It's a good effort for a modern take but in my heart, i would have loved to see it set back in late 1800's and give a faithful adaptation instead of the trash produced by Pendragon released in 2005 also. I don't love this movie but i don't hate it either and i'll happily watch it. Nice review by the way :)
Thanks, Oliver! It always makes it a good day when I find you've uploaded a new retrospective! The reason I subbed years ago and why I'll always stay subscribed. As for the movie, I really enjoyed it but it kinda lost me towards the end. It's also not that rewatchable for me, by the time they're hiding in the basement place I'm yawning.
I remember being 12 when I had seen this at my nearby drive-in, I remember it was not-at-all the _ID4_ type of film I was partially expecting, it instead showed me what a realistic alien invasion would possibly look like, that being the human race may be overwhelmed by the invasion and possibly be fighting a losing war against a more-technologically-advanced civilization much like what happened with Columbus and the Native Americans. But still, I do hold a soft spot for this film due to how dark-toned it was and being more of a survival thriller film rather than another typical sci-fi war action film. It may not be as memorable as the 1953 film, but it is certainly better than the other 2005 (albeit more-faithful) adaptation which was 3-hours long with effects that'd make Ed Wood blush and it being very boring.
I have a lot of nostalgia for this movie. I was 5 years old when it came out and I remember seeing it and it shook me to my core. Looking back on it, the writing was definitely its weak point and if not for the bad dialogue this would’ve absolutely been a instant classic. I still love the visuals and the atmosphere Spielberg creates of hopelessness to a much more advanced enemy. A solid 7/10 but one of my personal favorites.
I enjoyed this movie in the cinema but when I re-watched it at home I got kinda bored with it. I thought Cruise was good and some of the effects are great but overall I felt the film was pretty meh! "I think the film should of have the balls to kill him off for being a plonker!" LOL.. Likewise, when his son runs off it was a highlight of the film for me as he annoyed the shit outta me.
I personally thought the movie was incredible. One of Spielberg's most underrated films. The atmosphere of hopelessness is very effective. I also thought the scene where the mob attacks the minivan was one of the most intense parts in the film.
I love this movie, the third act is the weakest part of the movie, but everything before that is amazing....especially the first time we discover the tripods, what about that incredible sound they make the first time we see them? It gives me goosebump every time!!
I personally really enjoyed this movie. It's a different kind of movie for Tom Cruise and it's a classic story being modernised and updated for modern audiences. With narration by Morgan Freeman.
I got to say every one of your fan made trailers are exponentially better than the actual trailers and get me excited to see movies even if I've already seen them. You should do this for a living.
So what, people can't express their opinion on a media platform that's literally designed for that? You feel better now that you've recycled a bad joke?
I remember watching this in the theater with my dad when I was 12 (I was a huge Spielberg fan even younger than that), and I won't lie, this film came on tv two years back and my reactions was, "oh yeah, this movie exists." How does that happen? How do you just forget a Spielberg movie exists?
The beginning and middle of this film is amazing, but the ending is just too nice and neat. Everyone from the family lives?! I can't suspend my disbelief that much.
First saw this back when I was about 5 or so with my folks when it first came out. Not sure why they took me to it when I was so young- but I'm honestly pretty glad they did. That opening scene of people being vaporized was burned into my mind. There's something about seeing that sort of thing at so young makes you value life and the people you care about- If I hadn't seen this I'd have probably become a fairly different person.
This is my favourite film of all time, granted, I have rose-coloured glasses on thanks to nostalgia. I personally never found the kids to be annoying, since I was around Rachel’s age when I first watched the film and would have reacted how she did in some situations, and even now I still sympathise with them. Spielberg’s film also introduced me to the War of the Worlds book and musical, which I’m a huge fan of now!
Highly agreed. I read the H.G. Wells book when I was about 11 and it blew my mind. After that I had always dreamed of a good modern adaptation of the movie, and even wrote screenplays myself growing up. When I first saw the movie I was in Iraq, and it was a terrible cam version. I still vividly remember watching it thinking "this is exactly how I envisioned a modern version of the book", even though the cam version was so goddamn bad. Anyway, it's a great movie and one of my all time favorites. I think people cant get the full appreciation of it without reading the book. It kinds leaves out a certain context to the movie.
That bloom effect was all the rage at the time. Spielberg also used it in Minority Report, and it really dates both films. The main bloom culprit at the time was CSI, but it even made its way into games like Rainbow Six.
I didn't like this the first time I saw it.. but the more I watch it the more I like it. I love the dark and paranoid feeling. I just always felt the ending was kind of trash. It's a cool concept but poorly executed and it feels like the movie just stops
It really shouldn't have relied on a narrator to explain why the tripods started dying for no reason. Maybe just seeing the aliens get moldy would have been better.
The sounds of the tripods walking, the horn, the darth-vader-like sound when they sprayed, and the vaporizing noises will always be imprinted on my mind
Unfortunately, I think everyone could leave this film off their resumes and no one would be the wiser. It's that forgettable. Even John Williams is phoning it in and I'm probably one of the biggest JW fans on the planet.. I'm actually a bit angry with Spielberg. TWotW is an iconic story birthed from one of history's most gifted writers. It's been adapted more times than you can count, with probably the most identifiable being Jeff Wayne's musical version or the 1953 movie. Spielberg had the opportunity to put his usually brilliant stamp on the source material, but instead makes this really bizarre and sullen American refugee flick that's just needlessly mean in parts. And that premise - Good God, that premise. WTF was Spielberg thinking? Could it be more dumb and nonsensical? You don't even get the sense that the aliens are from Mars. As Oliver points out, they look like near cousins of the critters in Independence Day. Why the hell ditch the whole Mars is dying aspect, which is the sole motivating (and understandable) factor for the invasion? And if the "Martians" have technology advanced enough to effectively teleport themselves into their tripods, why do they have to rely on slow and ungainly machines to express their will? This film is a narrative disaster and is really nothing more than an effects showreel. What a waste.
Then why call it "War of the Worlds"? Who is this other world we're suppose to be fighting if not Mars? If Spielberg just wanted to do an alien invasion film, why associate it with one of the most famous sci-fi stories of all time and not take advantage of the source material? You're just going to draw unwanted comparisons. Really, the only things this film even bothers to take from Wells' novel are tripods, the red weed, aliens, the bacteria twist, the ferry sequence, and the heat ray (which is more like a poof ray in the film). The rest is a bad Spielbergian fever dream. Personally, I think the film's setting is better suited to when Wells envisioned it - Victorian-era England. Now, we have really esoteric things we could bring to bear, like directed energy weapons, railguns, EMP bombs, tactical nukes, and the like, so the aliens would have to have some REALLY far-out weapons, which would be difficult to plausibly envision. One of the things I really disliked about the 1953 Haskin film was the tripod forcefield, which basically made them invulnerable and invincible. They even tried nukes to no avail. With the Victorian setting, while the Martians are certainly much more advanced than us, they didn't have magical science on their side and both the English artillery forces along with the navy had some initial success with the destruction of several tripods. In the '53 film, once the forcefield was introduced, it was practically a foregone conclusion that the Martians would win had it not been for their susceptibility to Earthly microorganisms. Speaking of which, I had no idea a new period-based British production was underway. Should be interesting. I just hope they don't stray too far from the source and try to introduce a bunch of silly crap.
Which is why the Victorian setting of Wells' novel is far better suited for a "true" WotW adaptation than something resembling present-day. However, even then, I don't think a retelling using a modern setting and having the Martians be the bad guys is impossible. Retroactively, WotW doesn't make any sense anyway since we NOW know Mars has probably been lifeless for millions of years and perhaps for its entire existence. Either way, you have to get into Wells' headspace for it to imbue the reader/watcher with the necessary suspension of disbelief. If you're not willing, then the story is utterly lost upon you, even if you recognize it as an allegory for man's nature to enslave and exploit "lesser" tribes and populations. If you insist on "smartening" the story for it to have any reason to be, then you'll also need to discard almost all films with a sci-fi twist, since the majority use a fair of amount of small-ish conceits, like audible explosions in space and FTL travel. Being aware of those conceits and not letting it interfere with your enjoyment of the material isn't simple-minded, but being flexible with expectations.
Again, why title the movie "The War of the Worlds" and trade upon Wells' novel if you have little intention of being faithful to the source? Isn't that one of the big beefs the average moviegoer has with Hollywood when making so-called adaptations? What you're actually doing is engaging in dishonest marketing tactics to create positive associations. Have you seen the 1953 film or Jeff Wayne's version? Do you completely dismiss them because they stay true to the notion that aliens from Mars try to invade Earth? I personally think it's a huge narrative strength, as it builds upon the fascination and fear man has long had toward The Red Planet. Wells chose Mars and not Mercury or Venus because it captured the imagination of those living in Victorian times, especially the canals that were thought to be Martian rivers. I'd argue that it still does to a great extent since we're still not entirely sure Mars didn't have life at some point. Hell, we're not even certain it doesn't contain some form of life now. If a current or future scientific discovery breaks the premise of a work before that discovery was made and you can't reconcile the two, you better be prepared to trash most of your sci-fi library. I'm assuming you thought John Carter was laughable. And yes, I know the tripods in Spielberg's film also had impenetrable forcefields. I'm not terribly happy about that fact, either.
For some reason, looking at the footage of the Martians coming through the lightning to pilot their machines reminds me of the gag in cartoons where a character gets sucked into a vacuum cleaner or flushed down a toilet and you see the pipe bulge as they move through it. I've just ruined the movie for myself, lol.
This film really could’ve been a masterpiece. The first act is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
The tripod horn is almost as iconic as the T-Rex roar.
Agreed. Great opening, then dropped off in the middle and end.
I don't know. The horn reminded me of the BBC's Tripods quite a lot.
Kissamies BBC's Tripods is by far the superior work
So it was John Williams who is responsible for the BWUAOWM wave
It's a shame Spielberg didn't cast Tim Robbins (or a similar actor) as the protagonist. I like Tom Cruise in his action roles and he was "ok" in this, but I think the movie just needed more than that. And the kids... Well, don't think I even have to go into that, they were pretty awful.
This movie is underrated in my opinion. The first two acts feel like a straight up horror movie. The hopelessness the characters feel is incredibly palpable, and the tripods are terrifying. The third act kinda crumbled under its own weight, but I still love it.
after the battle on the hill it was kinda bad, with a few good scenes
@@GabiteEditz Yeah, it had SOME good parts (the alien colonoscopy camera checking for human polyps, seeing the true face of the enemy) but God, all I could think was "Why did you jump into that guys basement?"
@@allenharper2928 My main belief on the aliens exploring the basement was pretty much for the sake of exploration. Their whole point of invasion was to basically colonize earth.
Same
@@allenharper2928that scene had me on the edge of my seat. It was intense
The Tripods are the stars of this film, the look, the sounds and the way they move.
But the legs seem too spindly and noodle-like to be able to support the large housings on top.
And we see more family drama than them
David Anderson But they can though. Doesn’t matter how spindly they are, clearly they can support the structure
@@captainjackpugh6050 Yes... through the magic of CGI.
@@davidanderson_surrey_bc Alien technology I guess
"The film doesn't leave a lasting impression"
Meanwhile, 15 years later, people using the Tripod horn sound as an example of how 2020 could get worse
just wait it could still happen at this point most people would welcome it
@Newsbender wrong. 2005 tripods are way better looking and terrifying
@Newsbender I think the Uuuulaaa of the Jeff Wayne version is scarier but the Spielberg version runs it a close second.
@@Relugus yes the Ulla is scary, and I love how they tune it to the songs, as well.
and is getting a fan made game, and has become beloved among the WOTW fandom.....
Just watched this movie again for the umpteenth time on one of the HBOs. The "emergence" scene and the attack at the ferry are still gripping 14 years later.
I like how they look down menacingly on the people as they scatter for safety. And slowly attack and abduct them.
@@nikolaszuraff1234 the horns they sound to signal each other from their slow and methodical genocide reaping everything in their path. still haunting. they did a great job
The ferry scene STILL is difficult to watch - creepy basement too. 🥵
@@cathrynmcpartland1752 it's looks like going good looking like being new DVD releases review history books documentary about biography book club fun more information about money made into store story about how much money does it take history back to the future same timeline time travel into the office interview review biography book box office in the wor of the world
In this version, the Martains blow you out of your clothes.
My favorite scene was the dock scene, when everybody thinks they’re gonna be ok, they here a tree collapse and then there’s a tripod on top of the hill just staring down thousands of people. One of the most epic sci-fi scenes of all time.
I love seeing top of the hill probably will be there in about few feel like I feel like I was looking at being in tree
"Doesn't leave a lasting impression sadly".
*Dude I watched this movie when I was 11, I'm 22 now and the music and sounds still get me rattled!*
I think he means that the soundtrack doesn't really stand without being heard in the movie. Take for example when someone uses a John Williams score in parody. You will likely get something more like Jaws or Star Wars. The soundtrack does its job very well in the movie but you don't really go home humming the tune. In my opinion however this gives it its own strength given that War of the Worlds isn't a grand spectacle like Jaws or Star Wars. It's a dark story of people running just to stay alive in what seems like the end of the world.
Same here!
@@airplanenut89 makes sense, I could get behind that explanation
My dad was unaffected by these movies and basically made the family sit down to watch it and I kept getting nightmares about those arms. My 5 tear old brain was very imaginative.
Dynestis this movie traumatized me since i was 10 and i just now watched it to get over my fear of it
I'm convinced the aliens committed suicide at the end. They couldn't stand another moment of the daughter's screaming
So annoying
lol
Me too its really annoying
Why the hell would people want to mass slaughter a tiny child for being annoying? Shes just in fear, whats next? Torturing her causing more screams while tom cruise gets beaten up by guards? Freaking-
Argument Starter: *_oH YoU IdiOt sHeS ANnOyIng scReAMs_*
Seriously, what is wrong with the internet.
How do you 'mass slaughter ' one person exactly?
Bananappleboy World you missed out the fact that if this was irl and I’m trying to survive but this dumbass kid keeps screaming , you ar gonna be annoyed as fuck
I really dug this movie. It’s kinda gives me the same feeling the first act of Independence Day did. Sure the family is annoying as shit in this situation, but yours would be too.
exactly. The characters behave like normal people and viewers complain.
Look I don’t have a problem with the family...I know everyone would act like this...but you have to admit they don’t have to have the child screaming all the time like would if not give you a bloody head ache?
@@V1nce_man Before or after I have a heart attack from the freaky tension, atmosphere, and visuals?
In my opinion, it works better being more realistic. This would be terrifying to experience as an adult, and I can't imagine a child not screaming so much in the midst of this situation. Kids don't necessarily think as rationally about what's the best thing to do in the situation. There is a crazy killer robot thing coming out there to KILL you.
TayoEXE
And I get that! But... it’s just that blood curdling scream! It really hurts to listen to and I know that’s a bit weak on my part but don’t say you’d listen to it all the time... I love this movie so much I’ve watched it at least 20 times! And yet that scream still scares and makes me so annoyed
Doesn't excuse the annoying family, I want to be entertained, not annoyed.
After watching this movie in theaters, I got in the car and looked at the sky. “I will never look at the sky the same way again”. And I never did. Every time I see clouds forming I get petrified. Iconic classic.
It’s not a river of blood. It is the Red Weed, essentially terraforming the earth. (Mars-forming?). The weed, in the novel, is the source of Mar’s red color
@rob slack:
Having not yet read the source-material novel by Wells, would that "red weed" be in the water, though? ??? Anyway, the Martians would "water" their plants with lots and lots of Terran blood, no...?
Code Optimization Ware not having read the book in a while, The Martians used human blood for food not fertilizar lol.
@paper back writer:
You read the book? Hmm, did H.G. Wells' novel spell fertilizer as "fertilizar lol"? ???
Nevermind that, assholes! I'm not asking anymore! I'll read the damned book myself, and then I won't tell any of you weirdos a damned thing about it thereafter, so BLEAH! I win, so take that! ua-cam.com/video/uRMpwNiiyLk/v-deo.html LOLOLOLOLOLOL BWAAHAHAHAHAHA!
Code Optimization Ware no need to be an a hole about it.
Code Optimization Ware The word never appeared once with any spelling, you absolute moron
That horn was one of the most terrifying things i have ever heard. I'm used to it now and think its really cool. But at the time i was scared as hell.
You should hear the drums and strings that go with it. Even AC/DC asked to turn down the volume.
@@davidanderson_surrey_bc ?
This movie scared the shit out of me when I was a kid, I remember watching this and breathing heavy when the tripods started vaporizing people and every time that horn came on
The lady that gets vaporized up-close still freaks me out lol
This movie has a special place in my heart. It may not be perfect, but it always manages to deliver and make me fell the terror and powerlessness of the protagonists like no other movie does.
Have to admit I found the son quite annoying also.
I found both kids to be very annoying.
@@HuntersMoon78 the little girl is horribly annoying, the boy is a stupid asshole. Sure it makes the film more interesting in my opinion, a weird family with weird relationships and very contrasting personalities
If they didn’t have Rachel I would’ve liked the film more...
At least he was cute
I always wonder,what was the point of putting two annoying kids in the movie.
"What you mean, like Europe?" "No! Robbie, NOT like Europe!!"
Is it the terrorists
They’re not from here…
@@lemdixon01 Alan Rickman aka Hans Gruber.
He meant the band Europe. Because it's epic and a final countdown to extinction
OMG the best line in the movie! LOL
Minor correction. The red landscape isn't literally a "river of blood" (at least not for the most part) but rather the results of a kind of terraforming where the aliens are planting down a carpet of red weed. This detail is from the book. The movie does seem to show the tripods spraying harvested human blood on it as a fertilizer, however, so you're kinda right.
I actually think it makes a bit of sense if the red plant life is unlike Earth's green plants which take in CO2, but rather breathe in O2 almost like animal life--what better to spray on them than human blood rich in oxygen?
But anyway, I think the color comes from the weeds themselves, not blood or gore (though the visual similarity is powerful and creepy in its own way).
Thanks for the review! I've always appreciated this movie a lot, despite its final moments which undermine it somewhat.
Precisely, the red weed was one of the things i really appreciated them adding to this movie!
Spielberg mentioned something around those lines, that he wanted the terraforming aspect from the book to be featured in the movie. There was also a fluff documentary released for the movie called "watch the skies!" or something around those lines that was a backdoor promotion for WOTW disguised as a serious documentary about the history of Sci-Fi, I seem to remember he mentions it there?. It wasnt too bad, it featured Ridley Scott, George Lucas and James Cameron. I cant blame Ollie though, this is a very uneven movie.
Blood isn't really rich in oxygen. Air is. Blood is full of water.
Yaldabaoth right and what does the O in H2O stand for.
Blood is rich in nitrogen, which earthly plant life thrives on.
I love how the film gives you a sense of hopelessness as in most alien films the humans always have a good fighting chance and manage to beat them but here they have no weapons that can beat them and have no escape from them
That would be in the movie. In the novel the british army brought a few tripods down with field guns and naval artillery. One of the reasons why they shoehorned shields.
@@rapatacush3 It was supposed to be an unwinnable battle in the novel too. Humanity would have gone extinct, or been relegated to being basically cattle had the Martians not been killed by a virus.
One of the themes of the novels is british colonialism, and how a "conflict" like that would feel from the perspective of the victims.
They attack the London area, because at the time the novel was written, that was basically the center of the "civilized" world. "Hey what if the worlds biggest empire got its shit kicked on by something that makes THEM look like ants." This is also why the movies change the setting to America (we're now the biggest superpower), and why the technology in the films dwarfs that of the novel. With modern technology the Martians from the novel would've been less threatening, and it would've made that aspect of the story weaker, and the horror less intense.
It's not a bad thing the Martians are OP. They were always supposed to be.
@@anarchistjesus7354 funny thing there is a history were a few cylinders fell in texas and they were quickly deal with by an angry posse of cowboys. How? They never let them to build more than a tripod.
@@rapatacush3 That's from the novel, or sequel, right? That's true, but the obvious response to that from the aliens is going to be to land further from people, and not let themselves be seen until they're already in the tripod.
I'm not a fan of this film, but the scene where the tripod first appears is incredible.
the Tripods were done nearly perfect for what they were supposed to be. their movements were believable and they did a fantastic job at showing the sheer scale of the machines.
I really like this 2005 version of "The War of The Worlds." I first saw this in 2010 and it was very dark and scary but I kept on watching it to the end and I really loved watching it. I'm now 21 years old now. It was the very first "War of The Worlds" film I've watched as a young kid. I also liked the 1935 "War of The Worlds" movie as well. The 2005 Tripods are amazing and also terrifying at the same time.
And for anyone with a big subwoofer that scene have an incredible .1 channel with lots of energy
I wish it had been more faithful to the book, but I guess we'll never get that, at least not a proper big budget adaptation.
The bridge spilling all the cars and trucks is nuts.
Steven and the design teams nailed it with the tripods. Their unearthly size and fluid movements just make you gaze in awe.
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds from 1978 still remains my favourite adaptation of the story, I'll never forget listening to it for the first time back in primary school and hearing the late Richard Burton's voice was so haunting.
ULLA!!!!
Agreed. One of the best musical scores around.
Steven Lornie you ok now 😆
Wulfgar so wish they would make that a movie it would be awesome 😎
I've seen it live on stage twice and I'll be seeing it again in December!
"Stephen spielber actualy purchased a Boeing 747 ship and cut it up for the scene . . ."
Wow..
Its at one of the universal studios parks iirc. You can see it on ghe tour
Both barrels he means that they had it shipped and that it was a ship
Who is Rake quoting, that isnt even what he said in the commentary? He said, " purchased a Boeing 747 and cut it up for the scene " (see 10:45 )
I think Rake meant ship not shipped, probably not a native English speaker. Dont try to make sense of what Rake said - imho there is none to find
I'm pretty sure it was being sold for scrap anyway, not like a working 747.
@@FiveSigma72 - exactly - there are thousands of planes in “bone yards” across the SW US
Best BWOOOOMW sound ever, that shit is scary.
especially when you are home alone and its dark and you have surround sound on. me at the moment.
Not as scary I think, as the *UUULAAA!!!* From the Jeff Waynes version, just for how hauntingly alien it sounds
weldonwin
In the book the martians went "aloo" as they burned towns and people. When they were dying from the dogs and crows eating them they said "ulaa".
This was because the martians had a very basic anatomy as stated in the book and likely no vocal chords.
This BWOOOMMW has since then forever remained with us and today is sadly only used for thrailer footage to tell us that the movie is going to be epic.
Indeed the best*BWOOOOMW*
The emergence scene still gets me, honestly. The ferry scene, the burning train. This terrified me as a kid, and even now as a mother the sheer hopelessness gets to me. I genuinely think it is vastly under-rated, especially because of the terrible more recent adaptations of WOTW. The rock opera is still the best, I think.
Those tripods and especially their sound still sends chills down my spine. One of the last movies with creepy Aliens.
This movie is still terrifying
I remembered seeing this at the Puget Park drive-in and the horn scarring the shit out of year old me.
All I remember is the little girl screaming the whole movie... Halfway in and I wanted the aliens to vaporize me.
I wanted that creepy survivalist to stuff something in her mouth to shut her up.
In the 1950s version the female lead did nothing all movie except wail and scream. That was far more annoying. Think the male lead even slapped her because she was hysterical. Imagine trying that in a modern movie or casting a woman as weak willed. The script would never see the light of day 🙂
It is so weird how often an old top comment will have another new comment under it saying the same thing but in a different way. Weird because it some how still gets voted up. That's literally the first comment you see. Not subtle just blatant I'm going to post the exact same comment that has the most views 😵
@@kimmer6 the survivalist clearly made a big mistake helping that butt head family.
@@bilwisss He looks like my buddy who went to college with me 43 years ago. This guy is a concealed carry instructor and safari hunter. Aliens be scared of him.
I always thought that the aliens were waiting for a specific number of the Earth’s population to reach, before coming to harvest our organic matter. Much like raising cattle or chickens, waiting for the right amount of production before they can gather whatever it is they need.
The tripods were so perfect imo, Wells himself said he didn’t want them to be so stiff and robotic & they nailed it, the tripods move so organically they’re fuckin terrifying. If they wouldn’t just ditched everything else and followed the source material this could’ve been the movie that finally got the book right
In my opinion Spielberg's most underrated movie, and his last great blockbuster. Really captures the feel of the novel whilst updating it satisfyingly. Also, the visuals are genuinely striking and evocative of classic sci-fi like Invaders From Mars.
My god, you're so right on this being his last great blockbuster, sadly.
Indiana Jones in 2008 was such a dull waste of time and ever since then, he's practically just been making movies to appease the Academy in Hollywood it seems.
Ready Player One felt more like a Robert Zemeckis or JJ Abrams movie, I keep forgetting it's Spielberg's.
Not really satisfying when you know that the novel takes place in the uk and not the US.
@@theminisimmer agreed and set in the wrong time period. Still waiting for a faithful adaptation. I think Spielberg's artistic license went way to far...too much family drama. I'll stick with Jeff Wayne's musical version.
@@jim22277 There was a BBC adaptation recently that set it in Victorian times. Wasn't very good though.
When he leaves the house and sees all the blood it always reminded of The Wizard Of Oz's transition between bw and colour.
And it's a farm house too that looks like it fell on the ground.
They're not blood actually. They're red weeds that martians needed to colonize or sustain their own beings. Tripods just use bloods as fertilizer for these weeds.
@@hakanr339b
Like red beets
The red weed transition scene was Spielbergs subtle homage to W of Oz....
I rewatched this film today after probably over ten years since i last saw it. Maybe not quite a masterpiece, but definitely unique and memorable for me. It’s quite a forgotten gem as nobody seems to talk about it anymore.
Oliver, you summed up the quality of this film perfectly. It looked cool and was exciting at times, but I never felt invested in the human element.
Thing is, I felt like I was the human element when I watched it. Like, I imagine I was there and how terrifying it would be.
Yes, the Aliens were definitely the highlight of the movie, and the Tripods even more.
@Robert Robrahn Still, if the movie is going to follow human characters, they should at least be likable between the alien scenes.
One of my favourite Alien invasion films. It's dark and gloomy, and the tripods are so creepy! I love the boat scene. The eerie horn sound in the distance announcing the arrival of the aliens, and then they slowly rise over the hill. It's the stuff of nightmares! Yes it somewhat struggles in the third act, I think the Tim Robbins stuff should've been cut down in favour of more scenes in the eerie red world left behind by the aliens. As it is, the film lacks a big scene at the end. Ray defeats the tripod to save his daughter a little bit too easily. And I fully agree that his son should've been dead, my god was he selfish and annoying. I guess he takes after his father ;) I didn't know about the upcoming BBC adaptation, that's got my interest!
Ray selfish? Sumbitch could have ditched his family and save himself but he didn't. He even murdered a man to keep them save. He is not selfish.
@@rapatacush3 he is at the beginning of the movie, but changes when shit goes down. That's kinda his character arc for the story...
I really like this movie. After watching it a few times, the characters aren't nearly as annoying as people say they are.
This has become one of my favorite UA-cam channels. Thanks for your work Oliver.
Please do a retrospective on Gangs of NY!
this movie should of been done as 1 or 2 movies and give us way more screen time with the aliens and the tripods
I wouldn't mind if there was a second version
I would fucking love that, like, following another survivors, in another country
I wouldn't mind a sequel or a remake.
@@ZERARCHIVE2023
Imagine if it went country through country like a mock-documentary
Russia, UK, Germany, Japan, Iran, Australia, and more would all be really interesting
@@pugasaurusrex8253 There actually was something like that on UA-cam years ago. It was fan made and was based off the 2005 version of the film and the animation was semi-decent, but it was neat. I’m pretty sure it took place in Eastern Europe. Idk if it’s still on UA-cam anymore (I saw it almost 10 years ago) but if it is, I recommend checking it out
Fantastic, as always. Keep up the great work, Oliver.
It’s a shame they can’t seem to do a faithful rendition of H.G. Wells incredible novel. The original alien invasion story may I remind you but we get what we get. Funny that the musical by Jeff Wayne is more book accurate than any movie
That's because the story is basically narrated on top of the music, while the movies actually have to show what's happening. Thus, the movie tripods (especially the 2005 one) are much more accurate to the novel in comparison to the musical's tripods.
It would be hard for general audiences to believe a Victorian era British military had any remote chance in fighting off aliens from outer space.
@@brandonlyon730 yeah but the Victorian military does kill two invaders but are obviously overwhelmed by the superior technology
One of my favorite Spielberg movies. It was genuinely terrifying.
My only quibble with it was that the main characters somehow skipped over Connecticut on their way to Boston. The geographical logic of the film has you go from the Hudson River to suddenly being in Mass.
Ironically, the scene where the creatures are dying in Boston was filmed less than five miles from where I'm writing this. In Naugatuck, Connecticut.
The ferry scene takes place in Athens, NY, which is right across the NY-Mass border. So, they basically traveled north from the NYC area up to Athens, then went east across Massachusetts. They wouldn't have needed to go into Connecticut with that route.
@@jacobrivers19 The only thing is, the movie doesn't make it seem like they go that far north, then east
Just watched the intro. As an editor myself I can say that's some solid editing man. It's actually much better than the original trailer.
I can sort of excuse those kids for how they were behaving in this movie. One is a neglected teen who probably has more personal problems than we know. Rachel acts like how many other girls would in situations like this. She is probably traumatized for what happened. Trust me, kids can behave way worse than how they did in the movie. This movie is my favorite guilty pleasure movie lmao.
I think the most memorable thing about the film is the tripod bellows. Their sound resembles some of the sounds Bernard Herrmann included in his fantasy scores, especially Journey to the Center of the Earth. I feel Williams pulled back on his usual overblown arrangements, in order to let the sound design shine, and I like the restraint.
Your criticism about the photography is the same problem I have with A.I. and Minority Report. Did Spielberg ever realize those lighting techniques may work while working with film but look God awful when working digitally?
Kamdan all of his films are shot on film
But it’s transferred to digital and the aperture gets fucked on a number of shots. None of his pre-digital work look that terrible. It sucks stylistically.
He wasn't filming in digital.
It’s still transferred to digital for editing.
He’s also to blame why every movie in the world needs that damn shaky cam that only worked for Saving Private Ryan.
"This movie blows its load on the first act" lol, yep, could'nt of said it better myself.
Well, at least there's cuddling to console us.
this movie makes you feel. it does not hold back. i care about literally every single person that appears in this movie because of how real it’s portrayed. if this happened in real life, this is exactly how it would play out. and i love that tom cruise is just some ordinary guy going through these events. every time something with the aliens happens my heart drops because i care about all of these people. the third act does slow down a little bit and is nowhere near as good as the masterpiece that is the first and second but it’s still alright. this is defiantly one of my favorite movies of all time idc what anyone says i love this movie to death
I saw this movie in the theater when it was released. Totally amazing in a theater on the big screen. The visual effects can't be truly appreciated on a TV screen, no matter how big the TV screen. I am a sci-fi and horror movie junkie, watching this movie in the theater on the big screen was one of the few times I've actually been scared during a movie. Great flick, great time!
19:49 It reminds me of the Wizard of Oz for some reason.
@Mindd Kidzag
It should remind me as the shot is as close to a direct redo as you can get.
I noticed that too. Seems like an homage.
yeah....black and white into colour.
It wasn't just the black and white into color. That whole transition was just like in Wizard of Oz, including the way the door was opened. Check out the video Dorothy entering Technicolor at 39 seconds in and compare to this video at 19:49. Even the design of the door is similar.
DarwinsChihuahua homage of death lol
After re-watching this movie, I can definitely say that the Harvester scene was the scariest part for me. Especially seeing all the people cowering in terror, since they know what's going to happen to them.
You know it's going to be a good day when Oliver drops another retrospective!
I was a very young kid when I saw my mother watching this film, I ended up falling in love with it almost instantly and my fascination with aliens and alien invasions as a whole. Without this Movie I wouldn't have discovered the gem known as "Jeff wayne's" adaptation of War of the Worlds.
that siren gives me shivers
I loved this version of WOTWs. You need to see and hear it on a good setup. The Tripod horn is terrifying and so is that bloody weapon. It's in my top ten sci-fi movies.
The best adaptation of The War of the Worlds is still Jeff Wayne's album.
Yes! yes it is
Everything is shit compared to the book.
I disagree man, the album's actually really good
And not the first by H.G. Wells?
@@atomicvinylreviews3420 Don't get me wrong, I can't stand musicals, but I enjoy Wayne's album. The book though, an absolute masterpiece. It's more about the human condition than the invasion.
It’s amazing how your intros can double as trailers for the movies themselves. :)
Great review Oliver! War of the Worlds 2005 I feel is a good film, but it stops short of being great. As a protagonist Ray Ferrier is somewhat difficult to root for and the pacing and plot both clunk to an end in the third act. Despite this though, the film's dark tone and brilliant effects still hold up very well for me.
I've never thought of Robbies' actions as selfish, but to me they where selfless. In a time when all is on the line, robbie stood up, robbie walked right in to hell...not for glory, but because it's what needed to be done.
The Red stuff isnt blood its alien plants for terraforming.
Flakey Jake bruh, its blood
It's the plants and blood for fertilizer
It's clearly cool aid.
its a plant, that theyre spraying blood on to fertilise it.
I watched this when i was very young, im 18 and i still get nightmares of the tripods every now and then, which helps why this is one of my favorite movies
oliver, in what world do you think a little girl would not be screaming and terrified all the time during an alien invasion? I know what you mean about the son being annoying due to going from not caring about anyone to wanting to save the world but I think the little girl has every right to be scared!
It's not that a girl wouldn't be screaming, but that you could not have the kids in the film as they are annoying. The orignal novel the main character is married but has no kids. The kids are just annoying. They aren't out of character or unrealistic however.
I don't think it was the fact that she was screaming, it was the SOUND of her screaming. I know a scream isn't melodic or anything but shrill screeching is just not pleasant to listen to.
Because her screaming is the only thing anyone remembers about her.
@@nutyyyy The truth is that not all children are annoying, Rachel was a less irritable character, of children today, this is mainly due to the difference in education through the ages, but her yelling is completely natural, even that woman who appears in the Peter Jackson's king kong movie screams equally high-pitched and from being exposed to some pretty scary and distressing.
Totally agree with the review. Was so excited when it was released but ended up disappointed by the irititating characters and nonsensical plot with regard to the tripods being buried and Spielbergs desire to avoid showing a major battle. It reminded me of the recent godzilla release when the camera cuts away just as something happens. I prefer the 50s release and Jeff Wayne musical version
Surprised you don't mention Jeff Wayne's Musical version mate, Richard Burton et al. For our generation that's the introduction to this story. Absolute pop culture mainstay!
That horn sound still gives me shivers :(
It’s a film more interesting to discuss then watch I find, terrific retro as always Oliver, always terrific when you do a film from the 00s!
I did like that they included the Tripod horn from the novel.
So haunting. 😦
It evokes the trumpet the archangel Gabriel will blow when the end of world comes around, according to The Book of Revelation.
A decent film utterly ruined by Dakota Fanning's near constant screaming
Yes. I love Dakota but her character as well as the others frankly were written poorly. They made her annoying and she is actually very charming in reality. The boy was also irritating, I feel like the writers had him leave because they didn't know what to do with him or something. It would have been more ballsy if they killed him off like Oliver said. Tom Cruises character was very under written. I do like where they were going trying to make him a bit of a selfish jerk who seems to really come into fatherhood when his kids lives are threatened, they could have developed that more with some interesting layering like maybe he had a terrible abusive father and is terrified to become him so thinks its better to be a distant father or something more interesting. There is some really great visuals and ideas. The first attack is awesome. It does slow down a bit and the Tim Robbins scene does drag on but does feel like it's necessary for the characters. There are some haunting scenes when the attacking at night happens and people including Dakota and Tom's characters get captured to be harvested is pretty intense, some great ideas and for the most part execution is great. But characters and character development are important and this would have been a much better film if they had been well written. Also, yes if your going to have John Williams it needs to be a more memorable score. Its does it's job for the movie but isn't memorable and seems phoned in which is sad for John Williams. It feels like someone else's work frankly.
+1 I get that Dakota Fanning's character is a young girl who would probably be terrified of the alien invasion taking place around her. And shrieking or screaming can be a natural response, at some level, to danger of that nature. The character was written that way, and Dakota was directed by one of the best directors out there. But by god her character's shrieking got to be annoying in the film, and also the way she constantly questioned her father/brother.
To be fair his Son in the film wasn't much better, I'd still like to know how exactly he managed to survive?
couldn't agree more - I generally like this film but I really dislike Dakota's character
what exactly is a young girl meant to do in the middle of an alien invasion. i'd take dakota screaming over will smith's character's son in ID4 anyday.
Having studied the movie and Tripods and when you look at everything, it's actually a great movie. The aliens, Tripods along with the music and cast are good, I can and have listened to the original score on it's own and I like it, I'm currently building my own Tripod so I have to look at everything in detail...It's very fun and challenging :)
The first hour or so of this movie is excellent. I think there are even Jurassic Park-esque moments of tension that remind us why Spielberg is the best at what he does.
Another great review man. Been subscribed to you for almost 2 years now. Never had a reason to regret it my friend. Keep it up!!!!
One of these days someone will do a big budget version of the book War of the Worlds without changing the story and the tech. The tripods looked good though.
There's supposed to be a 2019 miniseries on BBC, and it takes place in the time and location described in the novel. I haven't seen the miniseries so I don't know if it's good.
@@davidanderson_surrey_bc It isn't.
@@davidanderson_surrey_bc It's terrible.
@@davidanderson_surrey_bc it’s not that great. The tripods are interesting but the aliens act more like animals than intelligent beings
@@davidanderson_surrey_bc seen a bit of it and it's pretty bad.
My biggest criticisms with this film are 1) The heat-ray victims' clothing remaining intact when their bodies are vaporised, and 2) Bobbie running off FOR NO REASON to get himself blown up, yet somehow still survives!!!
GrandmasterDevo *Robbie
If it helps with your immersion, I imagine the ray instaboils any water in what it touches, like a powerful microwave. which may not affect dry clothing
I'm still waiting for someone to give the Jeff Wayne musical the big budget adaptation it deserves. Yes there is the live performance, but imagine even getting a seasoned animation studio to bring that thing to life visually.
ULLAHHH!
There is War of the Worlds: Goliath. An animated movie that takes place years after the novel, with humanity now using tripods to fight the Martians.
There is an amazing stage show version. I’ve seen it and it’s an incredible achievement. Get a dvd of that?
@@Outsidecontext
That's the one that I meant with "the live perfomance"
I was thinking more in the lines of a proper movie treatment using the songs in the musical.
Also. I never did enjoy the guy who played the Parson in the stage show on DVD. He just had the wrong vibe for the performance for me.
I remember this being one of the first DVDs i got when we got surround sound. I watched it numerous times and every time the alien appears in the basement there was a certain noise that would always play only from the rear left speaker, it ALWAYS caught me off guard thinking something was behind me.
This movie started out well. It was very atmospheric and there was a strong sense of encroaching doom. Then it slowly degenerated into the usual popcorn nonsense with screaming and explosions. What a missed opportunity!
It was rushed in production and you can tell. The whole second half needed to be rewritten.
SuperNoone89 how did it suck? It did good...
Gauparte missed opportunity? It did really good in the middle and end..
Hello, thanks for your question. The movie has a number of issues. First, the movie focuses too much on the family drama, which actually stole most of the limelight from the alien invasion. In other words, after the first attack, the movie almost forgets what it is about. I believe that the decision to have the main character running around with his two children also tied the hands of the writers. It's difficult to give someone something interesting to do when he is busy trying to keep two children safe on his own. This comes through very clearly when the son abruptly "dies" in a silly manner, which seemed like a rather cheap attempt to get rid of some unneeded ballast that was holding the main character down.
The 1950s version actually tackled this aspect better. We had the character first being a civilian and running away, then being involved in attempts to tackle the issue militarily and scientifically before finally returning to being a civilian who has practically lost all hope and is resigned to the end. Through this arc we actually get to understand the character and care about him. In the 2005 version, the family members and their general internal dynamics are not fleshed out properly so I never actually cared about what would happen to them. Additionally, in terms of writing, pacing was completely off in my opinion. The 2005 one started strong, then sagged very heavily in the middle before rushing through the ending to tie the story up.
Also, I would have liked to see what was happening in big picture terms. The intro was promising when we saw a whole neighborhood being wiped out by the aliens and the following part where the plane crashes, hinting that the whole world was collapsing. Unfortunately, most of the time I felt that the story was too "zoomed in" on a family dynamic that was not interesting at all. Again, the old version actually tackled this better. Although the 1950s version focused mainly on one character, we got to see the world gradually collapsing around him through the many characters and situations that he encountered. In the new version, we only got very small glimpses of what was happening in terms of big picture. We needed more scenes like the one where the journalist showed him footage of the attacks happening in other places. Without such scenes, we cannot really know how high the stakes are.
I have some other issues with the movie, but this post is already rather long as it is. Cheers!
Gauparte well though this one was actually nicer... the ferry seen was amazing... this movie was about trying to survive mostly... even though he is taking care of his children, it was mostly about surviving.... the 1950s didn't cause a emp... how'd he get to a military base?... Also, in the 1950s they were sloe, didn't make alot of scary noises etc... this war of the world's 2005 version, tripods were everywhere all around the world... it made sense... its not like you could help out or anything like that if something like this happened. In 1953 the aliens were stopped by a virus yes and but the military had an advantage and tried to stop them... a emp also makes a change of everything..
Dude your retrospective was amazing and kept me so engaged. Keep it up my dude
When Robbie wanted to fight aliens I can see maybe if there was a friend that was get killed by one of them or he always wanted to be in the army or something but still it makes no sense.
scottieman2 it does make sense. Do you have any idea how many kids across the country signed up for the military after 9/11? It was record numbers
Fishels I know but still. He's got his kid sister to look after.
scottieman2 so do American troops man. You think everyone who leaves has nobody to take care of
That's different he's not in the military. Just some whiny shit.
scottieman2 you aren’t getting what I’m saying. Tons of random people with families signed up for service after 9/11. Young people get angry. They want a purpose. And to some of them that means war.
I remember seeing the trailer for this movie in theaters, and to this day I remember how absolutely eerie it was. The people coming out of their houses to see the flashing lights and sounds beyond the hills. Something about seeing that in theaters was something I’ll never forget. I enjoyed the movie but admittedly the trailer has left a lasting impression on me more than the film itself.
I grew up with the 1950's version with Gene Barry , it was my first sci-fi film I ever saw. I actually prefer it over this film.
Yeah, I have to agree. I do like Spielberg's version, there's a lot of good in it. But the 1950's has been the best take so far. Fantastic effects, great score, charismatic leads and killer pacing all make a film I dearly love. And it has the best coffee drinking General in all movies ever. "All I know is, when the martians begin to move no more news comes out of that area." *Drinks coffee ominously.*
Me too brother
I was a big fan of the 50s version, I must have watched that movie on VHS, a hundred times back in 90s as kid. that how much I love it. The part where they encounter the aliens, always give me the chills. While the 2005 version is not as great as 1950 version, I still love it all the same. More so than all the low budget versions of recent years.
I agree; I can't stand the kids in the 2005 remake. they are so annoying with the screaming and their attitude toward their father
me too...........
Enjoyed your channel for years. Amazing work man. So nice hearing clear and concise narration. 👌
I love the book, love the 1953 movie, love the Jeff Wayne musical but i didn't know what to think about this (2005) movie. When the tripod emerges for the first time, it gripped me due to the look of the tripod, the roar, the musical score and then when it started attacking but from there on, i didn't enjoy it as much as i hoped, especially those damn kids. It's a good effort for a modern take but in my heart, i would have loved to see it set back in late 1800's and give a faithful adaptation instead of the trash produced by Pendragon released in 2005 also. I don't love this movie but i don't hate it either and i'll happily watch it. Nice review by the way :)
Thanks, Oliver! It always makes it a good day when I find you've uploaded a new retrospective! The reason I subbed years ago and why I'll always stay subscribed.
As for the movie, I really enjoyed it but it kinda lost me towards the end. It's also not that rewatchable for me, by the time they're hiding in the basement place I'm yawning.
I remember being 12 when I had seen this at my nearby drive-in, I remember it was not-at-all the _ID4_ type of film I was partially expecting, it instead showed me what a realistic alien invasion would possibly look like, that being the human race may be overwhelmed by the invasion and possibly be fighting a losing war against a more-technologically-advanced civilization much like what happened with Columbus and the Native Americans. But still, I do hold a soft spot for this film due to how dark-toned it was and being more of a survival thriller film rather than another typical sci-fi war action film. It may not be as memorable as the 1953 film, but it is certainly better than the other 2005 (albeit more-faithful) adaptation which was 3-hours long with effects that'd make Ed Wood blush and it being very boring.
I have a lot of nostalgia for this movie. I was 5 years old when it came out and I remember seeing it and it shook me to my core. Looking back on it, the writing was definitely its weak point and if not for the bad dialogue this would’ve absolutely been a instant classic. I still love the visuals and the atmosphere Spielberg creates of hopelessness to a much more advanced enemy. A solid 7/10 but one of my personal favorites.
I enjoyed this movie in the cinema but when I re-watched it at home I got kinda bored with it. I thought Cruise was good and some of the effects are great but overall I felt the film was pretty meh!
"I think the film should of have the balls to kill him off for being a plonker!" LOL.. Likewise, when his son runs off it was a highlight of the film for me as he annoyed the shit outta me.
I personally thought the movie was incredible. One of Spielberg's most underrated films. The atmosphere of hopelessness is very effective. I also thought the scene where the mob attacks the minivan was one of the most intense parts in the film.
I love this movie, the third act is the weakest part of the movie, but everything before that is amazing....especially the first time we discover the tripods, what about that incredible sound they make the first time we see them? It gives me goosebump every time!!
Was talking about this movie the day you uploaded this. Good timing.
I personally really enjoyed this movie. It's a different kind of movie for Tom Cruise and it's a classic story being modernised and updated for modern audiences. With narration by Morgan Freeman.
I got to say every one of your fan made trailers are exponentially better than the actual trailers and get me excited to see movies even if I've already seen them. You should do this for a living.
Little girl: * screams in fear, just like any child would *
The internet: *OmG sO aNnOyInG*
Thank you, ikr
So what, people can't express their opinion on a media platform that's literally designed for that? You feel better now that you've recycled a bad joke?
@@dynestis2875 You feel better now that you've acted like a dimissive ass?
Dynestis you mad?
@@hysterical5408 You feel better now that you're a hypocrite?
I remember watching this in the theater with my dad when I was 12 (I was a huge Spielberg fan even younger than that), and I won't lie, this film came on tv two years back and my reactions was, "oh yeah, this movie exists."
How does that happen? How do you just forget a Spielberg movie exists?
The beginning and middle of this film is amazing, but the ending is just too nice and neat. Everyone from the family lives?! I can't suspend my disbelief that much.
First saw this back when I was about 5 or so with my folks when it first came out. Not sure why they took me to it when I was so young- but I'm honestly pretty glad they did. That opening scene of people being vaporized was burned into my mind.
There's something about seeing that sort of thing at so young makes you value life and the people you care about- If I hadn't seen this I'd have probably become a fairly different person.
This is my favourite film of all time, granted, I have rose-coloured glasses on thanks to nostalgia. I personally never found the kids to be annoying, since I was around Rachel’s age when I first watched the film and would have reacted how she did in some situations, and even now I still sympathise with them. Spielberg’s film also introduced me to the War of the Worlds book and musical, which I’m a huge fan of now!
Olivia Martin As a kid I didn’t appreciate this film like I do now. It’s really great. The first invasion scene is so realistic to me.
Highly agreed. I read the H.G. Wells book when I was about 11 and it blew my mind. After that I had always dreamed of a good modern adaptation of the movie, and even wrote screenplays myself growing up. When I first saw the movie I was in Iraq, and it was a terrible cam version. I still vividly remember watching it thinking "this is exactly how I envisioned a modern version of the book", even though the cam version was so goddamn bad. Anyway, it's a great movie and one of my all time favorites. I think people cant get the full appreciation of it without reading the book. It kinds leaves out a certain context to the movie.
I loved it when it came out and love it even more now. Very underappreciated flick.
That bloom effect was all the rage at the time. Spielberg also used it in Minority Report, and it really dates both films. The main bloom culprit at the time was CSI, but it even made its way into games like Rainbow Six.
I didn't like this the first time I saw it.. but the more I watch it the more I like it. I love the dark and paranoid feeling. I just always felt the ending was kind of trash. It's a cool concept but poorly executed and it feels like the movie just stops
It really shouldn't have relied on a narrator to explain why the tripods started dying for no reason. Maybe just seeing the aliens get moldy would have been better.
Or maybe seeing the alien get cut with a rusty screw or inhale some dust
The sounds of the tripods walking, the horn, the darth-vader-like sound when they sprayed, and the vaporizing noises will always be imprinted on my mind
Unfortunately, I think everyone could leave this film off their resumes and no one would be the wiser. It's that forgettable. Even John Williams is phoning it in and I'm probably one of the biggest JW fans on the planet..
I'm actually a bit angry with Spielberg. TWotW is an iconic story birthed from one of history's most gifted writers. It's been adapted more times than you can count, with probably the most identifiable being Jeff Wayne's musical version or the 1953 movie. Spielberg had the opportunity to put his usually brilliant stamp on the source material, but instead makes this really bizarre and sullen American refugee flick that's just needlessly mean in parts.
And that premise - Good God, that premise. WTF was Spielberg thinking? Could it be more dumb and nonsensical? You don't even get the sense that the aliens are from Mars. As Oliver points out, they look like near cousins of the critters in Independence Day. Why the hell ditch the whole Mars is dying aspect, which is the sole motivating (and understandable) factor for the invasion? And if the "Martians" have technology advanced enough to effectively teleport themselves into their tripods, why do they have to rely on slow and ungainly machines to express their will?
This film is a narrative disaster and is really nothing more than an effects showreel. What a waste.
Then why call it "War of the Worlds"? Who is this other world we're suppose to be fighting if not Mars? If Spielberg just wanted to do an alien invasion film, why associate it with one of the most famous sci-fi stories of all time and not take advantage of the source material? You're just going to draw unwanted comparisons. Really, the only things this film even bothers to take from Wells' novel are tripods, the red weed, aliens, the bacteria twist, the ferry sequence, and the heat ray (which is more like a poof ray in the film). The rest is a bad Spielbergian fever dream.
Personally, I think the film's setting is better suited to when Wells envisioned it - Victorian-era England. Now, we have really esoteric things we could bring to bear, like directed energy weapons, railguns, EMP bombs, tactical nukes, and the like, so the aliens would have to have some REALLY far-out weapons, which would be difficult to plausibly envision.
One of the things I really disliked about the 1953 Haskin film was the tripod forcefield, which basically made them invulnerable and invincible. They even tried nukes to no avail. With the Victorian setting, while the Martians are certainly much more advanced than us, they didn't have magical science on their side and both the English artillery forces along with the navy had some initial success with the destruction of several tripods. In the '53 film, once the forcefield was introduced, it was practically a foregone conclusion that the Martians would win had it not been for their susceptibility to Earthly microorganisms.
Speaking of which, I had no idea a new period-based British production was underway. Should be interesting. I just hope they don't stray too far from the source and try to introduce a bunch of silly crap.
Which is why the Victorian setting of Wells' novel is far better suited for a "true" WotW adaptation than something resembling present-day. However, even then, I don't think a retelling using a modern setting and having the Martians be the bad guys is impossible. Retroactively, WotW doesn't make any sense anyway since we NOW know Mars has probably been lifeless for millions of years and perhaps for its entire existence.
Either way, you have to get into Wells' headspace for it to imbue the reader/watcher with the necessary suspension of disbelief. If you're not willing, then the story is utterly lost upon you, even if you recognize it as an allegory for man's nature to enslave and exploit "lesser" tribes and populations.
If you insist on "smartening" the story for it to have any reason to be, then you'll also need to discard almost all films with a sci-fi twist, since the majority use a fair of amount of small-ish conceits, like audible explosions in space and FTL travel. Being aware of those conceits and not letting it interfere with your enjoyment of the material isn't simple-minded, but being flexible with expectations.
Again, why title the movie "The War of the Worlds" and trade upon Wells' novel if you have little intention of being faithful to the source? Isn't that one of the big beefs the average moviegoer has with Hollywood when making so-called adaptations? What you're actually doing is engaging in dishonest marketing tactics to create positive associations.
Have you seen the 1953 film or Jeff Wayne's version? Do you completely dismiss them because they stay true to the notion that aliens from Mars try to invade Earth? I personally think it's a huge narrative strength, as it builds upon the fascination and fear man has long had toward The Red Planet. Wells chose Mars and not Mercury or Venus because it captured the imagination of those living in Victorian times, especially the canals that were thought to be Martian rivers. I'd argue that it still does to a great extent since we're still not entirely sure Mars didn't have life at some point. Hell, we're not even certain it doesn't contain some form of life now.
If a current or future scientific discovery breaks the premise of a work before that discovery was made and you can't reconcile the two, you better be prepared to trash most of your sci-fi library. I'm assuming you thought John Carter was laughable.
And yes, I know the tripods in Spielberg's film also had impenetrable forcefields. I'm not terribly happy about that fact, either.
Fred Leggett Jeff Wayns adaptation was from the book not the 50's film.
Fred Leggett ive heard theirs a lot of polictical crap thats gonna be in it? The red warning light is already going off!
Spielberg's take on the story is superb -- he really has in mind what Howard Hawks always had in mind whilst making a movie.
For some reason, looking at the footage of the Martians coming through the lightning to pilot their machines reminds me of the gag in cartoons where a character gets sucked into a vacuum cleaner or flushed down a toilet and you see the pipe bulge as they move through it. I've just ruined the movie for myself, lol.
I always wondered why that scene bothered me, and you absolutely just nailed why. LoL.
Terrific analysis and review. Straightforward, honest, fair criticism and praise. Subscribing.