Re: War of the Worlds (SPOILERS)
I refuse to heed the opinions of anyone who has not read the book and proceeds to attack the film. This version was much closer overall to the book than the 56 version.
While this film has some minor problems, it is by far one of Spielberg's best blockbusters and well worth seeing. There is more there than meets the eye. See it again and you will find things you didn't catch the first time. It is layered with quality and depth.
Cruise manages, due to Spielberg's brilliant direction, to stop being Cruise and become the average, lost man who honestly doesn't know what to do through most of the film.
The scenes that speak volumes and are brilliantly done stand as some of the best scenes in history. I agree with the critic that said this is probably the best performance Cruise has ever given.
And to anyone who refuses to see a film because it's a remake (regardless of how good it is) or because of some remarks by an actor in his personal life, then well, that's just silly. I've strongly taken issue with many things Mel Gibson has said, especially about gays, but that doesn't stop me from going to see his great performances or recognizing them as such. I can seperate the man from the role.
This film was a great comeback for Spielberg to what he once was, while incorporating who he has become. It was dark and held no punches. Should the son have survived? That's a matter of opinion. I personally believe it was Spielberg's way of saying, "I've put the audience through two hours of sheer hell and not held back the horror of it all, I can at least give them some bit of joy at the end."
Given that I also agree with the earlier review of the ending and how Cruise's character was once again alone in many ways, it still remains a layered and not so happy ending if you pay attention and look beneath the surface of what's happening.
This film will survive the test of time, I predict, and become a classic, revered by critics and audiences alike for decades. It is layers of passion and brilliance, not only in direction, but in performances, cinematography, and FX.
As to the ending, that's the way the book ends folks. Spielberg actually tried to give us a bit of excitement and sense of victory by letting the military guys fire on the one tripod. But the book just ends...they die, not because of our power or might, not because we outsmart them, but because in their arrogance they assumed they had the upper hand and something as small as a microbe no one thought of was what brought them down.
It is all so tenous, our existence, theirs, all of it. We never know what will bring the next great change...and in our arrogance we never believe anything can beat us.
Layers, folks....layers.
It is a story of the fragility of humanity, that it could all be over tomorrow, for everyone. Arrogant presumption, whether ours or an alien race's is folly.
CE
PS: jnk5y, that ending is how it ends...period. It isn't crappy, it says something...pay attention. And BTW, the Mars Attacks ending image was an homage to WotW. You need to learn before you speak on who borrowed or paid homage to whom.
