Hollywood Nonsense
This is gonna be a film review post today. Yesterday I went to see war of the worlds and well in some ways I wasn't too surprised.
I mean its a Spielberg Film with Tom Cruise as the lead.
Its strayed from the original plot set in Victorian England like in the HG Wells novel.
It has a huge special effects budget.
Put the pieces together and you can see why I found it a tad annoying at times.
Having said this though the film does have some very good points as well as bad which I will now summerise.
The Good:
The alien tripods are very cool looking and sounding
The acting altogether actually isn't half bad apart from a lot of screaming and hysteria which should be expected from a disaster movie such as this.
The special effects do their job and they do it well
The story has a beginning middle and an end
Not too much emphasis is put on the human race as a whole. It follows the Ferrier family and the Ferrier family only with a few others becoming involved along the way.
At times the script is very emotive.
There is some good symbolism in this film. Notably the holocaust references. "its not a war its an extermination" and the empty falling clothes (ala Auschwitz). Very significant when you consider that Spielburg is a Jewish director.
The Bad:
The acting and character of the Son. He really is a wanker. If I were Ray Ferrier I probably would have knocked him out at times.
THE FACT THAT THE SON APPEARS TO DIE WITH NO HOPE OF SURVIVAL YET AT THE END HE'S SOMEHOW BEATEN RAY AND RACHEL TO BOSTON AND IS WITH HIS MOTHER!!! ON FOOT BY HIMSELF WITH THOUSANDS OF HUGE TRIPODS RAINING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION UPON THE WORLD! HOW THE HELL!
The fact that when they reach Boston it is almost completely intact where as in the other homes of the Ferrier family there is no remains left of any buildings. I can't stand endings where it ends too well. I mean lets be realistic its much more likely that that Ray's in-laws place would have been annihilated. The fact that Ray's ex-wife and SON and parents all survived would have been a bonus in itself. But the fact they seem quite untouched by the omnipotent threat of GIANT KILLER ALIEN TRIPODS and are living quite cosily in the house on a rather un-touched road.
WHAT DID THE ALIENS DECIDE TO LEAVE BOSTON! WHERE AS NO WHERE ELSE ON EARTH WAS SAFE!
There was some very annoying American symbolism along the way. Like the constant yell at first of "is it terrorists!" and later the gun ho attitude of trying to fight the aliens who are invunerable to all weapons THE SON AGAIN!!!!! Then near the end of the film there is a ruined statue of an American patriot from the War of independence GAH!
There is little reference as to what became of the rest of the world. Apart from America obviously.
The mass crowd of Hysterical Americans.
There seemed to be a complete lack of anyone other race apart from white people.
All in all I'd have to say I was disappointed by this film. Spielberg could have made something much more of this film. Sadly its some of the little things that let this film down as well as some key fundamental elements
Id have to give it 6 out of 10 in my rankings
I mean its a Spielberg Film with Tom Cruise as the lead.
Its strayed from the original plot set in Victorian England like in the HG Wells novel.
It has a huge special effects budget.
Put the pieces together and you can see why I found it a tad annoying at times.
Having said this though the film does have some very good points as well as bad which I will now summerise.
The Good:
The alien tripods are very cool looking and sounding
The acting altogether actually isn't half bad apart from a lot of screaming and hysteria which should be expected from a disaster movie such as this.
The special effects do their job and they do it well
The story has a beginning middle and an end
Not too much emphasis is put on the human race as a whole. It follows the Ferrier family and the Ferrier family only with a few others becoming involved along the way.
At times the script is very emotive.
There is some good symbolism in this film. Notably the holocaust references. "its not a war its an extermination" and the empty falling clothes (ala Auschwitz). Very significant when you consider that Spielburg is a Jewish director.
The Bad:
The acting and character of the Son. He really is a wanker. If I were Ray Ferrier I probably would have knocked him out at times.
THE FACT THAT THE SON APPEARS TO DIE WITH NO HOPE OF SURVIVAL YET AT THE END HE'S SOMEHOW BEATEN RAY AND RACHEL TO BOSTON AND IS WITH HIS MOTHER!!! ON FOOT BY HIMSELF WITH THOUSANDS OF HUGE TRIPODS RAINING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION UPON THE WORLD! HOW THE HELL!
The fact that when they reach Boston it is almost completely intact where as in the other homes of the Ferrier family there is no remains left of any buildings. I can't stand endings where it ends too well. I mean lets be realistic its much more likely that that Ray's in-laws place would have been annihilated. The fact that Ray's ex-wife and SON and parents all survived would have been a bonus in itself. But the fact they seem quite untouched by the omnipotent threat of GIANT KILLER ALIEN TRIPODS and are living quite cosily in the house on a rather un-touched road.
WHAT DID THE ALIENS DECIDE TO LEAVE BOSTON! WHERE AS NO WHERE ELSE ON EARTH WAS SAFE!
There was some very annoying American symbolism along the way. Like the constant yell at first of "is it terrorists!" and later the gun ho attitude of trying to fight the aliens who are invunerable to all weapons THE SON AGAIN!!!!! Then near the end of the film there is a ruined statue of an American patriot from the War of independence GAH!
There is little reference as to what became of the rest of the world. Apart from America obviously.
The mass crowd of Hysterical Americans.
There seemed to be a complete lack of anyone other race apart from white people.
All in all I'd have to say I was disappointed by this film. Spielberg could have made something much more of this film. Sadly its some of the little things that let this film down as well as some key fundamental elements
Id have to give it 6 out of 10 in my rankings
Comments
But the Holocaust reference would probably have passed me by, so I'm glad you pointed that out. I'll look for it when I eventually see the film.