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Steven Spielberg's
War of the Worlds 2005 version is a Sci-fi/Thriller/Action/Drama movie, staring Tom
Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.
It is based on H.G. Wells
War of the Worlds book of 1898.
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War of the
Worlds Cast:
Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier
Justin Chatwin as Robbie Ferrier
Dakota Fanning as Rachel Ferrier
Tim Robbins as Ogilvy
Miranda Otto as Mary Ann Ferrier
David Alan Basche as Tim
Morgan Freeman as the Narrator (voice)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Producers: Colin Wilson, Kathleen Kennedy
Executive Producer: Paula Wagner
Screenwriters: David Koepp , Josh Friedman
Source Writer: H.G. Wells
novel
Cinematographer: Janusz Kaminski
Original Music: Composed by John Williams
Age: 15 +
(medium-level violence)
Running Time: 116 mins.
Released 29 June 2005 in cinemas. |
Steven Spielberg's War of the
Worlds is based on HG Wells' 1898 novel. The first War of the Worlds movie
was made in 1953 in the midst of the Cold War, whereas the 2005
version shadows on 9/11.
Steven
Spielberg's directed adaptation of the story is set on the
Eastern Seaboard of the United States of America.
Story
War of the Worlds is set in modern-day New Jersey; the action
focuses on blundering dad Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) who's just
picked up his children Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and Rachel
(Dakota Fanning) for the weekend.
After a violent lighting storm, the street outside explodes as a
400 ft warlord emerges from the ground signalling the start of
the systematic massacre of humankind. With thousands of the
invaders attacking around the world, Ray and his children must
escape the city as it burns around them.
The movie is shown from Ray Ferrier's (Tom Cruise) perspective and does
not show scenes of what was happening around the world.
2005 version has no mention of the
original book's central idea that the invaders came from Mars. In
comparison to 1898 book we now know much more about
Planet Mars.
War of the Worlds Soundtrack
John Williams composed the music and is genuinely scary.
He has collaborated on many films with
Steven
Spielberg including Jaws,
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
and ET: the
Extra-Terrestrial.
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Track Listings
1. Prologue
2. Escape from the city
3. Reaching the country
4. The intersection scene
5. Ray and Rachel
6. The ferry scene
7. Probing the basement
8. Refugee status
9. The attack on the car
10. The separation of the family
11. The confrontation with Ogilvy
12. The return to Boston
13. Escape from the basket
14. The reunion
15. Epilogue
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War of the Worlds
Review: 8.5/10
Pros
The special effects are superb. The highlight is the sight of
the Alien invaders striding over burning cities, vaporizing
buildings amid a crackle of laser fire. The invaders towering
their victims and throwing them into cages on their backs to be
eaten alive. Also good is when the invaders sink a
passenger-laden ferry.
The acting is good. 11 year old Dakota Fanning outshines
everyone else as Ray's wise for her age daughter.
Director Steven Spielberg is very good at creating an atmosphere
that is scary as the invaders take over. He expertly plays on
the fears aroused by September 11. Such fear of destruction retains
huge metaphorical potential in an age of terrorism.
The horror is mixed with lots of comedy, particularly Ray's
hapless attempts to bond with his distrusting kids.
What is
interesting about Ray Ferrier's character
is that he is an ordinary person
and is not a scientist. He does not become a hero like Rambo and
kill all the alien invaders.
Cons
The movie did explain well in
how the aliens were defeated, however it ended too quickly. The
film would have benefited an extra 10 minutes.
Verdict War of the Worlds is yet another Spielberg success and it is a
scary movie.
It manages to effectively update
the 1950's sci-fi movie and has adapted well from a late-19th
century book to the 21st century.
If you liked Independence Day
movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Signs, you'll like this.
The movie brings nothing new to the sci-fi genre, but the CGI
effects makes it one of the best movies of 2005.
Did you know?
* H. G. Wells War of the Worlds
novel was first published in 1898. The book describes an
invasion of Earth by spaceships from Planet Mars.
* Orson Welles' 1938 radio
dramatization of the story caused widespread panic in the U.S.
* Director Steven Spielberg in ET
(1982) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), made his
aliens cuddly. In his version of War of the Worlds the creatures
from outer space have arrived to wipe out humanity.
* The wreckage of a real Boeing 747 plane was used to make the
scenes more realistic.
* Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise
worked in 2002 sci-fi adventure movie Minority Report.
* Director Steven Spielberg
wanted to make the film years ago, but decided against it when
Independence Day (1996) was released. However, the director
wanted to work with Tom Cruise again after Minority Report and
choose War of the Worlds (2005) as their next project.
War
of the Worlds
Links:
:
The official
site of the new War of the Worlds movie directed by Steven Spielberg and
starring Tom Cruise.
Paramount Pictures
Corporation.
War of the Worlds Movie Info -
Yahoo! Movies:
War of the Worlds (2005): find the latest news, photos and trailers, as well
as local showtimes/dvd info at Yahoo! Movies
War of the Worlds (2005)
by imdb.com Verdana"
War of the Worlds Review
by rottentomatoes.com
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