DVD 117 mins
PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
War of the Worlds
Dreamworks / Paramount Pictures (6/29/2005)
In Collection
#590

Seen It:
No

Owner:
Ben
Sci-Fi, Thriller
USA  /  English

Tom Cruise Ray Ferrier
Dakota Fanning
Tim Robbins

Director Steven Spielberg

Despite super effects, a huge budget, and the cinematic pedigree of alien-happy Steven Spielberg, this take on H.G. Wells's novel is basically a horror film packaged as a sci-fi thrill ride. Instead of a mad slasher, however, Spielberg (along with writers Josh Friedman & David Koepp) utilizes aliens hell-bent on quickly destroying humanity, and the terrifying results that prey upon adult fears, especially in the post-9/11 world. The realistic results could be a new genre, the grim popcorn thriller; often you feel like you're watching Schindler's List more than Spielberg's other thrill-machine movies (Jaws, Jurassic Park). The film centers on Ray Ferrier, a divorced father (Tom Cruise, oh so comfortable) who witnesses one giant craft destroy his New Jersey town and soon is on the road with his teen son (Justin Chatwin) and preteen daughter (Dakota Fanning) in tow, trying to keep ahead of the invasion. The film is, of course, impeccably designed and produced by Spielberg's usual crew of A-class talent. The aliens are genuinely scary, even when the film--like the novel--spends a good chunk of time in a basement. Readers of the book (or viewers of the deft 1953 adaptation) will note the variation of whom and how the aliens come to Earth, which poses some logistical problems. The film opens and closes with narration from the novel read by Morgan Freeman, but Spielberg could have adapted Orson Welles's words from the famous Halloween Eve 1938 radio broadcast: "We couldn't soap all your windows and steal all your garden gates by tomorrow night, so we did the best next thing: we annihilated the world." --Doug Thomas

War of the Worlds at Amazon.com

The Soundtrack

The War of the Worlds (1953)

War of the Worlds - The Complete First Season (TV series)

Classic Sci-Fi Movies and Their Remakes

Aliens Invade on DVD

The Prog-rock Opera (no kidding)

Edition Details
Edition Widescreen Edition
Barcode 678149439229
Region Region 1
Release Date 11/22/2005
Packaging Jewel w/Slip cover
Screen Ratio 1.85 (16:9) Anamorphic
Subtitles English; French; Spanish
Audio Tracks DTS 5.1 Surround - English
English Dolby Digital 2.0
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC]
French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Layers Single Side, Dual Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes 1

Features
Featurettes
Personal Details
Purchase Date 11/22/2005
Purchase Price $13.18
Store Best Buy
Condition New (Still Sealed)
Current Value $19.99
Links Amazon US