WAR OF THE WORLDS

Director: Steven Spielberg ( no major film work)
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin

The latest Stephen Spielberg summer blockbuster is a moderately entertaining, moderately successful film. While it touches on large issues like our current fears of terrorism, and how society deals with them, it does no more than touch. It doesn’t quite overcome the limits of a standard sci-fi adventure flick, despite seeming to try. Again and again in Spielberg’s films we see what a master he’s become at the visual medium. This is perhaps surprising given his early work, but there are few directors out there with such a beautiful body of moving pictures. The evil machines destroying America quite effectively evoke early sci-fi design, but still create a palpable sense of fear in the viewer. They’re creepy, creepy things. Still they serve little artistic purpose beyond eye candy. It’s unfortunate that the director isn’t quite willing or able to create works of art rather than these standard movie spectacles. It certainly seems like he’s trying to turn this film into a commentary on society after 9/11, with some of the basest human emotions bubbling to the surface in the face of trauma. Unfortunately, just when the film seems like it’s going to work on this level, the plot turns into nothing more than hero Tom Cruise saving his kids from the bad guys. Similar to The Terminal, a recent Spielberg film, this movie attempts to be something more than entertainment, but just misses. Good solid entertainment, but I still think Steve-O can do better. He needs some more Schindler’s Lists thrown in amongst his Jurassic Park 2s.

Standouts: Adventure, evil baddies, and nice design and production.
Blowouts: Uneven script. In parts it’s smart and interesting, in others, somewhat banal.

Grade: B

7/10/2005