War of the Worlds (2005) (1 Viewer)

[Chuck Mayer]

I agree, Simon. It was a huge dramatic moment for all of the characters that was lost with the "happy ending". I had no problems with Robbie. He was a kid who wanted to help (as on the ferry). He was a bratty teen, but he had guts. I liked him. I didn't want his character dead.

But I didn't want him "kept alive" for a happy ending.

Still a good film,
Chuck

 

[Patrick H.]

As I mentioned above, I just felt SOMEBODY in the core little group of characters shouldn't have made it. If Robbie was going to survive, at least have the rest of the family in Boston obliterated, so he could realize the mistake he made in not trusting his father and abandoning his sister. Or just have him not survive...after all, it was his choice to run head-long into the firestorm. But having both Robbie AND the family just sitting there waiting for Ray and Rachel (with minimal damage and the power still on!) is a weak ending to an otherwise gutsy film.

 

[Quentin]

Oh...I've imagined it!

Add his sons body to the pile as well (as you infer), and you've got something. Not only is it a more appropriate and respectful end, but it would fit in nicely with all the 9/11 thematic elements.

 

[Robert Anthony]

Plus, it seems like such a cheat to have him standing there--because Spielberg has done so well, at that point, convincing everyone that Robbie HAD to go. Not only are you robbing the finale of emotion, you're nullifying your earlier scene where Robbie DOES go. That scene suddenly loses ALL of its punch (which was considerable) because now all the emotion in it rings horribly false.

But--when I say "jaw-dropping" in the review thread, I mean it. At some point during the initial Tripod reveal, I actually CAUGHT myself staring at the screen open mouthed. And in all my 27 years on this earth, that has NEVER happened.

 

[Luis Esp]

I enjoyed this movie more than I was expecting to. I'm so glad it didn't turn out to be another "lead actor" saves the world from the aliens, the way ID4 did.

I'm glad Speilberg didn't make Cruise's character all of a sudden, a wizard to alien technology.

This movie was loud! I now wear ear plugs to the movies because of the sound levels, but man, the bass in this film was mad.

I saw a few people who brought their kids that were under 10 with no hearing protection.
Never mind the nightmares

 

[Robert Anthony]

oh, and thanks for the link to the Muren junket interview, Chuck.

I'm actually wondering why Lucas didn't go with Muren for the prequels, and went with Knoll instead. I had thought Muren retired at first, but obviously he hadn't.

 

[Chris Harvey]

Yeah, that tripod reveal is definitely the FX sequence of the year, so far -- jawdropping, astonishing, amazing, and intense. (Though the ferry-crossing scene would be up there too).

 

[Kevin Grey]

IIRC, Muren was pretty heavily involved in TPM, particularly in the final Gungan fight.

 

[Robert Anthony]

okay, but Knoll ran Episodes II and III..Lucas has GOTTA know Muren is BMOC as far as effects goes at ILM. I don't get why he picked Knoll instead. Not a knock on Knoll, but I got the impression it was Knoll's show for II and III

 

[Mark Palermo]

OK, so if Robbie died at the end, how is that satisfying? It ties up the film more realistically (Plausibility - the awful standard by which all movies are now judged), but doesn't work on a thematic level. The movie parallels the attack on a Superpower with a story of contemporary American arrogance. In the end, the US survives, but sees things anew, as does the broken family. Ray's character arc, which was discussed previously, means nothing without Robbie's survival.

Nitpicking this .5% of the movie is anybody's prerogative. But the movie I saw is extraordinary! Batman Begins?? Please!

 

[Richard Kim]

Just got back from WOTW.

This was a visually dazzling spectacular film (I was really impressed by the special effects, the best I've seen this year, other than ROTS). And it was very effective in sustaining suspense.

However, there are many flaws as well. I thought that while Tom Cruise's relationship with his kids were well fleshed out, the other characters were given the shaft, as the film goes straight to the invasion. Miranda Otto was essentially wasted in this film.

Why did Cruise kill/assault Tim Robbins's character? The film did not give sufficient reason why he does this.

Also, I was confused as to why the aliens were defeated. I believe the narrator explains that they weren't immune to our diseases or something, but other than that, the film didn't elaborate. Keep in mind I haven't read the book.

I thought that WOTW was too relentlessly grim, and I agree with Roger Ebert that it lacks the sense of wonder in Speilberg's previous films.


:star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Tim Glover]

For me, it was to protect him and his daughter. At that point, Robbins had lost it and was speaking loudly and crazy.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Regarding Tim Robbins, clearly Ogilvy had become unbalanced and was making noise. A lot of noise. In close proximity to Ferrier's daughter. He did not listen to reason. Ray did what he thought he had to save his daughter.

Robert,
I only assume Muren does what HE wants, picks the projects that interest him. He did some AI and Hulk work, which probably kept him from AOTC. And WOTW kept him from ROTS. Knoll did a fine job.

But Muren is the guy that pushes the envelope. Has been since 1985. Especially when teamed with Cameron or Spielberg. I do assume it's well known than Muren is the BMOC at ILM.

Take care,
Chuck

 

[Robert Anthony]

How much more broken does a family have to be then to have one of the members die? THAT'S a broken family. The scenario you described isn't a broken family learning to deal. It's a healed family, CLOSER to each other than they were. Robbie's survival totally undercuts the theme that Spielberg seemed to be working with for the most part. It empties the emotions. It's not necessarily more satisfying, but it rings truer to the tone of the movie.

 

[John Doran]

just saw it, and i have to say that this is easily my favorite film of the year so far.

as many people have already commented, the first 45 minutes or so are just nutty - i actually felt genuine panic when the first tripod emerged and began its attack; my heart was racing, my eyelids were peeled back, and my tongue got dry from my mouth hanging open for so long. unbelievable. when cruise was taking the minivan and the mechanic kept on talking over him and fanning was crying in the backseat, i was freaking out - i wanted to scream at the guy to shut up and that there was no time and to GO GO GO. it's been a long time since i was so thoroughly swept up in a film.

i thought the tripods were spectacular, not to mention the heat ray and that crazy sound the machines made (it reminded me of the seismic charges from AOTC); when this comes out on dvd, my neighbours are gonna have me shot after the 50th time in a row i play that sound at maximum volume...

it seemed like june 29 would never get here, but it was well worth the wait.

 

[Alex-C]

Apologies if this was posted in the previous 5 pages...

Anyone else make the connection with Tim Robbins digging a tunnel ? and a Red..I mean, Morgan Freeman voice over to boot ! haha!

I guess it would have been too much to expect Tim's character to be digging with a rock hammer...hehe.

 

[John Doran]

i thought it was novel and interesting. it's certainly a concept that provides way more fodder for thought than interstellar spacecraft landing on the whitehouse lawn.

and there's just no way that omitting all reference to the alien's arrival would have washed with people; if there hadn't been so much as a gesture in the direction of an explanation, i'd bet that you'd be asking how spielberg could have been foolish enough to have remained silent on such an important point.

 

[BrettB]

Traveling between the shoot and ILM, Muren translates Spielberg's directives to the effects artists. But he's been formulating his own vision of War of the Worlds for a long time. As a grade school kid in the suburbs of Los Angeles during the '50s, he says, "I grew up with this movie."

From the excellent Wired article Close Encounters of the Worst Kind.

 

[Dave Miller]

I thought for sure during his digging, Robbins would look at Cruise and say "Really, come on. I've done this before."

Great flick. Saw it last night. It's been a while since I've been that tense in a movie. Loved it.

Peace,

DM

 

[John Doran]

it's not a healed family at all, man - a healed family is one where the members are all together in the same house, living the same life.

in my opinion, if robbie had died, whatever progress cruise's character would have made via the trauma of the previous week or so would have been eclipsed and perhaps even reversed by the grief of the loss, not to mention the recrimination from the estranged wife that might have ensued.

robbie had to live in order to return and demonstrate that, at some point as a parent, you have to let your kids make their own way and do things you yourself think are pointless or stupid, and hope that they will come back to you a little older and a little wiser, and that your act of letting go and theirs of leaving and then returning will change you both for the better. because sometimes choosing freely is more important than choosing correctly.

but then, i don't think the movie was really about aliens any more than i think signs was, or that night of the living dead was about zombies: they're about people under stress, in this case about ferrier and his kids. and killing one of them doesn't fit into that story.