War of the Worlds

2005
|
116 mins
Poster for War of the Worlds

Steven Spielberg directs Tom Cruise as Ray, a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. After his ex-wife and her new husband... More

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War of the Worlds | Ratings & Reviews

"A gritty, intense and supremely accomplished sci-fier about some distinctly unbenign alien invaders."

VarietyVariety

"Exploring the dark side of his old films E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg more than does justice to the granddaddy of all alien-invasion tales, H.G. Wells' still terrifying novel published in 1898."

Hollywood ReporterHollywood Reporter

"Steven Spielberg's reasonably entertaining rendering of the 1898 H. G. Wells novel is an elemental story of predator and prey."

The New York TimesThe New York Times

"With War of the Worlds [Spielberg] has made what is arguably one of the best 1950s science fiction films ever."

Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times

"War of the Worlds is a big, clunky movie containing some sensational sights but lacking the zest and joyous energy we expect from Steven Spielberg."

Roger EbertRoger Ebert

"A greatest-hits package from our greatest living entertainer, there is almost overmuch to admire here, but only the moments that aspire to post-9/11 relevance chill as well as thrill."

Empire MagazineEmpire Magazine

"Bewildered, mildly optimistic, holding out the hope of salvation in spite of everything in a blasted, empty landscape, War of the World is, in the end, and perhaps despite its intentions, a fairly tentative assertion of hope for the future."

The AgeThe Age

"H.G. Wells wouldn't recognize his 1898 alien-invasion novel, The War of the Worlds, in Steven Spielberg's updated film version. But Wells could probably relate to the ensuing fear and panic."

Rolling StoneRolling Stone

"There likely won't be a more gripping film this year than Spielberg's War Of The Worlds, which at its best glides along like choreography with a camera, slowly parsing out information while shrouding the rest in shadow and suggestion."

A.V. ClubA.V. Club

"Rarely has the term 'Hollywood ending' been quite as appropriate, and seldom has a denouement of that nature come so close to tainting all that came before."

Film ThreatFilm Threat

"The film succeeds as pure sensation, an exacting distillation of fear."

Time OutTime Out

War of the Worlds | Details

Runtime
116
Genre
Adventure
Country of origin
USA