So, the first question that Kirsten (her review here) and I will end up asking one another after leaving the cinema is an fairly common one:
"What did ya think?"
The answer is usually "Good", "Great", or "Eh...", you know, a common response.
My answer after seeing War of the Worlds? "Intense".
That's about the only way I can describe it. If you're going to see it, hold on. If you're the slightest bit jumping, my hats off to your date.
As soon as the first 15,ooo feet of celluloid pass through the projector, the action takes off and does not stop. For 2 hours. Consider yourself warned.
I gotta hand it to Spielberg. 2 months ago, I was a little skeptical about this movie.
When I heard that he was going Hitchcockian with the aliens, just like the shark in Jaws, I was relieved. Thankfully, he wasn't seduced by the thoughts of relying heavily on the special effects. (Now, that doesn't mean there aren't tons of SFX....ILM did wonders in this film.)
Understanding that "fear lies in what isn't seen/less is more" approach, and sticking to it....that's what creates the feeling of doom in this film. Bravo, Mr. Spielberg.
Moreover, Dakota Fanning is so incredible in this role. I know that sounds like a broken record...but it still warrants mention.
Can someone please check and make sure she's human? Seriously, if there's anyone that more deserving of breaking Tatum O'Neal's Oscar age record....it's Miss Fanning. Scary good.
Cruise was...Cruise. No more, no less. A Cruisian performance, short of flashing his pearly whites.
All in all...I highly recommend plunking down the dough for this flick. It's worth it.
One more thing: I know this will sound weird, but...
War of the Worlds is the most intense movie I've seen in 7 years.
The last movie: Deep Impact. I know. I can't explain it either. Just trust me on this one.
