Stuff by Steve

Tom Cruise controversy abounding, Steven Spielberg released War of the Worlds amid all sorts of fanfare. I have been a big fan of the original story and radio play (yes, this started out as a novel first published in 1898), so I was eagerly anticipating seeing this movie. It’s tough to say whether I was pleased or disappointed, however. The nature of the movie was such that, while it was well-produced and well-acted, it is difficult to say that it was “enjoyable.” Essentially a horror movie without overt gore, it was the story of an invasion by a superior and ruthless alien force (not necessarily from Mars, as in the original). The story essentially brought us along with every terrifying experience felt by the main characters. Each major scene was significantly shocking, and a sick feeling settled early in the pit of the stomach that did not go away until a couple of days after leaving the theater. Theatrically, I felt that the film focused too much on Tom Cruise; the novel was centered around a single character as well, but for some reason, the movie made it seem a bit gratuitous. Otherwise, it was very effective in its portrayal of the invasion phenomenon. The ending came very abruptly, but in a way I felt grateful for that. I would compare my impression to the same sensation I felt watching another Spielberg movie, “Schindler’s List.” A good movie, but not exactly escapism.