War of the Worlds

"War of the Worlds" was not bad -- not even close to the "A-" the Cleveland Plain Dealer rated it -- but not bad.

The movie had its moments. In particular, in one scene, a group of dazed survivors approach a train track when the crossing gates suddenly close. A passenger train roars past them, utterly engulfed in flames. Flames pour out of every window. It's a shocking image; made more shocking when the camera then cuts back to the survivors. The gates open, and they cross the tracks, showing no real reaction to the blazing train. They've already been scared and scarred beyond reaction.

Dakota Fanning, the newest child darling of the critics, proved that she can scream. Any acting ability beyond that remains undisplayed (in this movie, at least -- I hold out the possibility that in a different (and better (denser)) movie, she'd show some mad skills....like nunchuck skills, or computer hacking skills). Possible digression -- sorry.

Cruise is Cruise -- all teeth and charisma and intensity. Tim Robbins is wasted in a weird basement hidey-hole, although much of that fault may lie at H.G. Wells' feet.

Worth seein'? Yeah. Worth spendin' a lot of cash (or brain cells) on? Nope.