Who doesn’t love a classic story?
The world of science fiction was on fire in the late 1800s and 1900s thanks to some really impressive writers. I have been an avid reader since I was a kid and science fiction was always one of my favorite genres. Being able to see the world that we live in transformed by technology or beings beyond our understanding is quite extraordinary. Jules Verne was indeed my first science fiction writer to be drawn but there would soon be others. One of which…H.G. Wells. His stories have become synonymous with the genre of science fiction. He took readers through time with The Time Machine. He challenged them with the morally complex and grotesque experiments of The Island of Dr. Moreau. He made audiences fear what could not be seen with The Invisible Man. But probably the most iconic of all his tales is The War of Worlds.
What makes The War of the Worlds stand out in the early days of science fiction storytelling?
One of the most connective elements that Wells’ story dives into is the fear of outsiders. This is a deeply human urge which is experienced to this day. We see it in our country and the narrative of invasion is plastered all over the media. People fear those who are different, especially those who feel “alien” to us. These foreign figures feel worlds apart and so many people allow fear to consume them. Science fiction is at the height of its powers when it draws upon elements of our world and injects them into an engaging and creative package. That is what Wells was able to do with each of his greatest works. This is what makes The War of the Worlds ripe for reimagining and modernization.
Which director would be up for the task to bring a grand tale and iconic story back to the big screen?
None other than arguably the greatest director of all time, Steven Spielberg. This career trajectory was pitch-perfect for Spielberg to tackle this story. A darker edge of science fiction became the driving force of his filmography once the 2000s arrived. Taking on Kubrick’s brainchild, Artificial Intelligence, allowed Spielberg to take on an edgier and less wonderous perspective in science fiction. You could even feel this as early as The Lost World. The combination of Spielberg’s auteur direction and Janusz Kaminski’s stark and piercing photography brought a whole new look to what people would expect from science fiction. There were more challenging and mature takes. Minority Report tackled deeply gray and challenging subject matter and now his version of War of the Worlds would bring whole new challenges to his audience.
What would set this adaptation and remake apart from the previous versions of Wells’ story?
The darkness that engulfs this film is towering. The brutal way that humans are dispatched on screen is shocking (one beam of light and POOF…they are gone from existence). The sheer destruction shown on film is monumental. Those special effects are top-notch for 2005 as we see whole blocks and highway systems leveled in an instant. The haunting visual of a young girl seeing a stream of dead bodies floating down a river is shocking. War of the Worlds proves it just might be the third most brutal film in Spielberg’s expansive collection of works (the other two are obvious and two of his best). The chilling visual of a train on fire will not soon leave my head on my second viewing of this film. But the real crowning moment of brutality (which I will not spoil here) is the disturbing process in which these aliens terraform our planet (or at least attempt to).
Brutal visuals and shocking thrills can go a long way in creating an affecting cinematic experience but where is the heart and soul of this Spielberg effort?
At the core, this film is about the family. Tom Cruise plays Ray Ferrier who is a blue-collar worker who is selfish and not the best father (not surprising in a Spielberg film). His children will not even call him dad. But they are dumped on him for the weekend as his ex-wife (Miranda Otto) heads up to Boston to see her family. The biggest strain is his relationship with his teenage son, Robbie. The little details are used to capture this tension from the start as Ray has a Yankees cap on and Robbie has a Red Sox cap. But there is no respect or understanding in this relationship at all. He also is obvious to the needs of his younger daughter, Rachel (portrayed by fame child star Dakota Fanning). Over the course of this film, Ray must learn to protect his children above his own and do what he must to be a real father. Through the hardship and terror of this journey, we are treated to a strong arc that finds Ferrier a better man by the time the credits roll.
What other themes and ideas are channeled through Spielberg’s modernized take on the story?
The release of War of the Worlds is fascinating. This is only a few years after 9/11 and the initial reactions of the characters in the film are aimed at terrorists. Tim Robbins (in an interesting cameo) is a man who is staunchly against laying down and hiding. He only wants to bring the fight to this enemy which he does not really understand. There are obvious nods to staunch patriotism and the “American fighting spirit”. Parallels can certainly be drawn between these aggressive types who want to fight the aliens as a first reaction and America’s invasion in the Middle East post-9/11. The film also tackles the human response to fear and danger. The hysteria. One scene is terrifying as Ray and his children are attacked by a mob of people. Their van is stolen, and shooting breaks out. Spielberg is not afraid to tackle these challenging perspectives in what is mostly known as a summer blockbuster.
The horrors of humanity certainly make a huge difference in War of the Worlds but where else does this invasion film channel these thrills?
John Williams. It is obvious that Williams is a big talking point for every Spielberg film but this one feels a bit different. The score is haunting and intense at times. There is even a challenge to identify the instruments being played as there is such an atmospheric effect going on. Along with the music, the sound design is otherworldly. The sounds that the alien ships make will shake you and feel like Hans Zimmer made his way into the sound booth. The designs of the ships and aliens along with Kaminski’s photography make them feel giant and mysterious. Each aspect of the film including the production design comes together to create an unnerving and thrilling experience.
Can the world’s biggest movie star add the last layer to make this film soar?
Cruise does not give his strongest performance in Spielberg’s works (Minority Report would have to take that crown) but he embodies the arrested development of his character so well. You can feel the frustration and anger that boils under the surface as well. But Cruise shows his acting talent by slowly morphing into a loving and caring father who will stop at nothing to protect his kids. Fanning shows why she was such a popular child actor at the time. She can portray a wide range of anxiety and fear throughout the film. Robbins (like I mentioned before) is unnerving and paranoid in every moment that he is on-screen. His conflicts with Cruise bring the themes of the film to the forefront in an impactful way. Like many of Spielberg’s films starting in the 2000s, you can spot plenty of future stars in small roles. Have fun searching for them.
Is this one of the films that should get more attention in Spielberg’s filmography?
This was only the second time me watching the film and I found a whole new appreciation for the experience.
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I recalled a big-budgeted special effect-driven adventure when I watched it before. But now I appreciate it for all the things outside of that description. This is no basic blockbuster. We shouldn’t expect that from Spielberg anyway. As I enter my 30s, my taste for the film has certainly matured and transformed. What is exciting about that? I have a whole new appreciation for how amazing Spielberg was in the early 2000s. A.I., Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, and now War of the Worlds. None of these films are spoken about enough when it comes to the cream of the Spielberg crop. Do yourself a favor and take a dive into this dark and foreboding thriller wrapped in a summer blockbuster package.
