New war of the worlds. The best movie ever?

Reiner said:
Oh dear ...

Well, let's start from the beginning: The opening (narration by Morgan Freeman) sounds corny and Tom Cruise, who plays a dock worker, isn't really believable, trying too hard. Dakota Fanning, who plays his daughter, is just screaming most of the time while her movie brother Justin Chatwin pretends to be a child-psychologist and wannabe-soldier.
The story is lame, Spielberg trying the typical broken familiy concept: dad a divorcee and looser, son a bad boy and the smart-ass daughter. None of them are convincing in their roles and certainly no-one is going to win an Oscar here.
But the movie also has more holes than Swiss cheese - yes, it's an action/sci-fi film but here I nearly suspect intention. The effects are ok but nothing we haven't seen before and the aliens in action are the only bearable parts of the whole flick.
But the worst thing is the happy end, it's so cheesy I nearly had to vomit.

The best movie ever? No, maybe not the worst either but it's bad, and finally proof that Spielberg is a highly overrated director.

* * out of 5 :thumbsdow

Have to say you seem to be on your own (or should i say 1 of few) with the oppinions welcome as they are,

Everyone i have spoke to who has seen it loved it, and the reviews are fantastic even from the hard assed critics which normally slate summer blockbusters to high heaven, even the reviews on the not so good side still say overall its a great film let down by a few silly scenes

To me it seems spielberg has done good yet again and defo the best director in my eyes.
 
and we are all going to need new subs cos the sound was awesome
 
Saw it earlier today and defently a great film, might not suit everyone but I doubt many people will walk away dissapointed.
 
Not really one to go to first viewings but hooked up with some mates as they were. I had no expectations and hadn't really seen any of the trailers.

Honestly thought it was a good film, haven't seen one in ages.

This is definately going to be a DVD that every one will get out to show off their Home Cinema :thumbsup:
 
i thought it was brilliant and pleased he (spielburg) had elements of the book in the story more than the 50's version.Can't wait for my svs to get hold of teh dvd. :smashin: :D
 
the_pauley said:
Strange then that many (professional) reviews have used words like "astounding" and "stunning" to describe Dakota Fanning's performance.
It's just my (non-professional) opinion and thus there is nothing 'strange' about it.

Anyone else have a clue what this means? :confused:
It just means there are far too many to explain or excuse them by saying it's a sci-fi/action movie (which generally have some plot holes), and there are so many that I am doubtful that it was merely an oversight. Ok, maybe it wasn't intention, but perhaps more of a "don't-care" attitude.

On look at his CV proves otherwise. If anything, Speilberg -at least in critical circles- is highly under-rated as a director.
Fine with me - different people, different opinions.
 
Reiner said:
The best movie ever? No, maybe not the worst either but it's bad, and finally proof that Spielberg is a highly overrated director.

* * out of 5 :thumbsdow

Did you have high expectations for the film and that's why it disappointed? My expectations are quite low so hopefully I'll enjoy it more than you did! :)
 
Indiana Jones said:
Saw it earlier today and defently a great film, might not suit everyone but I doubt many people will walk away dissapointed.

The reviews seem to suggest that it does have some depth to it. Tbh, I doubt I'll be disappointed, I'm quite easily pleased! :)
 
Did you have high expectations for the film and that's why it disappointed? My expectations are quite low so hopefully I'll enjoy it more than you did! :)
Actually my expectations were not that high though I hoped it would be a ride to enjoy along the line of ID4 or The Day after Tomorrow (if you allow that comparision) - but the weaknesses in the story-line, the plot holes and the average acting (in my non-professional opinion) didn't help the movie.
The beginning was good actually but after that it became a big let down - a big-name director and cast or big special effects alone don't make a good movie. IMHO.

Anyway, go and see it - maybe you will think different about it, it just didn't do it for me. :)
 
Reiner said:
...it just didn't do it for me. :)

I'm sure some people won't find it to their taste, I myself have watched films which have been widely acclaimed and wondered what's the point? As you say, it's personal taste.

You are maybe picking up some stick because of your apparent eagreness to be the first to comment on the movie and moreover to knock it. It's easy to see that judging by the press reviews it's likely to be a film which receives positive acclaim in general. If it were me I'd have realised my view was perhaps going to be in the minority and waited for my moment to make my points, rather than jumping in straight away to knock a film many were looking forward to.

It smacks of trying to "spoil the party". Some people will criticise something just to stand out or be different. Not saying you are like that, but that's perhaps how it comes across to some people....PJ :)
 
Reiner said:
Anyway, go and see it - maybe you will think different about it, it just didn't do it for me. :)

That’s fair enough Reiner. I’ll let you know my thoughts when I’ll, hopefully, watch it tomorrow!
 
Gonna be watching this film this evening. I love the original (and still have it on dvd), but I'll just be watching this in the sense that the original doesnt exsist.

From the trailers, it looks like it has great special effects.

I'll let you know wether we liked it or not, and wether we think it is good or bad.

I will only state the above, as I dont want to spoil it for anyone else :)

tris
 
Actually my expectations were not that high though I hoped it would be a ride to enjoy along the line of ID4 or The Day after Tomorrow (if you allow that comparision) - but the weaknesses in the story-line, the plot holes and the average acting (in my non-professional opinion) didn't help the movie.
Er, excuse me but you mean you didn't think that ID4 and Day After Tomorrow were riddled with plot holes or had weak story lines and "average acting"? :confused:

Particularly ironic that you mention ID4, a movie that practically owes its existence to War of the Worlds.
 
the_pauley said:
Er, excuse me but you mean you didn't think that ID4 and Day After Tomorrow were riddled with plot holes or had weak story lines and "average acting"? :confused:

Particularly ironic that you mention ID4, a movie that practically owes its existence to War of the Worlds.
No, I mean to say that WOW is the worst of the three, it just didn't flow. Maybe you should go and watch the movie if you haven't seen it yet, perhaps then you understand my position better (though of course you don't have to agree with it).
 
No, I mean to say that WOW is the worst of the three, it just didn't flow. Maybe you should go and watch the movie if you haven't seen it yet, perhaps then you understand my position better (though of course you don't have to agree with it).
Steven Speilberg is one hundred times times the director / film-maker than a hack like Roland Emmerich could ever hope to be. While I find it inconceivable that Speilberg could make a movie that is worse, than either ID4 or Day After Tomorrow, I'll reserve comment on that until I've seen WOTW (tonight!!!).

Then we can compare holes... :D
 
Well I've been just been stopped mid booking tickets by my 17 year old son (who has seen it) and says it's a pile of pooh!! - Hey, he's no film critic, but maybe if he was, I would have saved money on Van Helsing...
 
I think if you are a fan of the novel then you will be pleased by the film as it is a great modern day retelling of the story but because its told from the view point of Cruise, whatever he doesnt know you dont know and this may put some people off as you will never know exactly what is going on.
I wouldnt call these plot holes in the story, if anything it adds realism but it might just be me, I liked the fact that the aliens just came and started to wipe people out just like if it happened to us, we would have no idea what was happening or why and all we would do is try and get away and survive.
 
You mean he liked Van Helsing??? :eek:

He's under 18 - aren't you allowed to beat him or something???
 
Family Guy said:
Well I've been just been stopped mid booking tickets by my 17 year old son (who has seen it) and says it's a pile of pooh!! - Hey, he's no film critic, but maybe if he was, I would have saved money on Van Helsing...

First just let me state i don't go the the flicks anymore so I can't comment on this film one way or another. I like SS films apart from when he does his now trademark loveydovey-moral bits.

Family guy, my brother has a terrible habbit of knowing exactly what I like and don't like. He saw it yesterday and said it's pants but it could have been so good if all the crap was cut from it.

i'll add that I quite like TC films so I'll wait for the DVD.
 
I think if you are a fan of the novel then you will be pleased by the film as it is a great modern day retelling of the story but because its told from the view point of Cruise, whatever he doesnt know you dont know and this may put some people off as you will never know exactly what is going on.

Sounds good to me, hopefully.

I now have my tickets to go and see this tomorrow night, i cant wait :clap: .
 
the_pauley said:
You mean he liked Van Helsing??? :eek:

He's under 18 - aren't you allowed to beat him or something???

No...he's not that bad...what I meant is, I should have sent him to see that first...then maybe I would have saved myself £7.50 by taking his advice that it was, in fact, a pile of pooh...

Plus he's taller than me... :rolleyes:
 
Sore the film last night.

I am glad I watched it and enjoyed it on the whole. But I was left with no feeling afterwards. I don’t like Tom Cruise but think he was quite good in this.
I didn’t identify with any of the characters and didn’t care whether they lived or died.
The special affects were good and it was a little scary think there was 2 minutes when I didn’t even breathe! :eek:

I am always careful about criticizing a film because I’ve been put off a number of films in the past that turned out to be good because to many people have pretentious attitudes and unreasonable expectations on how a film should be. They feel justified in calling a movie crap just because it doesn’t live up to there unreasonable expectations.

Worth a watch but no Oscars to be had here!
 
Still holding out with a very high 72% on rotten tomatoes after 152 reviews

Excellant score for a summer blockbuster, compare that to Day after tomorrow (42%) and Independance day (64%) although ID is based on only 28 reviews would be alot lower i am pretty sure

I enjoyed ID but just for the sheer fun of it, but i am expecting a more serious film now from WOTW and think thats what i am gona get .
 
Yes I've been reading the Rotten Tomatoes reviews too. Even the "bad" reviews seem to be tinged with faint praise.

Interesting that so many of them seem to be criticising the film because of it's darkness and how it's not what they expect from a Speilberg movie. One reviewer even criticised the film on the grounds of (and I paraphrase) "E.T. lit my heartlight War of the Worlds didn't." Perhaps the word "War" in the title didn't register with him. Maybe he was expecting Vicarage Tea Party of the Worlds... :D

I've noticed this in many US reviews of WOTW and some other movies, that certain reviewers like to be "comforted" by what they watch. Disturbing or nihilistic doesn't seem to go down too well. For many the starting point for their critique seems to be a measure of the "feelgood" factor of the movie or an evaluation it's "life affirming" qualities. A really narrrow, "chocolate box" view of art.

Interesting to watch how certain critics respond to certain films. Invariably you'll find, for example, that someone who is in the minority in giving a turd like The Wedding Date a good review, will be horror-struck by something like Sin City.

No wonder they give Oscars to glorified soap operas like Terms of Endearment and Forrest F***ing Gump, while the rest of the world looks on in total bemusement.
 

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