Movie Review: War of the Worlds

Spielberg does War of the Worlds. That sounded really inviting to me. So I wanted to avoid reading reviews until I saw it. Hence I was front and center on opening day. The story begins in my native New Jersey. Tom Cruise plays a deadbeat dad working on the Kearny docks. ( Gee it was great to see Kearny again—not.) Spielberg melds the 1898 story by H.G. Wells with the 1938 radio play and 1953 movie. There are loads of excellent special effects. People get killed in all sorts of ingeniously designed ways. The alien ships don't seem practical for an invasion fleet, but what the heck. I guess that was to remain faithful to Wells’ original story.
The acting is okay. Tom Cruise does a journeyman’s role in the thankless role of a divorced father who has to contend with aliens and rebellious kids he barely knows. Dakota Fanning is good, but should be familiar with aliens by now. (She starred in the mini-series, Taken)
The ending is from the Wells novel. But the movie never grabbed me. I never cared for any of the characters. Visually it was a great movie, but I think a movie fan needs more than that.
I recently saw Saving Private Ryan again. It reminded me of the quality that I expect from Steven Spielberg. I’ve enjoyed most of Spielberg’s movies. Some are the best I’ve ever seen. War of the World won’t make that list.
Grade: C+