War of the Worlds

Very good movie. Sure, there were some silly parts - like a camcorder and a digital camera working when every other electronic device had been knocked out my an electromagnetic pulse - but overall, it was an enjoyable movie. What I liked about it, I think, was that it was a redemption story. Tom Cruise's character Ray is not a good dad. They hammer us over the head with this at the beginning of the movie. I mean, he doesn't even know his ten-year-old daughter Rachel is allergic to peanut butter. (That one strained credibility for me since peanut allergies in children can lead to death. Even an inattentive father would know about that!) Still, we got the point. Bad dad. When the war starts, we watch Ray slowly figure out how to protect his kids and do the right thing. He falters, he breaks down at one point, and he doesn't always make the best decision. He's not superhero, but he is a hero. The climax of the movie is not when he manages to take out one of the tripods, but instead in a chilling scene in the basement of a house where we discover there is nothing Ray won't do to protect his daughter. The action happens off screen and instead of seeing what Ray does, we are shown the reason behind his action. The director chose to focus on Rachel as she sings a lullaby with her hands over her ears and a blindfold over her eyes to prevent her from experiencing the horror Ray must face.

Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning are both excellent in this film. The son character is somewhat extraneous and I wish that part had been eliminated.

I admit it was disconcerting to hear Tom Cruise screaming "Rachel!" over and over again. (Casual readers: my oldest daughter's name is Rachel.)

Between this movie and Batman Begins, I don't see how the movie industry can be hurting. But apparently it is.