War of the Worlds

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War of the Worlds

PG-13

2005

1h 56m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

264 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) struggles to build a positive relationship with his two children, Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin). When his ex-wife, Mary Ann (Miranda Otto), drops them off at Ferrier's house, it seems as though it will be just another tension-filled weekend. However, when electromagnetic pulses of lightning strike the area, the strange event turns out to be the beginning of an alien invasion, and Ferrier must now protect his children as they seek refuge.

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Critics Consensus

Steven Spielberg's adaptation of War of the Worlds delivers on the thrill and paranoia of H.G. Wells' classic novel while impressively updating the action and effects for modern audiences.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

07/05/2022

This superior popcorn flick revels in the unabashed joy of blowing stuff into oblivion.

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Nell Minow

Beliefnet

08/15/2013

B+

The story is affecting, the action scenes are thrilling, the issues are resonant.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

06/08/2007

Spielberg's calculations turn out to be more prominent than any effects they could possibly produce, and the less pretentious 1953 version by producer George Pal emerges as more likable.

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Nicolás Medina

Peliplat

05/10/2025

10/10

If the 1953 film was set in a post-war context and fight against the Soviets, this one is set in the post 9/11 era that shattered the security and stability of the United States. [Full review in Spanish]

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

04/12/2024

4/5

The first (and much the superior) hour is a masterclass in escalating tension, with grandiose and brilliantly executed sequences following in rapid succession.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

08/05/2022

3.5/4

Highly influential, ever innovative, and full of emotion and slick formal trickery, the film lives up to the precise definition of what "Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds" should be.

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Greg P

@RT14940840 1d

Life-long sci-fi movie buff here. Ok, big time special effects, lots of explosions, great acting from the two young kids. Tom Cruise is always just Tom Cruise, and the plot is so full of holes and silly scenarios that just don't make sense, I almost stopped watching it 3/4 of the way through. If you can overlook those (I can't) you might enjoy it. Watch the original instead because it stays true to being a B movie, and doesn't try so hard like this disaster of a film does. All in all, a big disappointment from Spielberg as far as I'm concerned. Even the good special effects can't make up for a plot that has more holes than Swiss Cheese. There isn't enough space here to list them all.

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S K

@SDK9001 Aug 21

Not perfect but a genuinely creepy vibe with quality special effects for the time. Over saturated filming effect works well with this story.

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Snake P

@RT15598169 Aug 6

I honestly don't understand the hate with a 42% audience score. This Cruise/Spielberg pairing nailed the entertainment factor. War of the Worlds is an absolute blast and one of those rare sci-fi movies I can watch over and over again without getting bored.

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MB B

@Moneypenny Jul 30

One of Spielberg's and Cruise's best films. How can it have a 42% Popcorn meter rating?

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Toxicnukem T

@Toxicnukem Jul 18

Literally tied with shaun of the dead as my favorite movie for the last 20 years

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Shelby Q

@ShelbyLynn Jul 17

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. But there are a couple of critiques; 1. The movie was not long enough for the story. I know 2 hours seems like a long time. But for this HD Wells novel 2 hours is not enough. 2 . The murder in the basement seems really unnecessary. When Fanny's character runs out and gets herself by aliens right afterwards, that always threw me off. 3. Her (Fanning) incessant, repetitive screaming is almost unbearable. Other than that, it's a well-thought-out movie. It followed the book but the movie really needed to be longer to capture all of Wells imagination and missed-out-on, fantastical scene opportunities we could have had with the CGI technology of the movies of 2005's era.

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Steven Spielberg

Director

Tom Cruise

Ray Ferrier

Dakota Fanning

Rachel Ferrier

Miranda Otto

Mary Ann

Justin Chatwin

Robbie

Tim Robbins

Harlan Ogilvy

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Synopsis

Dockworker Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) struggles to build a positive relationship with his two children, Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin). When his ex-wife, Mary Ann (Miranda Otto), drops them off at Ferrier's house, it seems as though it will be just another tension-filled weekend. However, when electromagnetic pulses of lightning strike the area, the strange event turns out to be the beginning of an alien invasion, and Ferrier must now protect his children as they seek refuge.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson
Screenwriter: H.G. Wells, Josh Friedman, David Koepp
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Frightening Sequences|Disturbing Images|Sci-Fi Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 29, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 14, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $234.3M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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