the louse's view: War Of The Worlds

Excellent B-Movie let down only by the final scene. Terrifically scary use of sound and very disturbing clanky monsters. Tom Cruise deserves credit for playing a man so scared he'll do anything to escape capture/save his daughter. I quite like the idea as well that he doesn't just pick up a gun and start leading the resistance. He reacts all the time and quite often reacts badly. For Hollywood's No 1 earner to behave so unheroically at times is rather commendable in my book. It's blokey as anything, of course, which is also a flaw. Loved the anti-ET homage with the Martians and the child's bicycle. Well worth the ticket price.

as posted to Guardian Unlimited Film pages