War of the Worlds Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

War of the Worlds Blu-ray Movie Review

Another excellent Spielberg film lands on Blu-ray as a top-quality package from DreamWorks.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 19, 2010

Are we still alive?

Roland Emmerich may be the "King of the Disaster Movie," but Steven Spielberg is the "King of All Trades;" has there ever been a more capably-diverse filmmaker than he? Directors like Roland Emmerich excel within the cozy confines of a singular genre, whereas Spielberg has shown time and again the ability to branch out and not only make a movie, but craft a work of art. Whether the terrors of Jaws, the throwback adventurous spirit of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the cuddliness of E.T., the groundbreaking vision of Jurassic Park, the historical drama of Amistad, the poignancy of Schindler's List, the grittiness of Saving Private Ryan, the excitement of Minority Report, or the simplistic sentimentalities of The Terminal, Steven Spielberg proves time and again his ability to build a film that's often radically different from anything else he's done, yet still remain at the top of his craft. With 2005's War of the Worlds, Spielberg dives head-first into Emmerich's sacred ground and builds a movie that's a rival for anything that Roland has ever done in terms of special effects, but one-ups the King of the Disaster Movie in thematic content, characterization, and visual acumen, three elements that aren't a requirement for a Disaster picture, but three that can only add to the tension and drama of any fictional end-of-the-world scenario.

Don't move.

It began just like any other day in New York City for divorced father Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise, Collateral). He returns home from work in anticipation of a weekend with his two children, teenager Robbie (Justin Chatwin, Dragonball Evolution) and the younger Rachel (Dakota Fanning, New Moon). Little did Ray -- or anyone -- know that high above the Earth, deep within the vastness of space, a powerful enemy watched, waited, and chose the proper time to strike. As the skies darken, winds gust and lightning strikes the ground, signaling the beginning of the end for mankind. Just when it seems the storm has passed, the ground underneath New York City and, indeed, around the world, opens up, revealing massive three-legged mechanical monsters bent on taking control of the planet and its resources, including a nefarious and deadly use for man. Ray and his children flee from the threat, barely escaping time and again with their lives as they attempt to outmaneuver and outsmart the seemingly unstoppable alien invaders, all the while Ray does whatever he can to keep his already fragile family structure intact.

Though War of the Worlds proves to be more than a simple alien invasion picture, it's first and foremost a special effects extravaganza that's not unlike some of the better Disaster movies out there. Several elements separate a Spielberg Disaster movie from the crowd, the most readily apparent being his implementation of a grittier visual structure and handheld camera work that, like Saving Private Ryan, brings both the largest events and more nuanced elements alike to the forefront and positively involves the viewer in the film. Spielberg also separates himself through the areas on which he focuses his attention within the broader context of the events happening in the film; where Roland Emmerich's pictures work on the rawest of levels -- overwhelming the senses with scenes of devastation on an epic scale and usually around the world -- War of the Worlds works on a more localized level, both geographically and personally, with Spielberg's film a polished product on more intricate and nuanced levels. Indeed, War of the Worlds plays out more like Cloverfield or Signs than it does Independence Day or 2012, capturing the frenzied, gritty, and street-level structure that makes up Reeves' film and the focused and familial elements that define Shyamalan's picture. Emmerich's movies work as spectacle, but Spielberg's take on the Disaster movie crafts a more complex web of emotion and characterization, focusing on a few people rather than several groups of characters and thereby creating a more relatable and, in many ways, more visually engaging and emotionally frightening and fatiguing picture. Emmerich's films are fun but almost wholly detached thrill rides that build their characters only to a point that they mean something to the audience; Spielberg builds the disaster around his characters and comments on the state of mankind at the same time.

While War of the Worlds is an unequivocal success in terms of scope and special effects, the picture not-so-subtly yet carefully constructs a commentary on human nature through the course of the film. Spielberg expertly weaves his deeper thematic content into the base story and accompanying special effects, allowing the movie to work first and foremost as sheer entertainment while at the same time planting several seeds that dramatically enhance the scope of the film and lend weight to what is superficially a fun special effects film. Spielberg captures not only the physical devastation wrought by the invading alien army, but focuses on the emotional imbalance of man amidst the chaos of the attack or, extended beyond the scope of the film, through any number of trying times that exist outside the confines of the screen. Ray proves to be one of the few balanced characters in the film; he's shaken by what he sees, terrified for his and his children's lives, and confused by what's happening around him. Nevertheless, he retains his composure and common sense in the most trying of times while many of those around him revert to something akin to an animal-like state, relying on instinct rather than intellect to survive as the world crumbles around them. War of the Worlds examines human nature through the prism of devastation, focusing not only on the destruction of life and property, but also of society. War of the Worlds seems to posit that man's nature is no longer solidified from within but rather from outside the mind, body, and spirit; man's ability to rationally function is not dependent on a finely-honed moral compass or a stable emotional balance, but rather on the larger and mostly superficial elements of society around him. The picture explores human nature by taking man out of his element and leaving him to fend for himself through whatever mechanism rises to the occasion. For the less fortunate, that's the panic and confusion that's a result of being violently torn asunder from familiar and all-too-comfortable surroundings. For the survivors, it's the steadfastness of rational thought and a focus on what matters that sees them through even the most devastating of tragedies and the longest of odds.

War of the Worlds further explores this theme through Ray's unflinching desire to protect his daughter. Not only is he insistent on saving her physical well-being, but he throughout the film tries to -- literally -- shield her from the horrors that surround her, horrors that show not only death and devastation but man at his very worst. He protects her from bearing witness to a crashed plane and dead bodies floating downriver but also blindfolds her when he must, out of necessity to protect everything he's fought for, take the life of another man. War of the Worlds wonderfully juxtaposes innocence and destruction on both physical and metaphorical levels, using its child character not as a prop but as a vessel through which to explore the darker underbelly of man that rises to the surface in the face of the most devastating crisis he's ever faced. Fortunately, Steven Spielberg has populated War of the Worlds with a cast that proves more than capable of both pulling off the Disaster movie fundamentals but also understanding and emoting the deeper elements that dot the film's landscape as readily as tripods hovering over the ruins of a city or the charred remains of the countryside. Tom Cruise doesn't best his effort in Minority Report, but he's soundly capable in War of the Worlds, capturing the awe of the moment, the dangers of the world, the concern for the well-being of his children, and his necessary transformation, for a time, to minor action hero as he fights to protect all that he loves, all the while maintaining a physical and emotional balance that allows him and his family to better cope with the literal and figurative crumbling world around them. Dakota Fanning is once again excellent, proving that her roles in "Taken" and Man on Fire weren't flukes; she commands the screen and demonstrates an understanding of her craft that's lost on many actresses several times her age. In War of the Worlds, she pulls off a child that's terribly frightened yet also gradually accepting of the situation around her, not to mention fully integrated into her family's dynamic from the moment she appears on-screen. Justin Chatwin and Tim Robbins are also solid in supporting roles; Robbins, in particular, stands out as he plays a character that's unexpectedly engaging and wholly encompassing of the picture's various themes beyond the basic storyline.

War of the Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

War of the Worlds arrives on Blu-ray with an impressive 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer that's reflective of Director Steven Spielberg's intended visual style. As the film opens, it features something of a blown-out look about it that's excessively bright with some intentional blooming effects and desaturated colors, all of which often influence the characters' flesh tones and surrounding colors. This palette gives the film a throwback look and feel that borders on looking black-and-white in a couple of dusty gray city scenes, but there's still a fair amount of color to be found throughout the movie, particularly on Rachel's multicolored winter apparel. War of the Worlds isn't always razor-sharp; several scenes and backgrounds wander towards a soft, mushy texture, though again, such seem in-line with the director's vision and style and not necessarily reflective of an error in the transfer-to-Blu-ray process. The transfer isn't always impeccably defined, but it's instead raw, gritty, uncertain, not always under control, not always perfectly-staged and framed, which only accentuates the film's style and story. Black levels are consistently deep and true without ever appearing too bright or, on the other end of the spectrum, absorbing fine details where they shouldn't. The picture does enjoy a strong film-like look thanks to a thick layer of grain that's maybe even a bit heavier than that seen in Minority Report and Saving Private Ryan. War of the Worlds does not offer high definition "eye candy" in the traditional sense, but it is reflective of the way the film is supposed to look, which is the ultimate compliment to any Blu-ray, no matter how rough around the edges it may be.

War of the Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

War of the Worlds lands on Blu-ray and devastates sound systems with a reference-quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Though this track will be remembered and enjoyed first and foremost for the picture's aggressive action scenes, it delivers plenty of establishing and environmental effects that set a nice tone for the action to come, before a single alien tripod even rises from the ground. The picture opens with a scene featuring Ray at work; machinery sends a deluge of high-powered effects through the listening area with a full surround accompaniment and a good deal of bass, followed by the seamless effect of trucks rumbling from right to left through the middle of the soundstage. Preceding the aliens' arrival is a gusty wind that blows unmercifully through the soundstage and seems to extend well beyond the confines of the speakers, creating a seamless sound field that sends a shivering chill across the room, accompanied by some incredibly aggressive and potent thunder-like sounds, all of which is played at a ridiculously loud volume at reference level, but never at the sake of clarity and precision.

The action scenes are often highlighted by the track's prodigious levels of bass; the alien tripods lurch through the soundstage with a powerful foghorn-like pulse that reverberates about the listening area with what is nothing short of a system- and eardrum-testing low end; War of the Worlds rivals some of Blu-ray's finest soundtracks, including Saving Private Ryan and Terminator Salvation, for sheer amounts of earth-shattering bass that also retains a superb amount of clarity, playing as impeccably defined and natural and not just a jumble of messy sound. The track also excels in both close-up military engagements with the aliens and distantly-heard battles that feature strings of popping machine gun fire and hefty explosions far off in the distance. In the closer and more personal battles, gunfire tears through the soundstage, tanks belt out shell after shell at the tripods, and fighter jets scream overhead, delivering their payloads on the stout alien visitors, all with thunderous sonic effect. Additionally, John Williams' excellent score plays with a deep, big, cinematic feel, a fitting companion to the film and that's superbly implemented in every scene. Rounded out by pitch-perfect dialogue reproduction, War of the Worlds' DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is the very definition of reference-quality audio.

War of the Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

War of the Worlds invades Blu-ray with a healthy selection of bonus content. First up is Revisiting the Invasion (480p, 7:39), a piece that features Director Steven Spielberg speaking on his fascination with Alien Invasion films and the themes and metaphors of films past and in his own War of the Worlds, followed by interview clips with cast and crew speaking on the picture's structure, story, and what makes for good Science Fiction. The H.G. Wells Legacy (480p, 6:34) features Wells' grandson Martin, his great-grandson Simon, and Director Steven Spielberg speaking on the legacy of H.G. Wells. Steven Spielberg and the Original 'War of the Worlds' (480p, 8:00) looks at some of the connections between the original 1953 film and Spielberg's 2005 vision of the story while looking back at the history behind the 50s version of the film. Next is Characters: The Family Unit (480p, 13:22), a piece that closely examines the character traits through which the picture frames its story and themes. Also explored is the film's costuming, casting, and the work of Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, and Miranda Otto.

Previsualization (480p, 7:42) examines the importance of this relatively new technique that's crucial to constructing a high-dollar special effects film. Production Diaries (480p) is a four-part segment that delivers a fascinating in-depth chronicle of the shoot, featuring interview snippets, plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, and clips from the film. The segments include East Coast -- Beginning (22:30), East Coast -- Exile (19:39), West Coast -- Destruction (27:29) and West Coast -- War (22:20). Next is Designing the Enemy: Tripods and Aliens (480p, 14:07), a glimpse into the extensive process of bringing the film's villains from imagination to screen. Scoring 'War of the Worlds' (480p, 11:57) features a look into the collaboration between Composer John Williams and Director Steven Spielberg, with emphasis on Williams' ideas that influenced his War of the Worlds score. We Are Not Alone (480p, 3:14) features Spielberg sharing some of his memories that shaped his desire to create films that look at the possibilities of life existing elsewhere in the universe. Rounding out this collection of supplements are four still galleries (1080p) -- Sketches by Costume Designer Joanna Johnston, Production Stills, Behind the Scenes, and Production Sketches -- and the War of the Worlds theatrical teaser trailer (1080p, 1:59).

War of the Worlds Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Based on the story of the same name (and the subsequent panic-incudicng radio broadcast performance by Actor Orson Welles) by acclaimed Science Fiction Writer H.G. Wells and once already made for the silver screen by Paramount Pictures in 1953, Steven Spielberg's 2005 War of the Worlds is an excellent companion piece to the original novel and film. It's a remake that works, in large part because Spielberg takes the time to update the picture without sacrificing the integrity of the story. Audiences might be disappointed with the picture's rather abrupt ending, but it stays true to Wells' vision and works well within the context of the film. With extraordinary special effects, fine characterization, and several underlying themes, War of the Worlds is an excellent genre film and another winner from Steven Spielberg. DreamWorks' Blu-ray release of War of the Worlds is out-of-this-world good. Sporting a 1080p transfer that reflects Spielberg's intended visual tone, a mesmerizing lossless soundtrack, and a good assortment of extras, this disc is well worth a purchase. Highly recommended.