War of the Worlds (2005)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins
Unique Angle: Focuses on a family’s survival during the Martian invasion, with a modern-day setting. Tim Robbins’ character, Ogilvy, combines aspects of both the Curate and the Artilleryman, representing a unique deviation from the book.
Checklist Comparison
| Checklist Item | Included? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tripods | ✅ Yes | The tripods are massive, with eerie movements and distinctive foghorn-like sounds. |
| Tentacled Martians | ✅ Yes | The Martians are tentacled but only briefly shown in the film. |
| Red Weed | ✅ Yes | The red weed is shown spreading in several scenes, adding to the alien atmosphere. |
| Black Smoke | ❌ No | The black smoke is replaced by other methods of destruction. |
| Heat Ray | ✅ Yes | The heat ray is prominently used, with intense visual effects showing its devastation. |
| Snatching and Feeding on Humans | ✅ Yes | The tripods capture humans and use their blood for sustenance, staying true to the book. |
| Humming Sound | ✅ Yes | The tripods emit a haunting foghorn-like hum that enhances their alien presence. |
| The Curate | ⚠️ Sort of | Tim Robbins’ character Ogilvy incorporates some traits of the Curate, such as his paranoia and desperation. |
| The Artilleryman | ⚠️ Sort of | Ogilvy also displays the Artilleryman’s survivalist tendencies and grand ideas, though less elaborately. |
| Martians Destroyed by Microorganisms | ✅ Yes | The Martians are defeated by Earth’s microorganisms, as in the original. |
| Historical Setting | ❌ No | The story is updated to modern-day America. |
| Societal Collapse | ✅ Yes | The film portrays mass panic, societal breakdown, and human desperation effectively. |
| No Human Victory | ✅ Yes | Humanity does not defeat the Martians; they succumb to natural causes. |
| Atmosphere of Horror and Helplessness | ✅ Yes | The film emphasizes dread and humanity’s powerlessness. |
| Thunder Child (Naval Resistance) | ❌ No | No equivalent to the Thunder Child’s heroic last stand. |
Observations and Analysis
Strengths:
- Spielberg’s tripods are visually stunning and terrifying, with sound design that effectively conveys their alien nature.
- The film captures the chaos and desperation of societal collapse, staying true to the spirit of the original story.
- The Martians’ defeat by microorganisms is faithfully preserved, emphasizing humanity’s smallness in the face of natural forces.
Weaknesses:
- Key characters from the book, like the Curate and Artilleryman, are omitted, reducing the thematic depth of human responses to crisis.
- The modern-day American setting removes the Victorian charm and social commentary of the original.
- The lack of red weed and black smoke diminishes the alien atmosphere.
Creative Deviations:
- By focusing on a father-daughter relationship, Spielberg adds a human emotional core that’s not present in the book but aligns with his storytelling style.
Faithfulness Rating
Loose Adaptation
While the film retains several core elements—like the tripods, heat ray, and microbial defeat—it omits others and shifts the focus to a modern, personal story. It captures the spirit of the invasion but diverges from the details of H.G. Wells’ original narrative.
Verdict
I didn’t hate it as much as I thought I would! Spielberg’s adaptation is visually impressive and emotionally engaging, even if it takes significant liberties with the source material. It’s worth watching for its unique perspective, but purists may miss the Victorian-era charm and deeper thematic elements of the book.