This is a terrific movie that successfully relays an alien invasion on a massive scale, yet keeps it personal by following the horrors experienced by a single family. There have been more likeable families portrayed in the Movies, but Cruise and company manage to make you care about the terrible things happening around them.

This is an intense ninety minutes. There really isn't any gore, but the aliens are so merciless in their attack that things get very disturbing. The fact that they are using humans as fertilizer to "grow" their own planet makes the aliens really scary. This isn't a plotting and planning alien race, its a force that needs an ingredient for dinner.

People are running everywhere. They are fighting among themselves. There is no doubt that this is an accurate portrayal of what would occur under such terrifying circumstances. Even when offered a helping hand by Tim Robbins's character, Cruise is ultimately faced with a psychopath. It's just one more excruciating challenge for him to deal with in a movie filled with plenty of them.

The alien tripods are incredibly ominous. The way that they step over the landscape is nothing short of horrible. You talk about Hell-on-Earth, I can't think of a more terrible situation to be in. In short, this is a scary Spielberg. It's not the same thing as his "Jurassic Park" style frights. This is a Spielberg Horror movie.

Unfortunately, he can't resist tacking on a warm and fuzzy ending. He chooses to focus on the bright, happy reunion of a family after he just laid waste to much of the human race. Some reflection on the scale of what has just occurred is warranted. Instead we get hugs and kisses. It's the reason the movie falls from Excellent to just Very Good for me.