I'm a big fan of the film too. Well, the first 3 quarters at least. It does drop the ball slightly during the Ogilvy sequence (although that's still quite tense), but the ending is truly awful, with the return of the (incinerated?) annoying son and seemingly untouched neighbourhood of the extended family home. But the opening hour is brilliant, bravura filmmaking at it's best and overall I rate the film quite highly. It's nowhere near Terminal-level awful and I enjoy it more than Minority Report and AI. The score works great in the film, adding tension and unease at every turn. Almost Nixon-like in it's dark underpinnings. I hated the sequencing on the original CD and had to re-juggle the tracks into some kind of film order. Looking forward to what bonus and treasures await us on this one.
I also remember La-La Land's Star Trek 50th Anniversary release that finally did the deed. I still listen to that track almost weekly out of sheer delight that it finally happened.
The film clearly has some big issues; the script feels phoned-in in parts, the father/son stuff is shoe-horned in with little regard, and whereas the moral anguish of the car theft scene is acutely felt, the later Ogilvy sequence fails to generate the same impact. The direction, as well as the narrative, I think teeters in places in the second half, the flaming Humvees rolling in file, for example, seems too orchestrated, the blood-weed that gets spewed all over the ground doesn't quite look organic enough..
HOWEVER.. the first hour, in terms of momentum, action, spectacle, and atmosphere, I would call 'Spielberg on fire like never before'. It's a pity it all doesn't reside in a more carefully written film, but this awesome string of sequences still makes it a great experience for me, and I've watched it more than any other movie since it came out in 2005. I'd say on average twice a year.
I'd say Tom Cruise is miscast, but somewhere between the cold light of the Eastern seaboard, and the warmth of whatever that child actress is called, there is some solid chemistry, greatly helped by the score, which retains throughout, even in the tender moments, an engrossing air of otherworldly oppression.
The first half was pretty good at building tension and suspense. But Spielberg and his dysfunctional family dynamics just isn't for me. It had great set pieces and sound design though. Don't recall the score and really don't care for Williams in atmospheric mode.
Agree..the first hour of this movie is very intense .It made me feel really in the scenes and uncomfortable...it "looses" a bit afterwards. I read the book when I was a kid and even back then ,the story felt a bit flat and the end came too quick. The music is great.Violent..aggressive...! Loveit.. But I have all the cues ( the aggressive ones) I like ,so I´ll pass on this..but go for it.
My least favorite Williams score of this century, but I will go back and listen to the old album. I can't remember much about it, other than I found it extremely dull and unengaging. I hated the film as well.
I agree. Listened to it once when it came out, and have never listened to it since. Totally unmemorable as a CD listening experience. And as for the film, the characters were soooo... annoying, I kept wishing for the aliens to evaporate them. Again, watched the film once when it came out, and will never watch it again. A rare Spielberg/Williams misfire in my book.
I second that entirely. Dreadful movie and it is quite obvious that Mr Williams was not that terribly influenced by the move either, as I personally think that it is probably the most uninspired score he has ever composed.
Looks like another excellent Williams expansion. Wouldn't miss it for the world. I was wondering what I could order to ship with Robin Hood and along this comes
My least favorite Williams score of this century, but I will go back and listen to the old album. I can't remember much about it, other than I found it extremely dull and unengaging. I hated the film as well.
I agree. Listened to it once when it came out, and have never listened to it since. Totally unmemorable as a CD listening experience. And as for the film, the characters were soooo... annoying, I kept wishing for the aliens to evaporate them. Again, watched the film once when it came out, and will never watch it again. A rare Spielberg/Williams misfire in my book.
I second that entirely. Dreadful movie and it is quite obvious that Mr Williams was not that terribly influenced by the move either, as I personally think that it is probably the most uninspired score he has ever composed.
The score is maybe not an "easy" listen. But I absolutely love it! And watching the video that Jason posted, JW certainly doesn't seem to feel uninspired when he is talking about it.
My least favorite Williams score of this century, but I will go back and listen to the old album. I can't remember much about it, other than I found it extremely dull and unengaging. I hated the film as well.
Why is you *only* post to denigrate things? I've no doubt you're some low-effort alt account for someone else on the board. Tired of your low-effort wrist-wringing and your shit-steam-heat "but its my opinion", chest-beating nonsense.
Every subsequent post from you, every time its in an announcement thread is like a dick-measuring contests for eunuchs. Stop it.
My least favorite Williams score of this century, but I will go back and listen to the old album. I can't remember much about it, other than I found it extremely dull and unengaging. I hated the film as well.
Why is you *only* post to denigrate things? I've no doubt you're some low-effort alt account for someone else on the board. Tired of your low-effort wrist-wringing and your shit-steam-heat "but its my opinion", chest-beating nonsense.
Every subsequent post from you, every time its in an announcement thread is like a dick-measuring contests for eunuchs. Stop it.
What is your problem!? I post plenty of positive things, and in fact, if you read several posts down I followed up with a more positive comment about this forthcoming cd. Please stop bullying me! Anyway, I'm blocking you now.
My least favorite Williams score of this century, but I will go back and listen to the old album. I can't remember much about it, other than I found it extremely dull and unengaging. I hated the film as well.
I agree. Listened to it once when it came out, and have never listened to it since. Totally unmemorable as a CD listening experience. And as for the film, the characters were soooo... annoying, I kept wishing for the aliens to evaporate them. Again, watched the film once when it came out, and will never watch it again. A rare Spielberg/Williams misfire in my book.
I second that entirely. Dreadful movie and it is quite obvious that Mr Williams was not that terribly influenced by the move either, as I personally think that it is probably the most uninspired score he has ever composed.
I've always thought highly of this film. I recall it being a riveting and totally immersive experience in the theater.....This was science fiction like I had never seen it before: a full-scale, worldwide invasion from which there truly was no escape. I'm not sure I can recall another film, mainstream or otherwise, where hope for your protagonists' survival appeared progressively less and less likely as the film unfolded.
I can. It's called WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953). Or WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951). But what do I know, it's probably completely unrelated.
) I like ,so I´ll pass on this..but go for it. 
