From NetFlix:

In this loose adaptation of H.G. Wells’s novel about alien invasion, Tom Cruise stars as Ray, a divorced dockworker whose children (Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin) are staying with him for the weekend when a fleet of spaceships carrying tripod creatures appears in his neighborhood. Forced to become the protective father he’s never been, Ray scrambles to usher his kids to safety, as the invasion escalates around them. Steven Spielberg directs.

As far as I can tell, the only reason to watch this remake of the 1953 film version is for the visual effects. Spielberg spent $132 million dollars to make this film. If the cost of films interests you, have a look at Movie Budgets. At least the industry provides jobs.

How the film ends is a foregone conclusion because we have all probably seen the 1953 version. Personal details have been updated: neglectful father gets to redeem himself. But I found it difficult to swallow the fact that the son makes it back to seemingly unscathed Boston on his own. And why do all these alien creatures seem to look alike from film to film?

Dakota Fanning was 11 years old during the filming. How long can she continue to be a child star?

Nonetheless, I was glued to my seat and somewhat of a wreck when the film ended. Are you ready?