I remember the movie really ramping up towards unconventional things, and then ending in disappointingly conventional ways. “And then the son with whom they got separated to a near-certain death is alive after all, and they find each other and get reunited.”
Also, as has been discussed to death at the time, the absolute lack of build-up towards the resolution, which leaves it with a taste of “wait, so why exactly did I watch what happens to this bunch of randos?”
I have nothing against people who liked it, but the final act felt like such a let-down compared to the beginning and middle of it, that I can’t really remember it positively.
In fairness, the book was like that also. Not that the movie was much like the book in other ways.
The original book just sort of follows the protagonist along as he witnesses the Martians wreak havok on humanity until all the tripods die at the end.
It’s a weird plot device to keep, considering they didn’t keep much of the original story.
It’s like they half made the film and then got bored with it so they just said something like “and then all the aliens went away the end” with no real explanation or conclusion. I don’t remember what exactly happened because obviously I’ve never wanted to rewatch it but I remember it really was something that cheap. All the time invested in it felt like it had gone to waste because there was no proper conclusion.
So, I’ve been complaining about this film for long enough that I’ve heard the source material argument before. I’ve not read the original book but just conclude that either A: the book really did end like the film, in which case it was never worthy of making a film about, or B: the book had a better, more nuanced ending which wasn’t captured by the film. Either way it’s a terrible film that wasted my time!
The original book by HG Wells had the aliens die off suddenly, defeated by Earth’s bacteria and viruses. So the story has always had that plot of “and suddenly the bad guys all died!”
Wow really? I remember enjoying it. What did you not like about it?
I remember the movie really ramping up towards unconventional things, and then ending in disappointingly conventional ways. “And then the son with whom they got separated to a near-certain death is alive after all, and they find each other and get reunited.”
Also, as has been discussed to death at the time, the absolute lack of build-up towards the resolution, which leaves it with a taste of “wait, so why exactly did I watch what happens to this bunch of randos?”
I have nothing against people who liked it, but the final act felt like such a let-down compared to the beginning and middle of it, that I can’t really remember it positively.
In fairness, the book was like that also. Not that the movie was much like the book in other ways.
The original book just sort of follows the protagonist along as he witnesses the Martians wreak havok on humanity until all the tripods die at the end.
It’s a weird plot device to keep, considering they didn’t keep much of the original story.
It’s like they half made the film and then got bored with it so they just said something like “and then all the aliens went away the end” with no real explanation or conclusion. I don’t remember what exactly happened because obviously I’ve never wanted to rewatch it but I remember it really was something that cheap. All the time invested in it felt like it had gone to waste because there was no proper conclusion.
Ah yep. It stuck to the source material.
spoiler
bacteria killed the aliens
If that’s your only issue with it, then perhaps worth a rewatch. I really enjoyed the destruction and chaos.
So, I’ve been complaining about this film for long enough that I’ve heard the source material argument before. I’ve not read the original book but just conclude that either A: the book really did end like the film, in which case it was never worthy of making a film about, or B: the book had a better, more nuanced ending which wasn’t captured by the film. Either way it’s a terrible film that wasted my time!
The original book by HG Wells had the aliens die off suddenly, defeated by Earth’s bacteria and viruses. So the story has always had that plot of “and suddenly the bad guys all died!”