Product Details

• Actors: Jake Busey, Peter Greene, C. Thomas Howell, Andrew Lauer, Rhett Giles
• Directors: David Michael Latt
• Format: Color, NTSC, Closed-captioned
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Timeless Media Group
• DVD Release Date: June 19, 2007
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000MV8A9A
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,739 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

WAR OF THE WORLDS - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dang, does this one try, January 14, 2006

By 

TrezKu13 (Norfolk, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds (DVD)

First I have to say I understand that a lot of studios deal with small budgets, and as a result have to make use with what they have. A lot of people can get away with very little, (look at the success of the cheaply and quickly made "Pyscho" for example) so I always have a quiet respect for those shoe-string productions. This film was obviously in the same boat. (Nu Image reportedly makes their films on an average budget of $2 million) As a result, you won't see a mass armada of alien ships blasting through a wide American countryside and you won't see a massive skyline of destroyed New York. What's the ultimate result? A mixed bag.

Like another reviewer said, there is a lot of potential here ruined by writing and some of the special effects. The acting is probably the best I've seen in any direct-to-video market. C. Thomas Howell comes out strong as the main character, though Rhett Giles nearly steals the show as Pastor Victor, a Catholic priest who joins Howell for a good while. (and constantly walks the thin line of becoming the cliche loony priest)

The problem is the script really kills a lot of what could have made it a decent movie. For example, nobody knows that it's aliens attacking earth, people think terrorists are attacking. You're telling me no one would have figured it out, or known landing pods were attacking? And supposedly the Martian arrival was so surprising that the government in Washington was wiped out. H.G. Wells' characters saw the Martian landing craft coming to earth well before it landed, you're telling me no one saw these coming until the day they landed (even the main character, an ASTRONOMER mind you, doesn't see them until he looks through his son's telescope) and no one caught on we were being invaded by aliens, not terrorists or creatures from the earth? I also find it funny in sci-fi/horror movies when soldiers armed with M16's and pistols open fire on large metal vehicles. Your average soldier wouldn't even shoot at a tank, why would they shoot at a giant alien craft? Also I was constantly thinking, "Where are the tanks? Where are the bombers? Where are the military craft that actually do serious damage?" There's a line where C. Thomas Howell says, "Missiles didn't work against them" though I don't know how he knows that, since we haven't even HEARD about them being used. I know this is low budget, but come on. Speaking of the military, the dialogue between soldiers is terrible! Imagine every cliche line you'd expect an officer to say, then picture it coming out of Jake Busey's mouth. That's what you get here. The scene where C. Thomas Howell loses his family's photo and cries over it was a great scene, but the effect gets ruined when Jake "My Dentist Loves Me" Busey appears and reminds us that the writers didn't even try to google military commands when they did this.

I also think the title was a poor choice: this is not H.G. Well's "War of the Worlds," this is David Michael Latt's film version of "War of the Worlds," which admittingly takes some bits from the script surprisingly lacking in many film adaptations. The character of the artilleryman is replaced with a soldier, the story is told pretty much from the main character's point of view, and Victor obviously replaces the curator. There's the Martian gas and the death from disease, but the event takes place in modern times and the Martians attack worldwide, (assumingly) plus the tripods are replaced with six legged walking crafts.

All in all, what could have been a decent low-budget sci-fi film - heck, even a poor adaptation forgivable because of delivery - gets destroyed by poor writing that reminds you you're watching a direct-to-video movie. If you're a die hard C. Thomas Howell fan or Jake Busey inspires you to brush your teeth religiously, then by all means rent this.

14 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This "War" is A Slight Disappointment..., July 23, 2005

By 

Steven Hancock (Winston Salem, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds (DVD)

David Michael Latt's adaptation of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" is a letdown compared to the other film adaptations out there. Good storytelling with great acting from C. Thomas Howell and others is compromised by the cliched (and what has become a dreadfully overused element) of graphic violence and gore used in typical "horror" films. The DVD has some good extras, but nothing to praise. I would only recommend this adaptation of Wells' sci-fi/horror classic to fans of those horror films I have mentioned above, and also to fans of Howell's work.
Movie/DVD Grade: B-

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Asylum Movies, July 13, 2010

By 

JohnGaunt (Cynosure) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds (DVD)

Asylum makes some good movies and some bad movies. This is one of their best. Special effects (digital and old-school), scenery/locations, and acting are all good to great. The script is obviously different from other adaptations of "War of the Worlds", but that's not a problem with this movie. It is both fun and interesting.

- C. Thomas Howell is the main character. As such, he undergoes the greatest transformation over 97 minutes. He gives an outstanding performance.
- Rhett Giles gives a notable performance as a priest whose character also changes radically during the movie.
- Jake Busey is perfect as a soldier who falls completely apart. His (minor) character is both intelligent and completely insane.

Apart from some brief nudity at the beginning, this movie is PG-13 at worst. Some graphic violence/gore and complex adult situations make this movie too adult for pre-teens.