War of the Worlds is a sci-fi / horror movie with almost no plot. We learn enough to know that the world is being invaded by aliens who buried their massive tripod-ships underground millions of years ago and have now returned to earth. We don’t know why they are attacking humanity but they are – fueling their enormous machines with their blood. And as suddenly as they arrive, they die, killed by pollution, I guess.

If you try to decrypt War of the Worlds with an analysis of plot you won’t get very far. Why did human archaeologists never discover the buried ships? Why do the aliens want to take over earth to begin with and why didn’t they just take it over the first time they stopped by?

I think the lack of explanation for reason behind the aliens desire to kill humans is why I would classify War of the Worlds as a horror movie rather than a sci-fi thriller or action movie. There’s no reason behind it at all, it’s just a scary situation, like Jaws, and like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

It’s a simple movie that is decidedly un-Spielberg in this way – no twists or turns in plot, no Jurassic-Park-esque child heroism, no sentiment. It is dark and bloody and not much is brought to light or resolved.

Which is why I think it’s such a good movie – we’re thrust into a situation with a few, clearly-defined characters and we see how they react to an incredible situation and how they are changed by it.

Tom Cruise’s character is a deadbeat dad. This alone is a fascinating variant of the deadbeat teenager role he played in the 80s and deadbeat 20-something role he played in the 90s. This is the first movie in which he is parental (in Eyes Wide Shut he did have a kid but the kid wasn’t central to the character or the plot in any way). In Mission: Impossible III (next) he is a version of Ethan Hunt who cares about his committed relationship to his wife. In Lions for Lambs he is a senator with presidential aspirations. This marks an admission of paternal age and responsibility that was mirrored in the Oprah interview. At this stage in his career Tom Cruise is trying to convince moviegoers that he is responsible, kind, and mature. This is what Maverick would be like 20 years after he was Maverick.

It’s a muted performance in which he takes his Tom Cruise tendencies (running really fast, grinning to show all of his teeth, gesticulating) and tones them down the way a tired construction worker with children would. He covers his luxurious hair with a Yankees cap. He uses combat as a last resort.

He changes, from a man who ignores his responsibilities to a man who embraces them. At the same time, he doesn’t change. He doesn’t get back together with his estranged wife. He doesn’t cease to be headstrong or arrogant. He sees his flaws reflected in his children and realizes he can’t change either.

It’s a great character study and I’m glad the movie didn’t try to focus on much more than that. It’s stylish, beautifully filmed, and legitimately scary.

Next: Mission: Impossible III