Watch H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds

H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds from 2005 is a modernized adaptation of the classic novel by H.G. Wells. The movie, directed by David Michael Latt, takes place in contemporary Los Angeles and follows the story of journalist, George Herbert (played by C. Thomas Howell), and his quest to save his family and the world from an alien invasion.

The story begins with powerful lightning strikes happening all over the world. George (Howell) and his wife and two sons are in the middle of a family dinner when they hear the news of the strikes. The family heads to bed, but soon, everything turns upside down. They wake up the following morning to an unbelievable sight - huge mechanical tripods getting down from the tripods that have just landed. The aliens have arrived, and they are out to destroy everything in their path.

George and his family are forced to flee when the aliens start attacking Los Angeles. However, George's quest to save his loved ones becomes an epic journey to save the entire planet. Along the way, he meets a group of survivors, including the lovely Lori (played by Tinarie van Wyk Loots), who helps him in his quest. They face numerous challenges and obstacles, but their main objective is to find a way to defeat the aliens before they destroy humanity.

The movie does a great job of showcasing the chaos and destruction that an alien invasion would cause on earth. The special effects and action scenes are fantastic, as the tripods wreak havoc on everything and everyone in their path. The film also accurately portrays the sense of despair and hopelessness that the main characters feel as they watch their world collapse around them.

One of the movie's highlights is its interesting take on the aliens themselves. Unlike some other movies in the genre, where the aliens are more human-like, the aliens in H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds are true to the source material; they are essentially predatory Martians from the planet Mars who have come to take over Earth. The tripods are massive machines piloted by the aliens, and they are equipped with advanced weaponry that can easily destroy buildings and vehicles.

The acting in the movie is solid, led by the capable performances of C. Thomas Howell and Tinarie van Wyk Loots. While some of the supporting characters are not as fleshed out, the main characters are well-developed and engaging. Howell does a great job of portraying George's desperation to save his family, while van Wyk Loots brings charm and wit to Lori's character.

Overall, H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds from 2005 is an exciting, action-packed adaptation of the classic novel. While some purists may take issue with the modernization of the story and setting, the film successfully captures the spirit of the source material. The movie is a thrilling ride from start to finish, with impressive visuals and solid performances. Fans of science fiction and action movies should definitely give this film a watch.

H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds is a 2005 science fiction movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 3.3.