War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds

Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film The War of the Worlds is a fine film example that exhibits contact with an “alien” or unknown species. Throughout the course of the film, the viewer follows the story of a typical, suburban family (similar to Spielberg’s own childhood up-bringing) as they attempt to survive an onslaught from an unknown, extraterrestrial species. The Ferrier family (played by actors Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin) is the main protagonist of the 2005 version of The War of the Worlds, and in typical Spielberg fashion, try to embody the characteristics of the American family while still maintaining the innocence from a point of view from the youth (the children). In such films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. and other Spielberg films (or produced films( Hook, American Beauty, The Goonies et al.)) the breaking apart and the consequent reunion of the family (or some version of a family) are re-occurring themes of the acclaimed director. The uses of extraterrestrial life as a tool to embody the family’s importance in both the film, as well as for society, are also re-occurring themes in Spielberg movies.
Before the family as a whole can be understood, there is usually a focus on a lone individual, one who is “lost” both physically or metaphorically. Similar to the Roy Neary character in Close Encounters, the Tom Cruise character also must venture off by himself before being able to regroup with his family. It “further develops this sense of disorientation, shows it to be a common modern condition…helping to develop a larger sense of mystery and dislocation…” Once Ray realizes what is going on it is then that the family journey can begin, as he needs to protect his two children from what is really going on, insofar as to hide the truth from them about the alien tripods. However, just as in the real world, not even the protective, loving parent can hide the truth from them forever. The usage of the “other”...