Most of the book is here (other than the obvious use of the U.S. instead of England). It must have been an amazing feat in 1953 to portray the Martian machines as they are. Of course, in the original, they walked on long, stiltlike legs, but when you think about the advanced technology, why wouldn't they fly? The scenes of destruction are amazing. They show no mercy. They are intent on obliterating every obstacle. They make no effort to negotiate, much like Independence Day, which is really the same story. Of course, there is an obstacle that they hadn't counted on. It's refreshing that this is the case. The military has had its shot; let nature see what she can do.

I thought the escape scenes wonderful. I liked that the machines used a primary color sensor that could "see" into places. The Martians are mortal and without machines can barely exist. I suppose gravity was a factor, coming from a planet with little of it. There is a religious angle, of course. These are the godless creatures from another planet. They incinerate a minister. They take shots at the churches though their direction is random, not premeditated. People go to their places of religion in their fright. Still, even if one is bit jaded about this, it's probably what we would do.

If one hadn't read the book, there would be a time when we would shrug and say, "There is no hope." It is at that point that one of the ships mysteriously tips on its side, the inhabitant dead. Humankind endures. But we are a bit more humbled. Perhaps that's what Welles had in mind; perhaps that's what the writers and producers had in mind. This is a very good film, done seriously, with a delicate touch, and an effort to be true to the themes and ideas of the original.

Martians have used up the resources of their planet and they're looking for other planets. A suspected meteor lands outside the Californian town of Linda Rosa. People have gathered to put out the fire and then to enjoy the sight. Noted atomic scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester who is fishing nearby comes to take a look. Sylvia van Buren teaches library science at USC. They decide to go back to town and wait for the meteor to cool down. The Martians war machine activates and starts its killing spree. Other landings occur around the world.

It is an iconic sci-fi and a marvel of its era. It is still a compelling narrative today. The special effects are fun. The miniatures are terrific. The design of the aliens are timeless. What is even better is the sound design. The alien sounds and the weapons fire are truly memorable. There is a lot of stock footage used. The wires are very much visible. Nevertheless this is not some cheap B-movie. They use some real action effects and stunts. They have lots of extras and the two leads are acceptable as actors. The battle in L.A. is no small matter. The prevalence of the religious tone is something different from the material and more fitting for the time.

I am a HUGE fan of 50s sci-fi. I love these movies and think most of them are highly underrated, as too many people are put off by less than perfect special effects. However, I am pretty forgiving in this area, as you simply can't compare 50s effects with modern ones--you need to put them in context for what was available for that time. And, in this regard I gotta admit this is one of the better ones as far as effects go.

On the other hand, another important thing I consider for sci-fi is entertainment and lasting value of the film. Well, in this regard, this movie falls pretty flat. While the first half of the film is well done and reasonably interesting, the final conclusion is completely LAME--just as the Earth is about to be destroyed, the aliens catch a cold and die! Talk about a silly and anti-climatic ending!!! This made me feel pretty stupid for having wasted my time with the film.

I really think the high scores might be influenced by the social importance of this H. G. Wells story--you know, how Orson Welles created a lot of havoc with his radio adaptation of WAR OF THE WORLDS. But, if you ignore this and rate the movie purely on aesthetics and entertainment, a 5 seems like a reasonable score.