Set in a small town in California, a meteorite crashes down from the sky and has the small town shocked, baffled, and scared. People from all over the community gather around questioning what could it be and where did it come from. One man who is invited to attend the crash zone and investigate is Dr Clayton Forrester (Gene Barry), a well-respected scientist. As Dr Clayton arrives on the scene, he fears there is more to the situation than just a meteorite crashing. The meteorite itself is giving off a large amount of radiation. But it’s not long until the meteorite opens up, revealing alien ships inside it which begin to attack, kill and destroy anything in front of them.
For the record, this was my first time watching this sci-fi classic thanks to Imprint Films who have released the film on Blu-ray for the very first time. My only experience with The War Of The Worlds is the remake (2005) which featured Tom Cruise and was directed by Steven Spielberg. So, as you would understand, I sat down with pure excitement to watch this film for the first time in surround sound and Full High Definition.
I am proud to announce this is genuinely an incredible transfer. Considering this film was initially released in 1953, this restoration is a thing of beauty. I was also surprised to hear a surround sound audio track which takes the experience of this cinematic classic to a new level.
The most significant praise for the film itself is for the visual effects and creativity. What the filmmakers were able to achieve is something genuinely worth bragging about. The creative use of lighting, smoke, matte paintings, and even miniature models all result in a compelling sci-fi film. Like many cinema classics, it is obvious the filmmakers were forced to get creative with visual effects. Even if you are not a fan of the story, the effects alone are worth seeing.
As for the characters within this film, they are sadly forgettable. The leading hero is consistently overconfident. It isn’t long into the movie before he gets paired with a female character. But the chemistry between the two is weak and at no point in the film did I believe the romance between them both. The dialogue they share is also vague and consists of nothing substantial. Some transitions are also questionable, but based on the film’s budget and overall achievement, I was forgiving.
Overall, if you have never seen this original classic, now is the time to do so. With a stunning remaster on Blu-ray and excellent audio and visuals, I am confident to say sci-fi fans will be extremely pleased with the results of this cinematic classic. My only primary concern for this film was simply the leads who at times felt like they had unconvincing chemistry.
6.9/10
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