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.
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.