3. War of the Worlds (2005)
Sacrificed Its Integrity By... Tacking On An Unnecessary Happy Ending For the most part, I believe that Steven Spielberg's
War of the Worlds is a genuinely great modern update of H.G. Wells' classic novel documenting the great battle between Earth and Mars, but one that the famous director couldn't help but imbue with his trademark dose of sentimentality - usually I can handle it, but here it feels so tacked on that it's almost vomit inducing. Yes, Spielberg pretty much sacrifices his movie's integrity with this one, but for what purpose? The moment in question concerns Tom Cruise's teenage son, Robbie, who acts immature through the whole movie and then decides to run off to watch a spectacular view of a raging Martian battle. Fine. But instead of letting Robbie's fate remain ambiguous as would have been genuinely intriguing and brave, Spielberg ends
War of the Worlds with the revelation that - boo! - Robbie is alive. It smells of a filmmaker desperately trying to appeal to the masses. No need.