Every War Of The Worlds Adaptation: Ranked Worst To Best

By far the most expensive and high profile adaptation that The War Of The Worlds has ever been given was the $130 million version made by the world's most famous director back in 2005, the film that all those cash-ins and mockbusters were knocking off.

Steven Spielberg's War Of The Worlds has its fair share of problems. The happy families reunited ending feels out of kilter with the tone of the rest of the movie and Tom Cruise is miscast as a blue collar everyman. But in its standout moments it is very much the work of a master on top of his game.

As far as modernised versions go, 9/11-era America feels a pretty good fit for the arrogant imperialism of late-Victorian Britain and the shock of an unstoppable attack in the heart of the country. More a survival story than anything, this is a darker Spielberg than in many of his other crowd-pleasing blockbusters, but that doesn't mean it lacks his adeptness with thrilling spectacle, action that puts you right in the midst of it, or genuinely scary moments.