Just got back from seeing this new movie. I'd give it about a C+. It was good, but not nearly as good as I hoped it would be. Special effects were not necessarily better than the '53 version except for the ray beams and how they destroyed their targets. Dakota Fanning, we thought, did a very good job in her role as the "little girl." In the 53', the hero was at least trying to "defeat the aliens." Tom Cruise was more involved in trying to run from them (to protect the girl to be sure), and so the end result was he was just another innocent victim of the alien attack more than a hero.

Between it and Independence Day ... the latter was, I thought, a much superior film. I'd go back and see Batman, Star Wars, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Herbie ... but would probably wait on another view of WotW until it's on TV or at least out on DVD.

Don't want to mis-lead, though. Glad we saw it today. It was a good show. Just not quite up to expectations.