I think the word I'm looking for is "conceit." The engaging premise, and suspension of disbelief that, for the most part, holds this summer blockbuster together.
There's a precarious balance here that Spielberg almost manages to pull off. Or rather, he pulls it off, but doesn't sustain it for the entire length of the movie.
I'm sure it's already been discussed ad nauseum how the camcorder is working despite an EMP wave, and Ray and his kids seem to conveniently escape mortal danger at every turn.
But this can be forgiven because Spielberg is so good at what he does. And this isn't even the director at his best.
With a surprisingly engaging screenplay in tow, which includes some frightening twists, Spielberg and his team concoct an intense thrill ride. And for all its sentimental moments, he doesn't spare the audience from occasional bouts of nastiness. We see a man clawing at a broken windshield with bare hands, and some equally nasty bits of slaughter on the part of the aliens.
It's fun, scary and gives you some food for thought. The 9/11 analogies work pretty well, while some of science fiction elements don't bear too much scrutiny.
In the end, it's a conceit. A summer blockbuster movie that rises above the crowd, yet can't totally release itself from its designation as an American popcorn movie.
There's a precarious balance here that Spielberg almost manages to pull off. Or rather, he pulls it off, but doesn't sustain it for the entire length of the movie.
I'm sure it's already been discussed ad nauseum how the camcorder is working despite an EMP wave, and Ray and his kids seem to conveniently escape mortal danger at every turn.
But this can be forgiven because Spielberg is so good at what he does. And this isn't even the director at his best.
With a surprisingly engaging screenplay in tow, which includes some frightening twists, Spielberg and his team concoct an intense thrill ride. And for all its sentimental moments, he doesn't spare the audience from occasional bouts of nastiness. We see a man clawing at a broken windshield with bare hands, and some equally nasty bits of slaughter on the part of the aliens.
It's fun, scary and gives you some food for thought. The 9/11 analogies work pretty well, while some of science fiction elements don't bear too much scrutiny.
In the end, it's a conceit. A summer blockbuster movie that rises above the crowd, yet can't totally release itself from its designation as an American popcorn movie.