User Reviews

Well, thanks for the effort BBC, but I am STILL waiting for the definitive tv or cinematic portrayal of this famous novel. As I said earlier, this version could have been reduced to two episodes. Filming it as part of the World Staring Championships didn't really help either! And the references! Alien crystalline formations (Superman). Leaping spider-like Martians (Eight-legged Freaks) with three pointy legs (Quatermass And The Pit, Starship Troopers). Projectile mouthpart (Alien). The nod in the direction of the original text was our characters being holed up in the building with Martians outside. But the representation of the creatures out of their machines was pure Hollywood. Very powerful-looking and threatening and obviously invincible one to one. Unlike Wells' description of them as ungainly, sluggish and affected by Earth's heavier gravity. And their final demise wasn't even shown. At least the Tom Cruise version showed silent motionless tripods whose pilots had succumbed to microbes. The BBC surely missed a trick here by failing to show a dead Martian hanging out of its machine being pecked at by crows, and having Ogilvy provide the explanation. Oh, and of course we got the "messages" didn't we! Breast-beating George rattling on to a bellicose Frederick about how it was all probably a punishment from God for what the English had done to other people. And Frederick responding with "That's the trouble with you lot. You always see the other chap's side!" And who dreamed up the eco-awareness sequence? Another God v Darwin exchange followed by Ogilvy producing Typholiser, the new wonder fertiliser and alien weed killer made from infected blood and rotting flesh. Amy wins the Staring Championship as she uncovers the green shoots of recovery. Then gives us a bonus stare by gazing upwards to see the sun breaking through the leaden clouds. All together now "Look for the silver lining. Whenever clouds appear in the blue......."

The first two episodes were pretty good, but episode 3 is a disaster. The idea of showing what happens to humanity after (spoiler of you don't know the story) Martians die had great promise. But long pointless monologues, dubious pseudoscientific reasoning, and just slow and dull scenes just got in the way. I have no problem with slow (2001 is a favourite), but apart from some promising soundtrack parts there was nothing here to keep my attention. Just wanted it to end.

(INCLUDES SPOILERS.)

After a decent build-up, everything falls flat in this finale. The dialogue is boring, the scenes go on too long, and even though they find out how to cure the planet, it feels like nothing of major importance happens.

The "woke" speech by George about the cruelty of the British empire might be supposed to make us feel guilty for previous sins of the West - but it makes no sense, because this a global invasion. Since the victims of the colonialism are now also killed by Martians, the invasion cannot be "God's punishment of the British people". Including this sequence is therefore just unnecessary and stupid.

George sacrificing himself so that Amy can escape also came across as completely moronic. We (and Amy and George) saw that the creature was already very weak and would probably die soon, so it made no sense for him to just stand there and be murdered. Instead he could have tried to get back into hiding, and/or Amy could have shouted e.g. "it's weak, run away from it ". It just felt illogical, and much more frustrating than satisfying.