SSC Film Studies

In what ways can war of the worlds be considered ‘post 9/11 cinema’?

 

In War of the Worlds, the fear of others is an allegorical view of the threat of the time it was set in, for example, aliens were a visual representation of the 9/11 terrorists. Another example of aliens being a threat from others is in the film ‘The Thing” in this film the ‘thing’ represents an 80s reaction to the AIDS virus, in this film individuals are tested for the virus via blood test, similar to a HIV test.

 

An scene in the film is when the character of Rachel (Dakota Fanning) first reaction to the tripod attack is to ask “Is it the terrorists?” which shows how people at the time were very on edge and waiting for another attack. This has links to post 9/11 world were every one was waiting for the next attack .

 

Both the terrorists and aliens have an lot in common. For example, they both had goals involving the annihilation of humans. Both the aliens and terrorists came from outside environment, outer space/Middle East. Both the aliens and terrorists spent time planning their attacks and both attacked from within the US, as the tripods were underground, within the American soil and the terrorists were already living in the US for many years. The terrorists infiltrated America and got their pilots license, this shows how long they spent planning it. They both practiced alternative ideologies, they have no intention of converting people and they want to kill. Both the aliens and terrorists used methods of transport as weapons, such as the plane that falls on the house in War of the Worlds and the planes that were used in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Both the terrorists and aliens started their attacks in New York City.

 

 In the film there are certain parts that are a grave reminder of 9/11, one example is during the tripods first attack, the use of grey smoke, the use of handheld cameras that are always looking up to the tripods remind people of what happened during 9/11 at ground zero.  Spielberg has used these images to remind people what happened. Another way Steven Spielberg has represented the post 9/11 themes through the film is the use of missing persons images all over walls, these were seen all around New York City after 9/11.

 

 

Steven Spielberg uses an image of the New York City skyline for the opening shot, this clearly shows the absence of the Twin Towers and makes the audience aware that this film is set after the 9/11 attacks of 2001. Throughout the film the use of the character Ray (Tom Cruise) shows him as a washed up father in a dead end job that rarely sees his children. In other films Tom Cruise is seen as the patriotic all American hero that saves the day. The reason for this is to show the effect of 9/11 on his character, going from hero to zero. “Cruise takes out a tripod essentially by acting as a suicide bomber” this enforces the drastic measures that Americas will take to take out the threat of others.

 

Spielberg’s use of an iconic symbol of religion in the form of the church and destruction of it shows that the aliens are physically attacking an iconic structure rooted in American culture, similar to how the Twin Towers were an iconic part of New York City.

 

In other contexts War of the Worlds views have always arisen in times of paranoia, fear of others and threat from outsiders. The original book came at a time where the people of London feared immigration and were paranoid that the culture will be diversified. This is down to London being the centre of an empire this has links to the 2005 film because New York is the ideological centre of America.

 

How Steven Spielberg has constructed the Ferrier family is in a way were Ray was brought up in an time before 9/11 and remembers how things have changed. The character of Robbie was brought up in a time before 9/11 but was at that age where he was susceptible to the paranoia so makes irrational  . This really attract effect Robbie as well as the generation because they were more susceptible to this attack .For example between September 2001 and November 2001 us military recruitment increased by 23%. This is down too people desire for revenge that occurred after 9/11. The character of Rachel was born in the darkens for a fear from 9/11 and never known what the world was like before 9/11 so she know this was eventually  going to happen again.

 

After 9/11 people were in the constant paranoid that something like this was eventually going to happen again. This fear was use in many different for example Spielberg uses this fear as a muse for this film. Author example is the constant reminder of the terror threat levels this will constantly relight the threat.