SSC Film Studies

"It is often said that films reflect the time in which they were made, how true is this of War Of The Worlds 2005?"

This is true. For example, this is a reflection of the 9/11 tragedy in a post 9/11 society. I know this due to the first establishing shot of the New York skyline and the Twin Towers are missing proving that Ray is a 9/11 survivor. Ray's personality is a reflection of a 9/11 survivor as he has a bad attitude to any commitment of his including his broken family and average blue collar job. In addition he has a habit of being reckless and unreliable. In his Manhattan neighbourhood, rows of houses have the star spangled banner which highlights the rise of patriotism and nationalism in America post 9/11.
During the first tripod scene, the crowd is a huge reflection and accurate representation of the crowd during the 9/11 attacks. Firstly, the Manhattan civilians begin to gather to watch the unfolding scene and witness the damage caused similar to those in the city on September 11th. Secondly, both crowds watch the destruction in shock, horror and utter disbelief. When another strike happens, both crowds run for their lives away from the target including law enforcement whom originally tried to control the civilians. The enemy whether it be a tripod or a plane, caused innocent civilians to disintegrate into ashes and the rest covered in dust. A direct representation of the 9/11 crowd shown in War of the Worlds is the use of camera footage. One bystander decides to stand and film the entire attack and the audience is forced to witness the attacks through this camera footage, similar to the rest of the world watching the 9/11 attacks through the footage filmed by bystanders then. A close up of the footage is used at a low angle due to the visual familiarity of it; civilians on September 11th witnessed the attacks up close and were forced to view the attacks from a low angle at an eye line match due to the mass height of the Twin Towers.
Three main focal targets for the tripods were the Church, families and Manhattan. The common interest in all of these aspects is the importance they have on American society. These were all destroyed. Therefore it is a direct attack on US society. This is a reflection of how US civilians felt post 9/11, they could not understand why it was them who had been attacked. Changing the location of the story is also a direct link to 9/11. War of the Worlds book was set in London therefore Spielberg's reason for changing it to New York is to create a similar impact that watching a 9/11 documentary would have.
The unfamiliarity of the situation is also a reflection of US society post 9/11. For example, here we have Tom Cruise, an iconic American hero playing a loser dad. This never happens in cinema. Immediately, Spielberg is challenging the audience's expectations and increasing the uncertainty of the film which contributes to the tension caused.
Tension is already caused due to the opening speech made by Morgan Freeman, a speech which has many direct links to 9/11. For example, "No one would have guessed the events at the start of the 21st century." 9/11 was in 2001. "Across the planet, they watched with envious eyes" is interpreted as "across the seas in the Middle East they watched with envious eyes" this is referencing to the superiority and complacency of America in the late 90s - their economy was great, Clinton was great, the Berlin wall was gone and USSR had collapsed. They had nothing to worry about and 90s cinema reflected this.
Though films such as Independence Day, which shows The White House being destroyed, were made prior 9/11 it has nowhere near the same impact as War of the Worlds because when The White House had been destroyed, the audience didn't take it literally or seriously because they'd never imagine it happening. War of the Worlds shows a direct attack on New York post 9/11 which is highly effective because it causes the audience to relive the 9/11 attacks because New York had already been attacked, Washington never has therefore Independence Day has no connection to real events whereas War of the World does.
Movies like War of the Worlds reflected the post 9/11 society; a darker, more aware yet paranoid era. Spielberg himself says "Our story starts with paranoia which is very quickly realised..." highlighting his intention to tap in to the audience's existing state of fear and paranoia due to the world we live in today that is a result of 9/11. Rachael's first thought when being evacuated is "is it the terrorists?" highlighting how even years after 9/11, Americans are still awaiting another attack, they're still living in fear.
The film has aspects of the day of 9/11, not just post. For example, the reason for the attacks was never expected. Americans assumed the first crash was a horrific, unfortunate accident when in fact it was the complete opposite. Spielberg conveys this in the conversation with Ray and Robbie when the lighting has struck rock and everybody assumes it will be scorching to touch. "Is it hot?" "No, freezing." This highlights how complacent and naive Americans were at this time. In addition, their complacency is shown several times throughout the tripod attack. When lighting first strikes and Rachael is paranoid that it is going to hit the same spot again however Ray is assured it won't saying, "lighting never strikes twice" when in fact the lighting being the plane, did strike again. When civilians witness lighting strike the same spot 26 times, their shock is conveyed "that many strikes in the same spot..." almost as if it was impossible.
The atmosphere created due to America being attacked is akin to the atmosphere America still has today, one which nobody feels safe. The point of view Spielberg chooses to show is also significant. He forces the audience to live these attacks through a civilians eyes, not the aliens as we're not meant to understand what's happening or why it is. Spielberg wants to cause us to feel this sense of disorientation, not knowing who's alive, who's dead, who's did it and if it's going to happen again because these were the exact thoughts of every American in NYC on September 11th 2001.
This is how the film has a more horror vibe than a sci-fi. Science fiction causes the audience to wonder and imagine of a fantasy world, horror taps into our base emotions and creates this sense of realism and paranoia that this could actually happen.