I saw War of the Worlds 2023...

War of the Worlds: The Attack, directed by special-effects wizard, Junaid "Jay" Syed, who co-scripted with Tom (The Witches of Amityville) Jolliffe and Ritesh Rai, is (surprise, surprise) a retelling of H.G. Wells' classic, science-fiction/adventure novel. Where Wells' story is an allegory for the plague of imperialism, this 2023 version (like all prior) focuses on the basic horror of invasion, as it makes good use of the monstrous Martians in modern England. 

This version is also youth oriented, with its leads relegated to their teens: Sam Gittins as Herbert Wells (nice, eponymous label there), Alhaji Fofana as Ogilvy (another swell, nominal salute) and Lara Lemon as Hannah (a fine, congenial lass). It should be noted that the youngsters aren't bubble-headed or wishy-washy in their strive to survive. If anything, they're identifiable in both their inquisitiveness and resilience, even if older fans may feel jaded by the rejuvenated spin. 

But fear not: Older fans should be pleased that the novel's astronomer, Dr. Stent (renamed Stint) appears, played with proper calculation by Kathi DeCouto, as does The Artillery Man (called Ben Baxter), wracked with sorrow by Leo Starr, and Vincent Regan enters as the anguished padre/curate, who believes the Martians have manifested due to our sins. 

For those who appreciate quality creatures, The Martian reveal is most satisfying, even if unfaithful to Well's description, sporting a Cthulhu-like design, and the tendriled tripods spring straight from the source. These important elements allow the frenetic terror to flow as it should, with Heat-Rays blasting galore and London (and that which flanks it) falling fast. (I might add, The Heat-Ray depictions are more in sync with the novel's than in previous, film versions.) 

On another positive point, though CGI-laden, War of the Worlds: The Attack never looks rushed: that is, the War Machines stay sharp and formidable, even during their nocturnal prowls. This helps viewers absorb the subtle details of what creeps and stomps before them. Because of this, the melees become evermore jarring, in particular a helicopter joust that stands in lieu of the novel's Thunder Child sequence.

Some will deride this remake for no other cause than it's expected of them, but I'm confident that those detractors haven't read the book. To those who appreciate textual Wells (to those who truly know the subject matter), this redux will resonate, and when all is said and done, that's what counts. (PS: I'd love to see Syed, Julliffe and Rai tackle The Time Machine and/or The Invisible Man. I'm certain that they'd invest nothing less than respect to either.)