> War of the Worlds

I think the first two-thirds of the movie is utterly riveting, Spielberg delivering some very scary sequences while also delving head on into the paranoia of post-9/11 America. It’s only in the last third that things trip up a bit.

It’s a pity that the Cruise and Spielberg relationship broke down. They were great together.

> Although these ideas are intriguing, Williams never really gets a chance to develop a strong central thematic identity for the score.

I wonder if the film not being locked down and having a ton of unfinished effects - both rather new things for the composer - threw off his working process a bit.

> As a result, it remains my least favorite Williams score for a Spielberg film.

It’s better than Always for me. And maybe 1941 which I haven’t heard in over 15 years. But otherwise I agree.