Tom Cruise has a thing for the end of the world. It’s kind of his brand at this point, right? When you think of a movie with Tom Cruise and aliens, your mind probably jumps straight to those massive, terrifying tripods rising out of the ground in New Jersey. Steven Spielberg’s 2005 remake of War of the Worlds wasn't just another summer blockbuster; it was a visceral, post-9/11 nightmare that used Cruise’s frantic energy to show us exactly how helpless we’d be if something from another planet decided we were in the way.
It’s weird. Cruise usually plays the hero who has a plan. In Mission: Impossible, he’s the guy who jumps off the cliff because he knows exactly where the landing spot is. But in this specific movie with Tom Cruise and aliens, he plays Ray Ferrier, a guy who is honestly a bit of a deadbeat dad and has absolutely no idea what to do. He’s not saving the world. He’s just trying to get his kids to Boston without getting vaporized. That shift in his usual persona is exactly why the movie still hits so hard twenty years later.
The Terrifying Reality of the Tripods
Spielberg didn’t go for the "Independence Day" vibe here. There are no cheering crowds or brave pilots making speeches about freedom. Instead, we get the sound. You know the one—that bone-shaking, mechanical horn blast that sounds like a freighter ship from hell.
Most alien invasion flicks focus on the global scale, showing us the White House getting blown up or scientists huddled around monitors in NASA. War of the Worlds stays on the ground. We see what Ray sees. When the first tripod emerges from under a church, it doesn't just shoot lasers; it turns people into literal dust. One minute they’re standing there with their 2005-era camcorders, and the next, there’s just empty clothing drifting through the air like gray snow. It’s haunting stuff.
The special effects hold up remarkably well because they used a lot of practical elements. When that bridge collapses or the ferry capsizes, you feel the weight of it. CGI has come a long way since 2005, but there’s a grit to this film that modern Marvel-style spectacles often lack. It feels dirty. It feels cold.
Edge of Tomorrow: The Other Essential Alien Movie
If War of the Worlds is about survival, Edge of Tomorrow (or Live Die Repeat, depending on which marketing team you ask) is about the grind. This is the other major movie with Tom Cruise and aliens that people obsess over, and for good reason. It’s basically Groundhog Day with exosuits and "Mimics"—aliens that look like sentient, lethal tumbleweeds made of oily glass.
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Cruise starts the movie as Major William Cage, a PR guy who is a total coward. Watching him get killed over and over again is weirdly satisfying. He dies by being crushed, shot, blown up, and even ran over by a truck. But because he’s accidentally "resetting" time every time he dies, he eventually becomes the ultimate super-soldier.
What makes this film work isn't just the action. It’s the chemistry between Cruise and Emily Blunt’s character, Rita Vrataski (The Full Metal Bitch). While War of the Worlds is dark and depressing, Edge of Tomorrow is surprisingly funny. It leans into the absurdity of the situation. You see the frustration on Cruise’s face when he has to explain the same plan for the thousandth time. It’s a masterclass in pacing.
Why We Keep Coming Back to Cruise vs. Extraterrestrials
There is a specific tension that only Tom Cruise brings to a sci-fi setting. He runs. Man, does he run. Whether he’s sprinting away from a tripod’s heat ray or charging across a beach in France, his physical commitment makes the stakes feel real.
In Oblivion, another notable entry in the movie with Tom Cruise and aliens subgenre, the tone shifts again. This one is more of a visual poem. It’s sleek, white, and quiet—until it isn’t. Here, the aliens (the Scavs) aren’t what they seem, and the twist reveals a much more psychological threat. It’s less about the visceral horror of being hunted and more about the existential dread of being replaced.
Honestly, the variety is impressive.
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- War of the Worlds: Survival horror.
- Edge of Tomorrow: Action comedy/Time-loop.
- Oblivion: Atmospheric mystery.
Each film uses the alien threat to test a different part of the human ego. In War of the Worlds, it’s the ego of the father who thinks he can protect his kids. In Edge of Tomorrow, it’s the ego of the man who thinks he can control the outcome of a war.
The Misunderstood Ending of War of the Worlds
A lot of people hate the ending of the 2005 film. They think the "germs killed them" resolution is a cop-out. But that’s straight from H.G. Wells’ original 1898 novel! The whole point is that for all our technology and all the aliens' superior weaponry, the smallest things in the world—bacteria—were the things that actually mattered.
Mankind didn't win. We just survived.
Spielberg captures this by showing the tripods literally falling apart. They don't explode in a massive fireball; they just stumble and crash because the pilots inside are dying of the common cold. It’s a humbling conclusion. It reminds us that in the grand scheme of the universe, we might just be a lucky accident.
Spotting the Details You Missed
If you go back and watch these films today, pay attention to the sound design. In War of the Worlds, the tripod sounds were created using a combination of a didgeridoo and a bicycle wheel. It’s that organic, "off" sound that makes them so unsettling.
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In Edge of Tomorrow, look at the way Cruise’s body language changes. At the start, he’s fumbling with his weapon safety. By the end, his movements are so precise they’re almost robotic. He’s not even looking at the enemies anymore because he knows exactly where they are going to appear. It’s subtle acting that people often overlook because they’re distracted by the explosions.
How to Experience These Films the Right Way
If you’re looking to dive back into a movie with Tom Cruise and aliens, don't just stream them on your phone. These are "big screen" movies.
- Watch War of the Worlds in the dark with a good sound system. You need to feel that tripod horn in your chest.
- Double-feature Edge of Tomorrow and Oblivion. It’s a fascinating look at how the same actor handles two completely different versions of the "last man on earth" trope.
- Check out the 1953 version of War of the Worlds. It’s dated, sure, but it gives you a massive appreciation for what Spielberg did with the scale and the "tripod" design in the 2005 version.
The reality is that nobody does high-stakes sci-fi like Cruise. He’s one of the last few movie stars who can carry a big-budget alien invasion movie without needing a cape or a comic book tie-in. Whether he’s a terrified dad or a time-looping soldier, he makes you believe that the world is actually ending—and that, maybe, we might just make it through the night.
To get the most out of your next rewatch, pay close attention to the color palettes. War of the Worlds uses a desaturated, almost blue-gray filter to make everything look bleak and hopeless. In contrast, Oblivion uses bright, high-contrast whites and blues to create a sense of artificial "perfection" that hides a darker truth. Understanding these visual cues helps you see the storytelling happening beneath the surface of the action. Also, keep an eye out for the cameo in the 2005 film—the grandparents at the end are played by Gene Barry and Ann Robinson, who were the leads in the original 1953 movie. It's a nice nod to the history of the genre that most casual viewers totally miss.