War of the Worlds (2005) is on trial this week. Did Spielberg catch lightning in a bottle or would it be better left buried?

Alex says this is a modern yet faithful adaptation of the seminal novel by H.G. Wells that deftly weaves horror into the blockbuster experience. Dave feels a saccharine ending as well as odd plot changes mean the impact of the original novel is diluted and the film itself is forgettable.

All this with a quiz about other takes on this much-adapted work and an impression of Richard Burton.

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