As Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival.

[last lines]
Narrator: From the moment the invaders arrived, breathed our air, ate and drank, they were doomed. They were undone, destroyed, after all of man's weapons and devices had failed, by the tiniest creatures that God in his wisdom put upon this earth. By the toll of a billion deaths, man had earned his immunity, his right to survive among this planet's infinite organisms. And that right is ours against all challenges. For neither do men live nor die in vain.
Robbie Ferrier: What is it? Is it terrorists?
Ray Ferrier: These came from some place else.
Robbie Ferrier: What do you mean, like, Europe?
Ray Ferrier: No, Robbie, not like Europe!
[first lines]
Narrator: No one would have believed in the early years of the 21st century that our world was being watched by intelligences greater than our own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns, *they* observed and studied, the way a man with a microscope might scrutinize the creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite complacency, men went to and fro about the globe, confident of our empire over this world. Yet across the gulf of space, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded our planet with envious eyes and slowly, and surely, drew their plans against us.
Ray Ferrier: Ketchup. Mustard. Thousand Island Dressing. Vinaigrette. This is good, Robbie. I told you to pack *food*. What the hell is this?
Robbie Ferrier: That's all that was in your kitchen.
Ray Ferrier: [playing catch with Robbie] Mom says you got a report due on Monday, so you're going to work on that when you're done here.
Robbie Ferrier: Yeah, I'm almost finished, I just gotta type it up.
Ray Ferrier: Yeah, bullshit.
Robbie Ferrier: Yeah? What do you know, Ray?
Ray Ferrier: Everything. Haven't you heard? Between me and my brother, we know everything.
Rachel Ferrier: What's the capital of Australia?
Ray Ferrier: That's one my brother knows.
Robbie Ferrier: Okay with you if I just laugh the first five hundred times you tell that one?
Ray Ferrier: ...Just do your report. We don't send you to school so you can flunk out.
Robbie Ferrier: You don't pay for it, Tim does.
Ray Ferrier: [hesitates furiously for a second, then throws the ball really hard at Robbie, Robbie catches it hardly] That's half of what I got.
Robbie Ferrier: You're an asshole.
[throws the ball hard at Ray]
Robbie Ferrier: ...I hate coming here.
Ray Ferrier: Is that why you act like such a dick?
Ray Ferrier: [throws the ball super hard, but Robbie steps out of the way and allows the ball to crash through the window]
Robbie Ferrier: This is your space. You own this.
Ogilvy: I'm dead set on living.
[laughs]
Ogilvy: [to himself] "Dead set on living".
Ray Ferrier: Lightning never strikes in the same place twice.
Ogilvy: They've been planning this for a million years. We're beat to shit.
Ray Ferrier: Please... my daughter.
Ogilvy: Think about it. They defeated the greatest power in the world in a couple days. Walked right over us. And these were only the first. They'll keep coming. This is not a war any more than there's a war between men and maggots... This is an extermination.
Ray Ferrier: I am *not* going to let my daughter die because of you.
Ray Ferrier: [to Rachel] You keep your eyes only on me, you understand? Don't look down. Don't look around me. I'm taking you to the car and you're gonna want to look around... but you're not going to, are you?
Ray Ferrier: Where the hell did you go?
Robbie Ferrier: Over on Lincoln Avenue. By the church.
Ray Ferrier: You saw the lightning? Were you near it?
Robbie Ferrier: Yeah. 26 times we counted, over and over again. The lightning just started hitting. It opened up this, like, hole or something. I don't know.
Ray Ferrier: 26 times?
Robbie Ferrier: Yeah.
Ray Ferrier: You're okay?
Robbie Ferrier: Yeah.
Ray Ferrier: Good. All right, well, your sister is in the house. And I want you to go in that house and I want you to stay with her. And the next time you take my car with no driver's license and no permission, I call the cops.
[Robbie is trying to hitch a ride with passing soldiers]
Ray Ferrier: Robbie, you want to go in that direction? There is nothing *living* in that direction!
Robbie Ferrier: What do you care? You never gave a shit before! You never gave a shit!
Ray Ferrier: Okay, hard-ass. You're in charge now? So what's your plan?
Robbie Ferrier: We catch up with these soldiers, and we head back there, and we get back at them! We get back at them!
Ray Ferrier: Okay, now come up with a plan that doesn't involve your 10-year-old sister joining the Army! You got anything like that?
Robbie Ferrier: Why don't you tell the truth? You don't know where to go! You only chose Boston because you hope Mom is there; You hope she is there, and then you can dump us on her! Then you will only have to care about yourself, which is exactly the way you like it!
Ray Ferrier: Okay, enough of the "Ray" shit, alright? It's Dad, Sir, or if you want, Mr. Ferrier... That sounds a little weird to me, but you decide.
Rachel Ferrier: *Dad*?
Ray Ferrier: Yes, Rachel.
Rachel Ferrier: I gotta go to the bathroom.
Ray Ferrier: Hey, Rachel. Wanna see something cool?
[she comes outside, lightning strikes]
Rachel Ferrier: I wanna go inside.
Ray Ferrier: It's okay now.
Rachel Ferrier: I wanna go inside.
Ray Ferrier: All right, go ahead inside.
Rachel Ferrier: ...I dont wanna go by myself.
Rachel Ferrier: I'm allergic to peanut butter.
Ray Ferrier: Since when?
Rachel Ferrier: Birth.
Rachel Ferrier: If everything's fine, why do we have to sleep in the basement? We got perfectly good beds.
Ray Ferrier: It's like a slumber party.
Robbie Ferrier: What are you afraid's gonna happen to us?
Ray Ferrier: Nice basement.
Rachel Ferrier: I wanna sleep in my bed, got back problems.
Ray Ferrier: Ok, well uh, you know on the weather channel, when there's a tornado, and they, tell you to go down to the basement for safety? It's like that.
Rachel Ferrier: There's gonna be tornadoes?
Ray Ferrier: Rachel? No more talking. Ok?
Rachel Ferrier: Could you be a little nicer to me? God!
Ogilvy: [to Ray] Who knows? Maybe you will survive... Maybe they'll take you as a pet or something. Teach ya how to do tricks.
Ray Ferrier: Get in, Manny, or you're gonna die!
Rachel Ferrier: Are we still alive?
Ray Ferrier: Two for you, two for Robbie, two for me... One for the house.
[repeated line]
Ogilvy: Not my blood!
Rachel Ferrier: Where's Mom?
Ray Ferrier: In Boston.
Rachel Ferrier: Where's Mom? I want Mom.
Ray Ferrier: I know.
Rachel Ferrier: [shouts] I want Mom! I want Mom! I want Mommmm!
Ray Ferrier: [shouts] That's what I'm trying to do!
Ray Ferrier: It's just like the 4th of July.
Rachel Ferrier: No, it's not.
Ray Ferrier: [Watching the lightning] Wasn't that cool?
Rachel Ferrier: It hit right behind our house!
Ray Ferrier: [imitates Robbie] Okay Rach, this is your area.
[motions with arms]
Ray Ferrier: Okay? You're safe...
Rachel Ferrier: Dad, that's not how it goes.
Ray Ferrier: Don't you get it? We're under attack!
News Producer: It's the same everywhere - once the tripods begin to move, no more news comes out of that area.
Rachel Ferrier: ...Got a splinter.
Ray Ferrier: Where'd you get it? Come here.
Rachel Ferrier: [Heads over to Ray] On your porch railing...
Ray Ferrier: Let me take that out.
Rachel Ferrier: Absolutely not!
Ray Ferrier: Come here! Let me see it.
Rachel Ferrier: [Rachel shows him the splinter, trying not to let him grab her hand]
Rachel Ferrier: Dad, just look at it. Don't touch it... dad!
Ray Ferrier: I can't... you're moving it.
Rachel Ferrier: Okay, but don't touch it! Just look at it.
Ray Ferrier: ...It's gonna get infected.
Rachel Ferrier: No, it won't.
Ray Ferrier: Yes, it's gonna get infected.
Rachel Ferrier: No it won't!... When it's ready, my body'll just push it out.
Ray Ferrier: Push it out, huh?
Rachel Ferrier: I read that... You should get Tivo. Tim got it for my room. It's awesome. I watch all my shows after homework.
Ray Ferrier: Yeah, just put it on my, uh, platinum card... Robbie? Robbie!
[Ray dips a piece of food in the hummus, disgusted]
Ray Ferrier: What... what is that?
Rachel Ferrier: Hummus.
Ray Ferrier: Hummus?
Rachel Ferrier: From the healthfood place. Kept one of the menues last time we were here.
[Ray nods his head]
Rachel Ferrier: [Scoffs] You said order!
Ray Ferrier: I meant order *food*.
Mary Ann: Take care of our kids.
Ray Ferrier: This... This machine it just started... torching everyone... killing everything.
[Talking about a splinter]
Rachel Ferrier: When it's ready, my body will just push it out.
Rachel Ferrier: What are we supposed to do for food?
Ray Ferrier: You know - order.
Rachel Ferrier: I want to sleep in my own bed. I got back problems.
Rachel Ferrier: Did the lightning stop?
Rachel Ferrier: A gentle breeze from hushabye mountain / Softly blows o'er lullaby bay / It fills the sails of boats that are waiting / Waiting to sail your worries away
Rachel Ferrier: It isn't far to hushabye mountain / And your boat waits down by the key / The winds of night so softly are sighing / Soon they will fly your troubles to sea
Rachel Ferrier: So close your eyes on hushabye mountain / Wave goodbye to cares of the day / And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain / Sail far away from lullaby bay
Robbie Ferrier: If we had any balls we'd go back there, find one of those things and kill it.
Ray Ferrier: Thank you, but maybe you should let me handle the big decisions.
Robbie Ferrier: When will that be, Ray? Never? Never's about your speed.
Ray Ferrier: Ok, enough of the "Ray" shit! It"s "Dad," or "Sir!" Or if you want, "Mr. Ferrier."... That sounds a little weird to me but you decide.
Ray Ferrier: [watching the lightning storm behind his house] Where's the thunder?
Rachel Ferrier: Am I okay?
[Ray stares wide-eyed at the window, terrified beyond speech]
Rachel Ferrier: Are *you* okay?
Rachel Ferrier: Is it the terrorists?
Ray's Boss: Do you know what your problem is?
Ray Ferrier: I could think of a couple of women that'd be happy to tell ya.
Rachel Ferrier: Are we gonna be okay? Is Robbie Okay?
Ray Ferrier: I don't know.
Rachel Ferrier: What do you mean you don't know? Are you okay?
Ogilvy: Rachel, I want you to know, that if anything happens to your daddy; I'll take care of you.
Ray Ferrier: There's nothing living in that direction!
Rachel Ferrier: [crying, and softly hitting him] Robbie! What are you trying to do? Where are you trying to go! Who's going to take care of me if you leave!
Rachel Ferrier: Is it them? Is it them?
[Rachel is running to the trees to use the "bathroom"]
Ray Ferrier: Stay where I can see you.
Rachel Ferrier: I don't want you looking at me!
Ray Ferrier: I won't, but stay in sight.
Rachel Ferrier: That's looking!
Ray Ferrier: Look-there's two things we've gotta watch out for, and the second is people that might want our car.
Marine Corps Captain: Our mission, Lieutenant, is to delay their advance 'til those refugees get to safety. Now, keep firing!
Rachel Ferrier: [in car as bridge is blown up behind her] Is it terrorists?
Ray Ferrier: Where is Robbie?
Rachel Ferrier: He went out.
Ray Ferrier: Out where?
Rachel Ferrier: I don't know. He just took your car, and left.
Ray Ferrier: That is so weird. The wind is blowing *toward* the storm.
Robbie Ferrier: I have to see this, Dad. You have to let me go. I want to fight. Please! I have to see this. Just let me go!
Ray Ferrier: [as Robbie walks past him] There he is. Hey, Robbie. You got a hug? A confusing handshake? Kick in the teeth? The door's locked.
Ray Ferrier: I was right in the middle of one of those!
News Producer: You didn't see this from this angle.
Ogilvy: You and me? I don't think we're on the same page.
Marine Corps Officer: Guidons, guidons, Black Six. Attack! Attack! Attack!
Ray Ferrier: [about Tripods] You mean there's more than one?
News Producer: You've got to be kidding me, right?
Ray Ferrier: We're leaving this house in 60 seconds.
Ogilvy: Here?
[to Ray]
Ogilvy: Peach Schnapps. Disgusting I know it, found a whole case of this shit.
News Producer: [at the site of a plane crash] Were you on that plane?
Ray Ferrier: No.
News Producer: Too bad. It would have made a hell of a story.
[shuts news van door and drives off]
Ray Ferrier: Look at the goddamned birds!
Ray Ferrier: [Ray is standing over the hole where the lightning struck in the street, and picks up a piece of rock]
Man on street: Is it hot?
Man on street: No... it's freezing.
Rachel Ferrier: Whose car is this? Whose car is this?
Robbie Ferrier: Ray, I'm standing right next to you. Talk to me. What's going on?
Rachel Ferrier: [Calling out] Mom?... Tim? Mom!
Robbie Ferrier: ...They're gone.
Rachel Ferrier: [to Ray] Is she dead?
Ray Ferrier: She's not dead. Alright? She's just not here, okay. They were never here.
Robbie Ferrier: How do you know?
Ray Ferrier: Because they're on their way to Boston.
Ray Ferrier: Can you think of a plan that *doesn't* involve your 10-year-old sister joining the army?