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War of the Worlds, Harlan Ogilvy (Tim Robbins)

Site Rating: 23%
(ratings: 3)
Writeup Rating: 70%
(ratings: 4)
Film: War of the Worlds (2005)
Deceased Character: Harlan Ogilvy (Tim Robbins)
Archetype: Ambivalent (Minor)
Killed by: Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise)
Killed with: Unknown and Uninteresting


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'One on One' icon 'Unsatisfying' icon 'Pointless' icon 'Offscreen Killing' icon
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Written by Old Bluffer 13th Jul 2005

Tim Robbins was almost a spark of interest in a film distinguished by a bland and unsympathetic cast of characters. Playing an unhinged survivalist intent on gaining revenge on the alien invaders, we had high hopes of him going out in a Blaze of Glory. He was even toting an axe and shotgun at one point, while his basement shelter was swarming with aliens, but we are sad to report that the predictable death did not occur.

Instead, Tom Cruise stops him going on a berserk blood frenzy and later, once the aliens are all gone, decides to kill him himself behind a closed door. The door is closed so as not to send his irritating daughter (Dakota Fanning, q.v.) into yet another screaming fit.

There was absolutely no need to kill old Ogilvy by the way. The only purpose in staying in the basement was to use it as a base to attack the aliens. If Ferrier wasn't interested in this suicidal plan he could have just taken his hateful whelp and left.

Don't expect DVD grabs for this death as I won't be wasting my money.



4 categories : One on One, Unsatisfying, Pointless, Offscreen Killing

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Other Death Reviews for War of the Worlds (2005)

Harlan Ogilvy (Tim Robbins)
Rachel Ferrier (Dakota Fanning)
Robbie Ferrier (Justin Chatwin)

Last Updated: 2nd Jun 2008
Number of views for this review since 30th May 2008: 7308
This review has 10 comments. Reply to the comments
Comment 1 by 'AARGH!' (reply to this comment)
I see your point; yet Cruise's decision was motivated by the fact that the Robbins character was expressing a desire to sexually attack Cruise's daughter. Since Cruise can't be sure of his own survial, and since Ogilvy is crazed and may give everything away, Cruise kills him. With tripods everywhere, Cruise couldn't leave with his whelp quite so easily.

A dumb film, still.
Comment 2 by 'You are crazy.' (reply to this comment)
Well the guy was insane...you know? He thought he could kill one of those things with a shotgun for God's sake! Besides anyone who discriminates "War of the Worlds" Deserves to be shot and mutilated.
Comment 3 by 'Kooshmeister' (reply to this comment)
What makes you think Harlan couldn't kill an alien with his shotgun? Or do you mean one of the walker thingies?
Comment 4 by 'Matt' (reply to this comment)
This one really needs the addition of the Offscreen Killing category.
Comment 5 by 'Mr. Briggs Inc.' (reply to this comment)
Matt - Agreed in full
Nerfmeister - Yeah, I'm pretty sure if he killed one of the things then the others would guess something was wrong and kill him with one of the tripods
Comment 6 by 'JJ' (reply to this comment)
Plus, this guy was yelling up a storm and might of attracted the aliens.
Comment 7 by 'nothing' (reply to this comment)
when me and a few of my friends watched this movie we laughed so hard when this guy came up he's so funny ya know he's just running around in the basement screaming "they aint gonna get my blood" he's awsome and the best part of the movie
Comment 8 by 'Kooshmeister' (reply to this comment)
Why did his surname have to be Ogilvy? The one name from H.G. Wells' novel they bother using and they give it to this nutcase? In Wells' novel, the name "Ogilvy" belongs to a scientist who is a friend and colleague of the story's unnamed narrator. Dr. Ogilvy leads the initial attempt to make friends with the Martians, and gets fried.

This Ogilvy plays like a combination of multiple characters. His survivalist fantasies which tend to border on the offensive and loopy are a definite nod to the unnamed artilleryman the narrator encounters. His gradual loss of sanity and the fact he is trapped in a house with the main character are a nod to the unnamed curate the narrator hides with and ultimately kills. Meantime, his efforts at digging out of the house are, weirdly, taken from the novel's narrator, who, whilst hiding with the curate, does actually try to dig a tunnel through the cellar.

So no less than four of the book's characters were used in creating Tim Robbins' character: the narrator's friend Dr. Ogilvy, the artilleryman, the curate and the narrator himself.
Comment 9 by 'Alain' (reply to this comment)
Finaly im not the only one, This guy was horny for the little girl thats it biggest motivation to kill and why not its the end of the world but not rly.
Comment 10 by 'Lowell' (reply to this comment)
Did any one notice the pic of the little girl in the basment that cruise daughter picks up. Was ogilvy chimo