I think the effects were good (isn't it a shame that we now say that before anything else nowadays), but the story made no sense.

1) Why would they "plant" the tripods a million years ago to take us over today? Why not take us over a million years ago when we have no weapons?

2) Why wouldn't such a technologically advanced alien species know enough to test the environment before trying to take it over?

3) Why would a movie entitled, "War Of The Worlds" be about Tom Cruise against the aliens, and not the Earth against the Aliens?