Prime Video’s newWar of the Worldsadaptation recently invaded the streaming charts, but it certainly didn’t come in peace, as it immediately came under attack from critics. So much so that the tech-driven remake, starringIce CubeandEva Longoria, ended upscoring 0% on Rotten Tomatoesand cemented its status as one of the worst movies of the decade. However, Amazon’s modern take on one of the most influential sci-fi stories of all time has finally found redemption, with a single positive review pushing its score up to 4%.
While many felt thatWar of the Worldsdeserved its abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score— as shown by the reviews, which have cited numerous issues with the film, including an uninspired narrative, poor visual effects, and excessive product placement — it is not all doom and gloom. One positive review has pulled the 2025 adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic novel out of the 0% Club and there is a chance that the score could fluctuate further as more people watch the largely panned picture to decide for themselves whether it is as bad as critics say.
Jordan Hoffman ofEntertainment Weeklynoted that theWar of the Worldsfilm is “certainly stupid, but it’s also a great deal of fun,” adding that it is “never boring; it is filled with entertaining lines, and it has a cheese factor that is perfectly self-aware.” Some people agree with these comments, owing to its 21% audience approval rating, as one user suggested it is “not as bad as people are saying. It’s a fun sci-fi movie.” Another pointed out, “It’s a fun Friday night, park your brain at the door, popcorn movie. Take it for what it is: streaming fun.”
War of the Worldshas been adapted for the screen numerous times, including Steven Spielberg’s 2005 blockbuster, starring Tom Cruise, whichbrought the story to a modern setting, yet not quite as modern as the most recent iteration directed by Rich Lee. It is a screenlife movie, which means it tells its entire plot through cell phone and computer screens. Ice Cube is the primary person on the other side of those screens, as he works for a government surveillance program that monitors every person on Earth, per the synopsis:
“Will Radford is a top cyber-security analyst for Homeland Security who tracks potential threats to national security through a mass surveillance program, until one day an attack by an unknown entity leads him to question whether the government is hiding something from him… and from the rest of the world.”
‘War of the Worlds’ Continues to Dominate the Streaming Charts
Despite being one of the worst-rated films of the year,War of the Worldshas dominated the streaming charts ever since its release on July 30. It became the top movie on the streaming service in the United States and second on the global streaming chart, where it remains as of today, just behind Eddie Murphy’s divisive new action-comedy, whichhas clinched the top spot. It has also slipped down to second place in the United States, but finds itself in the Top 10 across all territories, meaning that people are streaming it regardless of its reception.
How longWar of the Worldsstays in the charts remains to be seen, as positive word-of-mouth is generally considered crucial for a movie’s long-term success, as it can attract a wider audience. There are not many positives to be found when it comes to the tech-savvy take on the well-worn IP, but it seems that its poor reviews initially lured viewers in with curiosity and intrigue. However, it is unclear how many people are clicking on the feature and sticking with it throughout its 89-minute runtime and whether it will manage to garner any repeat viewings.
War of the Worlds
