Nationwide — Ice Cube’s new sci-fi movie War of the Worlds is now streaming on Amazon Prime, but it quickly faced harsh criticism. Critics and viewers slammed the film for bad pacing, awkward performances, and an overused screenlife style. Despite its streaming popularity, the movie is widely seen as a major disappointment.
The film, released on July 30, 2025, is a modern take on H.G. Wells’ classic story. Ice Cube stars as Will Radford, a Department of Homeland Security officer who uncovers an alien invasion while tracking a hacker, who turns out to be his son. The movie tries to tell the story through screens and digital devices, aiming for a fresh feel.
However, the new “screenlife” style, showing everything on phones and computers, didn’t click with audiences. Many found it awkward and boring, saying it made the story hard to follow. According to EurWeb, critics also pointed out that Ice Cube’s acting was stiff and monotone, especially since most scenes showed him sitting at a desk.
One line from Ice Cube, “Take your intergalactic asses back home!”, became an internet joke for being unintentionally funny rather than scary. Viewers compared watching the movie to watching someone scroll through videos, and not what you want from a sci-fi thriller.
Despite its poor reviews, War of the Worlds did get a lot of streams at first. However, the film is now mostly remembered for its failures, especially the mismatch between Ice Cube and his tech-heavy role. Fans and critics alike are left wondering if this remake was a good idea.
