REVIEW: “War of the Worlds” (2025)

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The science-fiction thriller “War of the Worlds” on Prime Video, directed by Rich Lee, aims to give a fresh, contemporary take on H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel with the same title. This production utilizes the ‘screenlife’ technique where most events occur on devices like computers, smartphones, tablets, and televisions. It’s an innovative way to present the timeless tale, but it unfortunately struggles under the burden of its own remarkable awkwardness.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the series “War of the Worlds” introduces Ice Cube as William Bradford, a Domestic Terrorism Analyst for the Department of Homeland Security. Although his specific duties are not entirely clear, he is portrayed as having unparalleled access to global digital systems. He spends his days isolated in his DHS office, monitoring various surveillance feeds, intercepting security camera footage, eavesdropping on phone calls, tracking financial transactions, and engaging in a game of hide-and-seek with an enigmatic hacker known as “Disruptor”.

In my downtime, when I’m not keeping tabs for the government, I secretly monitor my kids – college graduate Dave (Henry Hunter Hall) and soon-to-be-mother Faith (Iman Benson). Dave seems content to while away his days at home with video games instead of job hunting, which gives me cause for concern. My worry for Faith is even greater, as she’s just weeks from giving birth. This family subplot feels a bit forced and out of place, especially during some odd moments in the storyline.

In secret, William, the one in control, observes his daughter sipping coffee and keeps track of her heart rate using her iPhone. Suddenly, the earth trembles violently as swarms of meteors pierce the sky and slam into the ground. From these meteors emerge colossal alien machines known as Tripods, which promptly wreak havoc everywhere. William is now thrust into a difficult situation, torn between his government duties and safeguarding his family.

Instead of presenting an exhilarating visual portrayal of the alien invasion, the movie shows it to us through William’s perspective via grainy, low-resolution videos interspersed with brief news clips and scenes of soldiers in action. This approach is daring, and if supported by strong narrative elements, could have created a powerful impact. However, when considering the film’s main gimmick, the invasion appears menacing only from afar.

As a movie enthusiast, I must confess that while there were moments of potential in this film, it ultimately fell short of my expectations. The narrative seems to have been pieced together without much coherence, and the plot twists often felt more like cheap tricks than genuine developments.

The portrayal of Ice Cube as a tech genius was an unusual choice, and I found myself chuckling at the attempt rather than being fully immersed in the story. Granted, he did his best with the material, but the way certain plot points were resolved left me in stitches.

Unfortunately, he was burdened with dialogue that bordered on the laughable, making it almost impossible to take him seriously as a character. The script seemed to be more of a comedic sketch than a thoughtfully crafted movie script. All in all, while there were glimmers of potential, the movie struggled to deliver a compelling and coherent storyline.

Ice Cube isn’t the only one among the cast who is underutilized. Eva Longoria and Clark Gregg, too, have minimal roles and their performances lack depth. Clark Gregg’s character, Donald Briggs, is portrayed as a caricature of a villain that doesn’t make much impact. The actors Hall and Benson also struggle with the script, often finding themselves in absurd family drama at inconvenient moments.

Ice Cube isn’t the only cast member who doesn’t get a fair chance to shine. Eva Longoria, Clark Gregg, Hall, and Benson all have limited roles and their performances lack substance. Clark Gregg’s character is overly cartoonish and fails to make an impression as a villain. The actors often find themselves in excessive family drama at the most inopportune moments.

Although “War of the Worlds” puts forth a significant effort, it’s marred by glaring plot inconsistencies, far-fetched conspiracies, an unexpectedly humorous twist in its second half, and excessive commercial product placements. The storyline is smothered in a layer of heavy-handed cheese that ultimately sinks this questionable and confusing production. Beneath it all lies a glimmer of a promising concept, but it’s difficult to spot amid the deluge of unimpressive scenes that grow increasingly absurd with each new one. “War of the Worlds” is now streaming only on Prime Video.

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2025-08-12 18:03