Ice Cube’s new sci-fi film War of the Worlds (2025) has become the subject of widespread criticism and ridicule, with many calling it “one of the worst films ever made.”
According to Billboard, the film is currently suffering a critical implosion, earning some of the lowest scores in modern cinematic history. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a devastating 0% critic rating and a 15% audience score, marking it among the rare few titles to achieve such universally negative feedback.
The reception isn’t much better elsewhere. On Google, viewers rated the movie at 1.6 out of 5, while Metacritic recorded a dismal 1.7 out of 10 user score, with 86% of ratings being outright negative.
Directed by Rich Lee and released by Universal Pictures on July 30, the 2025 adaptation is based on the classic 1898 novel by H.G. Wells. However, unlike the well-received versions directed by Byron Haskin (1953) and Steven Spielberg (2005), this rendition has been slammed for poor storytelling, lackluster performances, and shameless product placement.
Critic Peter Debruge of Variety bluntly described the film as “a glorified Amazon ad,” commenting, “Even with a Prime account, you’ll sit through two minutes of ads before watching 90 minutes of cinematic fluff promoting everything Amazon.”
Meanwhile, Ed Power of The Telegraph didn’t hold back on Ice Cube’s performance, “The movie is silly, sloppy, and largely features Ice Cube staring at a computer screen like he’s trying to survive a nasty stomach ache.”
Social media reactions echo similar sentiments, with netizens mocking the film’s absurd plot, shallow characters, and uninspired acting. Many lamented the wasted potential of a beloved sci-fi classic and labeled it a “cinematic catastrophe.”
In War of the Worlds (2025), Ice Cube plays Will Radford, a Homeland Security surveillance expert. The film unfolds primarily from the perspective of Radford’s computer screen as he tackles both a hacker threat and an alien invasion—all while attempting to protect his family. The claustrophobic and low-budget feel left viewers frustrated and disengaged.
While the original novel and previous adaptations focused on global-scale alien terror and philosophical reflection, this version was slammed for reducing it to a corporate-driven, screen-bound slog with little depth or tension.
As audiences continue to roast the film online, War of the Worlds (2025) is quickly gaining infamy not for being a bold reimagining, but for butchering a sci-fi legend beyond recognition.
Sources: Znews