‘War of the Worlds (2025)’ Review
Stars: Ice Cube, Eva Longoria, Clark Gregg, Iman Benson, Henry Hunter Hall, Devon Bostick, Andrea Savage, Michael O’Neill, Jim Meskimen | Written by Kenny Golde, Marc Hyman | Directed by Rich Lee
The latest adaptation of War of the Worlds, directed by Rich Lee and starring Ice Cube, attempts to reboot H.G. Wells’ classic alien invasion tale for the Zoom-era world of 2025. Produced by Universal, this version leans heavily into the found-footage aesthetic and pandemic-era storytelling devices (and according to IMDb, the film was actually shot during 2020), delivering a fast-paced but flawed digital-age take on a sci-fi staple.
Set in a near-future where global surveillance, data streams, and cyber infrastructure rule modern life, the film pivots the traditional Martian invasion to a world already under the microscope. Ice Cube plays a U.S. government security analyst monitoring worldwide threats via data feeds and surveillance systems. Alongside him are his improbably qualified children, a scientist daughter and a hacker son, who become key players in humanity’s response to the alien threat. Eva Longoria plays a NASA official drawn into the fray as tripods descend and chaos ensues.
In an interesting twist, the invaders in this version don’t just vaporise humans, they feed on data. They attack cloud servers, digital infrastructure, and global communication networks, adding a tech-paranoia spin to the classic narrative. It’s a clever premise on paper, and the film earns some credit for attempting to modernise the source material’s themes for a digital generation.
Unfortunately, execution is another matter. While the use of stock footage, security camera angles, and Zoom-style video calls creates a semi-authentic global panic atmosphere, it also results in wildly uneven visual effects. Some alien shots integrate fairly well into the grainy, news-style footage; others look clumsily inserted, like unfinished Photoshop edits. The decision to present much of the action through screens creates a frenetic pace but robs the film of any real dramatic tension or emotional weight. Events unfold in real-time, or at least feel like it, with little breathing room or believable escalation.
The performances, too, are hit-or-miss. Ice Cube seems out of his depth as a data analyst, never quite selling the urgency or intellect the role demands. Much of the acting involves reacting to screens with expressions of shock or forced urgency, which quickly becomes repetitive. The script is overloaded with exposition, with characters constantly explaining plot developments aloud because, visually, the film is so static.
Most damning, though, is the film’s complete lack of internal logic. The idea of aliens feeding on “data” is intriguing, but it’s never explained or developed in a way that holds up under scrutiny. Why do the aliens need data? What do they do with it? These questions are brushed aside in favour of constant action and digital mayhem.
Still, this War of the Worlds isn’t a total disaster. It’s competently edited, briskly paced, and occasionally ambitious in its world-building. There’s some novelty in seeing an alien invasion unfold through the lens of Zoom calls and data dashboards, and the global scope, while heavily reliant on reused footage, does help sell the idea of a planetary crisis.
Ultimately, War of the Worlds is a B-movie with big ideas and a modest budget. It’s not a faithful adaptation of Wells’ novel, nor is it a particularly good film. But it’s not unwatchable either. For genre fans with tempered expectations, it might offer some guilty-pleasure entertainment. Just don’t expect much coherence, gravitas, or polish.
** 2/5
War of the Worlds is available to stream on Amazon Prime, in the US, now.
