A fearless, fun dive through the chaos of the newest adaptation—spiked with data drama, Amazon plugs, and Ice Cube in bunker mode.

Expectation vs. What the Internet Served

Ice Cube starring in War of the Worlds? I was side-eyeing that trailer for weeks like, “Girl, no. That looks stupid. Not today.” But eventually, curiosity won, and to my surprise—it was… entertaining (if only in its wildness). This isn’t my favorite film, but it’s a fascinating train-wreck-in-a-good-way.

The Facts: Rotten Tomatoes Doesn’t Lie

• The film currently sits at a staggering 0% on Rotten Tomatoes—yes, 0%—based on roughly 20 critic reviews. Ouch.
• Audiences aren’t much kinder, with PopcornMeter clocking in at just 18%.
• Despite that, it’s perched at #2 on Prime Video’s streaming charts, meaning people are watching—even loving the chaos.

Critics Speak: Flops, Fails, and “So Bad It’s Good”

• CinemaBlend called it “objectively bad,” riddled with plot holes, melodramatically overdone, but—brace yourself—“still entertaining in a ‘so bad, it’s good’ kind of way.”
• Variety and The Telegraph didn’t hold back: “disastrous,” “shoddy,” mired by heavy-handed Amazon product placements.
• RogerEbert.com reviewer Brian Tallerico went nuclear: 0 stars, calling it “inept in every category” and “morally icky.” Best line? He pointed out how a sci-fi invasion about data gets turned into a glorified advert for Amazon.

Defending the Disaster: Not Just Hot Mess, Maybe… Circus Fun?

• Entertainment Weekly (EW) offers a softer take: this film isn’t that bad—it’s self-aware garbage, campy, cheesy, and kind of hilarious—the Netflix-and-gasoline vibe. EW even notes that Ice Cube leans into it with delightfully absurd one-liners and over-the-top screenlife antics—drones, Zoom, autopilot—used with tongue-in-cheek flair.
• A critic on Reddit likened the experience to Bauhaus performance art—so spectacularly awful, it loops back to being compelling.

Comparison Corner: Spielberg vs. Cube

Let’s contrast:

Adaptation	Rotten Tomatoes	Reception Highlights
1953	~89%	Sci-fi classic, Cold War allegory
2005	~76%	Spielberg thrillfest; solid visuals & suspense
2025 (Cube)	0%	Screenlife flop, laughable execution, fueling Prime views

My Two Cents (Note: I Liked It… Kind Of)

Let me lay it out: I did roll my eyes so hard they almost lodged in my brain. But then? I found myself watching it … part to see how wild it could get, part to laugh with friends. It’s not high art—it’s weird, uneven, heavy on Amazon drone cameos and low-grade video feeds, but it’s also so unapologetically itself that it makes a fun ride for the right mood. If you came in looking for Spielberg-level stakes, you’ll be furious. But if you came in for popcorn-fueled camp… buckle up.

Want to Watch It… or Dare to Avoid It?

• Watch this if you:
  • Live for so bad it’s good thrills.
  • Want to see one of the most meme-worthy screenlife disasters.
  • Are curious how product placement can hijack storytelling.
• Skip it if you:
  • Crave suspense, high production value, coherent narrative.
  • See digital invasion drama as a serious thing, not a cheesy gag fest.

Bottom Line

Is Ice Cube’s War of the Worlds the worst film ever? By critic consensus—absolutely. But does that mean it’s unwatchable? Not in the slightest. Sometimes the most gloriously botched movies are the ones you can’t stop talking about. If you want laughs, disbelief, and a bizarre cinematic experience, go ahead—this strange screenlife trip might just be your perfect apocalypse.