New Movie Based on 127-Year-Old Sci-Fi Story Tops Streaming Charts Despite 0% RT Score

By now, viewers understand that in Hollywood, newer doesn’t always mean superior, particularly when dealing with adaptations or remakes. Last week, Prime Video released a movie based on one of the most acclaimed science fiction novels, which swiftly climbed the streaming charts, FlixPatrol reported. Yet, it also garnered poor reviews from both critics and audiences, earning a 0% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This serves as a clear illustration of how the streaming industry tends to prioritize short-term statistics over quality productions.

This week’s focus streaming production is “War of the Worlds,” a contemporary reinterpretation of H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel that has undergone numerous adaptations throughout the years, with varying success. In this rendition, the narrative unfolds in a technologically advanced, present-day setting, featuring Ice Cube as Will Radford, an agent from the Department of Homeland Security, who observes the alien invasion via surveillance cameras stationed across the globe.

In a fresh interpretation, Kenneth A. Golde and Marc Hyman penned the script, with Rich Lee at the helm as director. This reimagining generally adheres to Wells’ original narrative structure and previous adaptations, but integrates contemporary technology whenever feasible. The bird’s-eye perspective of Radford aids in depicting this worldwide disaster, while technology paradoxically makes humanity more susceptible. In this version, the invaders target data centers and internet servers globally, aiming to gather intelligence as they do so.

Yet, the narrative subsequently veers off course into uncharted realms involving hacking and speculative government conspiracies, which detract from the enduring motifs that Wells’ novel embodies. Interestingly, the film alters the method by which the aliens are vanquished; instead of succumbing to earthly diseases, humanity subdues these extraterrestrial beings through brute force, but this is achieved primarily through pervasive surveillance and extensive DNA research. The movie concludes with a contemplation of what an ideal future for surveillance might look like.

As a film enthusiast, I must admit that I found the recent adaptation of Wells’ work underwhelming. The new ideas presented seemed mismatched with the original storyline’s structure, which left me feeling somewhat disappointed.

However, the movie’s unprecedented success – raking in hundreds of millions of views within its first week, largely thanks to a modest marketing campaign – is an intriguing reflection of the streaming era. studio executives may well consider this film a triumph, despite the mixed reviews from viewers.

The response has left many critics and commentators feeling somewhat disillusioned about Hollywood’s future creative direction.

If you’re intrigued, you can currently watch “The War of the Worlds” on Amazon Prime Video. The 2005 film featuring Tom Cruise is also streaming on Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Various adaptations are spread across different streaming platforms, and H.G. Wells’ novel is available in print, digital, and audiobook formats right now.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/tom-cruise-scifi-king-edge-of-tomorrow-oblivion/embed/#

Read More

2025-08-05 19:46