The latest iteration takes H. G. Wells’ well worn apocalypse War of the Worlds, directed by Rich Lee, tries to modernize it for an age of drones, surveillance, and algorithmic panic. Sadly, it’s not very good.
The film centers on Ray Ferrier, played by Ice Cube, a working class father whose first instinct in the face of alien annihilation is not heroics but survival. That grounded impulse is the movie’s strongest asset. Ice Cube brings a gruff credibility that keeps the early stretches anchored, especially in scenes where panic unfolds in fits and starts rather than grand speeches. Eva Longoria, as a scientist racing to understand the invaders’ logic, provides a steadier counterweight, though her character is often saddled with exposition that sounds like it escaped a whiteboard meeting.
Where the film falters is in its familiarity. The beats are too recognizable, the emotional turns too safely telegraphed. It wants the terror of Spielberg’s 2005 version and the contemporary relevance of a tech era parable, but it never fully commits to either. By the time the inevitable human resilience kicks in, the film feels less revelatory and more contractual.
Still, this War of the Worlds isn’t a failure. It’s a competent, sometimes striking reminder of why this story endures. Just don’t expect it to redefine the invasion. It’s more echo than evolution.
RHFC Rating: 4.5/10 🍿
