Ice Cube's 2025 Sci-Fi Flick Is One Of The Worst Movies Of All Time On Rotten Tomatoes

The Ice Cube-starring "War of the Worlds" remake is one of Prime Video's most-watched movies, but not everyone is a fan of the latest adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic sci-fi story. As of this writing, the Rich Lee-directed flick is officially ranked at number 88 in Rotten Tomatoes' 100 worst movies of all time list, which is a remarkable achievement for a flick that only came out at the end of July.

"War of the Worlds" is an updated version of Wells' story, with the movie utilizing contemporary technology to inform its storytelling (but not in an exciting way). The plot follows Will Radford (Cube), a Department of Home Security surveillance expert who is used to dealing with everyday threats such as virtual attacks. One day, however, he is forced to contend with an alien invasion that risks destroying the planet and soon realizes that his government might be keeping secrets.

Lee's flick had the potential to be an exciting conspiracy thriller with aliens, but critics lambasted the film for its egregious product placement and bland storytelling. (I mean, it's an extra-terrestrial invasion movie whose plot unfolds entirely on a computer screen, so no one can blame viewers for falling asleep.) What's more, "War of the Worlds" continues Cube's trend of starring in sci-fi movies that fail to set people's imaginations on fire, as he has been known to star in some maligned genre properties before.

Ice Cube and sci-fi don't get along

Ice Cube is a good actor, as evidenced by comedies like "Friday," "21 Jump Street," and the highly underrated "Barbershop" franchise. He's also displayed some serious dramatic chops in movies like "Boyz in the Hood," so no one is disputing his actual talent. That said, there are times when he could have benefitted from being more selective with his projects, especially in the realm of sci-fi.

Take, for instance, the John Carpenter flop "Ghosts of Mars," in which he plays a convict who is waiting to be escorted from a mining outpost on the red planet, only to run into some demonic creatures who want him and Jason Statham's police squad dead. Despite boasting a fun premise, the film was critically panned upon its release and is typically regarded as one of Carpenter's worst efforts, even among his fans. (I'd argue it's very entertaining, but I concede I'm in the minority here.) Regardless of one's opinion of "Ghosts of Mars," it received enough negative blowback to suggest it's far from Cube's finest hour.

Of course, "Ghosts of Mars" is one of the best sci-fi movies of all time in comparison to 2025's "War of the Worlds." At least Carpenter's flop explores the dangerous terrains its characters must navigate, as opposed to having them watch everything unfold from a computer screen. Sometimes, a little variety goes a long way, and if "War of the Worlds" strove to be even a little more action-packed, it might not be regarded as one of the worst movies of all time.

"War of the World" is now streaming on Prime Video.

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