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

By now, fans are well aware that newer is not always better in Hollywood, especially when it comes to adaptations and remakes. However, it’s rarely spelled out as clearly as it was last week when Prime Video dropped a new movie based one of the most lauded novels in the sci-fi genre. The movie simultaneously rushed to the top of the streaming charts according to FlixPatrol, but at the same time, it racked up some dismal scores from critics and fans, including a 0% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a stark example of the streaming industry’s issue with valuing short-term metrics over quality work.

The streaming bomb in question this week is War of the Worlds, a reimagining of 1898 novel by H.G. Wells that has been adapted several times over the decades with mixed results. This time, the story is set in a more technologically-advanced, modern world, and Ice Cube plays Will Radford, an agent at the Department of Homeland Security watching the alien invasion unfold through surveillance cameras all over the earth.

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This new take on the story was written by Kenneth A. Golde and Marc Hyman, and directed by Rich Lee. It roughly follows the same set-up as Wells’ original book and past adaptations, with the addition of new technology wherever possible. Radford’s bird’s-eye-view of he action makes it easier to convey this global catastrophe, while technology also makes humanity more vulnerable. The invaders attack data centers and internet servers around the world, trying to harvest intelligence in the process.

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However, the story then pivots into unfamiliar territory with hackers and government conspiracy theories that distract from the more timeless themes of Wells’ book. In the end, the movie even changes the way the aliens are defeated — rather than succumbing to earthly pathogens, the humanity overcomes the invaders by force, but only thanks to mass surveillance and advanced studies of DNA. The movie ends with a reconsideration of how surveillance should work in the future.

Overall, critics felt that this was a poor adaptation of Wells’ work, with new ideas that were a poor fit for the existing framework of the story. However, the fact that this movie got hundreds of millions of views in its first week out with a relatively minimal marketing campaign is a sign of the times in the streaming industry. Studio executives will likely count this movie as a win, despite the generally negative response from viewers. It was enough to make many critics and commenters feel bitter and jaded about the future of Hollywood.

For those interested, The War of the Worlds is streaming now on Prime Video. The 2005 film adaptation starring Tom Cruise is streaming now on Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Other versions are scattered throughout streaming catalogs, and Wells’ novel is available now in print, digital, and audiobook formats.