New film adaptation of classic novel deemed 'worst version ever' by viewers

Daily Record

5 days ago

The War of the Worlds has been adapted to screen and stage countless times since it was first published in 1898, but a recent film version has been dubbed the "worst ever" by furious fans
A recent rendition of H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds has been labelled as the "worst" in history by viewers. The timeless novel has seen numerous adaptations across stage, screen and radio since its 1898 publication but, according to viewers, this year's version takes the cake for being the worst.
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The film, featuring Ice Cube, has sparked outrage among cinema-goers, with a now viral post on X pointing out the "fatal flaw" in the film adaptation. One viewer went so far as to say that the producers should be "ashamed" of their efforts, branding the film"one of the worst movies ever seen."
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Few had anything positive to say about the adaptation starring the 56-year-old rapper, who joins Tom Cruise, Orson Welles and Rafe Spall on the extensive list of stars who have appeared in Wells' alien invasion adaptation.
An irate viewer took to X and penned: "War of the Worlds (2025) is the worst adaption of the source material to date. It had no ideas beyond the found footage approach, and even then the film is struggling to find ways to present coherent scenes.
"Ice Cube is so lost. Maybe one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Most of the film just doesn't make sense because they're trying to rush through a mountain of developments.
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"The viewer is left with a crazy amount of sensory and informational overload to the point where it's hard to focus on the screen. Universal should be ashamed of their work."
Some were intrigued about the film's premise, with one enquiring: "Is the whole movie just Ice Cube watching YouTube and going 'hell nah'?" The reply was a straightforward "yup."
Others wondered whether the Cube-starring version could surpass the C Thomas Howell adaptation of War of the Worlds for the dubious honour of "worst War of the Worlds adaptation."
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One devotee of the films questioned: "Haven't seen this yet, but I have seen the C Thomas Howell version (from the Asylum I think?) so the bar IS pretty low, 'worst adaption yet' pretty exciting!"
Films deemed underwhelming can occasionally possess a "so bad it's good" quality, making them ideal for group screenings or tongue-in-cheek viewing sessions.
This War of the Worlds adaptation, according to the original poster, possesses all of that appeal. "It's ironic and unwatchable," they penned. "It's a uniquely rough watch. New levels of bad movie hilarity."
In a separate remark, they noted: "It is hilariously terrible. It's difficult to watch but it's often funny." Despite the alleged poor quality, many declared they were more than eager to give the film a go.
One user commented: "I think I'll check it out. I don't know why War of the Worlds is such a difficult novel to adapt!" Another suggested: "It's a War of the Worlds with Ice Cube! That should be such an easy win."