If you’ve watched “War Of The Worlds”, you’ve either scene the classic original or the Tom Cruise summer movie from twenty years ago. It’s a big story and we’re expecting a big production.

Which is why the latest version of the story released on Prime Video this week is unique in the way that they take this large story and tell it in a computer window to computer window fashion, and give us Ice Cube as a star this time. It’s risky for sure.

Some of those risks pay off. Most of them do not.

Earth is once again being invaded, and it’s up to Cube’s Homeland Security Domestic Terror Analyst, William Radford, to be the government’s eyes as aliens land and start destroying everything in sight, interrupting Radford’s perpetual mourning of his wife as he prepares to become a grandfather.

Let’s start with what works. Grouchy Grandpa Ice Cube is good here, and we also get Eva Longoria and Clark Gregg collecting an easy paycheck, but still showing up and doing exactly what we’ve enjoyed from them for years now. The window to window action is also slick, and at under an hour and a half if you cut out the credits, you may enjoy this low demand movie.

Just check your brain at the door, because this story is dreadful. The plot will make you roll your eyes and it’s so dog-gone predictable that it prevents the film from being anything you’ll remember once you close the player. Amazon also isn’t shy about advertising its service here. This is a commercial. At least the presentation itself didn’t have any ads.

Gen X and younger generations still don’t have a serviceable War Of The Worlds film. You can watch this one for Ice Cube’s scowl and unique presentation but it’s not a quality representation of the story.

War Of The Worlds

Grade: C-