Ice Cube is being slammed by critics and 50 Cent on social media, and Seth Rogen’s ‘Platonic’ Season 2 success is not helping.

While Ice Cube’s War of the Worlds is #1 on Prime Video, the film has done terribly among audiences and critics. Currently standing at 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, one week after its release on July 30, 2025, the remake is one of Cube’s worst-rated films to date. What’s worse is that Seth Rogen’s Platonic Season 2 has gained a 100% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes in just one day since its premiere.

The juxtaposition hits even harder after 50 Cent’s playful Instagram (via @50cent/Instagram) roast of the film and Cube for the zero rating, further fueling social media chatter. Cube’s cosmic backfire, contrasted with Rogen’s triumph on TV, could definitely raise some eyebrows and side eyes.

Why War of the Worlds (2005) Fared Better Than Ice Cube’s 2025 Remake

Ice Cube’s reboot of the classic War of the Worlds 1898 novel by H. G. Wells was released on July 30, 2025, and has since been panned by critics. Variety slammed the film, labeling it “a disastrous movie retelling” of the classic story. Moreover, critics have also cited overbearing Amazon product placement and ads, weak special effects, and bland on-screen execution as major flaws.

A still from War of the Worlds (2025) (Credit: Prime Video)

In contrast, Steven Spielberg’s 2005 attempt at retelling the classic alien-invasion tale was far more sophisticated and highly praised by audiences and critics alike. Even today, the film stands at a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film starred Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning in lead roles and has been slated as a project way ahead of its time.

The movie was lauded for compelling direction, emotional intensity, and high-quality production; everything Cube’s remake got wrong, the 2005 version nailed perfectly. From directorial vision to acting, the film successfully portrayed the emotional weight and tension on the screen. That is something fans have found lacking in Cube’s reboot.

Outlets like Forbes are calling Cube and Eva Longoria’s acting “95% worse than we’ve ever seen them”. Additionally, when we talk about earnings, the 2005 film did exceptionally well, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing movie in the year with over $603 million in global box office returns (via Box Office Mojo). The 2025 remake might reel in significant earnings, too, though, given how “hate watch” seems to be the new trend.

Ice Cube’s Son Weighs In on the War of the Worlds Backlash

The amount of backlash Cube and his film have been getting in the past week has been insane to witness. To have fans question your abilities and talents as an artist just because one film did not do well would undoubtedly get to anybody’s head. And we don’t think Cube’s immune to it, nor is his family.

A still from War of the Worlds (2025) (Credit: Prime Video)

Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., recently stepped up to back his dad amid the social media hate. Replying to a tweet (via @OsheJacksonJr/X) of a video clip that highlighted the film’s overutilization of the Amazon brand, Jackson Jr. wrote that the film was shot during the pandemic and released 5 years later.

This revelation does answer a lot of questions the audience and critics had in mind while watching the film. The movie industry is an unforgiving, ever-dynamic world; a film that was kind of wobbly to begin with, released 5 years after its production, is bound to face backlash for its outdated portrayals and subpar VFX.

We do hope Cube finds a way to redeem himself because things are looking a bit bleak on the acting front for the 56-year-old. Being unanimously panned by all critics is never a good sign. Have you watched War of the Worlds yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.