"One big Amazon commercial??"- Netizens attack War of the Worlds (2025) harshly, and they are not wrong

Universal Pictures’ War of the Worlds (2025) arrived on Amazon Prime Video on July 30, offering a modern, technology-focused reimagining of H.G. Wells’ 1898 alien invasion classic. The film is directed by Rich Lee and features Ice Cube in the role of Will Radford, a threat analyst for Homeland Security who becomes deeply involved in a worldwide emergency.

War of the Worlds (2025) is presented entirely in the screenlife format, where events are shown through computer screens, video calls, and digital platforms. The story unfolds in real time through the lens of modern communication technology.

From the start, the film distinguishes itself by placing contemporary digital life at the forefront. The alien invasion is tracked not through cinematic battle scenes but via news feeds, security footage, online chats, and conference calls. Alongside this approach, however, is a noticeable use of real-world corporate brands such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Tesla.

A still from the movie (Image via YouTube/ War of the Worlds (2025))

These brands appear repeatedly, sometimes in the background and sometimes directly within the plot. Some viewers perceive these inclusions as enhancing the realism of the world-building, while others consider them too prominent to affect the tone of the story. Online forums and social media have reflected a range of opinions. On Reddit, one widely shared comment read:

''So this whole film was just one big Amazon commercial??'' one user added.

Another user joked,

''I got PTSD listening to the Microsoft Teams ringtone. I thought of my old terrible boss all over again,” another user added.

Several Reddit users remarked on the film’s overt use of branding, with one noting that while some productions aim for subtlety in product placement.

''I know writers that try to use subtlety for product placements,'' a Redditor added.

''It's literally just on the screen for half of it,'' another user added.

''No, they had time to shill for Meta, Tesla and Microsoft, but only Teams,'' a Redditor added.

The Amazon Prime drone, which plays a crucial role in the film’s climax, has been the center of much of this discussion.

''So his daughter’s boyfriend propose to send him one via Amazon Prime Air which is an drone delivery service that Amazon is testing,'' another user added.

Certain viewers found that the integration of familiar technology helped make the fictional scenario feel more grounded, while some saw it as an unusual plot choice in War of the Worlds (2025), and others considered it a logical extension of the story’s tech-based framework.

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About War of the Worlds (2025)

War of the Worlds (2025) follows Will Radford, a Homeland Security analyst balancing his job and complicated family relationships during an alien invasion. A hacker known as 'Disruptor' threatens to leak documents showing the government has known about the threat before its arrival. Soon after, large tripod-like machines began attacking global data centers, consuming information to grow more intelligent.

Will eventually learns that Disruptor is his son, Dave. With the help of his daughter Faith, a biologist, they develop the 'Cannibal Code' to make the aliens’ biology turn against itself. In the climax, Will uses an Amazon Prime drone to deliver the code to a secure facility.

The plan succeeds, leading to the destruction of the machines and the exposure of the government’s cover-up. War of the Worlds (2025) concludes with Will’s family finding reconciliation, alongside significant leadership changes within NASA and Homeland Security.

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