AceShowbiz - War of the Worlds, the recent sci-fi film starring Ice Cube, has faced overwhelmingly negative reviews since its release on Amazon Prime Video in July. Despite the critical backlash, one of the film’s producers, Timur Bekmambetov, has publicly defended the project.

Bekmambetov, known for directing Wanted (2008) and producing this year’s Chris Pratt thriller Mercy, participated in a Reddit AMA to promote another film he produced, LifeHack, a crypto heist thriller set to hit theaters soon after its SXSW debut last year. During the session, many questions centered on his involvement with War of the Worlds.

The movie, directed by Rich Lee and loosely based on H.G. Wells’ classic alien invasion story, also stars Eva Longoria and Clark Gregg. It currently holds a dismal 4 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was widely panned by critics. Additionally, it won five of the six Razzie Awards it was nominated for, including Worst Picture of the year.

Addressing the film’s poor reception, Bekmambetov stated, "The criticism of War of the Worlds didn't surprise me. I'll take three weeks at number one at Amazon Prime over a good review any day. Always have." His remarks highlight a preference for audience engagement and streaming success over critical acclaim.

When asked directly why he chose to produce War of the Worlds, Bekmambetov humorously replied, "LifeHack is my reparation for The War of the Worlds." This suggests he views his latest project as a way to balance the previous film's reception.

Earlier, Ice Cube himself addressed the challenges faced during production in a conversation with streamer Kai Cenat. He revealed that filming was executed in just 15 days amid the 2020 pandemic, which significantly affected the shooting process. The cast and director were not physically together on set, making it a unique and difficult experience.

In War of the Worlds, Ice Cube plays a surveillance expert caught in the chaos of an alien invasion. The constraints of pandemic filming meant the production relied heavily on remote coordination, which Ice Cube acknowledged as the only viable way to complete the movie under those circumstances.

Despite the unfavorable reviews and Razzie sweep, War of the Worlds managed to top the Amazon Prime streaming charts for three weeks, a fact Bekmambetov emphasizes as a significant achievement. His comments reflect a growing trend where streaming popularity can outweigh traditional critical evaluations in defining a film’s success.

As LifeHack prepares for its wider release, Bekmambetov appears optimistic about moving past the controversy surrounding War of the Worlds and focusing on new projects that may better resonate with audiences and critics alike.