When it comes to the science fiction genre, movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and the original Star Wars trilogy are among the most universally loved. Their visual spectacles and engrossing storytelling have made them staples of the genre, and while sci-fi has consistently delivered some stellar additions to Hollywood, there have been just as many movies that have fallen flat or been a mixed bag of reactions from critics and audiences. A blockbuster 2005 movie from sci-fi great Steven Spielberg remains one of the most divisive sci-fi films of the 21st century, and it just landed on free streaming.
After giving the world the iconic sci-fi movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in the ‘80s and solidifying his status as a titan of the genre in the ‘90s with Jurassic Park, Spielberg delivered his most divisive movie yet with War of the Worlds. The 2005 sci-fi action thriller, an adaptation of H. G. Wells’ 1898 novel, centers around an estranged, blue-collar father who must fight to protect his children and reunite them with their mother when extraterrestrials invade Earth. Spielberg fans and sci-fi lovers can now stream the movie completely free after it joined Tubi’s content catalog on January 1st.
Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds Divided Critics and Audiences
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With numerous Academy Awards nominations and a massive $603 million worldwide gross that made it the fourth-most successful film of 2005, War of the Worlds was a major success, but it also logged Spielberg his most divisive movie yet. The movie was well-received by critics who lauded its post-9/11 allegory and direction, intense, terrifying atmosphere, and character-driven story, ultimately earning it a “Certified Fresh” Tomatometer score of 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. But the much more lukewarm 42% Popcornmeter rating from audiences who disliked some of the characters and what they viewed as an anticlimactic and tonally out-of-place ending made War of the Worlds one of the most divisive sci-fi movies of the 21st century.
War of the Worlds has undergone a more positive reassessment in recent years and now toes the line of being considered an underrated, intense masterpiece of early 2000s cinema, and there really is a lot to love about the movie. Once seen as being too bleak, the relentless, anxiety-inducing, and survival-focused narrative is now viewed as a poignant, 9/11-inspired, post-trauma narrative that excels at creating a persistent sense of dread and panic. The movie also features some jaw-dropping special effects that still hold up today, particularly when it comes to the design and sounds of the Tripods, which remain some of the best in the genre. Overall, Spielberg’s War of the Worlds is an intense, mature, and surprisingly dark take on the alien invasion genre that moves beyond the surface-level spectacle of typical blockbusters to explore themes of trauma, survival, and desperation.
Other Sci-Fi Movies Now on Tubi
Tubi is something of a hidden gem for sci-fi fans, and its massive free streaming library added a few more genre titles in January. Now streaming alongside War of the Worlds are films like Arrival, Galaxy Quest, Godzilla (1998), the original Men in Black trilogy, and Prey. Next month, Tubi will add more sci-fi movies like The 5th Wave, Hercules (2014), and The Mortal Instruments.
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