Amazon's Adaptation of 'War of the Worlds' Includes a Puzzling Plot Deviation
In the realm of science fiction adaptations, the latest iteration of H.G. Wells' classic alien-invasion tale, War of the Worlds (2021), seems to have distanced itself from contemporary issues such as Amazon, data privacy, and data centers.
The new series, directed by Rich Lee and starring Ice Cube, focuses primarily on the traditional narrative of an alien invasion. Despite the public domain status of the original story, which entered it a decade ago, the available references do not suggest any direct link to Amazon or related topics.
However, the movie's script does make subtle references to Amazon, implying that the invading aliens have come to Earth to feast on the planet's vast data stores. This strategic move keeps Amazon's hands clean in a movie about online privacy, while still maintaining a nod to the tech giant.
Meanwhile, in a world far removed from the silver screen, Will Radford, a domestic terror analyst for the Department of Homeland Security, finds himself juggling his professional duties with monitoring the surveillance feeds of crucial Washington, D.C., targets. His two adult children, a genius hacker and a genius biologist, add an intriguing dynamic to his already complex life.
In a surprising turn of events, an unhoused man helps flip a crashed drone right-side-up in exchange for a $1,000 Amazon gift card. This event, while unrelated to the alien invasion narrative, underscores the ubiquity of Amazon in everyday life.
Will Radford also makes use of Amazon for official purposes, placing an order to activate a drone for a crucial need. The drone, it seems, is not used for the alien invasion but rather for the government's top-secret, highly powerful surveillance network, which becomes a target for the invading tripods in the new War of the Worlds.
As for the latest releases in the world of entertainment, the new War of the Worlds stands alongside the latest offerings from Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who, promising a thrilling ride for science fiction enthusiasts.
The new adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds (2021) avoids contemporary issues like Amazon and data privacy, yet subtly references the tech giant through the invading aliens' interest in Earth's data stores.
Despite this, one unrelated scene shows an unhoused man trading a crashed drone for an Amazon gift card, highlighting Amazon's integration into everyday life.
In a different scenario, a character named Will Radford uses Amazon for official purposes, ordering a drone for government surveillance, which becomes a target in the War of the Worlds.
In the realm of entertainment, the new War of the Worlds (2021) competes with popular Sci-Fi franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who.
Here, Io9 and Gizmodo could discuss the strategic incorporation of Amazon in the movie's script and the drone's role in the government's surveillance network as part of the Movies and TV section under Entertainment.
