Prime Video’s new screenlife version of War of the Worlds was heavily criticized after its release — and some even accused it of obvious Amazon product placement. However, producer Patrick Aiello has denied this, saying there was never any product placement intended, especially not anything directly linked to Amazon.
Amazon didn’t see it until it was all the way done. We never intended for Amazon to release the movie. We always thought Universal was going to release the movie theatrically.
he explained in an interview with Toni’s Film Club alongside editor Charles Ancelle
David Bostick appears in the film, which was shot during the pandemic lockdown, as an Amazon delivery driver, which naturally fueled speculation — but making him part of that job was a deliberate creative choice.
In the early months… when you weren’t going to the grocery store and you couldn’t get toilet paper. Who was bringing us – individually, to all of our homes – all of these products to keep us going, keep us neutral, keep us surviving? Amazon drivers. These individuals are unsung heroes. They are not identified as such, it’s not people’s dream to become delivery people, but at the end of the day, they are rendering a personal service to humanity, and they are doing so without ego.
Aiello continued, He added
That said, the film includes even more obvious product placement — it first had a 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes when released but has since climbed to 2%.
Read More: ‘WAR OF THE WORLDS’ has become one of the Top 100 Worst Movies of All Time on Rotten Tomatoes
There’s also a scene showing a Prime drone with the logo clearly visible.
The reason Charles and I decided to put the Amazon Prime Air bezel on the drone screen was because we needed to clearly differentiate the otherwise static screens of Cubes off the screen. There are two drone feeds in that scene… it was very confusing for a time in the edit when you didn’t have the Prime Air overlay.
Aiello explained
The War of the Worlds remake features Ice Cube as a homeland security officer trying to stop an alien invasion using his computer. Directed by Rich Lee, the entire story unfolds through his computer screen and is now streaming on Prime.
Amazon’s War of the Worlds update should never have been released… The only thing stunning about this HG Wells retelling is the fact that it has seen daylight. It is silly, shoddy and features far too much of rapper-turned-leading man Ice Cube staring at a computer screen while looking as if he’s working through a reasonably urgent digestive ailment. Like a heat-ray in reverse, it leeches all the fun out of what should be an epic tale of alien invasion.
It has been widely panned by critics and audiences alike. The Telegraph’s scathing 1/5 review carried the headline, the Telegraph’s review continued
Source: IGN