feelsalike.com

Movies that feel like Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

If you loved Escape from the Planet of the Apes, the closest films we have are The War of the Worlds (1953), Rollerball (1975) and Logan's Run (1976). All three share Escape from the Planet of the Apes' kinetic and cerebral feel, which is what we rank on before quality. 8 of the 12 picks below are included with a subscription right now on Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video and others, checked against today's data.

The world is shocked by the appearance of three talking chimpanzees, who arrived mysteriously in a spacecraft. Intrigued by their intelligence, humans use them for research - until the apes attempt to escape.

🍅 75% Rotten Tomatoes6.3 IMDb ↗TMDB ↗dir. Don Taylorkineticcerebralbleakawe

Not on subscription streaming right now. Rent or buy below.

See it on the map

When is Escape from the Planet of the Apes streaming? →

If Escape from the Planet of the Apes hit the spot, these will too

Looking for the series itself? Also in this series: Planet of the Apes (1968) · Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

The War of the Worlds poster
The War of the Worlds
1953 · dir. Byron Haskin
7science fiction · action

The same preoccupation in both: dystopia

The residents of a small town are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills, until they discover it is the first of many transport devices from Mars bringing an army of invaders invincible to any man-made weapon, even the atomic bomb.

Feels alike?
Rollerball poster
Rollerball
1975 · dir. Norman Jewison
🍅 55%6.5science fiction · action

Both keep coming back to the same thing: dystopia

The difference: Not nearly as awestruck

In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game.

Feels alike?
Logan's Run poster
Logan's Run
1976 · dir. Michael Anderson
🍅 58%6.8action · science fiction

Kinetic where it counts, cerebral underneath

In the 23rd century, inhabitants of a domed city freely experience all of life's pleasures — but no one is allowed to live past 30. Citizens can try for a chance at being "renewed" in a civic ceremony on their 30th birthday. Escape is the only other option.

Feels alike?
Silent Running poster
Silent Running
1972 · dir. Douglas Trumbull
🍅 71%6.6adventure · science fiction · drama

Both land bleakness and awe at once

The difference: Leans further into adventure

After the entire flora goes extinct, ecologist Lowell maintains a greenhouse aboard a space station for the future with his android companions. However, he rebels after being ordered to destroy the greenhouse in favor of carrying cargo, a decision that puts him at odds with everyone but his mechanical companions.

Feels alike?
Tron poster
Tron
1982 · dir. Steven Lisberger
🍅 60%6.7science fiction · action · adventure

Action with a pulse of momentum, in both cases

When brilliant video game maker Flynn hacks the mainframe of his ex-employer, he is beamed inside an astonishing digital world and becomes part of the very game he is designing. In his mission through cyberspace, Flynn matches wits with a maniacal Master Control Program and teams up with Tron, a security measure created to bring balance to the digital environment.

Feels alike?
Fantastic Planet poster
Fantastic Planet
1973 · dir. René Laloux
🍅 91%7.7animation · science fiction

Cerebral science fiction, and it commits to that

On the planet Ygam, the Draags, extremely technologically and spiritually advanced blue humanoids, consider the tiny Oms, human beings descendants of Terra's inhabitants, as ignorant animals. Those who live in slavery are treated as simple pets and used to entertain Draag children; those who live hidden in the hostile wilderness of the planet are periodically hunted and ruthlessly slaughtered as if they were vermin.

Feels alike?
Planet of the Apes poster
Planet of the Apes
2001 · dir. Tim Burton
🍅 42%5.7thriller · science fiction · action

The same two preoccupations: chimpanzee, and time travel

The difference: Critics were much harder on this one

After a spectacular crash-landing on an uncharted planet, brash astronaut Leo Davidson finds himself trapped in a savage world where talking apes dominate the human race. Desperate to find a way home, Leo must evade the invincible gorilla army led by Ruthless General Thade.

Feels alike?
The Chronicles of Riddick poster
The Chronicles of Riddick
2004 · dir. David Twohy
🍅 29%6.6action · science fiction

Bleak action in both cases

The difference: Made in the 2000s, in a different era of the craft

After years of outrunning ruthless bounty hunters, escaped convict Riddick suddenly finds himself caught between opposing forces in a fight for the future of the human race. Now, waging incredible battles on fantastic and deadly worlds, this lone, reluctant hero will emerge as humanity's champion - and the last hope for a universe on the edge of annihilation.

Feels alike?
Aniara poster
Aniara
2019 · dir. Pella Kågerman
🍅 70%6.3science fiction · drama

Both lean on awe more than on science fiction

A ship carrying settlers to a new home on Mars after Earth is rendered uninhabitable is knocked off-course, causing the passengers to consider their place in the universe.

Feels alike?
The Omega Man poster
The Omega Man
1971 · dir. Boris Sagal
🍅 65%6.4science fiction · action · drama

Action built on momentum, twice over

Due to an experimental vaccine, Dr. Robert Neville is the only human survivor of an apocalyptic war waged with biological weapons. Besides him, only a few hundred deformed, nocturnal people remain; sensitive to light, and homicidally psychotic.

Feels alike?
Alien³ poster
Alien³
1992 · dir. David Fincher
🍅 43%6.4science fiction · action · horror

Common ground: spacecraft

After escaping with Newt and Hicks from the alien planet, Ripley crash lands on Fiorina 161, a prison planet and host to a correctional facility. Unfortunately, although Newt and Hicks do not survive the crash, a more unwelcome visitor does. The prison does not allow weapons of any kind, and with aid being a long time away, the prisoners must simply survive in any way they can.

Feels alike?
Kin-dza-dza! poster
Kin-dza-dza!
1986 · dir. Georgiy Daneliya
7.8comedy · science fiction · adventure

Both are built on the same subject: spacecraft

Two Soviet humans previously unknown to each other are transported to the planet Pluke in the Kin-dza-dza galaxy due to a chance encounter with an alien teleportation device. They must come to grips with a language barrier and Plukian social norms (not to mention the laws of space and time) if they ever hope to return to Earth.

Feels alike?

In the mood for more kinetic?

all kinetic movies →

The best-reviewed films that share Escape from the Planet of the Apes’ defining feeling.