feelsalike.comSign in
Planet of the Apes poster

Movies that feel likePlanet of the Apes (1968)

Astronaut Taylor crash lands on a distant planet ruled by apes who use a primitive race of humans for experimentation and sport. Soon Taylor finds himself among the hunted, his life in the hands of a benevolent chimpanzee scientist.

If you loved Planet of the Apes, the closest films we have are Silent Running (1972), Total Recall (1990) and The Fifth Element (1997). All three share Planet of the Apes' cerebral and epic feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Patton (1970).

πŸ… 86% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 8 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Franklin J. Schaffnercerebralepiccontemplativekineticbleakawe
8 of 12 streaming nowAmazon Prime Video Β· Hulu Β· Disney Plus

Can't choose? Answer three questions and get one movie for tonight.

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

See it on the Mood Map

When is Planet of the Apes streaming? β†’

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

Looking for the series itself? Also in this series: Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) Β· Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)

Silent Running poster
Silent Running
1972 Β· dir. Douglas Trumbull
πŸ… 71%β˜… 6.6science fiction Β· adventure Β· drama

The same two preoccupations: dystopia, and space travel

The difference: Takes it somewhere less kinetic than Planet of the Apes does

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.

Total Recall poster
Total Recall
1990 Β· dir. Paul Verhoeven
πŸ… 80%β˜… 7.5action Β· adventure Β· science fictionPrime VideoParamount+

Both keep coming back to the same thing: dystopia

The difference: Made in the 1990s, in a different era of the craft

Construction worker Douglas Quaid's obsession with the planet Mars leads him to visit Rekall, a virtual vacation company that manufactures memories. When something goes wrong during Quaid's memory implant procedure, his life turns upside down, leading him to question what is reality and what isn't.

The Fifth Element poster
The Fifth Element
1997 Β· dir. Luc Besson
πŸ… 70%β˜… 7.6science fiction Β· action Β· adventure

The same preoccupation in both: space travel

In 2257, a taxi driver is unintentionally given the task of saving a young girl who is part of the key that will ensure the survival of humanity.

Patton poster
Patton
1970 Β· dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
πŸ… 92%β˜… 7.9war Β· drama Β· history

The same hand behind both of them: Franklin J. Schaffner

The difference: Leans harder into war than Planet of the Apes does

"Patton" tells the tale of General George S. Patton, famous tank commander of World War II. The film begins with Patton's career in North Africa and progresses through the invasion of Germany and the fall of the Third Reich. Side plots also speak of Patton's numerous faults such his temper and habit towards insubordination.

The Creator poster
The Creator
2023 Β· dir. Gareth Edwards
πŸ… 67%β˜… 6.7science fiction Β· action Β· adventureHulu

Cerebral where it counts, epic underneath

Amid a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife, is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the warβ€”and mankind itself.

Serenity poster
Serenity
2005 Β· dir. Joss Whedon
πŸ… 82%β˜… 7.8science fiction Β· action Β· adventure

Kinetic and bleak in the same breath

A group of rebels travel the outskirts of space evading the sinister Alliance regime. Their lives of smuggling and cargo-running are interrupted by a psychic passenger who harbours a dangerous secret. Soon, the crew find themselves being pursued by an Alliance agent who will stop at nothing to find them.

Planet of the Apes poster
Planet of the Apes
2001 Β· dir. Tim Burton
πŸ… 42%β˜… 5.7thriller Β· science fiction Β· actionHulu

Two things both keep coming back to: space marine and gorilla

The difference: The scrappier of the two with critics

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.

Moonraker poster
Moonraker
1979 Β· dir. Lewis Gilbert
πŸ… 59%β˜… 6.3action Β· adventure Β· thrillerPrime Video

One thread runs through both: space marine

After Drax Industries' Moonraker space shuttle is hijacked, secret agent James Bond is assigned to investigate, traveling to California to meet the company's owner, the mysterious Hugo Drax. With the help of scientist Dr. Holly Goodhead, Bond soon uncovers Drax's nefarious plans for humanity, all the while fending off an old nemesis, Jaws, and venturing to Venice, Rio, the Amazon...and even outer space.

The Chronicles of Riddick poster
The Chronicles of Riddick
2004 Β· dir. David Twohy
πŸ… 29%β˜… 6.6action Β· science fiction

Awestruck science fiction, and it commits to that

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.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes poster
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
2024 Β· dir. Wes Ball
πŸ… 80%β˜… 6.8science fiction Β· adventure Β· actionPrime Video

Common ground in both: chimpanzee and distant future

Several generations following Caesar's reign, apes – now the dominant species – live harmoniously while humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all he's known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Aniara poster
Aniara
2019 Β· dir. Hugo Lilja
πŸ… 70%β˜… 6.3science fiction Β· drama

Drama built on stillness, twice over

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.

Tron poster
Tron
1982 Β· dir. Steven Lisberger
πŸ… 61%β˜… 6.7science fiction Β· action Β· adventureDisney+

Adventure with a pulse of ideas, 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.

In the mood for more cerebral?

all cerebral movies β†’

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