Back to trending
The 5th Wave

The 5th Wave

Science Fiction · Adventure · Action · 2016

16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that has already decimated the population and knocked mankind back to the Stone Age.

Movie details

The 5th Wave

“Protect your own.”

2016 Science Fiction · Adventure · Action 1h 52m

Critical arithmetic

The consensus, allegedly.

IMDb

5.2 / 10

125.8K votes

Rotten Tomatoes

16 %

Tomatometer

Metacritic

33 / 100

Metascore

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.

16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that has already decimated the population and knocked mankind back to the Stone Age.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The 5th Wave?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Afterburn

Afterburn

Action · 2025

Set against the backdrop of a postapocalyptic Earth whose Eastern Hemisphere was destroyed by a massive solar flare, leaving what life remains mutated from radiation and fallout. The story revolves around a group of treasure hunters who extract such objects as the Mona Lisa, the Rosetta Stone and the Crown Jewels while facing rival hunters, mutants and pirates.

Occupation: Rainfall

Occupation: Rainfall

Sci-fi · 2020

Two years into an intergalactic invasion of Earth, survivors in Sydney, Australia, fight back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount by the day, the resistance and their unexpected allies, uncover a plot that could see the war come to a decisive end. With the Alien invaders hell-bent on making earth their new home, the race is on to save mankind.

Long Distance

Long Distance

Sci-fi · 2024

After crash-landing on an alien planet, an asteroid miner must contend with the challenges of his new surroundings, while making his way across the harsh terrain to the only other survivor – a woman who is trapped in her escape pod.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Sci-fi · 2015

Thomas and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD’s vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.

AVP: Alien vs. Predator

AVP: Alien vs. Predator

Adventure · 2004

When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.

The Last Survivors

The Last Survivors

Thriller · 2014

In the near future, society collapses and water becomes scarce. When a greedy water baron starts violently clearing out survivors, Kendal, a 17-year-old teenager, fights the baron's henchman to keep a well open.

Impostor

Impostor

Action · 2001

A top-secret government weapons designer is arrested by a clandestine government organization on suspicion of being a clone created by the hostile alien race wanting to take over Earth.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road

Action · 2015

An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order.

Justice League: Warworld

Justice League: Warworld

Animation · 2023

Until now, the Justice League has been a loose association of superpowered individuals. But when they are swept away to Warworld, a place of unending brutal gladiatorial combat, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the others must somehow unite to form an unbeatable resistance able to lead an entire planet to freedom.

Tomorrow, When the War Began

Tomorrow, When the War Began

Action · 2010

Ellie Linton, a teen from an Australian coastal town, leads her friends on an excursion to a camp deep in the woods, dubbed "Hell." Upon their return, the youths find that their town has been overrun by an enemy army, and their friends and family have been imprisoned. When the hostile invaders become alerted to their presence, Ellie and her friends band together to escape -- and strike back against -- this mysterious enemy.

Where it lives

Watch in your region.

Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.

Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.

Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

J Blakeson

Written by

Susannah Grant · Akiva Goldsman · Jeff Pinkner

Chloë Grace Moretz

Chloë Grace Moretz

Cassie Sullivan

Nick Robinson

Nick Robinson

Ben Parish / Zombie

Ron Livingston

Ron Livingston

Oliver Sullivan

Maggie Siff

Maggie Siff

Lisa Sullivan

Alex Roe

Alex Roe

Evan Walker

Maria Bello

Maria Bello

Sergeant Reznik

Maika Monroe

Maika Monroe

Ringer

Court is in session

Put The 5th Wave on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.