5 Sci-Fi Movies to Watch If You Liked Netflix’s War Machine

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Netflix’s film War Machine centers around an unnamed Staff Sergeant who joins a grueling Ranger program with a notoriously low completion rate. Those who do finish are simply known by a number. The Sergeant and his team believe they’re participating in a training exercise, but they quickly discover it’s a real battle against an alien robot. Armed only with blank ammunition, they must rely on evasion and hand-to-hand combat to survive.

If you’re looking for a gritty, action-packed movie with humans fighting aliens, War Machine delivers. It also sets up a potential sequel, and given its popularity on Netflix, more sequels are possible. While we don’t have any confirmed sequels yet, here are some similar films to keep the action going for your movie night.

5) Battle: Los Angeles

The movie Battle: Los Angeles gives a good idea of what a follow-up to War Machine might be like. Instead of a small group of soldiers fighting a single alien robot, it features the combined military forces of the world battling a massive army of alien soldiers.

I have to say, this film really feels like it takes the same gritty, realistic approach as War Machine. While the story and characters aren’t super deep, it absolutely nails that immersive, action-packed feel of playing a war video game. Except instead of fighting other humans, you’re up against hordes of aliens, which honestly makes it even more exciting!

Stream Battle: Los Angeles on YouTube TV.

4) Starship Troopers

While War Machine doesn’t offer the same clever social critique as Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers, it definitely matches the earlier film’s intense and graphic violence. Both movies depict extremely brutal injuries and destruction of the human body.

If you’re looking for a war movie with humans fighting aliens, Starship Troopers is a great choice. Its battle scenes are among the best of the 1990s, rivaling those in films like Saving Private Ryan and Braveheart.

3) Edge of Tomorrow

While War Machine doesn’t involve time travel, and its main character seems quite different from the one in Edge of Tomorrow, both stories feature surprisingly complex heroes. Edge of Tomorrow‘s Major William Cage starts as a coward, while the character played by Joe Ritchson in War Machine deals with the effects of PTSD.

The films differ in their overall feel – War Machine is consistently dark and realistic, while Edge of Tomorrow is lighthearted and enjoyable. However, Edge of Tomorrow still delivers plenty of intense moments, and its alien invaders have a distinct, machine-like appearance.

2) Aliens

You might expect The Terminator or Terminator 2: Judgment Day to fit better, since they feature robots. However, we’re choosing Aliens. The movie is essentially about a group of soldiers fighting a dangerous alien creature. Change “aliens” to “alien,” and you get War Machine.

Like the other film, this one moves quickly and doesn’t hold back. You’re rarely left feeling secure while watching it. These qualities also apply to War Machine, and both movies share a similar climax: the hero confronts the villain directly, using a vehicle with no weapons.

1) Predator (& Predator: Badlands)

As a huge movie fan, I always thought if you loved War Machine, you’d probably dig Predator too. Seriously, if you swapped out the alien hunter for a massive robot, they’re basically the same film! It’s super obvious that Predator was a big influence on War Machine, and honestly, I think it’s a cool connection.

While not a masterpiece, War Machine is better than some similar films, and it at least attempts to create a well-developed main character. However, if you’ve finished War Machine, the original Predator is still the better watch. Following that, Predator: Badlands is also a great choice—it shares a similar theme with War Machine and Aliens, where the hero faces off against the villain using a vehicle with no weapons.

Stream Predator & Predator: Badlands on Hulu.

So, I just finished War Machine and now I’m trying to figure out what to watch next! What are you planning to watch? Let me know in the comments, and let’s chat about it over on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-20 20:16