War Machine is an intense action sci-fi movie complete with an alien invasion plot. The movie stars Alan Ritchson as 81. He’s a special ops trainee, hoping to become a Ranger. However, events on his training operation take a drastic turn when his team unwittingly uncovers a strange machine. It attacks the recruits, who are unarmed, and the story turns into one about survival against an unstoppable adversary.
Despite the prevalence of military training in War Machine, it’s not an all-out human vs aliens war film. The ending of the movie hints that a sequel could expand on the invasion, which seems widespread, but the 2026 title is a far more personal affair. Our heroes aren’t gung-ho, armed-to-the-teeth commandos, and their weapons don’t even have bullets.
Instead, War Machine tells more of a survival story. The recruits must work together to live rather than attack their deadly assailant head-on. The story of War Machine is arguably quite predictable, but it’s a fun popcorn movie with a straightforward plot. Whether you’re drawn to the film by an invasion where humans have no response or the more personal struggles for survival against overbearing odds, there’s plenty of movies out there that scratch a similar itch.
10
Duel (1971)
We’re starting our list with a classic by Steven Spielberg in Duel. The setting is quite different from War Machine, though it contains the same mysterious antagonist that’s oddly alluring, as their motivations and abilities are unclear.
The plot of Duel is straightforward but effective. David Mann (Dennis Weaver) is a salesman driving his car down an empty desert highway. A truck approaches from behind, and while it first seems like the driver is just reckless, we quickly realize they are stalking David and are happy to put his life at risk.
The truck in Duel is so threatening because we know so little about it, nor who’s inside or why they are targeting David. It may not be an alien machine, but David is so helpless in his small car that it’s like an unstoppable force. The grounded setting also makes the movie quite relatable.
9
Mars Attacks! (1996)
If you enjoy War Machine for the alien invasion and sci-fi technology that makes them seemingly invincible, you may enjoy Mars Attacks! It’s a wild 90s sci-fi movie and dark comedy where humans are pushed to the brink.
Mars Attacks! pokes playful fun at many sci-fi tropes and features a terrifying invasion with Martians impervious to conventional weapons. The movie also features an all-star cast, including Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jack Nicholson as the President.
Mars Attacks! doesn’t take itself too seriously, with some unforgettably bizarre imagery that fans still talk about today. The movie is tonally different from War Machine, but features an invasion by a mysterious foe where audiences are always wondering what they will do next.
8
Starship Troopers (1997)
Starship Troopers is fairly different from War Machine in that humans are actually the aggressors. Nevertheless, it’s a classic 90s alien invasion movie, and it also takes time to introduce audiences to the recruits, their motivations, and grueling training drills.
The movie stars Casper Van Dien as Johnny Rico. He’s a trooper, sent to the front lines on the alien planet Klendathu, which is the bugs’ home world. The issue is that the campaign is not going in the military’s favor, and the aliens are winning by sheer numbers.
Starship Troopers is full of triumphant war propaganda, despite the situation on the alien planet being entirely different and far bleaker. The movie is also surprisingly gory, unafraid to demonstrate the horrors of war with plenty of satire and dark humor.
7
Pitch Black (2000)
Pitch Black is a gritty sci-fi survival horror movie set on a mysterious desert planet. A transport ship carrying a dangerous prisoner, Riddick (Vin Diesel), crash-lands in the sand. The crew survives, but learns the planet has a strange lunar cycle, with an eclipse that will plunge it into darkness on the horizon.
The impending eclipse ushers in the arrival of deadly alien predators. They can’t stand the light, but are vicious killing machines in the dark. The crew is forced to work alongside Riddick, as he has augmented eyes allowing him to see in the dark.
Pitch Black is similar to War Machine in that a small group of humans must rally to survive a threat they cannot possibly overpower. It’s clear that Vin Diesel is having fun as Riddick, and the survivors have no choice but to accept his help.
6
Independence Day (1996)
The story of Independence Day is far more ‘gung-ho’ than War Machine. Still, it features a brutal alien invasion, forcing humanity to adapt to topple a mysterious foe they cannot hope to defeat head-on. The movie also features an all-star cast, including Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum.
The aliens in Independence Day are so deadly because their ships are impervious to gunfire. The 1996 movie also demonstrates their destructive power on a grand scale and is responsible for the iconic movie scene where the White House is destroyed by a laser beam. The story follows several characters as fate brings them together to launch a potential counterattack while there’s still an Earth left to defend.
Independence Day has many moving parts as humanity is pushed to the brink. It’s more of a sci-fi spectacle than War Machine, but it’s a classic 90s movie, with some brilliantly quotable one-liners.
5
War Of The Worlds (2005)
War of the Worlds features a chilling alien invasion, where humans are being snatched by giant mechanical walkers. The attack is on a grand scale, though the movie tells a more personal story, focusing on Ray (Tom Cruise) and his quest for survival with his children.
The alien walkers are scary because they have no clear weaknesses. They effortlessly kill people, and the military is completely outmatched. Instead of a grand campaign against the aliens, the movie tells a survival story that’s rather relatable as Ray is just a regular father.
Fans of War Machine will likely enjoy War of the Worlds for its insurmountable alien threat and suburban survival story as panic begins to spread. Ray’s relationship with his children is believable, and the aliens are terrifying because we don’t know what they are doing with their captives.
4
Dog Soldiers (2002)
War Machine arguably follows the plot of Dog Soldiers more than any other movie on this list. A group of elite military operatives makes a chilling discovery while on a training mission in Scotland. They are meant to be competing against another group, but find them slaughtered and their camp in disarray.
Werewolves attack the soldiers, and while they bravely retaliate, they are ultimately outmatched. The group seeks refuge in a secluded house, doing everything they can to make it through the night against unbeatable, terrifying foes.
Dog Soldiers is a gritty action horror movie with some great set pieces, but the best part is arguably the camaraderie between the group. The soldiers aren’t scared easily and can’t resist a punchy quip or one-liner even in the face of death.
3
Aliens (1986)
Aliens is a classic in the sci-fi horror genre with many similarities to War Machine despite the futuristic setting. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and an elite group of Marines are sent on a mission to an off-world settlement after authorities suddenly lost contact.
The team quickly realizes they may be dealing with an alien threat, and the same one Ripley has encountered before. While the soldiers are well-trained, they quickly end up on the back foot against the xenomorphs, forced to run and hide to survive.
Aliens is a terrifying movie because we witness what the xenomorphs do to their victims, and they even have a brutal defense against gunfire. The Marines start as the hunters, but end up the hunted against one of the most well-known monsters in movie history.
2
Battleship (2012)
Battleship has similarities with War Machine, and if we get a sequel, it could look surprisingly close to the 2012 title. The movie stars Taylor Kitsch as Alex Hopper, a skilled but hot-headed Navy man. NASA has sent a signal into space and has just made contact with aliens for the first time.
It’s a world-changing discovery, but unfortunately, those aliens are not friendly. They arrive on Earth, setting up a giant force field at sea, trapping several Navy ships. Hopper is forced to take charge of the situation against an unknown threat with limited resources despite his inexperience.
Battleship is loosely based on the popular board game, with a clever link to its roots I won’t spoil here. The movie boasts a great cast and a colossal alien threat. The conflict is on a far grander scale than War Machine, but with a similar overarching story.
1
Predator (1987)
Few movies offer a story of trained soldiers forced to battle an unstoppable force quite like Predator. It remains arguably one of the best, most influential action movies of all time, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch.
Dutch unwillingly agrees to take his special forces team on a rescue mission into the dense Central American jungle. However, they make a chilling discovery, finding members of another squad skinned alive. The team is the best at what they do, but still find themselves outmatched by someone, or something that’s hunting and killing them off one at a time.
The Predator is an iconic movie villain, using thermal vision to stalk its prey. It’s a story very similar to War Machine, with a far more terrifying antagonist than any giant walking robot. Dutch must adapt to his surroundings and not rely on conventional weapons if he’s to learn his opponent’s weaknesses and survive.
- Release Date
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March 6, 2026
- Runtime
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107 minutes
- Director
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Patrick Hughes
