Mind-Blowing Dystopian Movies Like Hunger Games

Published

3 years ago

August 30, 2021

Maha Ali

Looking for more awesome movies like Hunger Games? Worry not. We have exactly what you are looking for! Films like Hunger games are very addictive and fun to watch; it is no wonder that you are here looking for more. The Hunger Games is one of the most popular teen novels of all time, thanks to fantastic, suspenseful prose, a captivating tale, and a memorable lead protagonist. It is because of the success of Hunger Games that YA novel adaptations are becoming increasingly popular.

The Hunger Games film series have three parts; The Hunger Games (first one), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1 & 2. It is a science fiction dystopian adventure movie based on a novel written by Suzanne Collins.

The story follows Katniss Everdeen, a teenage girl who is forced to compete in a fatal tournament hosted by the Panem nation’s capitol by fate. Katniss Everdeen makes this brave step to protect her younger sister, Primrose Everdeen. Katniss manages to survive thanks to her quick instincts and knowledge. In the following sequel, the President of Panem organizes the 75th Hunger Games, which will permanently change the country. The competition also permits previous competitors to compete. As a result, we get to see Katniss in action once more. In the last two sequels, Mockingjay, Katniss Everdeen links up with her companions, on the final mission to establish peace, realizing the risks are no longer merely for survival. They leave District 13 together to free the residents of Panem from a war that has torn the country apart.

10 Absolutely Amazing Movies Like Hunger Games

We’ve created a collection of excellent science fiction dystopian survival movies to help you get over the “Hunger Games” hangover. Let’s take a look at some more action that can help you fill the void left by the “Hunger Games”.

Maze Runner Trilogy

Maze Runner

The Maze Runner is the most recent film to take part in the trend of movies like The Hunger Games. The movie is directed by Wes Ball and features Dylan ‘O Brian as the protagonist. The plot revolves around Thomas, a teen who awakens in an elevator with no recollection of his previous life. He must think quickly to escape the deadly maze in which he is trapped. After becoming trapped in The Glade, a massive grass maze, Thomas discovers that he is not alone and meets other people who call themselves The Gladers. The Gladers are all assigned different tasks for the group to survive. Thomas gradually recollects his memories piece by piece. He uses his wits, cunning, and determined attitude to survive and change his fate.

Although the film’s uncertain ending leaves many lingering questions, the sequel answers the majority of them while again raising many more. Despite its flaws, The Maze Runner is still one of the YA adaptations to be made. As a critic, there are numerous flaws in the film that could be addressed. The reviews of critics are highly conflicting, as they are divided in their praise for this film. However, it has a decent rating on Metacritic and Rotten Tomorrow.

Plot

The maze runner is by far the best one to fall into the category of movies like Hunger Games. Katniss is regarded as a hero in the film as she embarks on a perilous journey. She is considered a hero in the sense that she put her own life in danger for the sake of her family, friends, and community. In contrast, Thomas was the most heroic of the group. Despite being a new member of the glade, he demonstrates courage, self-sacrifice for the sake of others, and leadership.

Divergent

The Divergent

The Divergent Trilogy is based on a novel written by Veronica Roth. The movie features Shailene Woodley who plays Tris Prior also known as “Divergent” the movie. The film series consists of a post-apocalyptic science dystopian world where humanity is divided into certain factions. All human actions are controlled and manipulated by the new world’s order.

When talking about movies like hunger games, one movie always pops up in the fans’ minds: Divergent. There are a lot of similarities between hunger games and divergent. Firstly, both movies take place in a dystopian world. If you do not know what dystopian means, let us explain it to you. So basically, a dystopian world is a fictional society in which people live in extreme terror, and dehumanization is common.

Plot

Divergent’s place of focus is also the same as Hunger games which are the ruins of North America. The only difference is that divergent takes place in Chicago while Hunger Games takes place throughout North America Divergent is set in the former city of Chicago, whereas The Hunger Games spans North America. Another striking resemblance is that both novels are led by female protagonists. In Divergent and The Hunger Games, two courageous, rebellious sixteen-year-olds, Tris and Katniss, must deal with an authoritarian government as well as typical teen problems.

Battle Royale

If you are desperately trying to search for movies like hunger games, you must give Battle Royale a try. This movie is one of the best of its genre! Fun fact: The term Battle Royale actually got popular around the world because of this certain movie. It was after this movie that the term “battle royale” got reinterpreted to refer to a fictitious narrative genre and style of entertainment based on a film plot, in which a selected group of people is told to kill each other until a victorious survivor arises. Battle Royale has a big history; most people even claim that it was Battle Royale that actually started the survival genre trend and that hunger game is nothing but a rip-off of Battle Royale.

Unlike most films in this list, Battle Royale’s main genre is an action thriller and is a Japanese movie. Kinji Fukasaku directed the film, which was written by Kenta Fukasaku. Originally, the film was based on Koushun Takami’s novel of the same name. After its release, the film won its reputation for being the first film to be screened on more than 200 screens in Tokyo, breaking all the previous records. Not only that but the movie also became the highest-grossing Japanese language film for 6 weeks straight! By now I hope you have an idea of just how amazing this film is.

Plot

As the economy of the country declines, the Japanese government takes a major step to restraint juvenile delinquents. The government passes the new “BR ACT” for this purpose. However, what the civilians do not know is how horrible this act really is and how much the government has lied. A class of high school students is chosen to participate in the Battle Royale as part of the new act. The students are forced to kill each other to survive on a stranded island. Battle Royale is an exceptional, unique, and remarkable Japanese action film that embodies several powerful messages without sacrificing any of the violence.

The Host

Do you specifically like the part in which the odd protagonist saves the humanity of movies like hunger games? Well then here ends your search. The Host is the perfect movie to watch if you like to see a woman in action trying to save the world. It has a decent graphics budget, a well-written storyline, and engaging characters who will do everything you expect them to do while still surprising you. You’ll be entertained as long as the aliens or the prospect of pursuing the goals of both voices in your head fascinate you.

The movie was released in 2013 and is directed by Andrew Niccol, known for being the co-producer of Truman Show. The Host is based on a novel written by the same author that wrote Twilight, Stephanie Meyer. Although the film receives much criticism from movie critics, it is still worth a watch. The watchers have especially loved Saiorse Ronan’s acting in the movie claiming that she is the one that saved the entire movie by nailing her role.

Plot

The movie takes place in a world where humanity is on the verge of ending as the extraterrestrial aliens called Souls to take over humans’ bodies. When a soul takes over a human, the host’s consciousness ends and the Souls become able to read their memories. Melanie Stryder, popularly known as Wanda, has a parasitic extraterrestrial soul put into her body. Wanda makes a bond with her host and sets out to help other liberated humans rather than carrying out her race’s purpose of taking over the Earth.

Ender’s Game

Another film similar to Hunger Games is Ender’s Game. You must have noticed that even the name is quite similar. This film belongs in the category of movies like Hunger Games because of how the protagonist of Ender’s Game has to learn how to win a fight that he does not want to confront just like Katniss Everdeen. Both characters from both movies are driven by fate not by choice.

Ender Wiggin is a natural at maneuvering starship fleets in a battle against the otherworldly aliens. Whereas, Katniss Everdeen is a deadly archer who can spark a revolt with just a bow and arrow. When they get together, they may actually have the power to make the best commander-in-chief of all time who is still a teenager. Ender and Katniss have a lot in common, from the siblings they struggle to protect to the teachings they learn from their forefathers. If you are a big fan of Hunger Games, you just have to try Ender’s Game out!

The film was released in the same year as The Host, which is 2013. It has a science fiction genre and is based on the novel with the same name written by Oscar Scott Card. Scott won the Nebula Award and the Hugo award for their novel, Ender’s Game. Even though the movie is known as the box office bomb due to the lack of success during its theatrical run, Ender’s Game still has a decent rating on many other platforms. On google, the movie has 80% upvotes which are more than average, and also have a good rating on rotten tomatoes.

Plot

The plot revolves around a young boy named Andrew Ender Wiggins, who excels at simulated space combat. His extraordinary qualities pique the interest of Colonel Hyrum Graff and Major Gwen Anderson, who recruits him for the battle school. Like The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game has a training ground where young cadets learn how to fight against the aliens. The colonel treats Ender with special care, which turns other cadets against him. Ender faces many difficulties as an outcast who is unable to fit in with others. The fact that a child can perfectly and beautifully portray so many emotions on TV is truly endearing. The conflict between humans and aliens is an old theme, but this film adds a new depth to it. It shows the daily struggle between violence and compassion that humans face within themselves. If you have been wondering where to find this gem, it’s on Netflix!

The Circle

Circle

In movies like hunger games, you can clearly see culture played out really well. The film The Hunger Games focuses on the importance of survival along with trusting one’s own goodness and self-worth to survive. Unlike The Hunger Games, in which a novice tries to find her way around the world’s most powerful corporation, The Circle is more of a technological parody. There are many similarities between these two movies.

Firstly, just like Hunger Games, there is only one survivor to remain alive at the end. Both movies are in dystopian worlds and the place is the ruins of North America. The society shown in this film is similar to that of a dystopian society. Furthermore, the entire nation is run by one company that controls everyone in both movies. There is the separation of class, total transparency, and suppression of society in the two films. Both heroines confront numerous challenges, but it is the way Katniss Everdeen and Mae Holland deal with problems in their dystopian civilizations that shapes who they become, particularly their female positions in society.

The Circle is a young adult film with a science fiction dystopian genre. It was released in 2015 by FilmBuff to video-on-demand. The movie is heavily panned by critics with a 50% rating on Rotten Tomorrows. However, it depends on one’s taste in movies. I personally really loved and enjoyed watching this movie. This is probably one of those movies you’ll either love or hate. Definitely worth a try!

Plot

The film revolves around 50 strangers that are trapped in a dark room are forced to kill each other to survive. The captives will be forced to stand in a circle within a circle. The rules become evident within the first 15 minutes of the film, but the objective remains a mystery. They initially believe that they will die if they leave the small circle in which they are standing. People begin to die every two minutes, and they quickly realize it is a vote. The film primarily examines human logic and emotion in the face of death, as well as the will to live. Every two minutes, the people must vote each other out, therefore it’s a race to see who will be the last one standing, as the last one will probably live. The movie is engaging, intriguing, and worth watching.

The Giver

If you like to see more action in movies like Hunger Games, The Giver is the one for you! The two films have a survival-related conflict. Both works utilize concepts, adjectives, and actions to describe the personalities and appearances of their characters. The Giver’s author, Lois Lowry, constantly gives hints about what will happen next in the film. On the other hand, Suzanne Collins gives only minor hints about what will happen next in the Hunger Games.

Both films have elements in common, such as being dystopian in nature, using symbols, and featuring a youngster who sticks out in society and rebels. One part of the giver that especially reminds me of Hunger Games is The Ceremony of Twelve. Both The Hunger Games’ Reaping and The Giver’s Ceremony of Twelves are ceremonies that limit human choice and highlight the worry and fear that can arise when people have little control over their fates.

The writer of The Giver, Lois Lowry is known for writing amazing dystopian and complex genre novels. The adaptation of this novel was made in 2014 which starred Brenton Thwaites, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Steep, and even Taylor Swift. The Giver won the Newbery Medal in 1994, selling over 12 million copies around the globe as of 2018. It’s also regarded among the most challenging books of the 1990s. Though the movie did not reach the success of the novel it was based on, it still has decent ratings.

Plot

The plot revolves around a young man named Jonas who owns a very different perception of the world. Due to a terrible plan called Sameness designed to alleviate society’s agony, he has issues with all human emotion and intellect conceptions. Sameness causes people to grow emotionally numb, and Jonas is no exception. People in our culture have lost touch with what it means to be human; they operate like machines with no feeling. On the other hand, Jonas discovers the truth behind the terrible plan and attempts to save the world.

Death Race

It is never new to hear when people say they are addicted to movies like Hunger Games. These types of films leave an everlasting taste that makes you wish for more. Death Race has 3 sequels, the one we recommend you here is the one released In 2008. It is a car combat survival-based movie. Similar to the Hunger Games, Death Race also has people fighting for freedom. The only difference is that the fighters in Hunger Games are skilled teenagers while in Death Race it is the prisoners fighting to win the race. Death Race has the same plot as Hunger Games except that the people combat by cars in it.

Death Race 2000 was a sarcastic foreshadowing of a future where satire was not the norm. The country is led by an odd ruler who enjoys big and fast things. The Miss America-worthy presidential aides have captivated the world’s media, the country is on the mend, and reality TV is so authentic you might get run over. It’s an entertaining, violent, and glorifying B movie in the vein of Roger Corman’s DeathRace 2000. For a direct-to-video release, it’s remarkably well shot. Definitely worth watching, but make sure you’re familiar with the 1975 version first.

Plot

Death Race belongs to the action thriller dystopian genre similar to that of Hunger Games. Following a sharp decline in the US economy in 2012, crime rates rise abnormally, causing government officials to panic. To deal with the situation, privatized prisons have become increasingly common. One of the owners of such privatized prisons gets a novel idea for making use of the prison and profiting from it. Claire Hennessy, the owner of Terminal Island Penitentiary, begins broadcasting a show in which the prisoners’ race to win their independence. The inmates fight with passion all to achieve the same one goal, freedom.

The 5th Wave

Finding movies like Hunger Games to fill the hole left by it in your heart can be hard, however, The 5th Wave might actually temporarily help you get over it! The 5th Wave is a post-apocalyptic film, or as we like to refer to it in the year 2020, reality television. The Old Testament is brought to life in stunning CGI, complete with existential threats and moral dilemmas. It’s a funny disaster survival comedy that will keep you engaged. The romance story adds to the fun. The plot twists and storyline development are extremely excellent, and I particularly enjoy how the plot thickens at the end of the day as a result of camaraderie. It depicts both the greedy and selfless sides of humanity, making it ideal for a Netflix-and-chill afternoon.

The 5th wave is an action thriller dystopian movie that was released in 2016. In The 5th Wave, the human population is subjugated to an alien invasion, unlike in The Hunger Games, humanity turned on each other during the uprising. Outsiders arriving on Earth and creating havoc, rather than nations fighting each other, pose the greatest threat to civilization. In both movies, the amazing female leads overthrow the capitol/government to save their friends and families. A lot of viewers claim the fifth wave to be the “wannabe” Hunger Games. If you are looking for something similar to Hunger Games, this might be your stop.

Plot

The plot follows a young girl named Cassie Sullivan, who is determined to find her younger brother that is nowhere to be found. Cassie just like Katniss shows great courage, strength, and will to save her family. In this dystopian world, the human race is about to extinct as aliens attack to take over the earth. Cassie is ready to risk everything to reach her goal. Watch the movie to see how Cassie overcomes every hurdle and rescues her brother!

The Cube Film Series

The Cube

Do you like specifically like to see people trapped, struggling, and killing to find a way to survive in movies like hunger games? Then, here you go! Cube is notable for being both a riveting character study and a commentary on humanity as well as a gory horror film. Cube is a strange, efficient film that defies categorization, and it’s a marvel it was even made at all. It’s a fascinating film that delves into the human psyche as we’re forced to return to our primitive inclinations. Each character undergoes a tremendous amount of transformation, and each character is equally important. Nothing feels like fluff, and the Cube’s spooky feel is ideal!

The original first movie was released in 1997 and was written by Vincenzo Natali who has a good reputation for writing science fiction movies. Just like the Hunger Games, the characters in the cube also have one purpose and that is to survive and stay alive as long as possible. Instead of fighting each other, the cube characters have to fight against the traps that are placed in the cube they are stuck in. The cube has a very good rating on forums such as 7.9 on IMDb and 64% on Rotten Tomatoes

Plot

The plot revolves around a group of strangers who find themselves trapped in a cube-shaped room once they gain consciousness. The captives find it hard to remember what got them in there and try to find a way out. The room is filled with several deadly booby traps, which cause great troubles and many deaths. However, every person is gifted with a special skill that they must use to create a strategy and find a way out of the hell cube.

Conclusion

If you are desperately searching for movies to fill the Hunger Games shaped hole in your heart, your best choice would be these 10 movies. The plots are similar to Hunger Games with wonderful settings that will not disappoint you.

In short, the 10 Mindblowing movies like Hunger Games to watch are:

Maze Runner Trilogy
Divergent
Battle Royale
The Host
Ender’s Game
The Circle
The Giver
Death Race
The 5th Wave
The Cube Film Series

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Maha Ali

Hey there! This is Maha Ali from Pakistan, an experienced content writer. Writing unique and intriguing articles is among my specialties. Nothing makes me happier than assisting others, and writing articles is one way I do so. I am known as a bright, hardworking, and diligent person among my peers. As you have come across my profile, don’t leave without a smile =)