7 Films To Watch If You Liked Atlas On Netflix(Photo Credit –IMDb)
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Atlas, one of the most anticipated streaming releases of the year, has finally arrived on Netflix and received fair reviews. The Jennifer Lopez starrer is an unconventional take on the humanity vs. robots genre, in which a human has to take down a fugitive AI terrorist with the help of AI itself.
With its gripping narrative, intense action sequences, and visually appealing VFX, the sci-fi film makes up for an entertaining watch. If you enjoyed watching Atlas, here are seven more films with similar themes or storylines that you should check out.
7. Ex Machina (2014)
Directed by Alex Garland, Ex Machina revolves around a young programmer named Caleb Smith who gets an opportunity to participate in an experiment where he has to evaluate artificial intelligence by interacting with the human-like robot Ava. As he spends more and more time with the robot, he grows fond of her, which starts a dangerous manipulation game. Starring Domhnall Gleeson as Caleb and Alicia Vikander as Ava, Ex Machina shares some similarities with Atlas as both films explore AI’s potential and ethical implications while featuring a deep bond between humans and robots.
Like Atlas, District 9 is a science fiction action movie that shows a human and a non-human working together to defeat a common enemy. In the latter, a massive extraterrestrial spaceship hovers over Johannesburg, South Africa. The aliens, referred to as prawns, are made to live in the District 9 slum. In the meantime, relocating the aliens to a new camp falls to Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a government agent. Wikus is exposed to an unusual alien fluid during this mission, which causes him to transform into one of the aliens. After that, he flees and joins forces with an alien to battle the oppressive forces and aid the aliens in returning to their home planet.
5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the follow-up to The Terminator, revolves around Sarah Connor and her son, John, as they escape from an increasingly advanced Terminator, the T-1000, sent from the future to take John’s life as John is meant to lead the future human resistance against the machines. At the same time, a reprogrammed T-800 Terminator is also sent back to protect him. During the mission, the T-800 learns about human emotions and the value of life as it grows closer to John. Terminator 2: Judgment Day, like Atlas, features a human teaming up with a robot to ensure their survival.
4. Chappie (2015)
Another Sharlto Copley film on the list, Chappie, features the actor’s voice as the titular police robot who learns and grows in intelligence and understanding like a child. However, Chappie gets kidnapped by criminals who want to use him for their plans. He then has to figure out right from wrong as he listens to the criminals and the engineer who created him. Akin to Atlast, Chappie focuses on the relationships between humans and AI. The two movies also explore the challenges and dangers of advanced AI and show how vital teamwork is between humans and machines.
3. Blade Runner (1982)
Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is set in a dystopian future where bioengineered humans called replicants are utilized for dangerous tasks out of the world. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a retired police officer known as a Blade Runner, is tasked with hunting down and retiring rogue replicants who have illegally returned to Earth. As Deckard tries to catch them, he starts thinking about what it means to be human and if it’s right to treat replicants like he does. Blade Runner is similar to Atlas in that it examines the boundaries between humans and artificial intelligence. In both, the main character has to think about their feelings and beliefs as they deal with advanced technology.
2. Upgrade (2018)
Upgrade tells the story of Grey Trace, a mechanic who becomes paralyzed after a violent mugging that also kills his wife. Feeling hopeless, Grey gets a chance to walk again through an experimental AI implant called STEM. The implant not only restores his ability to move but also gives him superhuman strength and reflexes, which he uses to seek vengeance on his assailants—helmed by Leigh Whannell, the cyberpunk action film stars Logan Marshall-Green in the lead. Like Atlas, Upgrade also traces the journey of a human who becomes dependent on AI to survive and accomplish their missions, even though they don’t fully trust it at first.
1. I, Robot (2004)
Set in the year 2035, I, Robot showcases robots as a part of everyday life, designed to follow strict rules that keep them from hurting people. Will Smith stars as Del Spooner, a detective who doesn’t trust robots, and investigates the mysterious death of Dr. Alfred Lanning, a key figure in robotics. Spooner thinks a robot named Sonny might be responsible for the death because it seems to act independently, breaking the main rules for robots. But as he delves deeper into the case, Spooner realizes reality is way more complex than he imagined. In I, Robot, and Atlas, the main characters start off distrusting AI but end up working with it. Also, the two stories deal with the issue of AI gaining too much power and threatening human safety.
