The 7 Best Movies To Watch If You Like Planet Of The Apes

It's the end of the world as we know it, but we feel kind of fine, if only for the fact that Caesar was running the joint for a while and did an okay job. Besides the original and iconic movies that began with Charlton Heston punching sand and calling us all maniacs, the Planet of the Apes reboot films provide a stunning depiction of a post-apocalyptic world that knocked humanity down a link on the evolutionary chain in favor of organized apes that still had the occasional scuffle between themselves. Want some more of that, do you? Want to see what our world would look like if everything went to pot and humanity had to cling onto its sanity for dear life? Have you seen Star Wars fandom, lately?

We're kidding, of course (a bit). In the event you want to see some more not-so-wonderful worlds worth venturing into, we've mapped out a variety of different lands that you may find enticing and, more importantly, entertaining. Worlds where carefully placed footsteps are essential, creatures great and small are out to get you, and where man's best friend provides your greatest bit of joy and the easiest route to heartbreak. Reserve your rations, trust only those closest to you, and wrap up warm. It's cold out in the apocalypse.

In a universe brought to life by John Krasinski, the world ends not with a bang but with a whisper thanks to the hair-raising breath-snatching horror movie "A Quiet Place." Set after the events of an alien invasion in which its attackers use sound to hunt their prey, the former "Office" worker's directorial debut makes for a brilliant and unique introduction into a sci-fi horror opposite his real-life wife, Emily Blunt, who gives an equally enthralling performance. Its success led to an impressive sequel and prequel fleshing out the Quiet Place timeline, ensuring that there are always stories to tell, just as long as they're behind soundproof walls.

Those who think Matt Reeves' "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is the strongest of the revived franchise will find a place in Krasinski's frightening initial chapter. The first film pits a family against a monstrous enemy that, unlike the apes, can't be negotiated with. Sure, Caesar might want to be at peace with the human race he's divided and eventually sent into decline, but "A Quiet Place" shows its outright destruction thanks to these space monkey-like creatures with biological radars for heads.

Forced to traverse this nightmarish land barefoot and speak in sign language, the Abbott family's safe haven falling under attack never gets old and makes our first carefully placed steps into this unique and heartbreakingly brutal world a brilliant one. Just like the Apes franchise, even amidst the chaos, there's something about these characters who just want to survive together and suffer great losses fighting to do so. Whatever the future holds for the hair-raising world of "A Quiet Place," never forget that you heard it here first.

A story of one man and his dog yelling at mannequins might not have landed if it wasn't for the charismatic presence of Will Smith as the last human living in New York City. Another sci-fi horror based on a book, "I Am Legend" is a post-apocalyptic tale that sees Robert Neville (Smith) spending his days trying to find a cure for a virus that has turned humanity into light-aversive monsters that sleep all day, hunt all night, and definitely aren't vampires. Honest.

Slightly bleaker in nature than the Apes movies, "I Am Legend" actually takes a brighter direction than the Richard Matheson book it's based on. Sure, it might see Neville cry over his noble four-legged friend Sam and sacrifice himself to save the world, but at least it didn't have him be given up to a horde of cult-like vampires and realize all his effort was for nothing. In fact, this story of man's struggle to save itself from itself is set to continue thanks to an alternate ending and a sequel starring Michael B. Jordan.

A shelved final act that sees Smith's character survive his showdown with the Darkseekers in Francis Lawrence's 2007 film is getting revisited. Talks have been had to suggest Robert Neville made it out alive and will be going another round with the big-jawed beasties that just want to be left alone. We can only wonder if our hero has learned his lesson to do just that, or if more chaos will come at the end of a world that never saw "Batman vs Superman."

You've got to give props to any film that dares to swim in the same waters as "Jaws," and that includes the movie involving super sharks and an earworm of a song from one of its stars, LL Cool J. While it might not be a post-apocalyptic picture like the Apes movies, 1999's "Deep Blue Sea" still has science messing with nature in the worst ways, leading to sharks getting a higher IQ, allowing them to swim backwards and turn a kitchen stove on.

Taking a dip into more monster movie territory than others on this list, "Deep Blue Sea" is dated but brilliantly stupid fun, putting a farcical but daring twist on shark movies. Crammed with a bucket full of star-studded shark bait, "Deep Blue Sea" sees Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Saffron Burrows, and Stellan Skarsgård (who gets used as a battering ram) all at risk of getting the chomp, which they do in brilliantly gory fashion. Admittedly, Steven Spielberg can still chill in the water knowing that nothing has topped his beloved shark movie, but the one that sees Samuel L. Jackson give a stirring speech only to get chomped in half comes incredibly close and deserves some respect for that at least.

A little more feral than the civilized Apes movies, Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later" is still one of the best depictions of the end of the world and is all the more harrowing because of it. Cillian Murphy's Jim is the bike messenger that wakes up from a nightmare only to see the world has been overrun with a virus that turns the carriers into enraged monsters. An opening that echoes the likes of "The Omega Man," seeing Murphy wander through the empty streets of London, is still hair-raising two decades later.

Tensions are at breaking point due to the rage virus being transferable by something as little as a drop of blood getting in a scratch and the transformation taking seconds. The nature of this biological beast ups the anxiety and weariness of any character that our hero comes in contact with, which is made all the more impactful given the thriving cast list that would go on to become massive names in their own right.

Murphy is backed by future Moneypenny Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson as a loving father who just wants the best for his daughter. Halting all that is Christopher Eccleston as an unhinged army major holding up in a fortress that becomes a haunted house in the film's final act. Fingers crossed that Boyle and Murphy will revive the rage to its former glory in "28 Years Later."

If you want to see Andy Serkis breathe life into another knuckle-dragging protagonist, sitting down for Peter Jackson's epic take on "King Kong" is certainly a great alternative. The 2005 remake of the classic film sees the likes of Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, and Kyle Chandler brave the lost world and find the legendary monster waiting for them.

Besides the variety of slimy, scaly, and furry dangers hiding in this off-the-map adventure, Andy Serkis (who also plays Lumpy) provides the motion capture for Kong. As a result, every chest thump, huff, and curious look at Ann Darrow is bubbling with emotion, encapsulated beautifully in their stunning time on the ice together in the film's final act. Kong might have gained a second life in the MonsterVerse, but Serkis' stint as the king of the jungle is memorable if only for his fight with the V-Rexes.

While it might not have kept a legacy as grand as Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, it's still a brilliant testament to Serkis' capability and just part of the path that got us to the actor's other super smart simian. Always remember that Kong walked so Caesar could run and talk.

"They made us too smart, too quick, and too many. We are suffering for the mistakes they made because, when the end comes, all that will be left is us." Out of all the entries on this list, Steven Spielberg's "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," which at one point was being developed by Stanley Kubrick, might strike a nerve harder than other entries on this list when factoring in current events. While James Cameron's Terminator franchise is a nightmarish glimpse at AI, there's something about this futuristic take on "Pinocchio" that feels even more haunting.

Haley Joel Osment's perfectly porcelain-like performance as David, the replacement robot son who gets left behind and goes in search of the Blue Fairy, really is a timeless one. It clicks perfectly in this fantastic world that boasts Kubrick's stunning vision with Spielberg's unmistakable heart beating beneath the shell. Wandering around in this world of neon-lights and cybernetic frights isn't (for the most part) post-apocalyptic but it's still a terrifying one in places.

Just like iconic entries like "Blade Runner" and "Minority Report," "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" shows a dark future that mirrors far too much of our own and might become even more relevant as the years go by. Hey, as long as have comedic robots that sound like Chris Rock and not apes with AKs riding on horseback, we'll take it for now.

While Caesar might have some order in his post-apocalyptic world, the one being torn up by Mad Max (Tom Hardy) is one of outright organized chaos. Swapping dialogue for diesel (aka guzzoline), George Miller's motorized masterpiece doesn't so much as talk you through this hellish terrain but scream at you while firing silver spray paint in your mouth.

While its prequel, "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" might well have teetered off the track regardless of it being equally as epic, "Fury Road" still stands as one of the best post-apocalyptic realms ever put to film and one of the greatest action movies ever made. Charlize Theron steals the show from under Hardy's grumbling, mumbling Road Warrior and keeps her foot on the gas until the credits roll. Should you feel the need to dip out of Caesar's takeover and the harsh elements that he fights for power in, taking a trip on the Fury Road is one incredible alternative. Caesar's legacy might have continued on in a brand new trilogy, but this long anticipated sequel proves that Max, Furiosa and Miller still have some left in the tank to do the same. Witness it.