If you’re looking for movies like The Road that provide dark and gritty thrills of a post-apocalyptic world, you’re in the right place!
Directed by John Hillcoat, The Road is a gritty thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world. A father and his young son set out on a risky journey while braving deadly threats including cannibalism. The dark thriller with emotional elements makes up for a fascinating watch.
Below, you will find movies like The Road that depict the struggles of human will while giving a bleak picture of a post-apocalyptic world. So let’s check them out!
10 Post-Apocalyptic Movies Like The Road
1. Stalker (1979)
First on my list is Stalker, which involves a scientist and a writer set out to reach the Room at the centre of the mysterious Zone. Aided by the Stalker, the men come across fascinating experiences as they travel through a barren land.
Directed by the legendary filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, Stalker is a monumental success of the exploration of the human psyche at the backdrop of man’s journey through the wasteland.
If you’re looking for movies like The Road, Stalker should be an obvious watch thanks to the theme of dark human conditions and journeys that are nothing short of extraordinary.
2. 28 Days Later (2002)
Jim wakes up from a coma twenty-eight days after a highly contagious disease has left the world in ruins. As he struggles his way through bloodthirsty zombies, he is befriended by two survivors and all of them get entangled in bigger mysteries.
In 28 Days Later, Danny Boyle’s treatment of the post-apocalyptic world and the thought-provoking use of the ‘rage’ metaphor put the movie into a league of its own.
Just like The Road, 28 Days Later never confines itself to the boundaries of its genre as both the movies discuss the savageness of human minds in a pessimistic world.
3. I Am Legend (2007)
When a virus created to fight cancer goes rogue, it turns into a plague that affects the entire world. Only one person is immune to the disease as he ventures out to put the world back into order by battling an entire population of mutant killers.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, this dystopian thriller is led by a perfect Will Smith who delivers the anguish, the irony, and the suspense at the backdrop of a chilling concept.
I Am Legend is a movie that celebrates the dogged resilience of man when the cards are stacked against him. So if you’re searching for movies like The Road, the raw survival instinct of humans makes I am Legend a must-watch.
4. The Book of Eli (2010)
A resourceful man travels across a dark and desolate America while carrying a secret book that holds the key to survival but as the ruthless villain finds out about the book’s importance, everything goes south.
Directed by the Hughes Brothers and led by Denzel Washington, The Book of Eli focuses on the profound journey of the man trying to reach his maker through the wasteland.
Just like The Road, The Book Of Eli puts the metaphorical journey at the center while the dark setting stands in contrast, making it even more impactful.
5. Children of Men (2006)
Set in 2027 when people have become infertile, the whole world order has collapsed to a barbaric land. One man in a police state tries to escort a pregnant woman to the destination where he faces the ground realities of terror and anarchy.
Directed by Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón, Children of Men is a grounded depiction of a bleak yet entirely possible future that will unsettle you to the core.
Similar to The Road, Children of Men focuses on a journey that changes the lives of these people forever. The characters in both the movies not only go through enlightening arcs, but they are also hardened by the sheer savageness of the external world.
6. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
In a dystopian world that is reduced to savage means of survival, a chaotic population fights for each drop of life. Max, who is on a mission to redeem himself and Furiosa, is determined to reach Valhalla to face a deranged army.
Bolstered by incredible performances from Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, and Nicholas Hoult, this George Miller directorial never shies away from portraying an incredibly bleak and harrowing dystopia in style.
In your search for movies like The Road, you will definitely come across Mad Max: Fury Road and it’s not hard to see why. Both the movies depict post-apocalyptic futures that are horrifying and the savage state of human minds ruling them.
7. Cargo (2017)
In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by zombies, a couple set out to protect their daughter from evil. After getting beaten by an infected person, the father runs against time to find safe hands to take care of his daughter before he gives in to the disease.
Directed by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke, Cargo is an emotionally charged movie made more impactful by an amazing Martin Freeman.
If you’re a fan of The Road, you will be right at home with Cargo. Centering around a father’s journey to keep his child safe at all costs, both of these movies are intimate in their treatment of a father’s love and brutal in their depiction of a post-apocalyptic future.
8. Zombieland (2009)
A socially awkward young Jesse Eisenberg devises a set of rules to survive the zombie apocalypse when he meets colorful companions in his journey and they develop unique connections with each other.
Featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin this Ruben Fleischer zombie horror-comedy is unapologetically funny and gory.
Just like The Road, Zombieland imagines a scary future and puts a journey at the center of all the glooms to develop character arcs.
9. A Boy And His Dog (1975)
A boy and his dog wander along the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world as they communicate telepathically to survive. When a preserved community of survivors lures the boy to the underground, the connection with the dog is severed and the boy learns about the real motive behind it.
Directed by L. Q. Jones, A Boy, and His Dog is a very unique depiction of the carnal needs of humans in a post-apocalyptic world where a nihilistic spirit reigns supreme.
Similar to The Road, A Boy And His Dog explores the true nature of human connections through a journey to the wasteland.
10. A Quiet Place (2018)
In a world ravaged by deadly monsters that can pick up on any kind of sound, a couple tries to protect their children by making their moves silently till they falter inevitably.
Led by Emily Blunt and John Krasinski who also directs the movie, A Quiet Place is a horror movie with a solid script and an amazing concept to boot with.
If you’re looking for movies like The Road, then you have to check out A Quiet Place. Both of these movies shed light on the plights of parents who are trying to protect their kids in a world that makes it nearly impossible.