Movies like
Loved the vibe? Here are ten films that hit similar notes—with match scores, reasons to watch, and where to stream in the US.
Upgrade (2018) stuck because it commits to its action premise without apologizing—viewers remember set pieces and momentum as much as plot. Leigh Whannell's control of tone keeps the ride coherent. The action and thriller blend is the engine: it lets the film shift registers without feeling like two different movies stitched together.
Runtime 1h 40m · ★ 7.5
Mood
Streaming (US)
Era
Showing 10 of 10 picks
★ 7.7 · Action · Thriller · Science Fiction · 1h 48m
Why you'll love it
Where Upgrade excels in action, The Terminator (1984) doubles down on thriller to comparable effect. The tonal similarities run deep enough that watching both back-to-back feels intentional.
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Philo
Amazon Video(Rent)
★ 6.9 · Action · Thriller · Science Fiction · 1h 58m
Why you'll love it
Looper (2012) is the natural next step after Upgrade: same action DNA, different perspective. The tense streak and thriller elevate it well above a simple genre exercise.
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★ 6.3 · Action · Science Fiction · Thriller · 1h 51m
Why you'll love it
Fans of Upgrade who respond to its action will find Repo Men (2010) immediately familiar. Both films share a thriller sensibility without ever feeling like carbon copies of each other.
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★ 6.3 · Thriller · Action · Science Fiction · 1h 56m
Why you'll love it
There's a reason Upgrade fans keep landing on Outside the Wire (2021) — the action is unmistakably related even when the plots diverge. Both films operate on the same emotional frequency, especially in their third acts.
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Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
★ 7.2 · Action · Science Fiction · Thriller · 2h
Why you'll love it
M3GAN 2.0 draws from the same action well as Upgrade, channeling thriller in ways that feel unmistakably related. The 2025 film makes a natural companion watch — similar in spirit but distinctly its own.
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FlixFling(Rent)
★ 7.9 · Science Fiction · Drama · Thriller · 1h 58m
Why you'll love it
Blade Runner (1982) captures the thriller appeal of Upgrade without simply imitating it. The science-fiction streak running through both films is what puts Blade Runner at the top of any "if you liked…" shortlist.
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★ 6.8 · Crime · Action · Science Fiction · 2h
Why you'll love it
The action appeal of Upgrade — that tense edge, the science-fiction — translates cleanly into Chappie (2015). Different setting, same essential satisfaction.
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★ 7.0 · Science Fiction · Action · Adventure · 2h 14m
Why you'll love it
The filmmakers behind The Creator (2023) clearly understood what makes action work — the same quality that keeps Upgrade rewatchable. Expect the same tense rhythm, executed with a fresh angle.
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★ 6.4 · Horror · Thriller · Science Fiction · 1h 43m
Why you'll love it
Possessor (2020) is the kind of film Upgrade fans discover and immediately send to their group chat. The thriller overlap is real, but it's the dark emotional pull that seals the recommendation.
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★ 6.6 · Science Fiction · Horror · Thriller · 1h 45m
Why you'll love it
Subservience shares Upgrade's gift for thriller — the 2024 film delivers science-fiction without overstaying its welcome. Consider it required viewing once you've finished rewatching your first pick.
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