Movies like Apocalypse Now (1979)

Name: Apocalypse Now
Released: 1979

10 films to watch after Apocalypse Now, ranked by how well they match its tone — not just its genre.

At the height of the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard is sent on a dangerous mission that, officially, "does not exist, nor will it ever exist." His goal is to locate - and eliminate - a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter Kurtz, who has been leading his personal army on illegal guerrilla missions into enemy territory.

1

Platoon (1986)

Fit 76%

Shares Drama and War with Apocalypse Now.

As a young and naive recruit in Vietnam, Chris Taylor faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.
2

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Fit 76%

Shares Drama and War with Apocalypse Now.

A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.
3

The Killing Fields (1984)

Fit 70%

Shares Drama and War with Apocalypse Now.

New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg is on assignment covering the Cambodian Civil War, with the help of local interpreter Dith Pran and American photojournalist Al Rockoff. When the U.S. Army pulls out amid escalating violence, Schanberg makes exit arrangements for Pran and his family. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story — a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in.
4

Rescue Dawn (2007)

Fit 64%

Shares Drama and War with Apocalypse Now.

A US Fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War.
5

Birdy (1984)

Fit 60%

Shares Drama and War with Apocalypse Now.

Two young men are seriously affected by the Vietnam War. One of them has always been obsessed with birds - but now believes he really is a bird, and has been sent to a mental hospital. Can his friend help him pull through?
6

Heaven & Earth (1993)

Fit 59%

Shares War and Drama with Apocalypse Now.

In a small Vietnamese village torn apart by war, a young woman faces unimaginable horrors before deciding to escape to the city. There, she encounters a compassionate Marine who offers her hope and a chance at a new life, igniting the possibility of a future together.
7

We Were Soldiers (2002)

Fit 58%

Shares War with Apocalypse Now.

The year is 1965 and America is at war with North Vietnam. Commanding the air cavalry is Lt. Col. Hal Moore (Gibson), a born leader committed to his troops. His target: the Ia Drang Valley, called "The Valley of Death." As Moore prepares for one of the most violent battles in U.S. history, he delivers a stirring promise to his soldiers and their families: "I will leave no man behind...dead or alive. We will all come home together."
8

The Passenger (1975)

Fit 45%

Shares Drama with Apocalypse Now.

David Locke is a world-weary American journalist who has been sent to cover a conflict in northern Africa, but he makes little progress with the story. When he discovers the body of a stranger who looks similar to him, Locke assumes the dead man's identity. However, he soon finds out that the man was an arms dealer, leading Locke into dangerous situations. Aided by a beautiful woman, Locke attempts to avoid both the police and criminals out to get him.
9

Go Tell the Spartans (1978)

Fit 44%

Shares War with Apocalypse Now.

A unit of American military advisors in Vietnam prior to the major U.S. involvement finds similarities between their helpless struggle against the Viet Cong and the doomed actions of a French unit at the same site a decade before.
10

Who'll Stop the Rain (1978)

Fit 43%

Shares Drama with Apocalypse Now.

John, a disillusioned Vietnam War journalist, turns to heroin smuggling. He cons Ray, an equally burnt out veteran into delivering the drugs stateside to his wife. Everything soon falls apart and Ray ends up on the run with John's wife trying to evade crooked narcotics agents.