15 Movies To Watch If You Love 'Silo'

A gripping dose of post-apocalyptic suspense from Apple TV+, Silo has utilized its brilliant cast, breathtaking production value, and its engrossing story of survival and power to deliver one of the best television series of the 2020s thus far. Set amid a ruined and toxic future, the series follows Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) as she uncovers a duplicitous plot at the core of the underground bunker that could shatter the illusion that the survivors live under.

Combining end-of-the-world stakes with a sharp commentary on political power, manipulation, and abuse, Silo has enchanted millions of fans throughout its first two seasons. Ranging from other apocalyptic classics to sci-fi stunners and dystopian dramas, these 10 films are perfect for fans of the Apple TV+ series who want to find new stories that hit hard at similar themes of survival, power, and the fear of the unknown.

15 '10 Cloverfield Lane' (2016)

An impressive expansion on the Cloverfield franchise, 10 Cloverfield Lane trades out the visceral rawness and city-spanning scope of its predecessor in favor of a psychological thriller of sublime concentration and containment. This approach also sees it function a bit like Silo on a drastically smaller scale, with the story following a young woman as she awakens after a car accident in a bunker with two strangers who claim aliens have invaded, and the outside world is uninhabitable.

Taut and tense, 10 Cloverfield Lane excels as a close-confines horror-thriller that ratchets up the intensity as it embraces a harrowing air of mystery as Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) begins to doubt the claims of danger and starts investigating Howard’s (John Goodman) disturbing past life. It culminates in an engrossing story of misinformation and control, a ferociously intelligent chiller about power that shares many similarities to Silo with its thematic focuses, claustrophobic underground setting, and its sharp story being bolstered by exceptional performances.

14 'Brazil' (1985)

Like Silo, Brazil stands as an enrapturing examination of authoritarian control in a dystopian future world, though it does substitute the bleak, grounded rawness of the hit Apple TV+ series for an excessively exuberant story world conjured from the wonderfully bizarre mind of Terry Gilliam. It follows Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce), a ministry clerk who goes against the oppressive system he works for and lives in, when he is tasked with fixing an administrative error and finds the woman of his dreams and, in his efforts to help her, becomes an enemy of the state.

The sci-fi world may look very different from the one presented in Silo, but it is no less compelling, with its eccentric lunacy crafting a richly imaginative setting of retro-futuristic style. This playful environment does nothing to detract from the film’s thematic punch, however, with Brazil offering an enticing tale of control and repressed individuality—and rebellion and the pursuit of freedom—that is sure to resonate with every Silo fan.

13 'Soylent Green' (1973)

A gem of '70s sci-fi, Soylent Green presents a dystopian world where desperation runs rampant, a grim and grueling setting of hunger and greed that uses its narrative to dissect notions of unethical corporate practices and the nature of supply and demand. Charlton Heston stars as Robert Thorn, a NYPD detective tasked with investigating the murder of a powerful board member of the Soylent Corporation, a synthetic food manufacturing company that has just released its latest product, the plankton-based wafer bar, Soylent Green.

As the case takes him through the hierarchy of the company, the film unfolds as an examination of power and influence undercut by the intriguing discussion pondering what lengths are more acceptable when humanity is starving. With this thought-provoking moral ambiguity, as well as its thematic interests and its dystopian sci-fi setting, Soylent Green is a must-watch for all Silo fans who enjoy the series’ innate air of mystery, bleak story world, and its penchant for producing a great and shocking twist.

12 'I Am Mother' (2019)

Distributed on Netflix and standing as one of the streaming platform’s more intriguing original films, I Am Mother excels as an impressive and meaningful sci-fi story defined by its concentrated sense of scale, as well as its gradually-building suspense and its impactful performances. Transpiring in the aftermath of humanity’s extinction, it unfolds as a robotic carer known as Mother (voiced by Rose Byrne) raises a human girl from infancy. The unique though powerful bond between the two is threatened when a stranger enters the facility they share with disturbing news about the outside world.

With its minuscule cast and taut storytelling, I Am Mother conjures a gripping sci-fi thriller of parenthood, A.I., and, most pressingly for Silo fans, the fragile nature of trust and truthfulness when survival is desperate. The small-scale Australian cyberpunk gem never really got the widespread credit it deserves, but it is a hidden treasure stashed away on Netflix that fans of Silo ought to seek out for more contained sci-fi intrigue.

11 'Parasite' (2019)

One of the most intriguing aspects in Silo is the structure of society and the roles different sorts of people play within the overall hierarchy, depending on their status. There have been many stories beyond the science-fiction genre that have also tackled this thematic notion, with none in recent years being better than the instant classic, and Best Picture winner, Parasite. The South Korean black comedy thriller follows members of the impoverished Kim family as they infiltrate the household of the affluent Parks, keeping their family connection hidden as they work servant jobs around the luxurious home.

It is a masterpiece of simmering suspense, a piercing story of class disparity and privilege rife with volatile twists and turns that ponder who the true parasites of society are while reveling in the character-centric drama as notions of jealousy, social inequality, and the crippling pitfalls of destitution boil away. Further bolstered by a litany of exceptional performances and Bong Joon Ho’s typically astute direction, Parasite is a razor-sharp deconstruction of class and power that should appeal to fans of Silo for its thematic pointedness and its narrative creativity.

10 'Life' (2017)

Balancing high-concept sci-fi intrigue with a typically excellent lead performance from Rebecca Ferguson, Life is one of the easiest films to recommend to people who have been entranced by the first two seasons of Silo. It follows a team of astronauts aboard the ISS who discover an alien life form from Mars. Their initial excitement and jubilation concerning their discovery soon turn to a terrifying fight for survival when the inky, gelatinous being becomes hostile and starts to grow at a rapid rate.

While the fact that both star Ferguson is perhaps the most obvious similarity between the two titles, they can also be likened through their aspirations to conjure up suspense in a confined setting. Life is perhaps too derivative of space horrors that have come before it to truly thrive in its own right, but with a litany of solid performances, impressive production design, and a strong appetite for horror thrills, it provides more than enough entertainment for fans of Ferguson and viewers interested in sci-fi.

9 'It Comes At Night' (2017)

One of the most underrated pictures in the recent resurgence of post-apocalyptic thrills, It Comes At Night delivers a meticulously contained yet heart-stopping story of isolation and distrust amid the extinction of humanity. Paul (Joel Edgerton) and his family are hiding out in the woods as a mysterious apocalyptic event ravages mankind. When another family discovers their safe haven, Paul welcomes them in, but a festering paranoia threatens to strain their alliance.

While moviegoers were initially dismissive of it, It Comes At Night has steadily amassed a fan following through its gripping suspense, striking performances, and its considered approach to human conflict. Not at all dissimilar to Silo, it finds much of its thematic gravitas in notions of paranoia and trust, in the tension that bubbles between groups of people who, while amicable, are incapable of completely dropping their guard around each other. Amplifying this focus to the point that the actual apocalypse dissolves to be merely a background setting, It Comes At Night is a brilliant feat of small-scale suspense that is perfect for those who love the intensity and mystery of Silo.

8 'The Hunger Games' Franchise (2012–)

Matching Silo’s appetite for dystopian futures, amoral leaders, and intricate and complex female leads, The Hunger Games as a franchise is an essential watch for all lovers of dark futuristic realities and smart storytelling. Set in a post-societal collapse region known as Panem, where the Capitol rules over twelve districts of vastly different wealth and prominence, it follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she is forced to compete in the annual Hunger Games. When she emerges victorious, she becomes involved with a rebellious movement determined to bring down the Capitol and put an end to the violent event.

The Hunger Games is able to embrace the appeal of young adult fiction while avoiding many of the pitfalls other noteworthy titles in the genre have been hampered by. It is mature, contemplative, and even somewhat confronting and upsetting when it needs to be, resulting in a brilliantly realized story world of high stakes, oppressive government regimes, and revolution. For these reasons, it is a perfect film franchise for those who love Silo.

7 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' (1984)

A bit of an underrated gem based on George Orwell’s esteemed novel of the same name, Nineteen Eighty-Four is nothing short of a masterpiece of dystopian drama that offers rich analysis of totalitarian control and how information can be manipulated. Set in a bleak future where the omniscient Big Brother watches and rules over all, Winston Smith (John Hurt) becomes an enemy of the state and its persecution of individualism when he falls in love with the rebellious Julia (Suzanna Hamilton), who inspires him to contemplate a different world.

While it may be more invested in philosophical ponderings rather than action intensity, Nineteen Eighty-Four should still appeal to fans of Silo for its powerful themes of political control, notions of freedom, and the suppression of any form of rebellion. With direct similarities like Nineteen Eighty-Four’s The Party and Room 101 and Silo’s The Silo and The Cleaners, both stories thrive on the back of their boldness and intelligence in addressing similar focal points of political and societal control.

6 'Pandorum' (2009)

Despite being initially dismissed as a shock horror sci-fi that aims to disgust viewers rather than dissect themes, Pandorum has gradually developed a cult following in the years since its release and is a perfect horror spin on ideas of isolation and trauma for fans of Silo. Set aboard an interstellar ship carrying all that remains of humanity, it follows two passengers who awaken from hypersleep to discover the ship has been overrun by a vicious mob of cannibals. Needing to solve the mystery of what went wrong, the two astronauts battle to overcome their amnesia to find answers while fighting for their lives.

Like in Silo, the characters of Pandorum find themselves experiencing a sense of helpless claustrophobia amid the confines of their vessel, one that is only amplified by the apparent safety of their surroundings melting away as a new threat emerges. Also investing in the psychological aspect of its characters’ struggles, Pandorum touches on many similar elements as Silo, albeit doing so with a certain interest in body horror that does come at the expense of a sharp and decisive thematic journey.