The 5th Wave

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2:25

The 5th Wave

PG-13

2016

1h 52m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

17%

Tomatometer

143 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

The human race stands on the brink of extinction as a series of alien attacks decimate the planet, causing earthquakes, tsunamis and disease. Separated from her family, Ohio teenager Cassie Sullivan (Chloë Grace Moretz) will do whatever it takes to reunite with her brother Sam. Fate leads her to form an alliance with Evan Walker (Alex Roe), a mysterious young man who may be her last hope. Forced to trust each other, Cassie and Evan fight for survival during the fifth assault from the invaders.

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Critics Consensus

With unimpressive effects and plot points seemingly pieced together from previous dystopian YA sci-fi films, The 5th Wave ends up feeling like more of a limp, derivative wriggle.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

With a terrific cast and a director who at least is making an attempt to shake up the literary dystopian status quo, there's really no reason for this one to be as outright terrible as it ultimately proves to be.

Rated: 1.5/4

Aug 16, 2016

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Roxana Hadadi

Chesapeake Family Magazine

The 5th Wave is simultaneously boring and cringingly overwrought, with a bland protagonist, a completely nonsensical story, and another teen love triangle.

Rated: 1.5/5

Aug 2, 2016

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Udita Jhunjhunwala

Scroll.in

The 5th Wave, which has echoes of Divergent and The Hunger Games, both of which have strong female protagonists, is too obviously just the introductory chapter.

Jun 21, 2016

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David Griffiths

Subculture Entertainment

The 5th Wave is a good action sci-fi that has a little more bite than some would predict. Easy-to-warm-to-characters and an interesting storyline means the audience quickly feels part of this new world

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 29, 2024

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

No one is going to take tactical gear-wearing, elementary school-age kids with pretend-intimidating codenames and armed with semi-automatic weapons seriously.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 13, 2024

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast

Despite featuring likeable actors like Grace-Moretz and Robinson, the film adaptation of Rick Yancey's novel has no time for anything. There's a propulsive need to barrel forward, but nothing lands (characters, plot, not even action).

Rated: 2/5

Jun 18, 2024

Full Review

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Chris P

I often disagree with the critics but not in this case. The movie started off pretty good but progressively got worse. Half way through i was wondering why i was continuing to watch. I guess I was hoping it would get better. Good cast but that was about it.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/14/25

Full Review

Mathison K

I always check Tomatoes before watching a movie. Not this time, to my regret. This movie is like a high school drama project. Boils down to a teenage love store. The "plot" made absolutely no sense.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/01/25

Full Review

Eric N.

The initial concept was interesting but the storyline of sleeper agents and alien-possessed military was flat-out boring and predictable.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/31/25

Full Review

Johnny E

I really wanted this to be good. With such a strong cast and respectable direction it was just flat, predictable and hard to get through.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

08/15/25

Full Review

Danny F

Lotta talent screwed there pooch on this one. Absolutely dreadful.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/11/25

Full Review

Robert M

A career killer for actors. It’s so bad it will probably become a cult classic.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/11/25

Full Review

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J Blakeson

Director

Chloë Grace Moretz

Cassie Sullivan

Nick Robinson

Ben Parish

Ron Livingston

Oliver Sullivan

Maggie Siff

Lisa Sullivan

Alex Roe

Evan Walker

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - Shot in the Leg

2:29

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - Afraid You'd Shoot Me

2:25

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - We Are the 5th Wave

2:27

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - The New Guy

2:07

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - The Parasites True Form

2:17

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - I Choose You

2:41

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - Losing Family

2:13

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - Did You Shoot Me?

2:45

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - Hope Makes Us Human

2:26

The 5th Wave: Official Clip - The End of the World

4:10

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The 5th Wave: Trailer 1

2:25

The 5th Wave: International First Look

2:28

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Synopsis

The human race stands on the brink of extinction as a series of alien attacks decimate the planet, causing earthquakes, tsunamis and disease. Separated from her family, Ohio teenager Cassie Sullivan (Chloë Grace Moretz) will do whatever it takes to reunite with her brother Sam. Fate leads her to form an alliance with Evan Walker (Alex Roe), a mysterious young man who may be her last hope. Forced to trust each other, Cassie and Evan fight for survival during the fifth assault from the invaders.

Director: J Blakeson
Producer: Tobey Maguire, Graham King, Matthew Plouffe, Lynn Harris
Screenwriter: Susannah Grant, Akiva Goldsman, Jeff Pinkner
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: GK Films, Material Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Brief Teen Partying|Some Sci-Fi Thematic Elements|Violence and Destruction)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 22, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 16, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.9M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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