The Wages of Fear is a high-octane thrill ride of a movie and a remake of one of the most respected thrillers of all time, with some very suspenseful set pieces, and a stunning desert location. The movie is grabbing plenty of watch hours on Netflix, but if you’ve already checked it out and need something similar to keep you entertained, here are some movies like The Wages of Fear you might also like.
Movies Like The Wages of Fear You Should Watch
Sorcerer (1977)
We should start with the 1977 William Friedkin remake of the original movie, released theatrically at the same time as Star Wars, resulting in the film going unnoticed by the public and being sadly relegated to movie limbo. However, those who passed it by would miss out on a real masterpiece, and the film would eventually be re-evaluated, gaining the recognition it deserved. I still would have changed the title, though.
Black Sea (2014)
Ex-heartthrob turned bearded luvvy Jude Law stars in this water-based thriller, which finds a submarine captain reluctantly taking a dodgy job with a suspicious backer and forms a mismatched crew to plumb the depths of the Black Sea looking for a submarine that was rumored to contain a stash of gold. However, the Russian Navy is also on the trail, and the band of gold hunters starts to form their own agendas.
The Grey (2011)
Liam Neeson is thrown into the forefront of a battle for survival when a plane crash leaves six oil workers stuck in a desolate and dangerous environment, trying to make it back alive. However, there is another pack out to stop them, a relentless and vicious group of wolves, looking for supper. Since its disappointing release in theatres, the film eventually found an audience, with many feeling it is more about the existential nature of struggling through life rather than a more literal battle against the odds.
Duel (1971)
Big trucks and a dangerous landscape are enough for us to put this on the list, plus it’s a notable film in many ways that we think you might enjoy. Dennis Weaver is a normal business commuter driving through the desert but finds himself pursued by a relentless and determined driver of a monster truck. The simple premise makes for a suspenseful thrill ride of a movie, written by an unsung writer of horror Richard Matheson, who fans will know I Am Legend, Stir of Echoes, and Kolchak: The Night Stalker among many others, and directed by a very young Steven Spielberg. Originally a TV movie, it was theatrically released in Europe and has since earned a cult following.
Jerry Cotton: The Trap Snaps Shut at Midnight (1966)
When it comes to truckloads of nitroglycerine, there’s one movie that automatically springs to mind, and it’s this one. A huge shipment of the explosive material has gone missing, and there’s enough of the stuff loose to blow New York off the map, leading to secret agent Jerry Cotton tasked with finding the cargo. With New York in the middle of a heat wave, it could combust at any time, and the mob is also on the hunt, making this an explosive and suspense-filled B-grade throw-away gem.
Three Kings (1999)
From movie sludge to A-list entertainment in this darkly comic offering that finds handsome coffee seller George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Ice Cube, in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, looking for some stolen gold from Kuwait but instead finding their talents may be needed elsewhere. The subtext points to an anti-war movie, something probably not made apparent when first released, leading it to be viewed differently by the audience watching it today.
Mad Max (1979)
Included solely for the location work, this post-apocalyptic sci-fi cult classic features plenty of set pieces in the sandy landscape of a nuclear-ravaged Australia. Manic, ranting Hollywood hater Mel Gibson would carve his name into the franchise with this low-budget classic, and the film was a violent and brutal release that made a killing at the box office and remains a favorite for many viewers.
Le salaire de la peur (1953)
This is the original film that started it all. Director Henri Georges Clouzot triumphantly tells the story of four men who are employed to transport the nitro without any safety net. Gut-wrenchingly tense, the audience is on the edge of their seats, knowing that the slightest bump could set the explosives off. Luckily the film was made in 1953, and not today, as they wouldn’t get to the end of our road without hitting at least a dozen potholes.
When originally released in the US, they would cut over twenty minutes of the film as it portrayed American interest in Latin America as crooked. It would later be restored with the missing footage when they realized that we all knew that anyway.
Do you have any more suggestions for movies like The Wages of Fear? Let us know in the comments.
