RoboCop, directed by Paul Verhoeven, is a science-fiction thriller set in a dystopian and crime-ridden future in Detroit. In it, a nefarious megacorporation has privatized the police force and turned a murdered cop, Alex Murphy (Peter Weller), into a cyborg officer: the titular RoboCop.

After the film premiered in 1987, it gained critical acclaim, earning a Metascore of 70, and later it also gained awards acclaim, taking home the Academy Award for Special Achievement in Sound Editing and earning two other nominations. On top of that, RoboCop was recognized at the BAFTA Awards with nominations in the Best Special Effects and Best Make Up Artist categories. 

Since its release, RoboCop has spawned a set of sequels (RoboCop 2 and RoboCop 3), a now-canonical 1995 director's cut, and a 2014 reboot. The film also expanded to other forms of media, including a live-action TV show, video games, comic books, and more.

This month, the original RoboCop celebrates its 35th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Metacritic has put together a compilation of similar films. If you're a fan of this wildly violent satire or its sequels, we think you'll enjoy the other movies on this list, all of which have at least one thing in common with RoboCop — whether it's genre, theme, tone, or cast and crew. For example, the list includes a couple more films directed by Verhoeven, a few that share the cyborg theme, and others that take place in a futuristic world.

Here, Metacritic lists 10 movies like RoboCop to add to your viewing list, ranked by Metascore.

The Terminator

Metascore: 84
Best for: Fans of cyborgs who just won't quit
Where to watch:

, , , Google Play, , , Vudu
Runtime: 107 minutes

The 1984 classic, The Terminator, stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cyborg assassin sent back in time to hunt down Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose future son will one day stop an artificially intelligent defense network, Skynet. Sarah, with the help of Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), must stop the Terminator to save herself and the world. Directed by James Cameron, the movie is a science fiction staple that launched the career of Schwarzenegger and has multiple sequels, reboots, and even a TV series. In late 2008, it was added to the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

"From the slam-bang direction to the relentless pace to the not-a-word-wasted dialogue and even the driving synth score, everything else about The Terminator just works." — Tom Huddleston, Time Out London

Blade Runner

Metascore: 84
Best for: Fans of detective novels or sci-fi fantasy flicks
Where to watch:

, Google Play, , , Netflix,
Runtime: 117 minutes

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott, Blade Runner stars Harrison Ford as a former police officer named Rick Deckard who is tasked with locating and killing bioengineered humans (known as replicants) who are on Earth illegally. This neo-noir story envisions a future in which corporations have all the power, and not even Deckard can be sure of his autonomy. This is a visually impressive sci-fi movie that shares several key similarities with RoboCop. In fact, RoboCop screenwriter Edward Neumeier even worked on the set of Blade Runner in the early years of his Hollywood career.

"Blade Runner never feels heavy or pretentious — only more and more engrossing with each viewing." — Rita Kempley, The Washington Post

Sorry to Bother You

Metascore: 80
Best for: Fans of satire and surrealist comedy 
Where to watch:

, Google Play, , iTunes, Netflix, Vudu
Runtime: 111 minutes

Rapper Boots Riley made his audacious directorial and screenwriting debut with Sorry to Bother You, a black comedy set in a fictionalized version of Oakland, Calif. In the film, Cassius "Cash" Green (LaKeith Stanfield) struggles to make ends meet while working as a telemarketer. As Cash gets deeper into a corporation that is not what it seems, he must choose between the monetary benefits of capitalism and his pro-union love interest (Tessa Thompson). Released in 2018, Sorry to Bother You plays with surreal and absurd ideas to offer a satirical critique of modern society.

"Sorry to Bother You's greatest asset is the strength of its conviction, and how far it's willing to go to make sure it stays burned in your brain." — Emily Yoshida, Vulture

Ex Machina

Metascore: 78
Best for: Fans of Black Mirror and unexpected dance numbers
Where to watch:

, , Google Play, iTunes, , Vudu
Runtime: 108 minutes

In Ex Machina, computer programmer Caleb Smith (Domhall Gleeson) wins a competition to spend a week with his company's CEO (Oscar Isaac). Caleb learns he's there for more than a vacation at his CEO's secluded mountaintop estate. Things get complicated as Caleb interacts with one of his boss's AI-enabled female robots and is tasked with testing how humanlike these robots can really be. This 2015 thriller examines the perils of advanced AI with a standout performance from Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, who was nominated for a BAFTA Award and Golden Globe for her performance in the film.

"With a stellar cast and seductive look, Ex Machina is a sleek contraption for capturing our imagination." — Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Metascore: 70
Best for: Fans of Marvel Comics and bromance flicks
Where to watch:

, , Google Play, , Vudu
Runtime: 136 minutes

Like Robocop, Captain America: The Winter Soldier questions the humanity of a character who has been brought back to life without control of his thoughts or actions. Among political intrigue, exciting action set pieces, and an emotional story, Chris Evans' Captain America must get to the head of a giant government conspiracy, all while fighting The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), a surprising ghost from Cap's past. This is the first Marvel film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who would go on to direct Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. 

"A bracing, old-style conspiracy thriller made extra-scary by new technology and the increasingly ugly trade-offs of a post-9/11 world." — David Edelstein, Vulture

Upgrade

Metascore: 67
Best for: Fans of violent revenge thrillers and dark humor
Where to watch:

, , Google Play, , Vudu
Runtime: 100 minutes

2018's Upgrade centers on Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), a man who is left paralyzed after a mugging that results in the death of his wife. In this futuristic world, Grey meets a billionaire who implants him with a chip that gives him back his ability to walk and transforms him into a vengeance machine. Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, this action-packed thriller contains plenty of fight scenes as Grey seeks revenge, calls into question advanced AI technologies, and ponders how much control we should be willing to give up technology.

"This is a film that kicks ass, takes names, and has a healthy skepticism of the future without straying too far away from its B-movie, body horror ambitions." —John Fink, The Film Stage

Total Recall (1990)

Metascore: 57
Best for: Fans of Schwarzenegger and space travel movies
Where to watch:

, Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 113 minutes

Total Recall sees RoboCop director Verhoeven again contemplating what the future might have on hold. In the year 2084, construction worker Douglas Quaid (Schwarzenegger) has his memory implanted with a virtual trip to Mars. Things get messy when Douglas becomes less and less sure of what is reality and what is just in his head, prompting him to grow wary of everyone he knows, including his wife (Sharon Stone), as he goes head to head with a tyrannical regime that controls Mars. Though it received mixed reviews, some audiences enjoyed Verhoeven's creative visual flair, which makes the plot somehow less silly than it should be. In 2012, a new version of the story was adapted for the big screen.

"Entertainingly raw and brutal, full of whiplash pace and juicy exaggeration." — Michael Wilmington, The Los Angeles Times

RoboCop (2014)

Metascore: 52
Best for: Fans of the original RoboCop
Where to watch:

, , Google Play, , Vudu
Runtime: 117 minutes

While the 2014 RoboCop is a remake of the original, it takes enough leaps of its own to make it worth checking out, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights or the wit of the original. With an impressive cast and flashy effects, RoboCop takes a more optimistic view of humanity while offering satire criticizing large corporations and cable news. Joel Kinnaman plays Murphy, who, as in the original, is murdered and then turned into the titular cyborg. RoboCop must weave through OmniCorp while struggling with his humanity in order to save the world. 

"It's as if the comic-book action poetry of the original has been encased in a suit of generic armor." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Starship Troopers

Metascore: 51
Best for: Fans of outer space epics
Where to watch:

, Google Play, HBO Max, , Netflix, Vudu
Runtime: 129 minutes

Based on the 1959 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers sees RoboCop's director and screenwriter team up again to tell the story of soldier Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) as he fights in an interstellar war with an insect species of Arachnids. This somewhat muddled satire of fascism and war mongering offers viewers plenty to think about, as most Verhoeven films do. Although the plot and the message here are not as cohesive as in RoboCop, people who do enjoy Starship Troopers consider it to be wildly watchable and exciting.

"At its best, the film recaptures the kind of taut, visceral thrills offered by James Cameron's Aliens. At its worst, it replicates the feel of a futuristic episode of TV's Beverly Hills 90210." — James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Timecop

Metascore: 48
Best for: Fans of fight scene-filled movies
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 99 minutes

In this 1994 cult classic, time travel is real, and Agent Max Walker (Jean-Claude Van Damme) must prevent those in power from using time travel for corrupt means. Characters here meet their past and future selves and try to avoid being erased from history. While Timecop received a mixed reception from critics, it is Van Damme's highest-grossing film as a lead actor, and a slightly goofy plot aside, it's a fun action romp. If you've never seen a Van Damme kick in action, Timecop is an excellent place to start. 

"As a shoot-'em-up, blast-'em-to-pieces film, it's not half bad. As a futuristic time travel movie, however, it has some very serious problems." — James Berardinelli, ReelViews