Mortal Engines
A scarred young avenger and an outcast historian join forces to challenge a colossal mobile city consuming the remnants of civilization.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- frenetic
- visually spectacular
- earnest
- blockbuster night
- science fiction marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually imaginative and energetically staged but burdened by derivative world-building and an overstuffed, confusing story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
London is portrayed as a giant city on wheels that devours smaller settlements and cities.
The film emphasizes mechanical cities, futuristic vehicles, elaborate costumes, and industrial machinery.
Hester is driven by the memory of her mother while confronting London’s predatory system and its powerful leaders.
The plot unfolds in a wasteland where moving cities and surviving communities compete after a civilization-ending catastrophe.
Films like Mortal Engines, and why
Mad Max: Fury Road
shared post-apocalyptic world-building, kinetic vehicle action, revenge themes, and dystopian survival adventure
The City of Lost Children
shared steampunk production design, young protagonists, sprawling fantasy adventure, and maximalist visual spectacle
The Hunger Games
shared young adult science fiction adventure, authoritarian dystopia, rebellion themes, and elaborate speculative settings
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
shared large-scale fantasy questing, ensemble heroism, intricate world-building, and cgi-heavy spectacle
Movie Details
- Director
- Christian Rivers
- Release Date
- 2018-11-27
- Runtime
- 128 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (5348)
Cast
- Hera Hilmar
- Robert Sheehan
- Hugo Weaving
- Jihae
- Ronan Raftery
- Leila George
- Patrick Malahide
- Stephen Lang
- Colin Salmon
- Mark Mitchinson
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Mortal Engines about?
- A scarred young avenger and an outcast historian join forces to challenge a colossal mobile city consuming the remnants of civilization.
- What is Mortal Engines like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mortal Engines as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Mortal Engines violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Mortal Engines as moderate.
- What did critics think of Mortal Engines?
- Critics broadly found the film visually imaginative and energetically staged but burdened by derivative world-building and an overstuffed, confusing story.
- Which films are like Mortal Engines?
- Films with a similar feel include Mad Max: Fury Road, The City of Lost Children, The Hunger Games, and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
- How long is Mortal Engines?
- Mortal Engines runs 128 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mortal Engines?
- In United States, Mortal Engines is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
