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Mortal Engines

Mortal Engines

Some scars never heal

2018128 minPG-13Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Director
Christian Rivers
Starring
Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Jihae

Many thousands of years in the future, Earth’s cities roam the globe on huge wheels, devouring each other in a struggle for ever diminishing resources. On one of these massive traction cities, the old London, Tom Natsworthy has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious young woman from the wastelands who will change the course of his life forever.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Mortal Engines?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Mortal Engines to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Mortal Engines?

Mortal Engines earns 7 badges, led by Spectacle and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Mortal Engines worth watching?

Mortal Engines' Midcredits score is the 41st percentile of all films, from 303K ratings across 6 sources. 44% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

41st percentile

Better received than 41% of films

57th percentile among Action41st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)38th
Approval (how many liked it)44th

58 /100

38th percentile of all films

55th percentile among Action40th percentile among 2010s

Critics 44 · Audience 59

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.2 — solid but not unanimous.

44% liked it

44th percentile of all films

58th percentile among Action43rd percentile among 2010s
44% rated it 7–1056% rated it 1–6

Critics 26% · Audience 48%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 2 noms overall

98th percentile

303K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Action98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$100M
Opening weekend$7.6M
Domestic gross$16M
Worldwide gross$85M

Returned 0.8× its budget — 83rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A visually spectacular steampunk fantasy with a thin, derivative story and shallow characters.

Fans praised

  • stunning mobile-city visuals and CGI
  • relentless action and spectacle
  • Shrike's design and tragic arc

Detractors panned

  • predictable, cliché-ridden plot
  • flat, underdeveloped characters with no emotional attachment
  • incoherent world-building and unanswered premise logic

What stands out

Effects and spectacle82

stunning CGI for moving cities, battles, and Shrike; some greenscreen flaws

Cinematography75

sweeping, grand shots of cities and landscapes; occasionally over-CGI'd

Atmosphere72

immersive steampunk-dystopian world, dark and cold tone

Acting58

solid but unremarkable; Weaving and Lang praised, leads often called flat

OriginalityDivisive45

mobile-city concept is fresh, but execution feels like a mash-up of existing films

PacingDivisive35

rushed and overloaded, yet long stretches drag

CharactersDivisive28

two-dimensional, no depth or empathy; Shrike is the sole exception

Plot and storyDivisive25

predictable, rushed, derivative of Star Wars and other franchises

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Mortal Engines like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrillingBittersweet
Heaviest: middle
Register
Epic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Adventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its post-apocalyptic adventure straight with earnest performances, treating its steampunk world and high stakes seriously.
The rideThe film sustains tension through chases and battles, with a thrilling middle act in Airhaven and a bittersweet resolution.
StructureThe plot unfolds in a straightforward beginning-middle-end structure, following the protagonists' journey from chance meeting to climactic raid.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer entertained by its action and spectacle, and hopeful that the protagonists find a new beginning.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows a team formed to stop the tyrant Valentine from using a superweapon, with Hester's personal revenge as a driving motive.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Power · 2% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsPurpose · 9% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how power is seized through force and technology, and the moral drive to resist oppression.
StanceThe film warns against the destructive potential of technology and the dangers of centralized power, embodied by Valentine and MEDUSA.

The world

Far futureUrbanWildernessIn transitScience fiction
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Tom Holkenborg
SettingA post-apocalyptic world of mobile predator cities and static settlements in Europe and Asia.
MusicThe score combines sweeping orchestral themes with electronic elements, emphasizing the epic scale of the mobile cities.

Content guide

Is Mortal Engines okay for kids?

PG-13

Mortal Engines is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of futuristic violence and action” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (55/100), sexual content at minimal (9/100), language at mild (24/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (20/100) and frightening material at moderate (42/100). Overall it is heavier than 30% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 33 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Austria12
  • Belgium14
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • Russia12+
  • SingaporePG
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
  • TaiwanPG-12
  • TH15
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 22% of all filmsHeavier than 30% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 61%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 10%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 11%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 18%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 46%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 61% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Mortal Engines have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Mortal Engines?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Hera Hilmar
as Hester Shaw
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Sheehan
as Tom Natsworthy
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hugo Weaving
as Thaddeus Valentine
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jihae
as Anna Fang
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Ronan Raftery
as Bevis Pod
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Leila George
as Katherine Valentine
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Patrick Malahide
as Magnus Crome
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Stephen Lang
as Shrike
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Colin Salmon
as Chudleigh Pomeroy
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Mark Mitchinson
as Vambrace
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Mortal Engines?

Movies like Mortal Engines include Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Pacific Rim (2013) and Singularity (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, most are dystopian films, and most are films that feel epic.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

5 of these 12 share its world: post-apocalyptic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Mortal Engines?

547 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: post apocalyptic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.