“Momentum is a formal choice.”
The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The 5th Wave
Science Fiction · Adventure · Action · 2016
16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that has already decimated the population and knocked mankind back to the Stone Age.
The 5th Wave
“Protect your own.”
Critical arithmetic
The consensus, allegedly.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
IMDb
5.2 / 10
125.8K votes
Rotten Tomatoes
16 %
Tomatometer
Metacritic
33 / 100
Metascore
TMDB
5.9 / 10
Community rating
External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.
16-year-old Cassie Sullivan tries to survive in a world devastated by the waves of an alien invasion that has already decimated the population and knocked mankind back to the Stone Age.
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The 5th Wave?
The Adrenaline Seeker
“If it slows down, you check your phone.”
Read their caseThe Auteur Devotee
“You watch the director, not the movie.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
Watch in your region.
Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.
Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
J Blakeson
Written by
Susannah Grant · Jeff Pinkner · Akiva Goldsman
Put The 5th Wave on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
“Speed as an alibi.”
The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.






