10 Best Movies Like Prime Video's Unstoppable

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Unstoppable.

There are several other inspirational and wrestling-focused movies to watch after Amazon Prime Video's Unstoppable. Directed by William Goldenberg in his directorial debut, Unstoppable chronicles the remarkable true story of Anthony Robles, a 2011 NCAA wrestling champion from Arizona State University who was born with one leg. Jharrel Jerome leads the cast of Unstoppable as Anthony Robles, which also includes stellar performances by Jennifer Lopez, Michael Peña. Don Cheadle, and Bobby Cannavale. Unstoppable was released on Prime Video on January 16, 2025 and received a Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 75%.

As depicted in Unstoppable, Anthony Robles was overlooked by elite college wrestling programs such as the University of Iowa before he became a walk-on redshirt freshman at ASU. Robles went an incredible 96-0 during his junior and senior years at Mesa High School in Arizona. Unstoppable shows Robles went on to wrestle at Arizona State University and net another undefeated season during his 2011 championship run in the 125-pound division. Those who watched Unstoppable's ending were likely inspired not only by Robles' incredible determination on the wrestling mat but also by his ability to overcome the abusive and financial hardships that he faced at home alongside his supportive mother, Judy, played by Jennifer Lopez in Unstoppable.

At its core, Unstoppable is a powerful portrait of an unlikely champion whose story is even more inspiring due to his disability and the unfair judgment that came with it. Simply put, Unstoppable is an underdog story with an interesting twist because Robles' track record proves he should not have been considered an underdog in the first place. This key element elevates Unstoppable from being a paint-by-numbers sports biopic and opens up larger discussions outside the arena. Several other films have taken similar approaches to peek into some of the emotional and societal elements that disadvantaged athletes face whose disposition causes an unjust uphill battle.

10 First Match

2018

Highlighted with performances by Colman Domingo, Elvire Emanuelle, and Unstoppable's Jharrel Jerome, First Match is another compelling underdog story about wrestling. After being forced to form a hard shell after years in foster care, Emaneulle's Mo decides to join the local boys' wrestling team to reconnect with her estranged father. The story follows Mo's unlikely rise as a wrestler in Broklyn's Brownsville neighborhood as she puts her eye on the prize of earning a college scholarship.

First Match was written and directed by Olivia Newman of Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) acclaim. The film shares similar themes to Unstoppable even though it is not based on a true story or a real-life wrestling champion. Like Unstoppable,First Match blends familial and financial issues into an inspirational wrestling sports story. The film earned an 85% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 81% audience score. First Match is currently available to stream on Netflix.

9 The Fire Inside

2024

The Fire Inside is another 2024 inspirational sports story worth watching after Unstoppable. The film is based on the true story of Claressa "T-Rex" Shields, a boxer from Flint, Michigan who became the first female athlete in American history to win an Olympic Gold medal in boxing. Ryan Destiny (Star, Grown-ish) stars as Shields alongside Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) and De'Adre Aziza (She's Gotta Have It).

The Fire Inside is directed by Rachel Morrison (Mudbound, Dope) and written by Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, Mufasa: The Lion King). Shields serves as an executive producer on the film, which is praised by critics for its gritty sense of realism combined with a heartwarming narrative. The Fire Inside, which received a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, was released on December 25, 2024, and is currently playing in theaters.

8 Rudy

1993

Rudy is often considered one of the greatest underdog sports movies ever made. Starring Sean Astin of The Lord of the Rings fame, Rudy follows the titular football-loving protagonist who has always been told he's too small to play the game at the college level. This is the exact same premise as Anthony Robles in Unstoppable, who was overlooked because of his so-called physical disadvantages. Both Unstoppable and Rudy carry a similar message about the sheer determination and grit that defines unlikely sports heroes.

Rudy was released in 1993 and has stood the test of time as one of the most beloved and legendary sports movies ever made. Featuring supporting performances from Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, and Lili Taylor,Rudy is the definition of the "defying-all-odds" sports film in the same category as another great sports classic, Miracle (2004). Rudy is not currently available to stream but can be rented on most major digital platforms.

7 Warrior

2011

Several college wrestlers, including some of Anthony Robles' ASU teammates, have gone on to fight professionally in the hard-hitting world of MMA and the UFC. Warrior (2011) is one of the greatest and most realistic films about mixed martial arts fighters both in and out of the octagon. Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton give exceptional performances as two brothers, Tommy and Brendan Conlon, who fight head-to-head for individual championship glory.

Warrior is one of the greatest and most realistic films about mixed martial arts fighters both in and out of the octagon.

Warrior is co-written and directed by Gavin O'Connor (The Way Back, The Accountant, Miracle). Although Warrior is not a true story like Unstoppable is, many consider it to be on the same elite level as other great fighting movies such as The Fighter (2012) and Rocky (1976). Warrior earned an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently streaming on Peacock.

6 The Wrestler

2008

Another wrestling classic is the aptly named 2008 film The Wrestler. Starring Mickey Rourke in an Oscar-nominated performance, The Wrestler follows Rourke's aging professional wrestler protagonist Randy "The Ram" Robinson who faces health problems and other hardships outside the ring. While Robles was a traditional wrestler, not a professional "fake" wrestler as his character described in Unstoppable, The Wrestler cuts just as deep, if not deeper, about life's adversity and hardships.

Even though The Wrestler is not an inspirational story like Unstoppable, it offers an alternative and nearly opposite perspective from Robles, which makes it an interesting companion piece. Robles is a victorious underdog who competes for sport, while Randy is a tragic figure who wrestles for entertainment. The Wrestler was directed by Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream) and earned a near-perfect 99% Rotten Tomatoes score.

5 The Peanut Butter Falcon

2019

The Peanut Butter Falcon is a quirky coming-of-age story written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz. Released in 2019, the film follows Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a man with Down syndrome who runs away from his residential nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a wrestler.

The unique film also stars Dakota Johnson, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal, and Shia LaBeouf. As a lighthearted adventure story, The Peanut Butter Falcon is tonally different from Unstoppable but shares a similar inspirational message. The Peanut Butter Falcon earned a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently available to stream on Netflix.

4 Fighting With My Family

2019

Another celebrated wrestling-themed film from 2019 is Fighting with My Family. Featuring a star-studded cast led by Dwayne Johnson, Lena Headey, Vince Vaughn, and Florence Pugh, Fighting with My Family has The Rock playing an exaggerated version of himself as a former professional WWE wrestler.

While the film is centered around a very different type of wrestling compared to Anthony Robles in Unstoppable, it's based on the true story of female WWE wrestler Saraya-Jade Bevis. Actor and director Stephen Merchant wrote and directed Fighting with My Family, which earned a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score.

3 Stronger

2017

One of the most inspiring true stories ever put to film can be found in the 2017 docudrama Stronger. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Boston Marathon Bombing survivor Jeff Bauman, who became a symbol of hope for the grieving city of Boston, MA in 2013 and beyond. Directed by David Gordon Green (Halloween), Stronger alludes to the catchphrase "Boston Strong," which was popularized after the horrific incident that took place on April 15, 2013.

Stronger alludes to the catchphrase "Boston Strong," which was popularized after the horrific incident that took place on April 15, 2013.

While similar to 2016's Patriots Day, Stronger highlights the heroic recovery process Bauman underwent after losing both legs in the explosion and his significant role in capturing those responsible. Stronger is not a sports movie but it is an incredibly moving true story centered on the power of human resiliency, much like Unstoppable.

2 The Iron Claw

2023

What has been called by some as the greatest wrestling movie ever made, The Iron Claw tells the tragic true story of the Von Erich wrestling family. Zac Efron gives an arguably career-best performance as Kevin Von Erich alongside Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickinson, who play his brothers and wrestling teammates Kerry and David, respectively.

The Iron Claw was written and directed by Sean Durkin (The Nest) and earned an 89% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes paired with a 94% audience score. Similar to The Wrestler, The Iron Claw is another wrestling-themed tragedy about the entertainment style of wrestling. It offers an interesting contrast to the style of wrestling and the inspirational arc in Unstoppable.

1 Rocky

1976

It's impossible not to think of the ultimate boxing movie Rocky when watching Unstoppable, especially considering that Jerome's Robles climbs the Rocky Steps with his crutches twice in the film. The original 1976 Rocky and its many sequels, including the massively successful Creed franchise, are staples of the sports genre in film.

Movies like Unstoppable and several of the aforementioned films inevitably live in Rocky's historic and Oscar-winning shadow. There's a fair chance that many of Unstoppable's viewers have already seen Rocky and may have even watched the entire franchise. Just like Rudy, and now Unstoppable, Rocky is a cut above the rest as an all-time great inspirational sports movie.

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