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Tom’s Guide

Technology

Rory Mellon

I track the Prime Video top 10 every day — here’s the 3 movies to watch right now (and 1 to skip)

Prime Video Nathan Drake Arnold Schwarzenegger Cynthia Erivo Ferdinand Magellan Mark Wahlberg Noa Owen Teague Tom Holland

Mark Wahlberg stars as Victor “Sully” Sullivan and Tom Holland is Nathan Drake — both seen staring out of a helicopter —in Columbia Pictures' UNCHARTED.

The Prime Video top 10 is a great starting point when you’re looking for something new to watch on the Amazon-owned streaming service. It gives you a snapshot view of the flicks currently being watched (and hopefully enjoyed) by millions of fellow subscribers.

However, just because a movie manages to claim a spot in the Prime Video top 10 doesn’t guarantee its quality. As somebody who tracks the Prime Video charts every single day, I’ve seen plenty of subpar movies score a spot on the list. So, to save you the pain of wasting your precious movie-watching time on a dud, I’m picking out the current gems down below.

I’ve also identified the one movie that I really believe you should skip at all costs in the current Prime Video top 10 (apologies in advance to Arnold Schwarzenegger). So, let’s dive in. Here's the current best and worst of the Prime Video top 10 movies (as of Wednesday, August 13).

Best movies in the Prime Video top 10

'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' (2024)

The latest chapter in the “Planet of the Apes” series leaps ahead into the far future following the prequel trilogy and sees Earth now fully inhabited by intelligent primates. The last remaining humans are scattered to the wind, and the battle for the planet has been lost. But that doesn’t mean this sci-fi action movie lacks humanity or heart, quite the opposite. It’s a surprisingly human tale that follows a young ape named Noa on a journey of redemption and a quest to find a new home.

Pitched as the start of a new trilogy, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” sees Noa (Owen Teague) set out on a dangerous mission to rescue what remains of his tribe after they are taken prisoner by a vicious chimpanzee known as Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). Along the way, he also befriends a young human girl (Freya Allan), who is looking for the key to humanity's survival. This blockbuster boasts eye-popping effects and a thoughtful story.

Stream "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" on Prime Video now

‘Uncharted’ (2022)

It certainly speaks to the suspect quality of the current Prime Video top 10 as a whole that I’m including “Uncharted” in my trio of recommendations. To be up front, I have a lot of problems with this action-adventure flick. As a huge fan of the Uncharted video games, it’s a poor adaptation of the series, with some disastrous casting decisions (Mark Wahlberg as Victor Sullivan is borderline insulting), but viewers not so precious about the source material and just seeking a global trotting romp in the vein of Indiana Jones may enjoy this one.

Tom Holland plays Nathan Drake, a young treasure hunter, recruited by Victor “Sully” Sullivan to find the lost fortune of Ferdinand Magellan, a 15th-century explorer. Drake is also motivated by a desire to find out what happened to his missing brother Sam (Rudy Pankow). Along the way, Drake and Sully must square off against Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), a ruthless rival treasure hunter who is obsessed with finding Magellan’s treasure as he believes it’s his birthright.

Watch "Uncharted" on Prime Video now

‘Wicked’ (2024)

“Wicked” is easily my most rewatched movie of 2024, because the musical extravaganza is such a joy from start to finish. And the grand finale with Cynthia Erivo belting out “Defying Gravity” gives me chills every single time. Considering how long a “Wicked” movie was in development, it’s pretty shocking that the final result is so remarkable. Perhaps that’s down to the note-perfect casting with Erivo playing Elphaba and Ariana Grande playing Glinda.

With “Wicked: For Good,” which will adapt the second half of the enduringly popular Broadway musical, flying into theaters this November, now is a great time to watch “Wicked,” or, like me, rewatch it for the dozenth time. If you’re totally out of the loop on this one, “Wicked” is a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” which tells the previously untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West, and her friendship with Glinda the Good at Shiz University.

Watch "Wicked" on Prime Video now

Worst movie in the Prime Video top 10

'Sabotage' (2014)

Arnold Schwarzenegger headlining an action-thriller should always be a recipe for entertainment, but sadly, this David Ayer-directed movie completely forgets to have fun with its larger-than-life star. Favoring grit over all, “Sabotage” is horribly po-faced, and while some viewers will enjoy the level of violence, it’s the lack of fun-factor that sinks this one for me. It’s a shame as there’s even a pretty strong cast around Arnie, including Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard and Joe Manganiello.

“Sabotage” sees Schwarzengger play the leader of an elite DEA task force. His squad completes a raid on a safe house operated by one of the world’s most dangerous drug cartels, and they opt to steal $10 million to keep for themselves. It seems like the perfect crime, but there’s a turncoat in their midst as the members involved in the theft start being killed one by one. Conceptually, it’s a neat idea, but the final result is very skippable.

Watch "Sabotage" on Prime Video now (if you must)