The sci-fi genre is incredibly broad, and because of this, many of its more disgusting entries often find themselves overlooked. Known for their genre-bending nature, these films often overlap into other types of movies, including horror films. This method of creating fear and disgust has created sci-fi films that are so beloved that they do not need remakes.

Films like The Thing and Alien are well-known for their ability to gross out viewers with their longstanding special effects that stand out, even decades later. However, they are not the only films that stand out for their unsettling imagery, creating fear on a whole different level than what is possible in other genres. These sorts of films span timeless sci-fi classics to the modern day, instilling a legacy of terrifying narratives.

10

Under The Skin (2013)

Scarlett Johansson’s Sci-Fi Thriller Is A Haunting Watch

Following a mysterious woman as she lures men to their deaths, Under the Skin takes a unique perspective on analyzing the human condition. Instead of focusing on humanity’s own interpretation of themselves, Under the Skin takes a more alien point of view. This leads to a less personal but potentially even more revealing plot that, while chilling in many of its more gruesome moments, shows more about how people respond to different situations than many similar films.

The imagery in Under the Skin is often disgusting, showing the gory and often otherworldly ways in which the alien protagonist kills her victims. There are plenty of moments in which the viewer truly gets to see what is “under the skin” of several different characters, both figuratively and literally. This film will have viewers’ stomachs churning, not just from the images shown but from the complex plot as well.

9

Pitch Black (2000)

It Is The First In Vin Diesel’s Sci-Fi Trilogy

Telling the harrowing story of a convicted criminal named Richard B. Riddick, Pitch Black begins when the vessel transporting him to prison crash lands on what at first seems to be an empty planet. Beginning as a general survival situation, things quickly begin to spiral once night falls on the planet. Once night falls, a legion of terrifying monsters awaken, crawling out of the planet’s dark corners.

There are several scenes in the movie that are disgusting in their own right. From the designs of the monsters themselves to the deaths of those involved and even the treatment of a young character named Jack, there are several moments in the film meant to unsettle the viewer. Though the film may be more tame compared to today’s standards, it still does the job of grossing out the viewer.

8

The Platform (2019)

This Spanish Sci-Fi Film Is Harrowing From Beginning To End

Filmed in Spanish and released on Netflix, The Platform takes place in a horrifying industrial tower that has been made into a prison. The prison itself stacks inmates on top of one another, and the architecture of the facility itself makes up much of the tension in the film’s plot. This is because the food begins at the top before descending to the bottom, allowing those at the top of the tower to eat their fill and leading those at the bottom to starve.

The Platform does not shy away from depicting the horrors of this prison system in its entirety, showing that those at the bottom will even resort to cannibalism to survive in such harsh conditions. The minimalism of the story and the setting itself only add to this. There is nowhere to escape, not for the characters in the movie and not for the viewers themselves.

7

Slither (2006)

This Comedy Is Funny, But Gross At The Same Time

Written and directed by James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy fame, Slither takes place in a small town in America and details an alien invasion. However, these aliens are not the sort of intelligent lifeforms that so many science fiction movies introduce. Instead, the alien threat in Slither is an alien parasite that can take over any host who is unlucky enough to be infected.

There are several alien invasion stories that do not linger in this feeling of disgust, instead focusing on the fear of annihilation that can come with being overtaken by powers outside of humanity’s control. Slither instead shifts this focus, relying on the inherent gross nature of the slithering parasites to freak out viewers. The imagery is uncomfortable to watch, seeming to take inspiration from leeches to scare and horrify.

6

Crimes Of The Future (2022)

The Film Was Directed By Body Horror Icon David Cronenberg

Starring a cast of incredible actors, including Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart, Crimes of the Future is gruesome from the start, even in its premise. It follows a pair of performance artists named Saul and Caprice who often perform surgery before an audience. They do this together because Saul has a condition that causes him to grow new organs from nothing, allowing him to consistently survive being operated on over and over again.

The surgical imagery itself is haunting to watch on its own, but Crimes of the Future goes a step further with its upsetting implications. Evolution and even intimacy are both discussed in detail, with the advancement of humanity seemingly on the line. This image of the future is a frightening one, and it is certain to leave anyone watching with a pit in their stomach.

5

The Fly (1986)

A Remake Of The 1958 Original

Another film that excels with David Cronenberg’s influence, The Fly is a remake of a film that was originally released in 1958. Beginning with a scientist named Seth Brundle, the story begins with his invention of a machine that allows teleportation between two different points in space. However, when a fly somehow gets into the machine, when Seth turns it on, his body is merged with that of the fly, causing him to quickly begin to change.

Jeff Goldblum’s performance adds fuel to an already horrifying fire, elevating the disgusting nature of special effects and makeup through his incredible performance. In fact, the makeup is so disgusting that the film won an Academy Award for Best Makeup. This science fiction film excels in its depiction of horror, making for an intriguing genre-bending experience.

4

Pandorum (2009)

A Space Thriller Starring Dennis Quaid & Ben Foster

A film steeped deeply in paranoia and psychosis, Pandorum is yet another film that marries science fiction with the horror genre. The movie is set on an interstellar ark, meant to transport humanity to a new, safe home after Earth’s own resources have been used up. The journey itself is anything but safe, with a group of cannibalistic mutants having developed from survivors on the ship.

With a plot that often lingers in the hopelessness of the future, Pandorum has a fair share of moments that are meant to gross out any who watch it. Death and desperation are shown in blatant strokes, as is the cannibalism that these mutants on the ship have indulged in. Despite poor reviews, Pandorum makes an effort both as a horror film and as a science fiction movie.

3

Event Horizon (1997)

Cosmic Horror Meets Body Horror In This Sci-Fi Film

Event Horizon starts with an interesting premise, showing a group of space-faring astronauts as they go on a rescue mission to save those on the ship Event Horizon. Despite their good intentions, when they arrive at the ship they find that everyone who was working there is already ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. What follows is a mind-bending adventure as the rescue team become trapped in their own personal hell aboard the Event Horizon.

With gore and horror similar to that seen in films like Hellraiser, Event Horizon takes the ultimate punishment to the next level. It takes its time to really pull apart its characters, as if looking for their greatest fears and ripping these fears directly out of them. The gore in this film is next level, holding up even decades later.

2

Possessor (2020)

This Disturbing Body Horror Film Was Made By A Different Cronenberg

Following in the footsteps of his father, Branden Cronenberg creates a terrifying world of body horror and idenтιтy in the film Possessor. Following the life of an ᴀssᴀssin named Tasya who literally possesses the bodies of other people to carry out these heinous crimes, the film devolves as she begins to lose who she really is. Her lives as a mother and as an ᴀssᴀssin begin to bleed together, leaving Tasya reeling.

The violence in the film would be disturbing enough on its own, as the ᴀssᴀssinations that occur throughout the plot are truly harrowing to witness. However, the method by which she must come back to her own body is even more horrendous, forcing the people she possesses to die in a variety of horrifying ways. The film does not beat around the bush, showing every moment of violence in brutal fashion.

1

The Substance (2024)

This Modern Horror Film Has Themes That Stay With The Viewer

Following an aging actress named Elisabeth Sparkle, The Substance is a condemnation of Hollywood’s double standards against women. When Elisabeth is fired from her job on an aerobics show, she crashes her car on the way back home. In the hospital, she is offered what is sold to her as a second chance at life, as she will split into a younger version of herself if she takes a mysterious drug.

The split between Elisabeth and her younger alter ego Sue is grotesque to watch, forcing the viewer to see Elisabeth’s back split open. This split is not the only moment of gross horror, as the internal battle between Elisabeth and Sue results in Elisabeth’s body beginning to deteriorate. It is a horrifying look at how poorly women are treated by society, giving a thoughtful reason for this sci-fi body horror.