The sci-fi genre exploded in popularity in the 1990s, but that means that more than a few great films were overlooked and don’t get the attention that they deserve. Unlike previous decades, which also featured a healthy number of science fiction movies, the 1990s were unique because they saw the rise of popular subgenres as well. Instead of straightforward sci-fi, many movies that came out in the ’90s blended ideas together for a unique synthesis not seen in previous years. Horror, comedy, and action were often added to make the sci-fi movies of the ’90s more interesting.

While science fiction was often relegated to B-movie status as far back as the 1950s, the ’90s was when the genre hit the mainstream and produced some of the biggest blockbusters of the decade. Armageddon, Independence Day, and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace are just some examples, and it seems as if science fiction was at the forefront of cinema. This popularization led to a boom in new and interesting sci-fi ideas, but many of those ideas couldn’t compete with bigger movies. As such, plenty of great sci-fi movies from the 1990s are still underappreciated.

10

Freaked (1993)

A Gleefully Zany Mad Scientist Story

Though he’s mostly remembered for appearing in films like Bill and Ted and Lost Boys, Alex Winter also got to try his hand at directing in the 1990s. Utilizing his unique sense of humor and off-the-wall style, Winter (along with co-director Tom Stern) created Freaked, an intentionally gross mad scientist story.

The controversial financial flop has some of the strongest creature effects of the decade, and is one of the best illustrations of the confrontational Gen X style of humor that was popular in the mid-’90s. As a sci-fi movie, it takes the tropes of the mad scientist genre and turns them on their ear, and uses its science as a platform for sidesplitting gross-out humor.

9

Tetsuo II: Body Hammer (1992)

A Gory Science Fiction Sequel About Revenge

A sequel to the 1989 Japanese film Tetsuo: The Iron Man, 1992’s Tetsuo II: Body Hammer continues the ideas of the first film but with a bigger budget and vibrant color cinematography. While the first was a haunting body horror film about desire and alienation in the modern world, the sequel is a twisted tale of revenge.

Like its predecessor, the special effects are top-notch, and the use of color adds to the gruesome body horror nature of Tetsuo II‘s sci-fi premise. It’s also a crucial addition to early cyberpunk cinema, and had a clear influence on movies like The Matrix that would itself influence cinema going into the new millennium.

8

Dollman (1991)

A Tiny Hero That Packs A Major Punch

Dollman blends action with science fiction and horror for an interesting low-budget experience.

While the premise of 1991’s Dollman might be somewhat laughable, the story of a 13-inch-high action hero is surprisingly well-executed on a shoestring budget. One of the early hits for schlock cinema grindhouse, Full Moon Features, Dollman blends action with science fiction and horror for an interesting low-budget experience.

Dollman appeared in the following films:

Putting its money in the right places, Dollman features strong action sequences and builds a fictional universe that feels more fleshed-out than many of its straight-to-video counterparts. Though it is obviously of a lower quality than many Hollywood productions of the time, it’s a brisk sci-fi action flick that is worth watching for some cheap thrills.

7

Strange Days (1995)

A Detective Story About The Dangers Of Virtual Reality

Speculative science fiction in the 1990s was often quite bleak, and Kathryn Bigelow’s Strange Days is no exception. What starts as a fascinating dive into the (then) near future of the year 2000, soon becomes a detective story as the characters are pressed to crack a murder case.

Most of the greatest sci-fi films of the ’90s blended genres, but Strange Days boiled down the best parts of the film noir genre and melded it seamlessly with a pseudo-cyberpunk style. Despite a screenplay by James Cameron, and Bigelow’s deft direction, Strange Days was a notorious flop. However, it’s finally getting some of the recognition it deserves.

6

Brainscan (1994)

A Sci-Fi Horror Film About Video Games

The 1990s struggled to find its horror idenтιтy, and that produced a few weird mashups, like 1994’s Brainscan. Mixing a conventional slasher horror premise with sci-fi fearmongering about the proliferation of gaming and the internet, Brainscan is a time capsule from its era that’s still worth watching in the modern day.

Anchored largely by the performance of T. Ryder Smith as the devilish game mascot, The Trickster, Brainscan draws on earlier techno-horror influences like David Cronenberg’s Videodrome. Though it often fails to be particularly scary, the movie reflects classic fears about the rise of a new technology that many simply didn’t understand at the time.

5

Fire In The Sky (1993)

A True Tale Of UFO Terror

Technically, Fire in the Sky isn’t a science fiction film, since it’s based on the autobiography of Travis Walton, who supposedly lived through the harrowing events described. However, it doesn’t really matter if it’s true or not, since the 1993 film is one of the most effectively chilling alien abduction movies of all time.

While it may move slowly through most of its running time, the film effectively builds tension towards the show-stopping abduction sequences. The sci-fi elements are truly one-of-a-kind, and meld traditional visions of what alien tech looks like with a stomach-churning biological component for added scares.

4

Robot Jox (1990)

An Underrated Mech Sci-Fi Classic

Though Japan has cornered the market for mech sci-fi movies, 1990’s Robot Jox is an underrated addition from the United States. Directed by horror maven Stuart Gordon, the film blends the director’s signature dark humor with legitimately well-made action sequences.

Robot Jox was produced in 1989 but didn’t premiere until 1990.

What’s more, Robot Jox builds a fascinating world that is filled with less-than-subtle political commentary. Unlike other science fiction films of the same subgenre, Gordon’s vision makes room for a richer story that uses the mech sequences as a backdrop for its biting wit. That being said, the mech fight scenes are still very strong, and meld several styles of special and visual effects.

3

The Lawnmower Man (1992)

A Stephen King Adaptation In Name Only

1992’s The Lawnmower Man made so many changes to the original Stephen King story that the King of Horror actually successfully sued the production to have his name removed. Nevertheless, the film is actually a fun piece of speculative science fiction that warns against the encroachment of the digital world.

Pierce Brosnan leads the show as the misguided scientist, and the film was ahead of its time with its use of CGI visuals. Though it’s horribly cheesy by today’s standards, the film still shines because it explores the classic idea of benevolence in science, and how even the best ideas can be perverted.

2

Dark City (1998)

A Techno Thriller With Stunning Visuals

1998’s Dark City was a bit ahead of its time, and it didn’t really get the attention it deserved when it debuted. However, the film is a visual feast that creates a stunning sci-fi backdrop for its compelling story of mystery and intrigue. Perhaps the most noir-tinged sci-fi film of any decade, Dark City lives up to its name.

Though it bombed at the box office, Dark City is an excellent film with a strong mystery and a unique sci-fi setting.

While Blade Runner offers a dour and neon-drenched cityscape, the setting of Dark City is totally devoid of humanity. This gives the characters a strong stage to perform on, and gives the camera department plenty of opportunities for eye-catching sH๏τs. Though it bombed at the box office, Dark City is an excellent film with a strong mystery and a unique sci-fi setting.

1

eXistenZ (1999)

Dismissed As A Matrix Ripoff, But It’s So Much More

David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ had the unfortunate distinction of being released mere weeks after the debut of The Matrix, and it was doomed to fail. Exploring similar ideas as the Wachoski’s cyberpunk blockbuster, eXistenZ adds in Cronenberg’s signature body horror style and is a blend of the synthetic and biological.

Though it has plenty of action, eXistenZ was destined to be an obscure gem because of its gruesome visuals and complex narrative. Where The Matrix was a straightforward action film, Cronenberg’s world feels more naturalistic, and it is a bit narrower in its focus as well. Instead of virtual reality, it’s an exploration of video games, something that was popular in sci-fi in the ’90s, but feels a bit dated today.