Though the sci-fi genre has delivered some of the most popular movies of all time, there are only a handful that can be considered perfect movies from beginning to end. The best sci-fi movies explore the endless possibilities of the genre, with some exploring the latest leaps forward on Earth and others reaching out into the cosmos on an intergalactic adventure. They can also tackle big sci-fi ideas, like time travel, dystopian futures, and artificial intelligence.
Of course, with such big ideas, the results are not always flawless, as some sci-fi movies have wasted great ideas through poor execution. In other cases, some sci-fi movies are too complicated with their ideas, and you need to watch them twice just to understand what is happening. However, there are those sci-fi movies that are perfect every step of the way, delivering an interesting idea with entertainment and thrills to back it up.
10
Road Warrior (1981)
Directed By George Miller
Among dystopian sci-fi movies, the Mad Max franchise stands out as a top-tier example. It is a rare movie in which every installment is worthwhile, and while fans will argue over the best, it is impressive how well Road Warrior holds up decades after its release. It is also the movie that really established the world-building of this franchise following a smaller-scale first movie.
Mel Gibson’s Max Rockatansky is the perfect reluctant hero for this new world
Seeing the different communities that form in the lawless wasteland that Earth has been reduced to is a thrill, with little exposition needed to bring the audience into his world. Mel Gibson’s Max Rockatansky is the perfect reluctant hero for this new world, and George Miller delivers on some wild action sequences that still blow fans away after all these years. Mad Max: Fury Road is certainly a thrill-ride from beginning to end, but Road Warrior achieved the same thing decades earlier.
9
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
Directed By Michel Gondry
Some of the best sci-fi movies use the big ideas of the genre to deal with themes that we can all relate to on a human level. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is filled with mind-bending sci-fi concepts, but it is also a movie about a break-up and the devastation of losing a true love. Jim Carrey stars as a man who undergoes a mysterious procedure to wipe his ex-girlfriend from his memory.
The premise allows the audience to take a trippy journey through someone else’s memory as key moments, both happy and sad, are being wiped away. The visuals from director Michel Gondry infuse the movie with that dream-like quality, while the more that is revealed about this process, the more thought-provoking it becomes. However, it ultimately builds to a complex and fascinating question of love and the pain that comes with it.
8
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Directed By Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg is a director of incredible versatility, but there is no denying that his venture into the sci-fi realm is always reason enough to be excited. While he has specifically dealt with aliens several times, including his upcoming unтιтled movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is often regarded as the best of them all and a masterpiece of all-ages entertainment. The movie follows the charming and magical story of a young boy who finds a lonely alien in his backyard and forms a bond with the creature.
The movie is looked back on as a nostalgic masterpiece, but it also holds up perfectly when rewatched. Spielberg excels at balancing the various tones of the movie, never allowing things to get dull. There are laughs, heartbreak, thrills, and some of the most iconic movie moments in history.
7
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Directed By James Cameron
James Cameron’s The Terminator is a hugely entertaining low-budget action thriller that launched a mᴀssive sci-fi franchise. However, he outdid himself with Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which is not only a perfect sci-fi movie but also one of the best sequels ever made. Part of that comes down to the boldness of Cameron taking Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ruthless villain from the first movie and reimagining him as a heroic protector.
Terminator 2 is also a thrilling action movie on top of all the cool sci-fi ideas, delivering a scale and level of thrills that the Terminator franchise has never been able to match.
Cameron continues to play around with his brilliant concepts of time travel while also pushing the boundaries of visual effects in creating his vision of the future. The liquid metal of the T-1000 is particularly cool. Terminator 2 is also a thrilling action movie on top of all the cool sci-fi ideas, delivering a scale and level of thrills that the Terminator franchise has never been able to match.
6
The Matrix (1999)
Directed By Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski
The Matrix is one of the most ground-breaking sci-fi movies of all time and a defining movie of 1999. Keanu Reeves stars in the story as Neo, a computer hacker who is contacted by a mysterious figure known as Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who reveals to him that the world he lives in is not reality. From there, Neo and the audience venture down the rabbit hole with the story growing more thrilling around every story corner.
The concept of the Matrix and the fight to free humanity from the prison they are unknowingly trapped in is a brilliant jumping-off point for the movie, but The Matrix works just as well as a sci-fi action movie, delivering shootouts and fight scenes that use innovative filmmaking techniques to defy the laws of reality. Despite the fact that these moments have been copied and spoofed endlessly, it is a surprise how much The Matrix‘s action scenes and special effects hold up today.
5
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Directed By Irvin Kershner
When it comes to sci-fi franchises, it is impossible not to talk about Star Wars. While there are many people who would claim that the entire original Star Wars trilogy is the perfect sci-fi story from beginning to end, The Empire Strikes Back stands out as the truly flawless entry in the saga. The continuing adventures of Luke, Han, and Leia bring a darker edge and more emotional beats that elevate the story behind an entertaining space opera.
While the Darth Vader reveal is obviously a game-changing moment in Star Wars and remains one of the most iconic movie twists of all time, the entire movie is filled with brilliant sci-fi ideas. Luke’s whole time spent with Yoda is entertaining, profound, and builds the mythology of this universe. Meanwhile, Han’s fate made it clear that there were real stakes to this story.
4
Alien (1979)
Directed By Ridley Scott
When it comes to sci-fi horror movies, Alien stands at the top of the subgenre. The Alien franchise contains some great movies, including James Cameron once again taking some bold sequel swings with Aliens. However, the first movie set the tone for the creepy and atmospheric franchise while also introducing one of the greatest movie monsters of all time to the world.
Even the quieter beginning of the movie puts the audience on the edge of their seats as director Ridley Scott perfectly creates a forboding sense of doom before the danger even reveals itself.
The creature design of the xenomorph is a nightmarish creation, while the various stages of its evolution help to build the dread throughout the movie. Even the quieter beginning of the movie puts the audience on the edge of their seats as director Ridley Scott perfectly creates a forboding sense of doom before the danger even reveals itself. When it does, the horror will have you gripped right to the closing credits.
3
Jurᴀssic Park (1993)
Directed By Steven Spielberg
Once again, Steven Spielberg made movie magic in the sci-fi genre, this time convincing the world that dinosaurs once again ruled the Earth. The concept presented in Michael Crichton’s novel of dinosaurs being brought into modern times and a theme park attraction feels like it is an inevitable winner. However, Spielberg brings that special touch to the movie that makes it so much more and into something that no other filmmaker could achieve.
As with many sci-fi ideas, the science at work in Jurᴀssic Park is dubious at best, but is presented in a clear enough way that the audience can fully accept it in order to enjoy the popcorn entertainment. Of course, the animatronics work in creating these dinosaurs deserves special recognition, while the CGI has stood up shockingly well. However, one of the things that no other Jurᴀssic Park movie has been able to recreate is that initial sense of wonder.
2
Back To The Future (1985)
Directed By Robert Zemeckis
There have been countless time travel movies made before and many made after, but Back to the Future remains the best time travel movie of all time. While that would be impressive enough, it also happens to be a hilarious movie and a fun adventure that uses the rules of time travel to create a perfect popcorn movie. Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown are wonderful characters to go on this journey with and a beloved cinematic duo.
Back to the Future gets moving with its entertaining pace and never lets up. It is one funny, clever, and exciting set up after another as the time travel story picks up pace and the pieces start to fall into place. While it launched a pretty perfect trilogy, there is a reason why Back to the Future will likely never be remade, as there is simply no improving on perfection.
1
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Directed By Stanley Kubrick
Perhaps the definitive sci-fi movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey, is also regarded as one of the most influential movies of all time. It is an engrossing experience from the first iconic sH๏τ to the final iconic sH๏τ, with a rich, profound, and complex journey in the middle that fans have been poring over and theorizing about for decades. However, despite the fact that there is some mystery to it, that doesn’t take away from how captivating 2001: A Space Odyssey is.
The audience gets sucked into this vast and fascinating experience, as if they are simply being guided through a reality rather than watching a story unfold. The movie’s ground-breaking depictions of space travel and artificial intelligence were so authentic that they can be watched decades later and still feel relevant, which is not something many sci-fi movies can say. It is one of those movies everyone should see at least once, but it leaves an impression that will have you going back again.
