There are so many great sci-fi movies released all the time that it’s easy for many of them to fly under the radar. The best sci-fi films in history are some of the most iconic projects ever made, regardless of genre, and have been culturally impactful.
From classics like Star Wars and Blade Runner to modern greatness like Dune and Everything Everywhere All At Once, sci-fi cinema is littered with greatness. However, the best films to find are typically the hidden gems. The ones that are among the best, even if people don’t talk about them as much as they should.
Attack The Block (2011)
These days, people know John Boyega for his starring role in the biggest sci-fi film franchise of all time as Finn in Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy. A few years before making his debut there, he starred in what might go down as his best sci-fi movie ever.
That was Attack the Block, a British indie film about a group of teenage gang members who have to fight off an alien invasion. The movie does a lot with its small budget, managing to make sure the aliens had a look that they could pull off. The filmmakers also don’t show too much of them, which is a positive.
Due to its small budget and lack of a worldwide release, Attack the Block is a little-known sci-fi movie but those who have seen it give it high praise. The film holds a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and acts as an early look at future stars in Boyega and Jodie Whittaker.
Underwater (2020)
Released just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theaters for several months, Underwater is a forgotten gem from that time period. Given a January release date (normally a month devoted to films that get forgotten to time) didn’t help but Underwater is actually really good.
The movie tells the story of a group of workers at a drilling facility placed at the bottom of the ocean. While there, an earthquake rocks the facility and unknown hostile creatures attack. This is a sci-fi flick that leans into the horror genre.
Kristen Stewart leads a sneaky good cast that includes Jessica Henwick, Vincent Cᴀssel, and Mamoudou Athie. While reviews for Underwater weren’t sparkling, audiences liked it more than critics and it has some good monster movie aspects.
What Happened To Monday? (2017)
The talented Noomi Rapace remains one of the most underrated actors in movies. She was incredible as Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish adaptations of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Her Netflix original film, What Happened to Monday? features one of her best performances.
Actually, the film features several strong Noomi Rapace performances as she portrays septuplets, each with their own distinct personality traits and looks. Rapace carries this movie with her acting skills and is captivating to watch as she embodies each character.
What Happened to Monday? is set in a world where families are limited to one child, with each septuplet secretly playing one person to the public, and the story picks up when one of the sisters goes missing. That sets up action-packed scenes where her siblings go out looking for her.
Time Lapse (2014)
One prominent trope of sci-fi movies involves time travel. It’s a subject covered in the most expensive sci-fi blockbusters and in some of the smallest-budget projects in the genre, which is where Time Lapse fits in.
This indie sci-fi thriller features The Flash star Danielle Panabaker and tells a simple, yet very effective story. It centers on three friends who find a camera that takes pH๏τos 24 hours into the future. The more they learn about these pH๏τos, the more dangerous things become.
The high concept of Time Lapse is perfect because it fits the small budget and it’s one of the highest-praised aspects of the film. The actors also earned some nominations for their performances at several film festivals. There’s an unsettling nature to this hidden gem.
Ron’s Gone Wrong (2021)
So many movies were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and saw their box office suffer because of it. That could be a reason why Ron’s Gone Wrong is such a little-known film despite coming from 20th Century Studios and receiving strong critical acclaim.
Ron’s Gone Wrong focuses on a socially awkward kid named Barney who receives a defective robot named Ron and forms a friendship with him. It’s a tried and true story that we’ve seen so many times but it’s common because it works.
The relationship between Ron and Barney is heartfelt and is another case of found friendship being a driving source of emotional impact in a film. Although Ron’s Gone Wrong flopped at the box office, it performed better when it was released to Disney+, yet it still deserves more attention and appreciation.
The Creator (2023)
Not enough people seem to know his name, but Gareth Edwards is one of the most impressive filmmakers in the sci-fi genre working today. He broke out with the indie film Monsters before directing blockbusters like Godzilla, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Jurᴀssic World: Rebirth.
However, in between those last two projects, Edwards co-wrote and directed The Creator, an impressive sci-fi tale set in 2070 during a war between humans and artificial intelligence. The story follows Joshua, an ex-special forces agent hired to kill the architect of an advanced AI.
While the film may have missed the mark at the box office, it received solid reviews and ended up nominated for two Oscars, including one for Best Visual Effects. John David Washington also gives a strong lead performance and the supporting cast is impressive.
Sunshine (2007)
It’s shocking that more people don’t know about or talk about Sunshine, given the immense talent involved. For starters, the film was directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the duo behind the 28 Days Later franchise.
Sunshine came out after that series started and takes place in 2057, as a group of astronauts go on a dangerous mission to reignite the dying sun. The premise on its own is good and the filmmakers are great but it’s the cast that really makes this a special film.
The cast of Sunshine includes Chris Evans, Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michelle Yeoh, Benedict Wong, and several others who have gone on to become bigger stars in the time since. Sunshine also has an unexpected ending that leaves people thinking after the credits roll.
Predator: Killer Of Killers (2025)
The Predator franchise has seen its ups and downs over the years. The original is a classic of the genre, and 2010’s Predators is underrated, but the other films, including the crossovers with Alien were largely disappointing. In 2022, Prey changed the franchise’s course by delivering a phenomenal prequel.
While Prey was incredibly well-received, it’s actually this under the radar sequel, also from director Dan Trachtenberg, that is the best in the series according to Rotten Tomatoes. Predator: Killer of Killers may have been overlooked because it’s an animated film.
Of course, animation just means there really aren’t limits to what the film can do. Due to that format, Predator: Killer of Killers spans several centuries and locations as three different warriors battle the тιтular alien before coming together for a huge fight scene in the end. It’s masterfully done and expands the franchise even further.
Super 8 (2011)
J.J. Abrams is most known for creating memorable TV shows like Alias and Lost before moving on to direct new installments in the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises. That said, his greatest project might be Super 8, a spiritual successor to another of his hits, Cloverfield.
While the films don’t actually connect, they have similarities in the monster movie aspect. Super 8 is set in 1979 Ohio, and centers on a group of kids who discover something dangerous when they see a train derailment while filming a homemade movie.
Super 8 was well-received upon release but it has only been viewed in a more positive light as time goes on. The setting, the visuals of the monster, the love letter to filmmaking, and especially the cast (including Elle Fanning’s breakout performance) are all highlights.
The Vast Of Night (2019)
Sometimes the best setups for sci-fi movies is to keep things relatively simple, despite focusing on bigger picture concepts. It worked in the aforementioned Time Lapse and Attack the Block, while The Vast of Night does an incredible job, again on a small budget.
The Vast of Night takes place in New Mexico during the 1950s and follows a switchboard operator and a radio DJ who uncover an unknown radio frequency that they learn is extraterrestrial in its origin. As they go to learn the truth, their small town is rocked.
The work done on The Vast of Night is impressive, especially one tracking sH๏τ that covers nearly the entire town and is the kind of filmmaking that takes your breath away. The film holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is one of the best movies ever released on Prime Video.
