Science fiction, known as “the literature of ideas,” typically centers around fantasy and futuristic concepts such as time travel, advanced technology, and space exploration. Through the years, the science-fiction genre has had a major influence on society as well as filmmakers likeStanley Kubrick,George Lucas,andChristopher Nolan. With iconic classics such asInvasion of the Body Snatchersand2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s easy to see why science fiction continues to be one of the most popular genres today.
Like other film genres, some sci-fi films reign superior compared to others, but titles likeTotal Recall,RobocopandArrivalstarringAmy Adamsare worth seeing at least one run time through. According to the fans onReddit, these are science-fiction movies everyone should see once in their lifetime.
10’Blade Runner' (1982)
Retired police officer, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is forced by his former boss to eliminate four Replicants who escaped from the colonies and returned to Earth. Before he begins his mission, he visits the company where the Replicants are created and when he meets Rachel (Sean Young) who is a Replicant, his job becomes more complex as he starts to fall in love with her.
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Ridley Scott’s dystopian film,Blade Runneris an essential science-fiction movie based onPhilip K. Dick’s 1968 novel,Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?Initially, the movie received mixed reviews from critics and audiences but through the years, it has become an iconic cult classic that ranks high among science-fiction fans.
9’Primer' (2004)
Innovative engineers, Aaron (Shane Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan) create and sell error-detecting technology and when they build what they believe to be a time machine, they put their device to the test. As they obsess over their latest creation and the endless possibilities it could create for them, they begin to see the dark and hefty consequences of their actions.
Reddit userMonsieurRacinesBeastsays the independent movie,Primeris one of the best sci-fi flicks and every movie fan should see especially if they enjoy puzzles. The concept of time travel always has the potential to make things more complicated and when it comes toPrimer, some audiences may have to watch it a few times through to fully understand the plot.
8’Total Recall' (1990)
In 2084, construction worker, Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is bored with his everyday life and dreams about visiting the planet, Mars which has been colonized by humans. Since he’s unable to make the trip, he visits a company that implants false memories into the brain and hopes that he will experience the excitement of actually being on Mars but when something goes wrong during the procedure, Quaid realizes his entire life is made up of false memories.
Total Recallis a signature science-fiction film based on a short story by Phillip K. Dick,We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. Reddit userDemosthenes3thinks, out of all the movies based on Dick’s stories,Total Recallis by far one of the best screen adaptations of the author’s work.
7’A Scanner Darkly' (2006)
Robert Arctor (Keanu Reeves) is a narcotics officer in Orange County, California who, while working undercover, has become addicted to drugs. As he works on winning over a local dealer, Donna (Winona Ryder), and tries to learn the name of her supplier, he’s ordered by his superiors to spy on his roommates who they suspect to be one of Donna’s biggest buyers.
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A Scanner Darklyis a visual and mind-blowing trip of a movie noted for its use of interpolated rotoscope animation and performances by an all-star cast which also includesRobert Downey Jr.andWoody Harrelson. Adapted from Dick’s 1977 novel by the same name,A Scanner Darklystands out from the author’s other novels with a plausible plot that resonates with audiences on a deeper level thanBlade RunnerandTotal Recall.
6’Robocop' (1987)
In a near-apocalyptic Detroit, a corrupt corporation wins a government contract to take over the city’s police department and utilize their latest cyborgs which are designed to replace human officers. The company decides to use the body of a murdered street cop, Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) to try out their untested Robocop prototype, but their plan goes off the rails when Robocop learns of their nefarious intentions and turns on his creators.
Robocopis considered to be one of thebest science-fiction moviesto ever be made as well as one of director,Paul Verhoeven’s cinema masterpieces. According to RedditorNymaz, the film’s parody of the current times and corporate culture built around the framework of Murphy being just a cog in a machine is what makesRobocopsuch a timeless sci-fi film.
5’Coherence' (2013)
On the night of a comet’s passing, a couple, Mike (Nicholas Brendon) and Lee (Lorene Scafaria) have some of their friends over for a dinner party including Em (Emily Foxler) who is struggling to decide to accompany her boyfriend on an extensive business trip. Everyone appears to be enjoying themselves but when there’s a random power outage, Em and her friends must overcome a series of strange occurrences that somehow align with the comet’s passing.
Reddit userBuzzSkywalkersaysJames Ward Byrkit’s directorial debut film,Coherenceis their go-to recommendation because almost no one has ever seen it. Critics praisedCoherencenoting it as a prime example of less is more filmmaking and while it may not have a futurist backdrop or advanced technology, it’s still regarded as a must-see science-fiction flick.
4’Edge of Tomorrow' (2014)
When Earth is attacked by aliens, there are no military units or weaponry that’s strong enough to defeat the intergalactic enemies. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is sent on a suicide mission and when he’s killed in combat, he’s thrown into a time loop that causes him to relive the battle as well as his death over and over again. As Cage’s fighting skills continue to improve each time, he and his comrade, Rita (Emily Blunt) become closer to defeating the aliens.
Reddit userveryloudnoisesagrees that everyone should seeEdge of Tomorrowat least once, but they also think it’s a fairly re-watchable film as well. Themodern sci-fi action filmis directed byDoug Linmanwho is best known forThe Bourne IdentitystarringMatt Damonand was praised as Linman’s best work since the 2002 film commenting on the excellent performances and fresh concept of a time loop.
3’Timecop' (1994)
At a time when humans have perfected time traveling, the government has established the Time Enforcement Commission to stop criminals from altering the timeline. Police officer, Max Walker (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is recruited by the commission and assigned to investigate a prominent Senator but when Walker realizes the government is meddling with the investigation, he must travel across time in order to save the future of the world.
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The action-packed science-fiction film,Timecop, is similar tothe 2012 movie,LooperstarringBruce WillisandJoseph Gordon Levitt, except it’s set on a much larger scale.Timecopinitially earned mixed reviews but despite the critics, the movie grossed over 100 million dollars worldwide making it Van-Damme’s highest-grossing film. Today,Timecophas since earned a cult following and is considered to be one of Van-Damme’s greatest movies.
2’Gattaca' (1997)
Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) dreams of traveling through outer space but his status as an inferior “in-valid” prevents him from pursuing his dream. In an attempt to change his fate, he purchases the genes of a lab-created “valid,” Jerome (Jude Law) and assumes his identity. He joins the Gattaca space program where he meets and falls in love with a woman, Irene (Uma Thurman) but his plan is jeopardized when the program launches an investigation into the death of a Gattaca officer.
Gattacais a thought-provoking sci-fi filmthat explores the potential consequences of reproductive technologies specifically eugenics, which is the belief and practice of improving a human’s genetic makeup. Even thoughGattacawasn’t a major box office success, it did earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction and is credited for creating a dialogue around nature and the ethics of science.
1’Arrival' (2016)
When several large spaceships land in different locations on Earth, linguistics professor, Louise Banks (Amy Adams) leads a team of elite scientists and investigators to try and make contact with the extraterrestrial visitors. As nations toe the line of a possible global war, Banks races to find a way to unravel the mystery, but it involves a risk that could threaten her life as well as the future of the human race.
The science-fiction drama,Arrival, is based on the 1998 short story,Story of Your LifebyTed Chiangand earned eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Even years later, the unsuspecting ending still amazes RedditorWaffleQueen10who describes the movie as simply incredible.
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