As a sci-fi fan, it can often feel like you’ve seen it all, and it can be difficult to find something decent to watch after you’ve already made your way through all the classics. While there have been plenty of great underrated sci-fi movies in recent years, such as Under the Skin or Annihilation, even these feel like they are always being recommended by those in the know. However, there are plenty more lesser-known movies that have flown under the radar for sci-fi fans to seek out.
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Some of the best sci-fi movies ever made didn’t reach a large audience and have been festering in obscurity, just waiting to be reappraised. This includes forgotten classics from bygone eras, cyberpunk stories that predated the success of The Matrix, or even box office flops that just didn’t get a fair shake the first time around. With so many different types of sci-fi movies to enjoy, these lesser-known releases deserve more attention from modern audiences.
You are watching: 10 Lesser-Known Sci-Fi Movies For Those Who Feel Like They’ve Seen All The Decent Ones
10
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Directed by Robert Longo
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Johnny Mnemonic
R
Action
Sci-Fi
9/10
Release Date
May 26, 1995
Runtime
96 Minutes
Cast
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Keanu Reeves
-
Dolph Lundgren
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While Keanu Reeves will always be associated with the cyberpunk due to his role as Neo in The Matrix, not everyone will be aware that this was not his first movie in this genre. Four years before the Wachowskis shattered the illusion of reality, Reeves starred in Johnny Mnemonic, a film written by and based on William Gibson’s short story of the same name. Set in a futuristic dystopian society, Reeves played a data courier harboring a brain plant containing highly secret and sought-after information.
As a thrilling exploration of technological anxieties during the 1990s, Johnny Mnemonic may look dated today, but it was still packed with thought-provoking ideas. While Johnny Mnemonic was badly received upon release, it has slowly built up a reputation as a cult classic and was even re-released in 2021 as Johnny Mnemonic: In Black and White, a version that Gibson stated (via Screen Slate) better represented his original vision. As an early glimpse of Reeves’s future status as a major action star, Johnny Mnemonic helped open the doors for The Matrix, Constantine, and John Wick.
9
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
Directed by Nicolas Roeg
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The Man Who Fell to Earth
R
Sci-Fi
Drama
10/10
10/10
Release Date
March 18, 1976
Runtime
139 Minutes
Cast
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David Bowie
-
Rip Torn
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With glam rock icon David Bowie in the starring role as the alien Thomas Jerome Newton, The Man Who Fell to Earth was an extraterrestrial story like no other. Featuring Bowie as a humanoid alien who travelled to Earth seeking water for his doubt-stricken planet, Newton soon found himself falling for the vices of humanity, which eroded and corrupted his existence. As a film produced while Bowie was in the midst of his own crippling cocaine addiction, his gaunt, otherworldly performance was truly mimicked the struggles of his character.
While much of the imagery from The Man Who Fell to Earth has become iconic due to its association with Bowie’s Thin White Duke musical persona, the film itself remains criminally underseen. This is a real shame because Roeg’s movie powerfully addresses themes of environmental and social decay through an effective use of imagery and surrealism. As an experimental triumph that laid the groundwork for later movies, such as Under the Skin, sci-fi fans who haven’t seen it should check out The Man Who Fell to Earth.
8
Silent Running (1972)
Directed by Douglas Trumbull
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Silent Running
G
Adventure
Science Fiction
Release Date
March 9, 1972
Runtime
89 Minutes
Cast
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Bruce Dern
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Cliff Potts
-
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Ron Rifkin
-
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Jesse Vint
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The 1970s were full of great sci-fi movies, including classics like Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and George Miller’s franchise starter Mad Max, yet it also included highly underrated releases like Silent Running. With environmentalist themes, Silent Running was set in a future where flora had gone extinct and saw Bruce Dern portraying an astronaut ordered to destroy the last of Earth’s plant samples that are being kept on a spaceship’s greenhouse.
As a unique sci-fi journey with melancholic undertones, Silent Running tapped into contemporary fears of environmental erosion and the need for conservation, preservation, and protection of natural resources. While the overly political nature of Silent Running may be a prime reason it hasn’t endured in the public consciousness the same way other movies from the same era have, its message around environmental issues has only become more relevant as the years have gone on.
7
Attack the Block (2011)
Directed by Joe Cornish
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Attack the Block
R
Thriller
Adventure
Action
Sci-Fi
Comedy
9/10
7/10
Release Date
May 12, 2011
Runtime
88 minutes
Cast
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John Boyega
-
Jodie Whittaker
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Attack the Block was a massively underrated sci-fi comedy that starred a young John Boyega, years before he achieved worldwide recognition as Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. With a story following a group of teenagers fighting back against aliens attacking their London neighborhood, this extraordinary directorial debut from Joe Cornish was one of the best British sci-fi movies of the 2010s. While Attack the Block received widespread praise from critics, this sadly did not translate into box office success, and the film failed to recoup its $13 million budget (via Box Office Mojo.)
Attack the Block may not have reached a large audience, but its unique sense of humor, impressive visuals, and thoughtful social commentary mean it more than holds up today. With a sense of class consciousness and enjoyable character development, Attack the Block has slowly found a committed audience and is quietly building a cult following. Considering Boyega’s bright future in Star Wars and Jodie Whittaker’s later leading role in Doctor Who, Attack the Block was a true star-making vehicle that failed to gain proper appreciation in its own time.
6
Pandorum (2009)
Directed by Christian Alvart
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Pandorum
pg-13
Sci-Fi
Horror
2/10
8/10
Release Date
September 25, 2009
Runtime
108minutes
Cast
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Dennis Quaid
-
Ben Foster
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As a film that combined the Lovecraftian terror of Event Horizon with the claustrophobic intensity of Alien, it’s a real shame that Pandorum is so often overlooked by sci-fi fans. This dark sci-fi follows two astronauts waking up on an abandoned ship with seemingly no memory of how they got there, only to discover something horrific lurking in the shadows. As a deeply psychological tale of survival in the face of unspeakable terror, while Pandorum wasn’t the most original movie, its paranoid atmosphere and psychological tension made it totally compelling.
Despite the way that Pandorum recalled some of the great space-set sci-fi movies of all time, it flopped at the box office and was criticized by media publications for being overly derivative. Yet, to dismiss this movie entirely would be a mistake, as its themes of isolation, survival, and the dangers of deep-space travel made it one of the most enjoyable monster movies in years.
5
Predestination (2014)
Directed by The Spierig Brothers
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Predestination
R
Thriller
Sci-Fi
9/10
Release Date
January 9, 2015
Runtime
97 minutes
Cast
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Ethan Hawke
the Bartender
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Sarah Snook
The Unmarried Mother
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Predestination was a mind-bending sci-fi release from the Spierig Brothers that made viewers question the very nature of selfhood. As a truly strange time travel saga, Predestination stars Ethan Hawke and future Succession star Sarah Snook in a story with so many twists and turns it’s at times in danger of being overwhelmed by its own narrative. With Hawke as the mysterious Agent Doe, it’s fascinating to watch how the connection between him and Snook’s character slowly reveals itself.
Through complex themes of confused identity, the lines between Hawke and Snook’s characters begin to blur throughout Predestination’s runtime as it builds toward its thrilling twist. With an unexpected reveal that recontextualizes the entire film, Predestination was a clever and ambitious sci-fi movie that played with the form itself. As one of Hawke’s most underrated movies, those who like their sci-fi a little different will certainly enjoy Predestination.
4
Another Earth (2011)
Directed by Mike Cahill
Another Earth
PG-13
Drama
Documentary
Sci-Fi
Release Date
July 22, 2011
Runtime
92 minutes
Director
Mike Cahill
Writers
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling
Cast
-
Brit Marling
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Matthew-Lee Erlbach
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DJ Flava
-
William Mapother
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The simple concept of Another Earth was also deeply thought-provoking as it posed the question of what if another version of our planet appeared in the sky, and if that alternate world contained another version of you. This low-budget indie sci-fi powerfully addresses this question through the story of Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) and the guilt she carries. Reeling from a drunk-driving accident that put a man in a coma and killed his pregnant wife, the news of Earth 2 offers her an opportunity for redemption.
While Another Earth didn’t contain any of the big-budget spectacle of other sci-fi movies, its rich philosophical exploration of trauma, guilt, and regret made it a fascinating character study. With a focus on emotional depth and the internal reaction of a potential identical planet in the sky, Marling delivered a compelling performance that encouraged viewers to reflect on their own lives. With a script co-written by Marling, this actress and writer would later expand on these themes in her Netflix series The OA.
3
Prospect (2018)
Directed by Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell
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Prospect
R
Science Fiction
5/10
Release Date
October 2, 2018
Runtime
98 Minutes
Cast
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Sophie Thatcher
-
Pedro Pascal
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With a fascinating setting, well-developed characters, and an intriguing sci-fi setup, it’s shocking just how much audiences have slept on Prospect. Featuring Pedro Pascal in a starring role, this story of betrayal and survival featured a father (Jay Duplass) and teenage daughter named Cee (Sophie Thatcher) landing on a poisonous forest moon to mine for valuable gems. However, encounters with mercenaries and rival prospectors lead to betrayals, alliances, and conflict.
Prospect featured an impressive amount of world-building and was an exciting debut from writers and directors Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell. While Prospect boasted a talented cast, it was Thatcher as Cee who truly stood out in this story of a teenage girl trying to survive a truly treacherous situation. With breathtaking visuals and a smaller-scale story than the average space-set sci-fi movie, Prospect deserves a far larger audience than it ever reached.
2
Primer (2004)
Directed by Shane Carruth
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Primer
PG-13
Sci-Fi
Release Date
January 16, 2004
Runtime
77 Minutes
Cast
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Shane Carruth
Abe
-
David Sullivan
Aaron
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Casey Gooden
Robert
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The cult sci-fi movie Primer depicted time travel in a way never previously seen and embraced its philosophical complexities and daunting realities from a scientific position. From writer, director, and star Shane Carruth, to describe Primer as merely confusing would do it a disservice, as its experimental style and technical dialogue meant it made for challenging viewing. However, Carruth truly had a singular vision and did not dumb his movie down to appease the average viewer.
Telling the story of four friends fighting over the device they invented, Primer was a smart movie that also included hilarious dialogue like “Are you hungry? I haven’t eaten since later this afternoon.” While repeated viewings may be necessary to fully take in the complexities of Primer, this sci-fi triumph managed to build a cult following despite being made on a shoestring budget of just $7,000.
1
Moon (2009)
Directed by Duncan Jones
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Moon
R
Mystery
Drama
Sci-Fi
8/10
10/10
Release Date
July 10, 2009
Runtime
97 minutes
Cast
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-
Sam Rockwell
-
Kevin Spacey
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Moon was an extraordinary directorial debut from Duncan Jones that explored a man’s personal crisis on a three-year solitary space mission. With an astounding performance from Sam Rockwell, this tour-de-force performance was one of the actor’s most intense and compelling roles to date. As a thoughtful and moving movie, Moon used its sci-fi concept to explore the very nature of self, as isolation, loneliness, and a lack of human connection lead to deep torment within its enclosed spaceship setting.
Classic sci-fi themes of doubling, identity, and the human psyche run through Moon, as it is as much about Sam Bell’s (Rockwell) personal need for connection as his quest for an alternate fuel source on the Moon. Moon was also widely praised by the scientific community for its exceptional presentation of cognitive science and ranked highly in the Cognitive Science Movie Index list of best brain science movies (via Live Science.) While Moon has been rightfully lauded by critics, it deserves far more attention from general viewers.
Sources: Screen Slate, Box Office Mojo, Live Science
Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment