Top 20 Most Underrated Science Fiction Movies of All Time

The movie that started a franchise, “Pitch Black” is widely remembered for introducing the world to the beloved antihero Riddick. But in the process, many people seem to forget that the movie itself is actually quite good. Of course, Riddick is an intense character with complex motivations, and watching him scheme and interact with the crew of the Hunter-Gratzner[a] is always captivating. Watching the movie today, you can really see why he was the breakout star. The movie also has a fun premise with the night aliens, and cinematographer David Eggby shoots the heck out of it, with a desaturated color palette, dynamic camera angles, and a brilliant use of shadows.

This movie belongs to creative partners Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. They both directed, edited, and starred in the film, while Benson wrote the screenplay and Moorhead provided the cinematography. It’s amazing what just two guys managed to accomplish, and on a shoestring budget at that. “The Endless” explores concepts of existential horror and uses some low-budget ingenuity to make its world feel expansive and ominous. It is also incredibly effective at building a sense of unease through its atmosphere, with slow-burn pacing, fun production design, and a delightfully eerie tone that blends David Lynch with H.P. Lovecraft. Fans of those two owe it to themselves to check it out.

Do you like “The Matrix?” Well then you’ll probably love “Dark City.” It shares many similarities with the Wachowskis[b]’ masterpiece, like profound philosophical themes about the nature of identity, memory, and reality. These themes are woven seamlessly into the captivating narrative, which sees amnesiac John Murdoch being suspected of murder. But the real star of the show is the movie’s atmosphere. The production design expertly employs retrofuturism, mixing elements of sci-fi with 1940s film noir, with stark lighting, deep shadows, and high-contrast cinematography. Meanwhile, the distorted architecture and exaggerated perspectives evoke the classic German Expressionist films of the 1920s. Both elements combine to create a very surreal tone that sticks in the mind and never leaves.

This movie sort of came and went in the fall of 2019, grossing $135 million and earning one Oscar nomination. For our money, it deserves much more respect. “Ad Astra” is a film that explores deeply human themes through the lens of space exploration, like emotional isolation, the endless search for purpose, and the undying bond between father and son. Luckily, you’re treated to some breathtaking visuals while you ponder these difficult questions. The cinematography from Hoyte van Hoytema is out-of-this-world good, and the minimalist production design provides an authenticity to the story and settings. Plus, you know, Brad Pitt. You can’t go wrong.

Much has been written about this movie’s use of rotoscoping, which we understand can be divisive and likely led to the movie’s underperformance. It’s distinctly unique, and it gives the film a highly stylized, almost hallucinatory aesthetic. But even if you don’t like the visuals, you should stay for the story. It’s a faithful adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel, preserving its unique, drug-induced narrative structure and bizarre dialogue. It also tackles heavy philosophical themes that are prevalent in dystopian fiction, like the loss of identity in the midst of governmental overreach. And with a story about mass surveillance and a drug epidemic, it seems grossly ahead of its time.

David Cronenberg is the master of the body horror genre, and he carried his grotesque work into the 2020s with “Crimes of the Future.” This was Cronenberg’s first movie in eight years and his first horror film in 23, and what a comeback it was. “Crimes of the Future” explores a world where humans have evolved to develop new organs and mutations, turning surgery into performance art. As you can imagine, the disgusting body horror is at an all-time high. The movie also comes equipped with a stunning atmosphere and some thought-provoking themes centered around evolution and our often troubling relationship with technology. Oh how we missed you, Cronenberg.

If you like more pulpy science fiction, then you need to check out a little movie from 1985 called “Enemy Mine.” It’s about a man and an alien overcoming their differences and working together to survive on a volcanic planet, and considering this was released in ‘85, the Cold War parallels are obvious. Not only does the story make for great pulpy entertainment, but the production design is immaculate. The filmmakers created a believable alien world using practical sets, matte paintings, and miniatures, and the intricate makeup work on the reptilian Dracs is easily one of the film’s highlights. But despite the movie’s many strengths, it grossed only $12 million on a $29 million budget and was quickly forgotten.

This is one of those movies in which the professional critics and general audiences vehemently disagree. “The Thirteenth Floor” did not receive good reviews, with many critics calling out its bad script and messy storytelling. But the film also has a ton of strong qualities that have made it a cult favorite among sci-fi enthusiasts. Like another prominent movie released in 1999, the film uses a virtual world to delve into deep philosophical questions about reality, consciousness, and the nature of existence. The cast also delivers solid performances, it has a unique aesthetic with a noir-inspired atmosphere, and for its time, the visual effects were quite impressive. Don’t write this one off.

This sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s classic “2001: A Space Odyssey” is likewise based on Arthur C. Clarke’s writing, but doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves. We know that sequels are often terrible, but this is definitely an exception to the rule. American and Russian astronauts head to Jupiter, trying to understand what happened to the first ship that attempted the mission and what went wrong with sentient computer HAL. Not only is the film well-acted, action-packed and beautifully filmed, but it tackles a lot of mysteries that the original left conspicuously unanswered.

This micro-budgeted movie is a complicated film that puts a lot of faith in its audience’s intelligence. The premise is simple enough—two guys build a time machine and try to use it to make money—but it becomes very complex in the telling. “Primer” delves deeply into all the classic time travel issues, like what happens if you change something in the past or if you run into yourself in another time. Like we said, the movie – written by a former engineer – doesn’t dumb things down, and while it’s a complex watch, it’s worth it. If we could travel to the future, we would certainly find that “Primer” goes down in history as a classic.

It may be an animated film, but it certainly wasn’t made for kids! “Heavy Metal” features several different storylines all set in different times and places, linked only by the ever-present Loc-Nar, a physical manifestation of evil. They’re also linked by their use of—you guessed it—heavy metal music by some of the biggest acts of the time, including Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult and Sammy Hagar[d]. Though this anthology film received mixed reviews at the time of its release, it has since developed a cult following. We figure that’s at least in part thanks to its extreme violence, nudity and sexuality.

This artistic drama combines a great story with fascinating ideas and excellent cinematography, not to mention Jared Leto[e]’s stunning performance as Nemo Nobody, the last mortal human in the world. In a world where science has eradicated death and old age, Nemo fascinates the immortal humans that surround him. And why not? He’s a man with a past that is contradictory and jumbled. The movie was a bust at the box office but has been steadily gaining viewership ever since – and not just among immortals. A story about choices and time, emotionally weaved together by great acting and effects.

Imagine a live-action version of “Wall-E” made for adults, and you’ve got something pretty close to “Silent Running.” In the film, plant life can no longer grow on Earth and the last samples are now housed in spacecraft orbiting Saturn. What happens when the crew, including botanist Freeman Lowell[f], are ordered to destroy the last remaining greenhouses in order to make room for standard cargo? Freeman disobeys, of course, and teams up with three drones named Huey, Dewey and Louie to protect the last forest at all costs. Okay, we know that environmental destruction is a common theme in science fiction, but rarely is it presented as compellingly as it is in this movie.

Emotion and art are so threatening to the leaders of society in “Equilibrium” that they’re illegal. Taking no chances, the leaders also force citizens to take drugs that suppress all feelings and artistic impulses. That may sound a little familiar, but it’s presented in a totally absorbing manner. The cinematography and the production design are key, creating a dark, unsettling ambiance for this dystopian vision of humanity’s future. Not only that; the stylized fight scenes combine gun work with martial arts to create truly impressive action sequences. There’s also an adorable puppy. You can’t ask for more!

“Strange” is a good word to describe this film’s combination of rock ’n’ roll, cyberpunk and odd drug addictions. But, as it’s directed by Kathryn Bigelow[g] with some writing, production and editing work by her ex-husband James Cameron, it’s strange in a fascinating, artistic, entertaining way. Ralph Fiennes plays a small-time criminal who records people’s memories and sells them on the black market, but he gets in trouble when he picks up the memories of various murders. What follows is simply mesmerizing. Don’t be put off because it didn’t do so well in theaters —“Strange Days” is definitely worth your time.

This film from French director Claire Denis[h] is quite challenging, so it’s easy to see why it never attained a huge audience. But those looking for more complex science fiction found a ton to enjoy with “High Life.” The story is captivating but quite untraditional, with morally ambiguous characters, a raw approach to taboo subjects, and nonlinear storytelling. It asks a lot of its viewers, but those willing to put in the work are richly rewarded. Luckily, you can also enjoy “High Life” as a surface-level sci-fi flick, as Denis uses lush cinematography and minimalist production design to create an awe-inspiring visual treat that evokes intense feelings of cosmic dread.

David Cronenberg strikes again with this virtual reality film, but it’s certainly not just another virtual reality film. The use of nightmare-fuel organic material, like bio-ports and guns made out of bone and flesh, make it a truly creepy and thought-provoking movie. The characters in this near-future setting voluntarily use bio-ports to enter a virtual world, but once there they slowly lose their grasp of reality. The plot masterfully uses its imagery to tackle ideas of consciousness, the relationship between nature and science, and what it means to be human, making this twisty sci-fi an essential gamer movie.

The sun is going out, so a team of international astronauts is sent to reignite it. The film throws all these characters into a very claustrophobic environment and forces them to deal with the sun’s incredible power to both give life and to destroy. But it also focuses on how the actions of one individual can similarly decide the fate of an entire planet. The acting is great, the CGI is well done, and director Danny Boyle skillfully builds it all to a suspenseful and exhilarating climax that helps make this one a must-watch.

Coming from acclaimed screenwriter Andrew Niccol[j], “Gattaca” has a brilliant premise that instantly elevates it to the top tier of dystopian fiction. The story takes place in a future where humans are conceived through genetic selection to ensure they attain perfection, while those born outside the eugenics program face genetic discrimination. It’s a wonderful idea to explore, and Niccol smartly mines its potential for all its worth. It also comes with masterful art direction that earned an Oscar nomination. The film has a beautiful retrofuturistic style, minimalist and symmetrical set design, and a thematic color palette that utilizes cold and warm hues to meaningful effect. Put simply, “Gattaca” is the perfect mix of style and substance.

Our choice for the most underrated science fiction movie will keep you on the edge of your seat, make you love the characters and seriously mess with your head. Sam Bell has spent three years completing a mission alone on the moon, with only a robot for company. He’s all set to return home when things start going wrong. For the most part, Sam Rockwell is the only actor on screen, and he does a brilliant job at keeping the tension high and action dynamic. Like all great science fiction, “Moon” is an exciting adventure that sheds light on the human condition and forces you to question your sense of reality. Don’t miss it.

Did we miss one of your underrated favorites? Tell us about it in the comments below!

[b]wuh-CHOW-skee / wuh-CIAO-skee https://youtu.be/adXm2sDzGkQ
[c]add ass-truh https://youtu.be/9pTzaDFLirk?si=eAi6Se-iQDFDpGtY&t=24
HOY-tuh von HOYTA-muh https://youtu.be/d0OZJh5yqFA?si=PXbU_dfv_pMM08fw
[d]HAY-gar https://youtu.be/7eNVxEhVIo0?si=8bi7mwn7pLFrj8ag&t=1
[e]Jared LETTO - not lee-toh https://youtu.be/1sNiJ0gHWX8
[f]FREE-min LOH-wull ("Lowell" mostly rhymes with "bowl")
[g]Kathryn bigga-LOH https://youtu.be/CT20M2eUTzI
RAFE FINES https://youtu.be/z02ocQ_NeTw?t=2s
[h]claire duh-NEE https://youtu.be/HrEfYYpF3yA?si=VGdMp_uRC5wy_E1D
[i]EGG-ZISS-tens https://youtu.be/zVXfjMrJxi4?si=xAWMPDh4tvCjYYln&t=8
[j]nickel https://youtu.be/MgdwePAuEz0?si=azl4FTvXkT24LJ6w&t=55