The best sci-fi movies you can watch and rent on Amazon, Netflix and Blu-ray today.
Hello, and welcome to TechRadar’s list of the best sci-fi movies, which features all of the most intriguing sci-fi movies that you can stream right now on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
You only have to take a quick glance at the box-office numbers to figure out that, over the past several years, science fiction has just dominated every other genre. It’s hard not to see why.
No genre has ensnared audiences with amazement and wonder quite like science fiction. From artificial intelligence and biological mutations to alien creatures (sentient or not) and deep space discovery, science fiction offers a look at a strange new world, and sometimes a future that’s just a little bit closer than we’d prefer.
Only now, just like something you would have seen in the early days of the genre itself, you now hold the power to stream movies directly from the cloud to a variety of streaming devices. And, with sci-fi’s popularity at an all-time high, there’s never been a better time to be a fan of all things strange and unusual.
With that in mind, we’ve sorted through the major streaming providers and found all of the best science fiction films you can conjure with the magic of the internet and, for those who’d prefer home viewing without buffering, found links to the Blu-rays of each movie on this list.
Oh, and realizing how quickly films can appear and disappear on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, we will keep this article updated. So, if you don’t see anything you like right now, keep checking back to see if your favorite movie is ready to stream.
A hellishly fun action-adventure film
A great script, practical effects and nigh-perfect casting all come together to make Hellboy a modern sci-fi cult classic.
Hellboy is the story about a demon who fights for the forces of humanity while in the service of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. When the forces of evil, led by Rasputin himself, endangers all life in the world as we know it, Hellboy and his partners must now step in and save the day.
This surprisingly emotional film is based on the well-known Dark Horse comic series of the same name, and it was skillfully brought to life by the singular vision of acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro, who is known for his peculiar in-camera special effects. While an R-rated reboot starring Stranger Things actor David Harbour is currently incoming and sure to be a raucous good time, the 2004 original is a watershed cult film that should be high on your must-watch list.
Here be monsters
Most people think of Cloverfield’s brilliant marketing campaign way before they actually remember the movie, but it’s still worth watching this thrilling monster movie event directed by one of today’s brightest cinematic minds – Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes, the upcoming Batman film).
The film revolves around a group of New Yorkers that find themselves trapped as a terrifying monster falls on New York City. The survivors, with the help of a portable camera, attempt to document the atrocities that follow.
Now, while Cloverfield likely won’t go down in history as a sci-fi masterpiece, this handycam-riddled thriller has already gained quite a faithful cult following and received a distantly related sequel (essentially in name only, but still). If you’re looking to kill some time, you certainly can’t go wrong with Cloverfield. Just don’t think about it too much.
Bladerunner eat your heart out
Artificial intelligence obviously is one of the oldest tropes in the science-fiction genre, but Ex Machina stands as one of the most interesting and wholly unsettling movies in recent history regardless.
Ex Machina tells the story of a programmer, Caleb Smith, who wins a contest that sends him to the estate of his firm’s CEO, Nathan Bateman. Once he arrives, Caleb discovers that he’s been unwillingly selected to be the human component in a Turing test to discover the consciousness and abilities of Nathan’s AI creation, Ava. The moral lines begin to grey for Caleb as he starts to realize the implications of Nathan’s invention.
Writer and director Alex Garland essentially lives neck-deep in the grey area of ethics with this film, weaving together complex characters and themes that will keep you thinking long after the credits have rolled. If you’ve never seen it, put on your thinking cap and prepare for an intriguing thriller of a sci-fi movie.
Cormac McCarthy’s literary classic looks great on the big screen
In classic post-apocalyptic style, The Road is all about survival. After Earth falls prey to calamity, a man and his son take the long journey across America to the ocean, fighting to hold on to their soul. All around them are bloodthirsty gangs who would see them apprehended as slaves, or much worse.
Although there are hundreds of films in this genre and tone, execution really is everything. John Hillcoat’s vision comes across flawlessly on screen and packs an emotional punch that won’t leave you quickly. And with phenomenal performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Road is a worthy entry in the ever growing list of post-apocalyptic science fiction movies.
Set phasers to fun!
After Star Trek: Into Darkness left some (not all) fans confused or disappointed on the direction the promising reboot was heading in, Fast and Furious director stepped in to put some new life into the third installment. The result was a fun and fast paced romp that may have stumbled at times, but still delivered the type of deep space adventure that long time Trekkies had been yearning for.
The young cast is as electric as they’ve ever been, including a heartfelt final performance by Anton Yelchin as the fan favorite Pavel Chekov. Idris Elba plays an intimidating, if forgettable villain that would have been right at home in a story arc of Star Trek The Next Generation. In the end, Beyond isn’t a cinematic masterpiece by any stretch, but it’s still an exhilarating entry in a franchise that helped build science fiction into the cultural phenomenon it has become.
Unearth this seminal classic
Even to this day, Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Michael Crichton’s exciting novel, Jurassic Park, exists as a benchmark for the entire science fiction genre. With extremely well written characters, special effects that have aged surprisingly well and a solid premise to hold it all together, it’s pretty hard to find any problems with Jurassic Park.
If you’ve been living under a rock and have never seen it, Jurassic Park follows a group of scientists who find themselves on wealthy philanthropist John Hammond’s island, the home of a soon-to-open theme park with living, breathing dinosaurs. But, when a storm disrupts the power on the island, their “walk in the park” becomes a waking nightmare.
Even if you’ve already taken the ride before, Jurassic Park is a tremendous sci-fi glory that should be enjoyed again and again.
Witness the birth of the MCU
Looking back at 2008, all of the weight of the still new Marvel Cinematic Universe rested entirely on the shoulders of Iron Man, a comic book character with a ton of potential, but not much popularity in the mainstream. But that all changed almost overnight thanks to this fresh and unique origin story and the inimitable presence of Robert Downey Jr.
Director Jon Favreau turns this classic rags to riches story on its head, taking the arrogant billionaire arms dealer named Tony Stark and tearing him down until he becomes the hero we would all come to love. Although the villain of the film is disappointing (reminder: it’s an MCU film), the humbling journey of Tony Stark is enough to drive the plot forward and is responsible for the very existence of the current Marvel Universe. If you haven’t seen this one in a while, watch it again and return to the simpler days of superhero films.
I’ll be back … with some popcorn
This film didn’t make the Governator a household name for no reason. Over 30 years since its release, The Terminator still stands as a landmark in the science-fiction genre, and is arguably James Cameron’s crowning achievement.
If you’ve never seen this classic sci-fi/horror flick, The Terminator tells the story of a woman who’s on the run from a cybernetic assassin from the future, and the man who was sent back to save her. While the franchise went completely off the rails after the second installment, the original film is a harrowing and refreshingly focused tale of survival, featuring chase sequences that are truly what nightmares are made of.
This original sci-fi horror classic remains as timeless as Schwarzenegger himself and should be near the top of your streaming list if you’ve never seen it.
E. T. was kiddish, but it’s still one of Spielberg’s best
If there was ever a staple in the sci-fi genre, it’d probably be E. T.
Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming tale of an innocent alien stranded on Earth and the young boy who welcomed him in remains an iconic family classic some 35 years since it first hit theaters. From Reese’s Pieces to that famous shot of Elliot and E. T. flying their bike in front of the moon E. T. is brimming with imagery that conjures up all the nostalgia and happiness of childhood wonder.
Even if you’ve seen it a hundred times, E. T. is certainly a worthwhile stream in your sci-fi marathon.
Clear your mind (and your schedule) before watching this classic
While many of the films on this list could be called “great” and “groundbreaking”, there are few that could be labeled “generation defining”.
The Matrix follows a hacker named Neo, whose eyes are opened to his world for what it truly is – a simulation created by robotic overlords that live off of the humans who created them and is maintained by the mysterious Agents. Once unplugged, Neo and the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar fight the Agents at every turn and struggle to set humanity free.
When the Wachowski’s delivered The Matrix in 1999, the world had never seen anything like it. Blending martial arts-inspired choreography with the most groundbreaking effects ever put to screen at that time, The Matrix was and is a marvel to behold. Even as some of the effects begin to age, the ingenuity of the script becomes more evident.
Although the sequels sadly never lived up to the promise of the original, The Matrix is a marvel to behold and a hallmark in science-fiction history.
Movie nights are built on hope
As the first film outside of the saga and the first prequel since Jar Binks, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story had a lot riding on it. It had to strike a balance between originality and familiarity that could have easily backfired and been rejected by old and new fans alike. Thankfully, Rogue One was a rousing success all across the board.
Taking place before the original Star Wars, Rogue One tells the tale of the brave band of rebel spies led by the tenacious Jyn Erso who risked everything to steal the plans to the fearsome Death Star.
