5 Sci Fi Horror Movies That Deserve More Love
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Sci fi horror movies have been popular since the 1950s, when the original versions of classics like The Fly, The Blob, The Thing, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers were released.
If genres were organized into a family tree, horror and science fiction would be first cousins. They have so much in common. Dark themes, violent content, gooey special effects, and disturbing storylines are frequent elements in each.
Many horror sci fi movies have achieved fame during the ensuing decades, including Alien, The Thing remake, and A Quiet Place. Like all horror subgenres, there are plenty of lesser known entries that are worth watching. Here are five sci fi horror movies that deserve more love.
5. species II (1998)
Proving they learned nothing from the events of the original Species, scientists create a clone of Sil, the sexy alien seduction machine from the original movie. They name this new version Eve. She is again played by Natasha Henstridge. Eve is supposedly more docile than her predecessor.
Species II introduces a male equivalent to Sil/Eve. After completing a successful Mars mission, heartthrob astronaut Patrick Ross (Justin Lazard) returns home unaware that his body has been contaminated by an alien species. The extraterrestrial intelligence takes control during a three way tryst with two women, leading to fatal consequences.
Confused and desperate, Patrick turns to his father, a powerful senator, for assistance. Meanwhile, the government wants to use Eve to stop Patrick. I thought this movie was taking the Terminator 2 route by making Eve the good guy, but that isn’t quite where the story is going.
The original Species (1995) was a big surprise hit. This one flopped. Species II is a dumb movie, but so was the first. Both offer the same cheap thrills and sex appeal. Species II‘s lack of popularity, compared to an original that is just as – if not more – flawed, is enough to warrant a spot on my list, albeit in the #5 position.
By the way, there are two more Species movies (although this is the last one to get a theatrical release).
Where to Watch:
4. kids vs aliens (2022)
Kids vs. Aliens is a strange mix of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, with bright neon cinematography and an extensive, bordering on excessive, use of filters. Does it work? Often enough to be worth watching.
The movie is a spinoff of the slumber party abduction segment from V/H/S 2. It has a Halloween setting, which we don’t see often in sci fi horror movies.
A group of young boys are working on a movie with a home video camera. Gary (Dominic Mariche) and his friends are accompanied by Gary’s teen older sister, Sam (Phoebe Rex). They are confronted by a rowdy group of teenagers led by Sam’s crush, Billy (Calem MacDonald), who are looking for a place to party.
Unbeknownst to them, a spaceship has landed in a nearby lake. Aliens are spotted around town, but it’s Halloween, so at first everyone thinks it’s a prank. The creatures use skin-melting slime to kill and mutate people.
Sam finds a mysterious and powerful sword. She uses it to fight the creatures and protect her little brother (shades of Terrifier 2, which came out the same year).
Kids vs. Aliens is funny and entertaining, but its messy, jumbled storyline keeps it from being higher on my list. Also, the ending is kind of anticlimactic.
The tone is similar to Trick ‘r Treat, Carved, and, yes, Stranger Things. If you like those, you’ll probably enjoy this.
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3. the nest (1988)
Richard (Franc Luz) is the police chief of a small, sleepy island town. His humdrum life is turned upside down when the eviscerated corpse of a dog is found in a field. What could possibly have caused this animal’s death, and is it the same culprit that’s gnawing on the book binders at the local library?
Richard suspects that the town’s mayor knows more than he’s letting on. Meanwhile, Elizabeth (Lisa Langlois), the mayor’s pretty daughter and Richard’s ex-girlfriend, returns to town after a long absence.
Their relationship quickly reignites, but there isn’t much time for romance. A horde of killer mutated cockroaches has invaded the town! The creatures reproduce at an astonishing rate. They even gain the ability to physically imitate the organisms they consume. Egad!
Richard, Elizabeth, and Morgan (Terri Treas), an eccentric and possibly sociopathic scientist, frantically try to find the roach nest before the entire town is consumed.
Most horror sci fi movies are about aliens or robots, so it’s fun to see a movie that features a unique villain. I love ’80s practical effects.
This movie is most fun if you root for the roaches. The human characters are generally unlikeable. Also, people who are sensitive about dog and cat deaths should skip this one. These roaches are brutal!
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2. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
After losing consciousness during a car accident, Michelle wakes up to find herself imprisoned in an underground basement. Her captor, Howard, tells her that aliens have invaded the Earth and poisoned the air. He found her and saved her life, he claims. Another man, Howard’s friend Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), is also living there. He backs up Howard’s stories about aliens.
The trio gradually grows closer, but Michelle is skeptical about the tales of alien warfare. After she discovers a shocking secret about Howard, she attempts to escape the bunker.
10 Cloverfield Lane is a tense and well-acted spinoff of Cloverfield (2008). Unlike its predecessor, this is not a found footage movie. I didn’t find Cloverfield compelling. It’s just another monster movie.
This one is an entirely different beast. There’s real human drama, not just found footage gimmicks. It deserves more recognition as one of the best sci fi horror movies of the past ten years.
Winstead and Goodman are both great. It’s amazing how Goodman can be so loveable in some roles, and incredibly menacing in others. My only issue with this one is that the vast majority of the story takes place inside the bunker, which isn’t a particularly interesting location.
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1. color out of space (2019)
Nathan (Nicolas Cage), a mild-mannered farmer, lives on a farm with his wife and three kids. A bright meteorite plummets from the sky. It infiltrates the water supply, kills crops, and causes the family financial and emotional upheaval.
Nathan and his lovely Wiccan daughter, Lavinia (Madeline Arthur), try to save the family from destruction. They discover that the meteor is unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
Color Out of Space is a psychedelic cosmic horror adaption of an H.P. Lovecraft story. It features the nihilistic themes and otherworldly monsters characteristic of his work. What sets this movie apart from other Lovecraftian adaptations is the beautiful cinematography, unique antagonist, and convincing special effects.
My favorite character is Lavinia. There are plenty of horror movies about witches, obviously, but a sympathetic, human portrayal of a practicing Wiccan is rare. That’s what the script, and a strong performance by Madeline Arthur, delivers here.
Her best scene is when she uses the Necronomicon, a Lovecraft invention later popularized by the Evil Dead franchise, to try to save her family.
Color Out of Space is as weird as it is engrossing. It’s one of the best sci fi horror movies of the past several years, and one of the top Lovecraftian adaptions ever.
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Horror Sci Fi Movies Need a Wider Range of Villains
As I mentioned previously, aliens and robots are by far the most common villains in sci fi horror movies. Four of the five preceding films feature some form of extraterrestrial antagonist. I don’t have any robot films in this list. I would have included Ex Machina (2014), but I already featured it in my best A24 movies piece.
Extraterrestrial and artificial intelligences offer a wide variety of antagonist possibilities for horror films to explore. Modern AI technology has, and will continue to have, plenty of horror potential.
But I’m hoping to see more films with unique villains. Event Horizon (1997) is a prime example of a horror sci fi movie that features an innovative premise (a hole in the fabric of spacetime). I didn’t include it here because it’s developed a substantial cult following, and thus is no longer underrated. More storylines like that, please!
