Science fiction is a vast and accommodating realm where authors, directors, and actors can express their individuality without the constraints of more traditional forms.
There’s something for everyone in the science fiction film genre because all of them can feature aspects of action, drama, romance, adventure, and mystery without crossing over into other genres. With this in mind, we’ve researched and compiled a list of the top Netflix sci-fi films for your viewing pleasure.
If you’re looking for additional suggestions, have a look at our lists of the finest movies on Netflix, the best science fiction episodes on the service, and the best science fiction movies available on Hulu or Prime Video.
The Adam Project (2022)
Duration: 1 hour and 46 minutes
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener, Jennifer Garner, Zoe Saldana, and Walker Scobell
The Adam Project, directed by Shawn Levy and produced by Netflix, is a lighthearted homage to the Amblin adventure flicks of the 1980s. A young boy (breakout actor Walker Scobell) watches as his future self (Ryan Reynolds) lands on Earth as an astronaut.
If you’re anticipating Reynolds’ usual witty turn, you might be startled to learn that the film’s best one-liners actually go to Scobell. Reynolds delivers a more toughened, adult performance, and the picture strikes a wonderful balance between comedy and emotion. Keep watching for Catherine Keener’s hilariously over-the-top performance as the antagonist, but do not miss Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner’s touching turn as Adam’s parents.
Spectral (2016)
Duration: 1 hr. 47 min.
Cast: James Badge Dale, Emily Mortimer, and Bruce Greenwood
In Spectral, an army unit from the United States Army is deployed to Moldova, where they discover a mysterious condensate creature that kills everybody it comes into contact with. Since the soldiers can’t see the ghosts with their naked eyes and can’t kill them with firearms, they need to come up with a plan fast.
The appearances, with their intricate designs and instantaneous devastation of the US special-ops personnel, are the film’s most fascinating elements. The threat of a force you need a spectrometer to resist is effectively conveyed by Emily Mortimer (Mary Poppins Returns) and Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek).
The Thing (2011)
Duration: 1 hour and 43 minutes
Cast: Featuring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
The Thing is a scary survival thriller that aims to capture the same eerie emotions as John Carpenter’s famous horror film of the same name. Starring Joel Edgerton as Sam Carter, a military veteran and helicopter pilot, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate Lloyd, a scientist on a Norwegian Antarctic research crew, The Thing is directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. The squad at the Arctic outpost turns on each other and fights their own paranoia as the alien parasite awakens and attaches itself to them in an effort to survive.
Rim of the World (2019)
Duration: 1 hour and 38 min
Cast: Benjamin Flores Jr., Miya Cech, and Jack Gore
Action director McG (Terminator Salvation) helms this coming-of-age thriller about an extraterrestrial invasion that is reminiscent of great science fiction films from the 1980s like Red Dawn, E.T., and Predator. In the story, four teenagers band together after being separated from their summer camp amid an extraterrestrial invasion.
With the fate of humanity literally in their hands, the four outcasts must put aside their differences and cross the state to stop the invaders. The fantastic creature designs and uplifting plot points in Rim of the World make it an excellent family film.
Jung_E (2023)
Duration: 1 hour and 39 minutes
Cast: Kang Soo-youn, Kim Hyun-Joo, and Ryu Kyung-soo
Kang Soo-yeon gives a stunning performance in her final film, Jung_E, which was released after her untimely passing. Yeon Sang-ho’s Jung_E is a frank exploration of the risks of technology, greed, and a dying planet through the lens of an unsettling and compelling story inspired by the development of AI.
Jung_E is a breathtaking sci-fi drama about humanity, loss, and perseverance, with stunning technical design. Jung_E, starring Kim Hyun-Joo and Ryu Kyung-soo, is a thrilling action drama that will captivate fans of science fiction.
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