As with pretty much any other genre, Netflix has a substantial selection of sci-fi films, including both all-time greats and smaller production that might have flown under the radar. For those subscribers looking for something futuristic to watch, here are the best sci-fi movies on Netflix.
Minority Report (2002)
One of Steven Spielberg’s best 2000s movies, Minority Report envisions a future where crime is preemptively solved thanks to predictions made by clairvoyant humans. John Anderton leads the team in charge of arresting criminals selected through this process; one day, the system states that John will murder someone in less than two days, prompting the officer to go on the run as he tries to clear his name.
Action-packed and well-acted, Minority Report is a blockbuster with a smart script that tackles staple sci-fi themes such as human agency. Based on a Philip K. Dick short story, the film expands the source material to craft a more modern but still timeless narrative.
The Adam Project (2022)
Released on March 11, 2022 on Netflix, The Adam Project is an easy, if forgettable watch. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, and Zoe Saldana, the sci-fi comedy slips into the time-travel subgenre as it follows a pilot who must team up with his younger self to save the day.
The Adam Project is a pleasant movie that elevates its by-the-numbers plot by making good use of its charismatic cast. Although it is the type of film that has been done to death, there is still plenty of fun to be had with this outing.
Who Am I (2014)
Sci-fi might be a bit of a stretch when it comes to Who Am I, a hacker-themed thriller that maintains a sense of heightened realism throughout the majority of its narrative. The German film follows Benjamin, an isolated and self-conscious hacker who is recruited by a group of pros. He eventually tags along and becomes ensnared in a big case that involves conspiracy and murder.
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Who Am I is a fun ride with barely a dull second. While a relatively low-budget production, the movie makes very good use of real-life locations to enhance the story. It even presents a fun twist on the darknet, at least in terms of presentation.
Okja (2017)
Sci-fi loves stories about humans befriending creatures, be they aliens or gremlins. Okja is one of the more recent and better additions to this subgenre, although it is anything but a typical representation of this concept. The titular Okja is adorable, as is its friendship with Lucy; however, the man-made creature is also destined to be packaged as meat in the future.
Like most of Bong Joon Ho’s projects, Okja is ambitious and thought-provoking, particularly in its exploration of corporate behavior and food consumption. The film has plenty of things to say and the confidence to execute them well, resulting in an experience that covers an incredibly wide range of emotions.
What Happened To Monday (2017)
In an alternate universe where Earth’s resources have been depleted and families are restricted to one child, a single father with septuplets has to come up with a scheme to keep his daughters together. So, they essentially pretend to be a single person, each one getting a day of the week. When one of the sisters, Monday, goes missing, the rest have to figure out what happened to her.
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What Happened to Monday has a fun premise, some neat action sequences, and a game cast, with Noomi Rapace being especially fantastic as the seven siblings. Netflix’s sci-fi film does not fully come together to create an all-time great experience, but it is an entertaining watch nevertheless.
I Am Mother (2019)
Focusing on an unorthodox parent-child relationship, I Am Mother follows a robot with advanced AI that spends its time looking over embryos in a research facility. Simply known as Mother, the robot’s core connection is with a young girl named Daughter, and this intriguing sci-fi flick dedicates a decent stretch of time to establishing these two’s dynamic. In fact, I Am Mother keeps its cast to a minimum, with the only other major player being a human woman who serves as a rival to the AI.
I Am Mother presents fascinating ideas while touching upon classic science-fiction themes that are socially relevant in the present day. Despite its tiny cast and intimate setting, the film is quite story-driven, particularly during its second half.
Invader Zim: Enter The Florpus (2019)
After almost two decades, Invader Zim made a glorious comeback in the form of a Netflix movie salvaged from a dropped Nickelodeon project. Enter the Florpus expertly recaptures a lot of the original show’s brilliance, be it the fantastic voice acting, the nihilistic themes, or the crude, absurdist art style. A few things have changed since the early 2000s though; for one, the movie is not quite as relentlessly dark as the TV series, even going as far as to give Dib a few “nice” moments. This might frustrate some long-time fans, but growth is not a bad thing, and Enter the Florpus explores these new dimensions well.
While it is one of the funniest science-fiction movies on Netflix, Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus is a difficult recommendation for newcomers to the franchise as a whole. That’s not to say the uninitiated won’t find anything to enjoy here, but a pre-existing familiarity with the characters and their history together elevates the experience significantly.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood (2022)
Childhood is a frequent theme in Richard Linklater’s movies, and Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood is the most blatant example except for perhaps Boyhood. Technically, the 2022 movie qualifies as sci-fi since it involves a kid being recruited to go on a trip to the moon; however, this fantastical excursion is a fun distraction rather than the film’s focus.
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Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood revolves around the space race, specifically the public reaction to the moment. While it does touch upon the moon landing’s cultural importance, the film is presented like a scattershot collection of memories and emotions fueled by the event. The animated movie does not have much in the way of narrative drive, but it works well as a snapshot of a unique period in the history of the United States.
The Call (2020)
A South Korean thriller, The Call is intense, imaginative, and unpredictable. The sci-fi aspect comes in the form of a phone that allows two women from different decades to talk to each other. Through these discussions, both characters manage to improve their lives, although things are not quite as they seem.
The Call blends drama, horror, and sci-fi to create one of the best movies on Netflix. Both leads deliver stellar performances that lure audiences into their worlds and personas. Twists are a dime-a-dozen in the thriller genre, but The Call expertly sets up these moments so they always feel earned.
Oblivion (2013)
Oblivion has many flaws, and it is certainly not the best Tom Cruise sci-fi movie on Netflix. However, the film does have a few positives that justify a recommendation. For one, the movie’s visuals are impressive, and they have aged well over the last decade. Oblivion’s world is interesting as well, even if it is derivative of better movies.
Set decades after an alien invasion stripped Earth of humans and most of its resources, the latter have largely moved off-planet, except for a handful of people. Jack is one of those folks, and he lives alongside Victoria. One day, an astronaut crash lands on Earth, which breaks Jack’s routine and greatly changes his life. Oblivion is a feast for the eyes that occasionally dapples in some fascinating concepts, although it generally opts against exploring any theme thoroughly.
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Jumanji is a ’90s classic that spawned a successful continuation in the 2010s, but some people might not know that the film also received a spin-off in 2005. Zathura follows somewhat similar logic to its predecessor, as two siblings go on a wild adventure after messing around with a board game; however, their journey adopts a strict sci-fi theme.
Directed by John Favreau of Iron Man, Chef, and Elf fame, Zathura is a fun family movie with heart and creative visuals. The film has a great visual style that harbors back to classic sci-fi B-movies, and the story has enough depth and nuance to elevate the presentation.
The Platform (2019)
Big concepts do not need big budgets, something that The Platform proves. This sci-fi horror film takes place in a unique prison called The Pit which is split into 30 floors. Every day, a platform is dropped containing food, with people on the lower levels having to settle for whatever has been left for them. Each month, the prisoners are shuffled between the floors, literally changing their social standing.
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The Platform presents a fascinating premise filled with the potential to inspire ethical discussions, and the film executes this idea pretty well. Although taking place largely in identical rooms, The Platform is ambitious in its themes and presentation.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
By this point, superhero movies are basically a genre upon themselves; however, that was only starting to become the case in the early 2000s. More importantly, Spider-Man 2 is packed with sci-fi imagery and themes, including a mad scientist-esque antagonist driven to the dark side by his own creation. Sam Raimi’s blockbuster explores the corrupting influence of power and ambition through Dr. Otto Octavius’ descent into villainy courtesy of four AI tentacles, and this storyline is enhanced thanks to a great performance by Alfred Molina.
Although Spider-Man 2 has its share of cheesy moments and side plots that can be draining on a rewatch, the movie’s high points reach altitudes precious few superhero flicks have been able to attain. Netflix also has Sam Raimi’s other Spider-Man projects, both of which have their positives. Newcomers to the trilogy should start with 2002’s Spider-Man since it lays the groundwork for Peter Parker, Mary Jane, and Harry Osborn’s arcs in the sequels.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End Of Evangelion (1997)
Neon Genesis Evangelion is available on Netflix, and any fans of the 1995 anime should make sure to check out The End of Evangelion as it is the proper conclusion to the series. Conversely, it is not recommended that people unfamiliar with the show watch the movie – they will struggle to follow the story and miss out on most of its emotional weight.
A mecha anime, NGE: The End of Evangelion is haunting, surreal, discomforting, and visually bewitching. Dealing with themes of human consciousness and exploring a number of philosophical and psychological theories, this movie is conceptually dense, all the while still delivering engrossing action sequences that are entertaining on a more basic level.
Don’t Look Up (2021)
Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up centers around a catastrophic crisis as a comet approaches Earth. Typically, this type of story would concentrate entirely on humanity’s attempts to eradicate the ball of fire hurling toward the planet, but this plot line is only a small part of the 2021 film. Instead, Don’t Look Up focuses on the political and media side of things, casting a humorous light while mocking the characters’ indifference to the impending apocalypse.
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Don’t Look Up uses its sci-fi premise as an allegory for climate change, and the movie is not subtle. At over two hours, McKay’s film does threaten to overstay its welcome at points, but a fantastic cast and some sharp writing help keep things interesting.
The Mitchells Vs. The Machines (2021)
While a loving family, the Mitchells are prone to arguments due to the generation gap between Rick and his daughter Katie. As the latter will soon be heading to college, Rick decides to take the whole family on a road trip, something that not many members are excited about. As they try to bond and not kill each other, a robot revolt just happens to break out, forcing the Mitchells to work together to stop humanity’s destruction.
The Mitchells Vs. The Machines has heart, humor, and creative action. The film blends a family comedy with a sci-fi epic to good effect, crafting an experience that works well as a representative of both genres. The animation is fantastic as well, arguably among the best on Netflix.
Sorry To Bother You (2018)
One of the best comedies on Netflix, Sorry to Bother You is a hilarious satire about corporate greed and brainwashing. Incorporating sci-fi elements but still feeling close to reality, this film manages to balance social commentary and pure entertainment; while the movie has a message, it is not a message movie.
Sorry to Bother You follows Cash, an aimless guy who begins to climb the corporate ladder in a company that sells rather questionable things. The story goes to some unpredictable and memorable places.
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