These 10 Sci-Fi Movies Weren't Nearly As Bad As Reviews Said

Like most movies that fall into the speculative fiction genre, sci-fi films are often unfairly and harshly criticized by both critics and audiences. While there are plenty of cases when a movie deserves to be panned by viewers, these projects deserve to be reevaluated and, in many instances, have come to be known as cult classics in recent years. Whether this is because of the brilliant performances from the cast, the innovative storytelling, or the unforgettable visuals, these films are fun to revisit and remember in the modern era.

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Some of these are sci-fi movies that got a little too weird, initially alienating audiences and making it difficult for them to see the quality of the projects. Or, they were so ambitious and sweeping that they were bogged down by the sheer length of the story they were trying to tell. While some of these films performed well at the box office, most were bombs that were quickly forgotten about, even if they were directed by iconic filmmakers. However, the good news is that there’s still plenty of time to rediscover these movies and give them their due.

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10

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

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TRON: Legacy

pg-13

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

7/10

8.7/10

Release Date

December 7, 2010

Runtime

2h 5m

Cast

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Olivia Wilde
Garrett Hedlund

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The Tron franchise has had a mixed legacy– no pun intended– and the long-awaited sequel, Tron: Legacy, demonstrates the best and worst parts of the series. Years after the original Tron premiered in 1982, the story was revived in 2010 to mixed reactions from audiences and critics. However, there are many reasons why Tron: Legacy is worth revisiting now more than ever. Not only is the series finally getting a third installment, but Tron: Legacy is proving to be a hidden cult classic.

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Tron: Everything You Need to Remember About the Last Two Movies Before Ares

With Tron: Ares uploading to the big screen in October this year, now is the perfect time to reboot your memory with the key moments in the franchise.

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With Tron 3 on its way, titled Tron: Ares, it will be important to remember the biggest plot points from the first two movies, especially Tron: Legacy, as it’s the most recent. Though the story isn’t groundbreaking, the visuals in Tron: Legacy make a strong case for remembering the film for years to come. The filmmakers created a gorgeous, immersive world that grabs onto the audience and doesn’t let go.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Tron: Legacy (2010)	51%	64%

9

Ghosts Of Mars (2001)

Directed by John Carpenter

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Ghosts of Mars

Sci-Fi

Action

Horror

5/10

Release Date

August 24, 2001

Runtime

98 Minutes

Cast

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Natasha Henstridge

Lieutenant Melanie Ballard
Ice Cube

Desolation Williams

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The director of Ghosts of Mars, John Carpenter, is no stranger to having a film panned by critics and audiences only for it to become an iconic and influential piece of cinematic history. His 1982 project, The Thing, initially suffered the same fate as Ghosts of Mars, but the 2001 sci-fi horror movie hasn’t found the same renewed notoriety as The Thing. However, this shouldn’t stop fans of Carpenter and those interested in the intersection between science fiction and horror from seeking out Ghosts of Mars.

Set on Mars in the distant future, Ghosts of Mars features an early performance from John Statham as well as Natasha Henstridge, who serves as one of the primary protagonists. Though it strikes an over-the-top tone, Ghosts of Mars has been praised for its references to the Western genre, as well as its conversations about humanity’s future. Additionally, the action scenes are some of Carpenter’s best and are not to be missed.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Ghosts of Mars (2001)	23%	25%

8

John Carter (2012)

Directed by Andrew Stanton

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John Carter

PG-13

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Action

7/10

8.5/10

Release Date

March 9, 2012

Runtime

132 minutes

Cast

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Mark Strong
Willem Dafoe

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In another life, we might have seen Taylor Kitsch become one of the best sci-fi action stars of the 2010s, but this wasn’t to be after the critical and box-office failure of John Carter. In many ways, John Carter had all the makings of the next great sci-fi franchise, with a large budget and a reasonably well-known IP behind it. However, it was difficult to come back from the negative reception that plagued John Carter from the first moments of its release.

It’s true that John Carter is bogged down by its heavy-handed attempts to pave the way for sequels and potential spinoffs, but the heart of the narrative is timeless.

John Carter is a 2010s box office flop that’s become a cult classic, as today it’s easier to see the merits of John Carter and its sweeping story. It’s true that John Carter is bogged down by its heavy-handed attempts to pave the way for sequels and potential spinoffs, but the heart of the narrative is timeless. Additionally, Kitsch is undoubtedly believable as an action hero, lending much-needed emotional nuance and dedication to the imperfect but delightfully fun plot.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
John Carter (2012)	52%	60%

7

Eternals (2021)

Directed by Chloé Zhao

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Eternals

PG-13

Science Fiction

Action

Adventure

Superhero

8/10

6.5/10

Release Date

November 5, 2021

Runtime

156 minutes

Cast

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Gemma Chan

Sersi
Richard Madden

Ikaris

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One of the most ambitious additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Eternals, suffered from the weight of its own story and the mounting pressure on Marvel to be original. Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao, was unlike anything else that the studio had put out and was much more existential than the typical fare of the MCU. The star-studded cast includes Gemma Chan, Kit Harrington, Kumail Nanjiani, Angelina Jolie, and many more, but their familiar faces still fade into their characters successfully.

Eternals struggled in a few ways, as it’s a Marvel movie that’s engaged with the larger canon of the franchise, but Zhao’s approach as a filmmaker also brings the project closer to an art film. It’s a juxtaposition that was unlike anything audiences and critics had seen. In the long run, this has worked in Eternals‘s favor, allowing it to age well, but at the time, it turned off viewers who weren’t sure what to expect or mine from the film’s story.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Eternals (2021)	47%	77%

6

Lifeforce (1985)

Directed by Tobe Hooper

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Lifeforce

Sci-Fi

Horror

Action

Thriller

7.8/10

Release Date

June 21, 1985

Runtime

102 Minutes

Cast

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Steve Railsback

Carlsen
Peter Firth

Caine

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The director of Lifeforce, Tobe Hooper, is best known for his projects within the horror genre, like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist. However, his underrated sci-fi movie, Lifeforce, is a hidden gem that fans of the genre will appreciate. Lifeforce blends sci-fi, fantasy, and horror with fun and exciting results, as it’s based on the 1976 novel The Space Vampires. While vampires in space is an unexpected premise, Lifeforce pulls it off.

Lifeforce taps into essential human fears about the stories of vampires and the inherent connection and attraction we feel to the unknown.

There are many hidden elements of Lifeforce that sci-fi lovers will appreciate, from Patrick Stewart’s supporting role to the tie-ins to historical vampire lore. Though there are campy aspects of Lifeforce that contributed to its more negative reputation early on, the years have been kind to Lifeforce, exposing its positive qualities. Lifeforce taps into essential human fears about the stories of vampires and the inherent connection and attraction we feel to the unknown.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Lifeforce (1985)	58%	46%

5

Strange Days (1995)

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

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Strange Days

Crime

Drama

Sci-Fi

Thriller

8.5/10

Release Date

October 13, 1995

Runtime

145 Minutes

Cast

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Ralph Fiennes

Lenny Nero
Angela Bassett

Lornette Mace Mason

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One of the most underrated additions to Kathryn Bigelow’s filmography, Strange Days stars Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett as the protagonists of this twisting story. It tells a complex, dystopian story that was familiar within the genre landscape of the 1990s, though Strange Days easily stands out from the typical sci-fi fare. Strange Days is an interesting example of a movie that received primarily mixed reviews but never found its place in film history because so few audiences saw the project.

Though Strange Days wasn’t entirely critically panned, it’s faded from memory and isn’t as acclaimed as many of Bigelow’s other works. There were a few critics who praised Stange Days outright, but many audiences found weaknesses in the story’s structure, and it’s impossible to ignore that Strange Days was a box office bomb, making only $7,959,751 worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). Fortunately, this has allowed Strange Days to be rediscovered in the modern era and be further appreciated today.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Strange Days (1995)	69%	73%

4

Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

Directed by Robert Longo

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Johnny Mnemonic

Action

Sci-Fi

7.8/10

Release Date

May 26, 1995

Runtime

96 Minutes

Cast

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See more : Emma Grede Religion What Religion is Emma Grede? Is Emma Grede a Christianity?

Keanu Reeves
Dolph Lundgren

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Before Keanu Reeves took on the greatest science fiction role of his career, Neo in The Matrix, he played the titular character in Johnny Mnemonic. The film is a classic ’90s dystopian vision of a technologically advanced future that’s come at the cost of freedom and totalitarianism. Full of warnings about the trajectory of the internet and uploading the human brain with computerized data, Johnny Mnemonic excelled in its cyberpunk aesthetic but failed to succeed as a blockbuster.

In many ways, Johnny Mnemonic helped pave the way for The Matrix and is an example of Reeves’ range as an actor.

However, Johnny Mnemonic was never meant to be an explosive action thriller but a tense and atmospheric sci-fi project that was more self-aware. In many ways, Johnny Mnemonic helped pave the way for The Matrix and is an example of Reeves’ range as an actor. It’s unsurprising that the movie has become a cult classic and has received some positive reviews in recent years. Compared to some of the soulless sci-fi projects that come out today, Johnny Mnemonic is full of depth and complexity.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Johnny Mnemonic (1995)	20%	31%

3

65 (2023)

Directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

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PG-13

Action

Adventure

Drama

Science Fiction

5/10

7.4/10

Release Date

March 10, 2023

Runtime

93minutes

Cast

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Adam Driver
Ariana Greenblatt

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Adam Driver leads the cast of 65 as Mills, an astronaut who crash-lands on Earth in the time of the dinosaurs. Blending elements of space and time travel, 65‘s twist is fairly obvious and easy to see coming, but that doesn’t make the action and adventure throughout 65 any less fun to watch. The limited cast includes Driver and a young Ariana Greenblatt, who play off each other well, establishing an emotional father-daughter dynamic and lending depth to the action-oriented story.

Though 65 struggled to find its audience when it was first released, it’s still one of Adam Driver’s best movies outside the Star Wars franchise. Viewing 65 more like a wild ride full of thrilling action and plenty of dynamic scenes that see Driver battle with visually stunning dinosaurs will help audiences connect with the story. Looking at the prehistoric Earth as part of the larger history of the universe and not just a forgotten past is a great premise that buoys 65.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
65 (2023)	36%	64%

2

Event Horizon (1997)

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson

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Event Horizon

Horror

Sci-Fi

Thriller

8/10

9.4/10

Release Date

August 15, 1997

Runtime

96 minutes

Cast

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Jason Isaacs
Kathleen Quinlan

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The brutal, gory Event Horizon is a sci-fi thriller that leans into horror territory throughout the story. Even when it was first released, audiences agreed that the visuals of Event Horizon were engaging and that the intensity and shock factor of the violence were memorable. However, Event Horizon was panned for not going deep enough into the essential messages and existential meanings that the story hinted at. While Event Horizon might not be the most interrogative film ever, it’s still relentlessly atmospheric.

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The stellar ensemble cast is reason enough to watch Event Horizon, with Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, and Jason Isaacs all prominently featured. Even when the narrative dips into melodrama, the actors give their all to their performances and never shy away from the seriousness of the plot. Event Horizon is a classic example of a sci-fi movie that grappled with problems throughout production, leading to box office failure, only to be reevaluated in the modern era for its visionary themes.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Event Horizon (1997)	35%	62%

1

Predator 2 (1990)

Directed by Stephen Hopkins

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Predator 2

Science Fiction

Action

Thriller

6/10

5/10

Release Date

November 21, 1990

Runtime

108 minutes

Cast

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Danny Glover

Lieutenant Mike Harrigan
Gary Busey

Peter Keyes

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Sequels are always difficult to pull off, but the follow-up to the 1987 movie Predator was unfairly bombed by critics and audiences alike. Following the unforgettable performance of Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator was a challenge for Predator 2, but this made viewers overlook how well the writers and filmmakers crafted the story. Danny Glover leads the cast as Lieutenant Mike Harrigan, and Glover’s performance shouldn’t be forgotten as a highlight of Predator 2.

Fortunately, the film’s reputation didn’t kill the Predator franchise, as the movies are still a hallmark of the sci-fi genre. However, it was likely the difference in tone and storytelling that made Predator 2 less of a cultural moment than the original project. Set ten years after the events of the first movie, the aliens themselves were one of the few elements of the story that carried over between both films. As time progressed, the quality and ingenuity of Predator 2 became clear.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Predator 2 (1990)	29%	44%

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10 Tron: Legacy (2010)

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

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Cast

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9 Ghosts Of Mars (2001)

Directed by John Carpenter

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8 John Carter (2012)

Directed by Andrew Stanton

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7 Eternals (2021)

Directed by Chloé Zhao

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6 Lifeforce (1985)

Directed by Tobe Hooper

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5 Strange Days (1995)

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

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4 Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

Directed by Robert Longo

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3 65 (2023)

Directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

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Cast

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2 Event Horizon (1997)

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson

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Cast

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1 Predator 2 (1990)

Directed by Stephen Hopkins

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Cast

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10

Tron: Legacy (2010)

9

Ghosts Of Mars (2001)

8

John Carter (2012)

7

Eternals (2021)

6

Lifeforce (1985)

5

Strange Days (1995)

4

Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

3

65 (2023)

2

Event Horizon (1997)

1

Predator 2 (1990)