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From the dawn of cinema, the science fiction genre has captured the imaginations of filmmakers and the audiences they’ve served. From Georges Méliès to Fritz Lang, Robert Wise to Ridley Scott, sci-fi movies have pondered humanity’s fear of the unknown and the beyond, casting sometimes bleak, sometimes exciting visions of the future.
If you’re a Prime Video subscriber and a science-fiction nut, there are some worthy options to stream on the service. Whether it’s sci-fi horror, action, comedy, or post-apocalyptic/dystopian sci-fi, there’s something for everyone. Here’s our list of flicks every sci-fi geek ought to have on their watchlist, some great, some putrid, some stuck in the middle but conceptually deft.
Want to explore more? Check out our list of best sci-fi and fantasy shows on the platform or best sci-fi movies and shows on Netflix.
Editor’s note: This article was last updated June 2022 to include Deadpool, Sleepy Hollow, and Love and Monsters.
The Tomorrow War (2021)
Director: Chris McKay
Writer: Zack Dean
Cast: Chris Pratt, J.K. Simmons, Yvonne Strahovski, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson
Run Time: 2 hr 20 min
There’s nothing wrong with being a little cheesy. A throwback to Independence Day, Armageddon, and the other playful science-fiction spectacles of the ‘90s, The Tomorrow Waris the perfect type of alien invasion epic that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay creates some truly jaw-dropping action sequences, and surprisingly the 138 runtime doesn’t feel too bloated. Chris Pratt gives one of his most earnest, charismatic performances, and a subplot involving his father (J.K. Simmons) that is surprisingly heartfelt. If you’re looking for a Roland Emmerich impersonator that’s better than anything Emmerich has made in the last two decades, The Tomorrow War is for you. — Liam Gaughan
Deadpool (2016)
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Director: Tim Miller
Writers: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein
Run Time: 1 hr 48 min
Deadpool, a much-beloved Marvel property, finally got a worthwhile film, earning itself a groundbreaking R rating. After a butchered attempt at bringing the character Wade Wilson to life in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, actor – and genuine Deadpool fan – Ryan Reynolds teamed up with director Tim Miller(Terminator: Dark Fate) and writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to give the “Merc with the Mouth” his true-to-the-comics origin story. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, mercenary Wade Wilson reluctantly tries an experimental procedure in hopes of curing the deadly disease. Although his cancer is cured, Wilson is left disfigured but immortal. Set in an X-Men adjacent universe and bursting with pop culture references, hilarious fourth-wall breaking, and overly graphic violence, Deadpool is a unique film in the superhero genre. – Yael Tygiel
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Director: Tim Burton
Writers: Washington Irving (story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”), Kevin Yagher and Andrew Kevin Walker
Cast: Christina Ricci, Christopher Walken, Johnny Depp
Run Time: 1 hr 45 min
Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets) and Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean) reunite for the spooky classic Sleepy Hollow, directed by icon Tim Burton(The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice). With Burton’s consistent love of Depp’s character work, Sleepy Hollow is one of the first few collaborations – and possibly the least appreciated example of the duo’s creative endeavors. Set in the quiet New England town of Sleepy Hollow, Depp takes on the role of skeptic Ichabod Crane who arrives from New York to investigate the mysterious decapitations of townsfolk who claim the culprit is the legendary Headless Horseman. With a stacked supporting cast, Sleepy Hollow also happens to feature some beloved Harry Potter alums, including Michael Gambon and Richard Griffiths. – Yael Tygiel
Love and Monsters (2020)
Director: Michael Matthews
Writers: Matthew Robinson,Brian Duffield
Cast: Jessica Henwick, Dylan O’Brien, Michael Rooker
Run Time: 1 hr 48 min
Monsters have taken over the Earth, and survivors have scattered, living in bunkers, malls, or buses across the planet. Still heartbroken over his lost love, Joel, played by Dylan O’Brien(Teen Wolf), sets out alone on a quest to reunite with the woman he lost during the invasion, Aimee (Jessica Henwick). Love and Monsters is a romantic and comedic twist to the traditional monster movie and is just as refreshing as Zombieland was to the zombie genre. Providing a mentor role is Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy), who is a formidable foe to monsters and zombies alike. He provides a paternal element as he supports the heartthrobs, whose chemistry sizzles on screen. Co-written by Matthew Robinson, who has experience with projects that are romantic leaning, and Brian Duffield, whose background is horror, allows a clever melding of tropes and tones. –Yael Tygiel
Bliss (2021)
Director/Writer: Mike Chaill
Cast: Owen Wilson, Salma Hayek, Nesta Cooper, Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
Run Time: 1 hr 44 min
What do you get when you combine Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindwith The Matrix? Bliss is a familiar yet creative science fiction romance about warped reality. It’s easy to compare it to the established classics of the genre, but filmmaker Mike Cahill still manages to make the material feel unique. Bliss is set within the not-so-distant future when corporations have even more power than they do now. A lonely daydreamer (Owen Wilson) searches for a woman in his fantasies (Salma Hayek), and he discovers that she may be real. Wilson and Hayek are best known for their comedy work, so it is refreshing to see them in more serious roles. –Liam Gaughan
Anna (2013)
Director: Jorge Dorado
Writer: Guy Holmes
Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Mark Strong, Noah Taylor, Brian Cox
Run Time: 1 hr 39 min
Also known as Mindscape, Anna is a film that will leave your head spinning. Anchored by a chillingly brilliant performance by Taissa Farmiga, Anna follows John Washington – a detective who can enter people’s memories. Throughout the film, John must investigate 16-year-old Anna’s case to figure out whether she’s a victim of psychological trauma or a dangerous sociopath. A combination of innovative sci-fi film, classic detective story, and heart-pounding thriller, Anna is unique and constantly engaging. If you’re in the mood for a good mystery in the vein of Vertigo or Chinatown, you’re sure to enjoy the puzzling story of Anna. – Taylor Gates
The Lazarus Effect (2015)
Director: David Gelb
Writer: Luke Dawson, Jeremy Slater
Cast: Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Donald Glover, Evan Peters, and Sarah Bolger
Run Time: 1 hr 23 min
The Lazarus Effect follows a group of medical researchers who discover a serum that can bring people back from the dead. In theory, this sounds great, but anyone who has seen a zombie movie knows that this doesn’t always lead to amazing results. The Lazarus Effect is no exception. When Zoe (Olivia Wilde), one of the group’s own, gets electrocuted and has the procedure, she comes back as a superpowered – and sometimes super scary – version of herself, leaving everyone in peril. The film’s tagline is “evil will rise,” which pretty much says it all. If you’re looking for a side of horror and supernatural with your sci-fi, The Lazarus Effect is for you. – Taylor Gates
Coherence (2013)
Written and Directed by: James Ward Byrkit
Cast: Nicholas Brendan, Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Lorene Scafaria, Elizabeth Gracen, Hugo Armstrong, Alex Manugian, Lauren Maher
Run Time: 1 hr 29 min
Shot over the course of five nights with an almost entirely improvised script, Coherence is a tremendous feature film debut from Gore Verbinski‘s frequent storyboard artist James Ward Byrkit, and one of the best original science fiction concepts in recent memory. Set at a dinner party reunion among old friends on the night of a rare astronomical event, tensions rise as the laws of science and the firmaments of reality bend and break over the course of one mind-bending night. Part sci-fi, part horror, the no-budget chamber piece succeeds not by banking on its fantastic concept, but seeing that concept to its completion through honest character arcs and the unsettling reality that there’s nothing more frightening than the way we perceive ourselves. – Haleigh Foutch
The Host (2006)
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Writers: Bong Joon Ho, Won-Jun Ha, Chul-Hyun Baek
Cast: Kang-ho Song, Byun Hee-Bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona, Ko Asung, Dal-su Oh
Run Time: 1 hr 59 min
Between 2003s Memories of Murder and 2009s Mother, Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) released The Host. The Host is a monster movie with an environmentalist message, not unlike Godzilla. It opens with doctors on a U.S. base in South Korea pouring hazardous chemicals down a drain into public sewer systems. Skim past the introduction of the Park family, including frequent Bong Joon Ho partner Kang–ho Song in the leading role again, and a massive fish monster emerges to terrorize this Korean waterfront town. The monster segments are exhilarating in spite of dated CGI, but the heart of the film beats within the Park family. Their bond is developed and demonstrated in each scene in the cramped convenience store. While it’s a monster movie, it’s about pride, discipline, and family, as well as serving as a cautionary tale warning against the dangers of pollution. The unique creature design is at once frightening and interesting, but it only serves as a mirror to reflect mankind’s abuses on the environment.
Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)
Director: Dean Parisot
Writers: Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Samara Weaving, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Anthony Carrigan, Kid Cudi, and William Sadler
Run Time: 1 hr 18 min
Bill & Ted 3 should not be as good as it is, and yet this long-awaited sequel is terrifically entertaining while also feeling like an evolution of the franchise. The film picks up in real-time as Bill and Ted – Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter – have reached middle age and have yet to write the song that will save the universe. They’re forced to self-reflect on overdrive when they’re given a ticking clock: they must write the song before time runs out. Their fix? Go forward in time to when they’ve written the song, and steal it from themselves! The film is wonderfully goofy and silly but grounded in a true empathy for all of its characters. Bill & Ted Face the Music is a time-travel comedy with a huge, beating, softie heart. – Adam Chitwood
Prometheus (2012)
Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Damon Lindelof and Jon Spaihts
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron
Run Time: 2 hr 4 min
While the Alien franchise has hit both highs and lows since the heights of the first two installments, Ridley Scott’s subversive prequel took a radically different direction that introduced a new philosophical subtext to the origin of the Xenomorphs. Rather than sticking with cheap nostalgia, Scott explored mankind’s search for their creators. Prometheus is ambitious and imperfect, but Michael Fassbender’s fascinating performance as the android David is reason enough to give it another shot. Compared to the follow-up Alien: Covenant, which took the saga back to more familiar territory, the boldness of Prometheus is a strong addition to Scott’s late-career resurgence. — Liam Gaughan
Freaks (2018)
Writers/Directors: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Grace Park, Amanda Crew, Lexy Kolker
Run Time: 1 hr 45 min
I’m going to save one of the major things that wows me about Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein’s Freaks for the very end of this blurb because I would suggest jumping into this story knowing as little as possible. But, do know that this is one of the best character-driven sci-fi thrillers of 2019. The movie features a show-stopping performance from Lexy Kolker as seven-year-old Chloe. She’s spent her entire life completely isolated from the world inside her home with her father, Henry (Emile Hirsch). He’s always told her that the outside world is a dangerous place, but the older Chloe gets, the more tempted she becomes to venture out – and then she finally does. Okay, are you ready for that semi-spoilery detail to further emphasize how wildly impressive this film is? Here it goes; I love a good big-budget superhero film as much as anyone, but if you’re looking to see what can be accomplished with a limited budget in the genre, Freaks is an absolute must-see. It’s one of those movies that’ll have you leaning in more and more with its early curiosities before absolutely exploding with creativity as Chloe discovers more and more about her reality. – Perri Nemiroff
Eva (2011)
Director: Kike Maíllo
Writers: Sergi Belbel, Cristina Clemente, Martí Roca, Aintza Serra
Cast: Daniel Brühl, Claudia Vega, Marta Etura, Lluís Homar, Alberto Ammann, and Anne Canovas
Run Time: 1 hr 34 min
Eva is a Spanish-language science fiction film by director Kike Maíllo that will capture your attention and leave you thinking long after the credits have rolled. Set in the year 2043, in a not-so-distant future where humans and robots co-exist, a renowned cybernetic engineer named Álex (Daniel Brühl) returns to his hometown to finish the project that he had run away from some ten years prior. Before he left he had been working with his partner and then-girlfriend Lana (Marta Etura) on an SI-9 robot that was meant to resemble and act like any other child.
He sets out to find the perfect child to model the project around and, in the process, meets a ten-year-old daughter named Eva (Claudia Vega). What’s more surprising is that shortly after their chance encounter, he learns that Eva is Lana’s daughter with his brother David (Alberto Ammann), who she married after Álex left town. Eva is a truly ingenious sci-fi film that takes audiences along for a wild ride that weaves in and out of both the expected and unexpected avenues of science fiction storytelling. If you’re still reeling from the recently released After Yang, which also questions the blurred line between humanity and the machines that we shape in our image, Eva is a must-watch. – Maggie Lovitt
The Endless (2017)
Writer/Directors: Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead
Cast: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Callie Hernandez, Lew Temple, Tate Ellington, Shane Brady, Kira Powell, Dave Lawson Jr.
Run Time: 1 hr 51 min
The Endless may not have dragons or fairies or swashbuckling heroes, but the indie horror-fantasy from Spring filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead quietly builds one of the most fascinating and engrossing mythologies in the hills outside San Diego. The film follows two brothers (played by Benson and Moorhead) who return to the cult the escaped as children and discover there might be more than a few nutty cultists. Throw in some double moons, a mysterious red herb, and a game of tug-a-war that reaches high into the sky, and The Endless is packed with subtle dark fantasy to capture the imagination. Alternately funny and scary, with moments of bleak existential meditation, the semi-sequel to their 2012 festival hit Resolution is one of the best under-the-radar indies in recent memory and if you’re looking for a fantastical tale that keeps one foot firmly in the real world, you can’t go wrong. — Haleigh Foutch
Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
Director/Writer: Ed Wood
Cast: Gregory Walcott, Tom Keene, Mona McKinnon, Tor Johnson, Lyle Talbot, Bela Lugosi
Run Time: 1 hr 19 min
The king of bad movies, Plan 9 from Outer Space is perhaps the magnum opus of Ed Wood— the king of bad moviemakers. This preposterous story about aliens invading earth in order to prevent humans from creating the Solaranite bomb, which will put the entire universe at risk, has ascended to cult status in the sixty years since its release. The aliens in question have a rather ambitious plot to save the universe: resurrect human corpses to prey on the living. Among them is an old man played by Bela Lugosi, who had died prior to filming. Wood solved the problem by using silent footage of Lugosi from an abandoned film called The Vampire’s Tomb. He then substituted another actor to portray the resurrected Lugosi old man character. That actor marches around covering half his face with a cape to emulate the Dracula star. This is among the many missteps of the misadventure that is Plan 9. Rife with horrendous performances and silly dialogue that sounds like what an actual alien trying to pass himself off as a human might produce, Wood’s film is still as amusing as ever.
Starfish (2018)
Director/Writer: A.T. White
Cast: Virginia Gardner, Christina Masterson, Eric Beecroft
Run Time: 1 hr 41 min
Experimental and abstract, Starfish will be loathed by some (calling it pretentious), cherished by others (calling it allegorically brilliant). It’s a strange, meandering film whose themes are more potent than its story. The fact is, there isn’t much of a story. Grace, the best friend of a young woman named Aubrey (Virginia Gardner) dies and, after her funeral, Aubrey breaks into her apartment and lives there. But a day later, some event occurs, seemingly ending the world. Aubrey is able to communicate with a mysterious voice on the other end of a two-way radio, who helps guide her. She’s also got cassette tapes, left for her all over town by Grace. If she can find them all and make sense of the clues within, she can undo the apocalyptic event. Oh, and sometimes there are monsters. Gardner, who is in virtually every frame, is great in the film, which is beautifully shot. And that’s all some folks will find redeeming about it. At least ten or fifteen minutes too long, writer/director A.T. White could have said what he wanted to say sooner, and with more clarity, but that’s probably part of the point. This thing is deliberately slow, intentionally vague. It’s an observation of grief and the power it holds. You’ll likely never give it a second watch, but it demonstrates the genre’s depth and broadness, however esoteric.
