Best Sci Fi Movies on Netflix
Above all, I think the best sci fi movies on Netflix have to be original. There are so many movies that consider themselves sci fi's but they still just play off the same old stories we've seen played out a thousand times. There are quite a few sci fi movies on Netflix but it really takes a keen eye to sift through all the same stuff you've seen before. With this list of Netflix movies, I've tried to find some movies that have some originality and break the mold of the same old cookie cutter stories. What makes Sci Fi movies so great to me is that they're all based purely on imagination, and these movies below came from some very interesting minds. There are a lot of Netflix sci fi movies, but few are actually worth your time. These movies below are the best sci fi movies Netflix has to offer right now.
What Happened to Monday?
What Happened to Monday? is the story of a futuristic world that has discovered that over population is destroying the world we live in. The cure is to outlaw people from having more than one child. The first thing that stands out in What Happened to Monday is that the premise is something that humans will ultimately have to deal with at some point in the future. Of course, it will never be as inhumane as making it illegal to have siblings, but I don't think that anyone can argue the fact that overpopulation will eventually cause the extinction of our natural resources. I'm not a crazy "Doomsday Prepper" or anything, but I think most of us realize that that is just a basic math equation. Whether or not it happens in thousands of years or hundreds of thousands of years is anyone's guess. With all that being said, the best part of What Happened to Monday? is all the action. This is definitely one of the new best action movies on Netflix right now. I didn't expect a lot of things that happened and there was a lot more gore as well. I don't think sci fi movies on Netflix need to always "wow" you as the best movie ever, I think all they need to succeed is to make you think. What I thought was interesting was the mix of Blade Runner type scenes and it also gave me a flashback of the type of classic Arnold stuff like Total Recall. If you're looking for one of the best sci fi movies on Netflix, don't miss out on What Happened to Monday?. There have even been some complaints about it having "unnecessary gore", so that's always a nice thing to look forward to, right?
Turbo Kid
Turbo Kid is a classic story of the underdog going against the ruthless gang boss in a post-apocalyptic world. Ok ok, maybe that's not the most classic story there is, but don't skip this one. Turbo Kid is one of the most original, and silliest, movies I've seen on Netflix. There's a ton of B-rate blood and gore that will have you laughing a lot more than have you being grossed out. If I had to describe this movie in one word, I would say it is just a "quirky" sci fi movie. Turbo Kid reminds you of a type of Mad Max movie, but the setting is from the 80's and the budget is one hundredth of the cost. I know that turns some people off that it didn't have a big budget, but trust me, it really doesn't matter in this one. The backdrops are authentic and really play well with the post-apocalyptic vibe. If anything, the bleakness of Turbo Kid is a much more authentic depiction of a scorched earth scenario than most CGI laden movies from Hollywood. Another one of my favorite parts of Turbo Kid is the perfectly cheesy acting. It's not like they are actually trying hard to be good actors and they are failing at it. In Turbo Kid they are actually good actors that are good at playing cheesy ones. There's plenty of super cheesy one-liners to keep a smile on your face and no one in this movie takes themselves too seriously, trust me. I mean we really have everything in Turbo Kid that you'd expect fr a good sci fi movie on Netflix. There are post apocalyptic/futuristic bike chases, gore like you wouldn't believe, and I'm pretty sure they used about a 100 gallons of fake blood to keep you entertained. Trust me, Turbo Kid is too fun to miss and it's a blast the whole time. It's definitely one of the best sci fi movies on Netflix right now. If you need more convincing, it got nothing but praise at Sundance.
Stake Land
Stake Land is an example of the good sci fi movie on Netflix that took a premise that we were already familiar with and added on top of it. Like I've stated in the past, you don't always have to reinvent the wheel to make a good sci fi movie, but if you plan on using a plot that we all know already (like vampires) then you need to bring an interesting and new twist to the genre. So to give you an idea if you are going to think Stake Land is one of the best sci fi movies on Netflix, let me ask you two questions:
Do you like vampire movies?
What about zombie movies??
If you answered yes to both of these questions, great! Now get ready for a vampire/zombie movie! Stake Land combines the two and it plays out to be a fun, and exceedingly gory, adventure. Like many vampire movies before it, Stake Land is a small budget film that makes a big impact on its audience. The main character, known only as "Mister", is the new generation vampire hunter who leads the way and instructs the youth on how to dispatch of these evil creatures. The post-apocalyptic background is perfect for the genre and I think there's plenty of scares to make this one of the best vampire movies on Netflix right now as well. Get ready to travel to the badlands and witness some terror along the way.
The Road
Speaking of post-apocalyptic scenarios, The Road is another one of the best sci fi movies on Netflix. It's the story of a man and his son struggling to survive against scavengers in a post-apocalyptic world. I suppose that all you need to get into the science fiction realm of movies, is to be a post-apocalyptic film, but I thought The Road was one of the first that pulled it off perfectly. Every character is in a murky existence of life struggling from one scene to the next. The Road is almost a haunting view of the death of America if ever there were to be such a thing. A lot of people have compared it to No Country For Old Men just for every character's grit and will to survive. I can't say that I exactly agree with the connection, but one thing I will say is that it is equally brutal. Viggo Mortensen plays a great role, like usual, and there are many scenes throughout The Road that some people might characterize as brutal. I also thought The Road had a surprisingly depressing feeling. Maybe it was just the rugged scenery that's what brings you down, like a cold foggy (post-apocalyptic) day.
John Dies at the End
John Dies at the End is ultimately about a new street drug that is sending people to other worldly dimensions. Well, that's not all that it's about, but that's a good start. Like many other of the best sci fi movies on Netflix, you can't really sum this movie up in a few sentences. Once you give a director the reigns to take a movie to wherever his/her imagination goes, you're in for a wild ride like John Dies at the End. No one in this film got paid a lot of money. You can take comfort in the fact that everyone plays a great role that they actually wanted to play. Paul Giamatti is one of the best actors of our time and for him to make a cameo in this movie, you know it had to be an interesting script. One thing I will say is that John Dies at the End has a cult following and no matter what the critics might say, it's definitely worthy of it. When you try to analyze this movie in a clear a logical sense, you aren't going to come up with the best review. But when you let the movie play and jump from one dimension to the other, you might just find that this is one of the weirdest movies you've seen this year. If you've been a fan of my list for some time I'm assuming you know that I definitely value weird movies. There's nothing I hate more than the same old boring storyline played out. My Netflix list is about 50% weird movies, and John Dies at the End is probably near the top of the list. Do yourself a favor and put a smile on your face tonight by watching this one.
Day Watch
Day Watch is the sequel to Night Watch and is the story of supernatural guardians of the light versus the supernatural guardians of the dark. I know that sounds pretty vague, but you'll know what I mean once you watch it. Day Watch just recently got added back to Netflix streaming and I'm glad it did. It has been on my Netflix streaming list for a long time but for some reason, it disappeared. Now that it's back, it's regained its status as one of the best sci fi movies on Netflix. Not only is it a good sci fi, if you're looking for the weirdest movie ever, this might just be the one for you. Like all good sci fi and fantasy movies, Day Watch mixes together a lot of action, mystery, and bizarre scenes that keep you intrigued. Konstantin Khabensky may just be my favorite Russian actor because he's great in every film I've seen him in so far. Apparently, both Day Watch and Night Watch are huge, critically acclaimed, movies in Moscow. What made this movie one of the best sci fi movies on Netflix was that it reminded me a little bit of a David Lynch film. I couldn't decern what was really going on, but the special effects and strangeness of the plot kept my eyes peeled to the screen. Day Watch is a nonsensical movie that was just fun to see what happened next.
Kung Fury
Kung Fury definitely deserves to be on the list of the best sci fi movies on Netflix, but it's also one of the best fantasy movies on Netflix. Just to warn you, pretty much everything in Kung Fury is completely ridiculous. If you're a serious type of person that needs serious acting and a serious plot, then this seriously is not the movie for you. On the other hand, if you enjoy the most off the wall comedies, and slapstick humor like you wouldn't believe, then you need to watch this movie. My only regret is that it is actually only 30 minutes long because it just left me wanting more. Kung Fury is a homage to all the cheesy 80's action films out there and boasts some pretty interesting and inventive special effects. Everything in Kung Fury is creative and way over the top so if you enjoyed the 80's you will most certainly enjoy Kung Fury. Just to give you an idea of how strange and random the story line is, it takes place in the 80's but Hitler is the arch enemy of the film. I didn't even realize it at first, but you can actually watch the entire movie through the trailer of Kung Fury on my homepage. You don't even need a Netflix account to watch one of the best sci fi movies on Netflix.
Dreamcatcher
I feel like Dreamcatcher never gets the love it deserves. It has a great cast and has a completely original, if not completely out of this world, plot. Honestly, it's really hard for me to describe the plot of Dreamcatcher and I think you would be better off just viewing the trailer here. I know that's not exactly what you're hoping for in a movie review blog, but there's just so much going on with Dreamcatcher, I don't want to spoil anything for you. One thing I will say is that Dreamcatcher has something for everyone in the sci fi genre. If you like mind bending dream sequences, then Dreamcatcher is right up your alley. If you like having the bejeezus scared out of you in a terrifying sequence of events, it has that too. Dreamcatcher is based on a novel by Stephen King and I will always be a fan of his work. If you like King, this movie stays true to his book and it perfectly plays out all of his insanely creepy thoughts on screen. Do you want to know what brought Dreamcatcher to my attention? In the search for finding the best sci fi movies on Netflix I came across a review that stated this about Dreamcatcher:
Dreamcatcher: "Worst movie of the year so far. Pretentious and disgusting."
I mean these people couldn't make it easier for us to find good movies right? When someone feels so strongly about hating a movie, I know I have to give it a shot. It's when you read the reviews of movies where people give it a 50/50 critique, that you won't be able to know if it's worth your time. I swear I have found half of the movies on my Netflix movies list from the negative reviews people give them. I guess my movies list just isn't for the type of people that can't stand a little blood, but if you can, give Dreamcatcher a try!
Sci fi movies on Netflix are never easy to find. The hardest part for me is watching countless sci fi movies on Netflix only to be disappointed that there is no creativity whatsoever. Like I mentioned before, to be a good sci fi movie on Netflix you need to have complete originality or have an inventive new plot or twist on the sci fi premises we've come to love. Some of the top Netflix movies are sci fi's and I hope the options above keep you entertained and hungry for more. Next up I'll be reviewing the best fantasy movies on Netflix so stay tuned for that!