The 10 Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Of All Time, According To Ranker
Throughout the last century, the science fiction movie genre has truly blown up, and many fans have been in constant debate for years on why their favorite sci-fi movies are the greatest. Over 475,000 fans have come together to vote on a Ranker list, creating an interesting chance to see what the vast majority of sci-fi movie fans believe to be the greatest sci-fi movies.
Due to the countless number of science fiction movies and the vast range of the genre, it's understandable why so many films are quickly forgotten about and left in the dust. However, some movies have truly blown fans' minds so much so that they are still watched and appreciated in today's modern world, and considered some of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time.
10 Jurassic Park (1993)
Released in 1993, Jurassic Park took the world by storm. Hollywood had never seen a movie that used so much CGI in such a fantastic way, and director Steven Spielberg was hugely praised for his work.
Most '90s CGI has aged very poorly, however, Jurrasic Park's incredible effects are just one of its elements that still holds up today. Spielberg used state-of-the-art dinosaur animatronics to balance out how many special effects were used and he was also a master at building suspense throughout the movie. Things as simple as water dripping and strategic camera placement added tension and excitement to the movie's greatest moments, helping it stand out from many other sci-fi movies and making it still hold up today.
9 Predator (1987)
The fast-paced thrill ride that is Predator is another movie highly regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever, thanks to its delicious blend of horror, action, and sci-fi elements.
Predator has every classic '90s action movie trope - big guns, big men, lots and lots of shooting, one-liners, and more - combined with a terrifying alien stalking the main characters. It's an overdramatic action movie complete with some goofy and suspenseful sequences, but they surprisingly work so well together that the fan base has grown so much over the years, and still see the film as incredible today.
8 Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Another highly-praised Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, Terminator 2: Judgement Day is the sequel to 1985's Terminator and features a young John Connor being hunted down by the T-1000 android, and is seen as one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time.
Terminator 2's combination of character development, humor, ground-breaking (at the time) special effects, and action created a perfect sci-fi action film for fans of all ages to enjoy. This movie proved that Schwarzeneggar could act as a hero as well as a terrifying cyborg, and is filled with tonnes of memorable one-liners that fans still recite today.
7 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Although titled 'Episode IV', this was actually the first Star Wars movie fans saw in theatres all the way back in 1977, and remains one of the most iconic and jaw-dropping sci-fi movies to have ever been released.
A New Hope introduced the world to cinema's greatest villain - the infamous Darth Vader. On top of this, the movie made fans continuously question the existence of The Force, as many characters would belittle it, and it was only towards the end of the film we finally saw Luke use it - prompting the idea that above just machinery and technology, there was some form of spirituality and peace that could be achieved. The movie's special effects were breathtaking at the time, and some still hold up today. All of these factors combined to create what many fans still see as a masterpiece, filled with the iconic Star Wars characters that fans have fallen in love with.
6 Aliens (1986)
Decades after the events of Alien, Lieutenant Ripley is found floating in space in stasis by a salvage team, who team her up with the Colonial Marines to travel back to LV-426 - where they find a traumatized little girl, Newt.
The sequel to Alien is hugely praised for its perfect blend of on-point casting, fantastic production design, mind-blowing special effects, and sound editing. Fans loved the increased tension that Newt brought to the plot, forcing the already terrified Ripley to become a hero and protect her at all costs, creating some intense moments that fans have remembered and discussed for years - demonstrating its greatness.
5 The Terminator (1984)
The first film of the decades-long franchise, The Terminator featured the cyborg assassin Terminator, played by the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger, traveling through time to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor.
The '80s movie was highly praised for its use of camera angles are lighting effects to add extra anxiety-inducing tension for fans to experience, as well as its futuristic sci-fi tropes and visual effects. The film helped make the now-infamous Schwarzenegger a household name, and seeing his intimidating face on the cover of The Terminator is sure to flood fans with tonnes of memories.
4 Blade Runner
Fans were introduced to dystopian-future America in 1982's Blade Runner, where android-like humans known as replicants have been created to work on space colonies. Harrison Ford's character, Rick Deckard, has to hunt down some replicants that have escaped back to Earth.
Blade Runner was highly-praised for its incredible world, which was both breathtaking and nerve-racking, as its production design perfectly crafted a beautifully tragic rendition of a decaying but technologically advanced future. The layered world full of complex detail helps suck fans in and has been the source of inspiration for so many other cyberpunk and neo-noir movies and games. This, mixed with the talented acting, created an experience that fans still remember and cherish.
3 Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott's Alien movie follows a space crew on board the starship Nostromo who is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules early to investigate a distress signal - where they come across the terrifying aliens, and the horror begins.
Alien is full of unexpected plot twists, and Scott managed to create an eerie horror atmosphere that subtly inflicts fear upon the audience without blatantly shoving it in their faces, creating an unusual feeling of uncertainty about the Aliens - so that the audience and the crew are at the same disadvantage. This incredible feat, combined with the ultra-realistic and ultra-horrifying special effects, creates an extraordinary movie that fans still talk about over 40 years later.
2 The Matrix (1999)
One of the most mind-blowing movies of the '90s, The Matrix followed Neo, played by the lovable Keanu Reeves, and forced fans to ponder the question - what is real?
The Matrix presented constant unchallenged questions that humans cannot answer, inviting the audience to truly think about life and the way it works. These conundrums were demonstrated throughout the movie, where the very environment could be manipulated, so fight scenes defied the laws of physics, people could fly, bullets could be stopped, and more. All of these were shown through the movie's timeless special effects, which were breathtaking at the time, and still hold up today.
1 Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The sequel to A New Hope, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back finally delivered the long-awaited and intense lightsaber duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, and featured cinema's biggest plot twist that even non-Star Wars fans know about - that Vader was Luke's father.
This moment has echoed throughout cinema history, being recreated time and time again through parodies and similar plot twists. This scene is just one of the many memorable and iconic moments throughout the film, and they are combined with stunning special effects that blew minds at the time of release. The film also boasts one of the best sci-fi narratives ever written, with relatable characters being performed by talented actors, and an array of new characters revealed, such as the legendary Yoda. It was an incredible sequel for A New Hope, and its heightened sense of intensity is felt throughout the whole film, keeping fans on the edge of their seats for decades.