One might argue that science fiction and horror are two parallels in terms of the movie niche, they cannot be combined. Because horror is all about suspense, creating an uncanny atmosphere, making the viewers uncomfortable. While sci-fi is about out of the box special effects. Here, you can find the details about the best science fiction horror films.
Well, it’s time to reconsider, we have enough sci-fi horror movies already out there that have caught up the attention of horror lovers. The fact that it can be tricky to combine both the genres hold good, but when combined to perfection, overwhelming results are achieved.
On this note, it is worthwhile mentioning that sci-fi horror and cosmic horror almost go hand in hand. You cannot simply find a cosmic horror movie that hasn’t made ample use of sci-fi effects.
The earliest instance we saw of this genre was in 1931 when Frankenstein was out, where the gnarly intentions of a mad scientist were on display. Then The Invisible Man (1933) was a perfect example of the potential of this genre.
The modern time has made it quite feasible to tinker with this genre. Today filmmakers have huge budgets, advanced computer technologies, sophisticated special effects to enrich this genre.
We have picked the top 10 films that have made a statement for themselves.
Top Sci-fi Horror Movies:
10. Annihilation(2018):
Initial Release - 13 February 2018
Director - Alex Garland
Annihilation is a British - American film based on the novel penned by Jeff VanderMeer that goes by the same name. The plot of the film follows the quest of a group of medical people which includes Lena who is a biologist and has set on a mission to unfold the mysterious accident suffered by her husband.
The group finds themselves trapped in an isolated zone called The Shimmer surrounded by unusual animals and plants attacking them. This was a landmark film in 2018 and was one of the Best Horror films in 2018.
9. Chronicle(2012):
Initial Release - 3 February 2012
Director - Josh Trank
Chronicle is an American found footage sci-fi horror film that displays the superhuman powers in the film. The movie covers the story of Andrew, a teenager who leads a miserable life with a cancer-stricken mother, abusive father, and being bullied at school. His life takes turns when he discovers an unknown crystalline object in the woods with his cousin and another fellow mate.
This mysterious object enhances the strength and power of the trio thereby developing sorcerous abilities. Andrew and his friends start using their powers for fun and play pranks but soon after what seems to be enchanting turns into a series of deadliest accidents.
8. The Thing(1982):
Initial Release - 10 December 1982
Director - John Carpenter
The Thing is an American sci-fi horror film adapted from the 1938 book by John W. Campbell Jr. titled Who Goes There?. It is said by the fans that there is nothing that can ever surpass like “The Thing” in terms of sci-fi horror. It’s hard to believe that a Horror film of the 1980’s has made it to this list, considering the special effects of that time.
The plot of the film follows the deleterious encounter of a lethal sled dog by a group of American scientists at a research station in Antarctica base camp. The dog proves to be life-threatening when it attacks the group one by one and it has a peculiar ability to reform itself in the same looks of its victims. The scientists then scuffle to save themselves, unable to differentiate between a friend and a foe.
7. I Am Legend(2007):
Initial Release- 14 December 2007
Director - Francis Lawrence
Will Smith is largely known for this very film. He was just on spot with his acting skills in the film. I Am Legend is the American sci-fi action horror film of Will Smith based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel that goes by the same name.
Will Smith plays the role of a virologist who is the only human survivor of the measles virus in the city that spread across the whole of New York. He manages to isolate himself and conduct experiments with his blood which is immune to the pandemic in the secluded lab to find the cure and save human lives. The scene where his dog gets infected and he holds him by his neck, so that when the virus activates he can choke him down. This scene will make you experience goosebumps for sure.
6. Tetsuo: The Iron Man(1989):
Initial Release- 1 July 1989
Director - Shinya Tsukamoto
Tetsuo: The Iron Man is a Japanese sci-fi horror film set in the dystopian future that deals with the New Wave of science fiction. The film features the story of a common corporate worker who is horrified by the discovery of a spooky curse on him that causes the spurting of metal from all over his body and eventually transforms him into “The Iron Man” over a period of time. The world seems to be destroyed and overpowered by metal turning the Earth to rust as the film progresses.
5. A Quiet Place(2018):
Initial Release - 6 April 2018
Director - John Krasinski
You make even a slightest of noise, and the next moment you will be hunted down, in order to stay alive, you must stay quiet. A Quiet Place is an American sci-fi horror film set in the apocalyptic phase where Earth’s population has collapsed due to the hypersensitive creatures who attack and kill on hearing any kind of noise.
Amidst this environment, The Abbott family lives “normally abnormal” life in a deserted town where they communicate only through sign language and circumvent to make any kind of sound to keep themselves alive. But unfortunately, one-day things become scary when they unintentionally make a sound, and a series of disastrous events occur.
4. Circle(2015):
Initial Release- 28 May 2015
Director-Aaron Hann, Mario Miscione
The circle is an American sci-fi horror thriller film based on the drama named 12 Angry Men aired in 1957. The film is largely mystery based, and will require your sincerest concentration to assimilate it.
The film revolves around a group of people who mysteriously find themselves around concentric circles in a dark room. They later discover that a person dies if they move or try to leave every two minutes.
The group then decides to vote through hand gestures for elderly people to die first when they realize that they can select the next person to sacrifice. At the same time, they also wonder and try to find answers for how they got trapped in this mess.
3.Godzilla(1954):
Initial Release- 3 November 1954
Director - Ishirō Honda
Godzilla is a Japanese sci-fi monster horror film. It is the first installment of the Godzilla franchise and is set in post-occupation Japan that is after the Japanese war of 1952. The film displays the sea monster called “Godzilla” who serves as the destructive cause of the Odo island and its residents.
Its origin is unknown and the researchers assume that the underwater bomb testing is the cause of the monster’s emergence that looks like a dinosaur who woke up from a long sleep. The government, Japanese forces, and paleontologist Kyohei Yamane join together to unravel the answers to free themselves from this disastrous terrestrial creature.
2. Signs(2002):
Initial Release- 29 July 2002
Director - M. Night Shyamalan
Signs is an American science fiction horror film that focuses on portraying the feelings of proximity, credence, rapport, and alien life. Signs concerns the sufferings of father Graham who lives in a remote farmhouse with his children and a younger brother. One day he notices a strange circulated pattern on his cornfield which shows the signs of the arrival of aliens on Earth. Graham and his family then retreat and quarantine themselves in their house as the number of aliens increases and invades while attacking them.
1.The Invisible Man(2020) :
Initial Release - 28 February 2020
Director- Leigh Whannell
The Invisible Man is an American- Australian sci-fi horror thriller film inspired by the novel of H.G Wells’s book of the same name. It is the remake of the famous original film The Invisible Man released in 1933. In the film a man turns invisible on the action of some chemical formula he worked upon.
The plot of the movie conveys the hard feelings of a woman named Cecilia who is confined in a relationship with her violent and controlling boyfriend Adrian. Soon after escaping from Adrian’s house, Cecilia experiences tormenting the presence of her boyfriend around her after Adrian commits suicide.
