Across the vast genre of Sci-Fi, many films can fall under the radar amongst the greats like Star Trek or Star Wars. Here are four underrated Sci-Fi films.
Vivarium (2019)
Vivarium, directed by Lorcan Finnegan, is a sci-fi psychological thriller written by Finnegan alongside Garret Stanley. The film follows Gemma, an elementary school teacher, and her boyfriend Tom, a landscaper, as they visit a relatively new housing development known as Yonder, where all the homes are identical. After touring through house number 9, their real estate manager Martin, who unsettled Gemma earlier, vanishes without a trace. The couple are left driving through the endlessly identical neighborhood until their gas runs out, always ending up back at house number 9. Sleeping through the night, the couple wakes up to a box full of flavorless food, continuing their attempts to escape the neighborhood. After burning the house down only for it to suffer no damage, they once again sleep through the night, waking up to another sealed box containing a baby and a note, telling them to raise the child. Gemma showcases a hint of sympathy as they raise the child, despite growing from a mere baby to a young child over the course of just three months, while Tom grows withdrawn and becomes obsessed with escaping by digging a hole in the front garden.
The film stars actors Imogen Poots as Gemma, an elementary school teacher, Jesse Eisenberg as Tom, a landscaper and Gemma’s boyfriend, and Jonathan Aris as Martin, Yonder’s real estate agent.
Vivarium can be watched for free on Sling TV or Pluto TV. It can also be rented from Google Play Movies, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or Fandango.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Leave the World Behind, written and directed by Sam Esmail, is an apocalyptic psychological thriller film with Sci-Fi undertones. It is based on a 2020 novel of the same name written by Rumaan Alam. The film follows the Sandford family, as they take an impromptu vacation to a vacation rental. When the family goes to relax at a nearby beach, an oil tanker barrels straight forward and crashes ashore, causing chaos amongst everyone at the beach. Upon returning to the house, the internet connection and television aren’t working, and a pair of deer are seen outside. That night, the owner of the house, George, alongside his daughter Ruth, returned to stay the night with the explanation of a blackout having occurred. Later in the night, a National Emergency message appears on every television channel. Rose, the daughter in the Sandford family, is left frustrated because she can’t watch the Friends series finale. The next day, George goes out to investigate the disruptions while the father of the Sandford’s Clay drives into town. Clay discovers a drone dropping leaflets written in Arabic, while George discovers a satellite phone without a signal as well as a series of plane crashes at the beach. When both return to the house, the Sandford’s attempt to drive to Amanda’s sister’s house in New Jersey, ultimately being stopped by a pile up of cars caused by self-driving unmanned Teslas and forcing them back to George’s house. Together again, they attempt to further understand their situation as nature flourishes around them.
The film stars actors Julia Roberts as Amanda Sandford, the mother of the Sandford family, Mahershala Ali as George “G.H.” Scott, the owner of the Sandford’s vacation rental, Ethan Hawke as Clay Sandford, the father of the Sandford family, and Myha’la Herrold as Ruth Scott, George’s daughter. Farrah Mackenzie plays Rose Sandford, the daughter of the Sandford family, Charlie Evans plays Archie Sandford, the son of the Sandford family, and Kevin Bacon plays Danny, George’s conspiratorial neighbor and contractor.
Leave the World Behind can be watched on Netflix.
The Signal (2014)
The Signal, written and directed by William Eubank with additional writing from Carlyle Eubank and David Frigerio, is a science fiction thriller film that premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film follows three MIT students – Jonah and Haley, who are in a struggling relationship, alongside Nic – as they take a road trip to California for Haley. While staying the night in a hotel, Nic and Jonah are taunted by a hacker named NOMAD, who nearly resulted in them being expelled for breaking into MIT servers. Nic and Jonah manage to find NOMAD’s address, taking a detour to find the hacker. The boys find the address to be empty, but Haley is taken while the two are investigating, screaming as she is pulled into the air by an unknown force. The boys go unconscious, waking up in a mysterious facility being greeted by one Dr. Wallace Damon, who claims an extraterrestrial entity was camping outside the house. Suspicious of the doctor, Nic attempts to escape the facility all while trying to reunite with Jonah and Haley.
The film stars actors Brenton Thwaites as Nic Eastman, an MIT student with muscular dystrophy, Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Wallace Damon, a scientist at Area 51, Olivia Cooke as Haley Peterson, an MIT student and Nic’s girlfriend, and Beau Knapp as Jonah Breck, an MIT student.
The Signal can be rented from Google Play Movies, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or Fandango.
Dark City (1998)
Dark City, directed, co-written, and co-produced by Alex Proyas with writing assistance from Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer, is a neo-noir science fiction film said to have influenced the Matrix franchise. The film follows John Murdoch, a man who wakes up without memories in an apartment with a dead woman. He receives a phone call from Dr. Daniel Schreber, who informs him he’s being hunted by the Strangers. He flees the apartment, being chased by a group of pale men in trenchcoats. Meanwhile, Investigator Frank Bumstead takes on a series of murder cases where John is the lead suspect. John briefly meets up with his wife Emma, before continuing to flee from the Strangers, all in an attempt to clear his name and get to the bottom of his missing memories. Dr. Schreber, who works for the Strangers, attempts to aid him along the way so that John can help him defeat the Strangers and their mysterious agenda involving a city-wide experiment.
The film stars actors Rufus Sewell as John Murdoch, a man with amnesia who’s been accused of several murders, William Hurt as Inspector Frank Bumstead, the lead investigator on Murdoch’s case, Kiefer Sutherland as Dr. Daniel P. Schreber, John Murdoch’s doctor who works with mysterious employers, and Jennifer Connelly as Emma Murdoch, John’s wife. Ian Richardson plays Mr. Book, Dr. Schreber’s boss and the leader of a mysterious experiment, while Richard O’Brien plays Mr. Hand, one of Mr. Book’s many accomplices.
Dark City can be watched for free on Tubi, the Roku Channel, Sling TV, or PLEX. It can also be rented from Google Play Movies, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or Fandango.
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