This list highlights the best science fiction movies currently available on Netflix, showcasing both timeless classics and modern masterpieces. Each film offers a unique blend of thrilling concepts, from time travel to multiverse adventures, and showcases the incredible potential of the sci-fi genre. Whether you’re in the mood for nostalgic favorites like “Back to the Future” or modern cinematic achievements like “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Netflix’s selection promises something for every sci-fi enthusiast. With both indie gems and blockbuster hits, these movies push the boundaries of imagination and storytelling, making Netflix a prime destination for fans of speculative fiction.
1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Year: 1991
Director: James Cameron
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong, Joe Morton
Rating: R
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This rare sequel surpasses its predecessor with a near-perfect action-movie script. It transforms Ahnold into a good guy while showcasing Linda Hamilton’s evolution from damsel to badass hero. Why should the guys get all the good action scenes? —Josh Jackson
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2. Back to the Future
Year: 1985
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson
Rating: PG
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Marty McFly’s epic journey through time proves that even one kid’s actions can change the universe. Zemeckis crafts a timeless story where every plot point matters, blending humor and emotion flawlessly. —Michael Burgin
3. Everything Everywhere All At Once
Year: 2022
Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis
Rating: R
Watch on Netflix
Follow Evelyn Wang, a laundromat owner thrust into the multiverse to stop a villain. This visually stunning film is a chaotic mix of genres, grounded by a powerful emotional core. —Aurora Amidon
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4. Godzilla Minus One
Year: 2023
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Stars: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki
Rating: PG-13
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Godzilla returns in a film that combines terror with human resilience post-WWII. This kaiju movie skillfully balances thrilling destruction with a sympathetic human story, making it a standout in the franchise. —Jim Vorel
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5. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Year: 2023
Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Stars: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac
Rating: PG
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This sequel not only deepens character development but also elevates animation to new heights. It offers a visually breathtaking experience, setting the stage for a highly anticipated conclusion in 2024. —Tara Bennett
6. Okja
Year: 2017
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Stars: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, An Seo Hyun
Rating: NR
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Okja challenges viewers with its tonal shifts and heartfelt narrative about humanely treating animals. It cleverly blends suspense, humor, and social commentary, delivering powerful messages in an engaging way. —Chad Betz
7. Black Mirror
Year: 2011-2019
Creator: Charlie Brooker
Rating: N/A
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This anthology series examines the darker aspects of technology and its impact on society. Each episode serves as a cautionary tale, reflecting our world in an unflattering light and sparking important questions. —Shane Ryan
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8. Starship Troopers
Year: 1997
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Stars: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Neil Patrick Harris
Rating: R
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This satirical sci-fi film critiques Hollywood’s glorification of war while indulging in thrilling action. Verhoeven’s work is both entertaining and thought-provoking, showcasing the absurdity of military propaganda. —Dom Sinacola
9. Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack
Year: 1988
Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Stars: Toru Furuya, Shuichi Ikeda
Rating: TV-14
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As the concluding chapter of the original Gundam saga, this film encapsulates the rivalry between Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, delivering a compelling narrative steeped in the series’ signature dilemmas.
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10. Life
Year: 2017
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds
Rating: R
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Imagine being in Space. Now, picture yourself on a Spacewalk, with nothing but a braided steel tether and the most advanced spacesuit humanity has created. Suddenly, something goes wrong. Your helmet begins to fill with liquid, and you’re left bewildered. This terrifying scenario echoes the real-life experiences of astronauts Chris Hadfield and Luca Parmitano, who faced near-disasters due to emergency suit leaks. Unlike them, we might panic. Life, a gripping horror film set aboard a space station, artfully combines elements of The Martian, Alien, and Event Horizon to tap into our innate fears of the unknown in Space. The complexity of the environment amplifies our fears, and Life skillfully captures that tension.
Visually stunning, the film juxtaposes awe-inspiring technology against the backdrop of isolation. Director Daniel Espinosa emphasizes the astronauts’ immense responsibility to humanity. They represent the pinnacle of our capabilities, and we hope they won’t let us down. —Jacob Oller
11. The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Year: 2021
Director: Mike Rianda
Stars: Danny McBride, Abbi Jacobson, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Eric Andre, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen
Rating: PG
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The Mitchells vs. the Machines turns the animated family dynamic into a vibrant sci-fi carnival. Directed by Mike Rianda, this debut feature (with co-writer/director Jeff Rowe from Gravity Falls) blends absurdity, warmth, and a touch of terror. The frenetic energy of the Mitchell family battling against machines feels overwhelming, reminiscent of an exhilarating day at a theme park, leaving viewers exhilarated yet exhausted. It’s a lively, heartfelt animated comedy that stands out as one of the year’s best. —Jacob Oller
12. The Platform
Year: 2019
Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Stars: Iván Massagué, Zorion Eguileor, Antonia San Juan, Emilio Buale Coka, Alexandra Masangkay
Rating: NR
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The Platform thrives on its straightforward yet compelling premise and the deliberate withholding of information. We’re not told why people are trapped in this grim vertical prison, where food arrives daily on a descending slab that grows increasingly unappetizing. The focus is instead on human reactions to this dire situation—how various personalities respond with selfishness, predation, or unexpected altruism. The prisoners’ constantly changing positions symbolize both the chance to be a force for good and the temptation to distrust others. Expect a nihilistic tone, but with glimpses of hope that make the story even more poignant. —Jim Vorel
13. Upgrade
Year: 2018
Director: Leigh Whannell
Stars: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson
Rating: R
Watch on Netflix
Fans of high-concept, b-movie sci-fi will find joy in Upgrade, which offers more than just a streamlined, thrilling vigilante revenge story, akin to Death Wish: Cyberpunk Edition. This film provokes thought about the extent of power we can bestow on artificial intelligence before it decides we are unnecessary. While the existential threat posed by AI is a familiar theme in science fiction, Upgrade delivers a digestible version of this concept, presenting it in a unique manner, while still indulging in some hyper-violent action. Watching a villain meet a gruesome end only adds to the enjoyment. —Oktay Ege Kozak
14. They Cloned Tyrone
Year: 2023
Director: Juel Taylor
Stars: John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, Kiefer Sutherland, David Alan Grier
Rating: R
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They Cloned Tyrone finds a unique balance between historical authenticity and imaginative sci-fi storytelling. This contemporary film, tinged with Blaxploitation elements, explores the neglect and resilience of urban neighborhoods. The title hints at the cloning plot while cleverly keeping the specifics vague. While the sci-fi elements might feel derivative at times, the film’s charm lies in its well-developed characters: the stoic Fontaine (John Boyega), the quirky Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), and the resourceful Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris). Boyega’s understated performance adds depth, while Foxx’s portrayal brings humor to his character. Parris shines as a clever, witty amateur sleuth. The film’s cleverness and engaging style set it apart from typical post-Get Out thrillers. —Jesse Hassenger
15. Oxygen
Year: 2021
Director: Alexandre Aja
Stars: Mélanie Laurent, Mathieu Amalric, Malik Zidi
Rating: NR
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Before you settle in for Oxygen, be warned: this sci-fi horror film is not what you expect. Directed by Alexandre Aja, known for his intense and provocative storytelling, Oxygen is ultimately a tribute to human survival, intertwining horror with a sense of catharsis. The story revolves around a woman (Mélanie Laurent) who wakes up in a cryogenic chamber, with no recollection of her identity or how she got there. M.I.L.O. (Mathieu Amalric), the onboard computer, reveals she has only a limited oxygen supply. Confined to the pod, her fight for escape becomes a terrifying race against time. —Lex Briscuso
16. The Midnight Sky
Year: 2020
Director: George Clooney
Stars: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Tiffany Boone, Demian Bichir, Kyle Chandler, Caoilinn Springall
Rating: PG-13
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Set in 2049, The Midnight Sky is a contemplative journey that depicts Earth as a deteriorating wasteland and space as a perilous yet hopeful new frontier. The narrative alternates between the Arctic and a sophisticated spacecraft named the Aether. It follows a dying scientist, Augustine Lofthouse (George Clooney), as he races to warn the crew aboard the Aether to avoid returning to an Earth rendered mostly uninhabitable by an unspecified cataclysmic event. Despite some clichés, the film remains a gripping and chilling tale—one that resonates uncomfortably given the context of 2020. —Joseph Stanichar
17. The Old Guard
Year: 2020
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Stars: Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Chiwitel Ejiofor, Van Veronico Ngo, Henry Melling, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli
Rating: R
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Gina Prince-Bythewood successfully navigates the action genre with The Old Guard, demonstrating her ability to craft a high-concept blockbuster that feels like a return to the classics. The film explores the struggles of Andromache the Scythian (Charlize Theron), an immortal warrior who continues to question the purpose of her eternal life. While the film leaves room for sequels—thanks to Netflix’s resources—it also raises the desire for more coherent action direction. Nevertheless, the film offers numerous delights, particularly with the emergence of Kiki Layne as a promising action star, showcasing her skills with a striking one-handed pistol cocking. However, the film’s pacing suffers from excessive editing, with noteworthy set pieces occasionally falling victim to over-cutting. The violence is plentiful, with scenes that emphasize the fragility of the human body. —Dom Sinacola
18. Don’t Look Up
Year: 2021
Director: Adam McKay
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Meryl Streep
Rating: R
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In 2021, the anxieties surrounding the world’s potential demise are prevalent. Don’t Look Up, directed by Adam McKay, combines doomsday comedy and political satire to address the current state of affairs. The film tackles themes such as populism, the pandemic, and climate change, presenting a scenario where society is confronted with an imminent extinction-level threat. McKay explores the reactions of politicians and the public to this news, illustrating how misinformation and self-interest prevail in the face of existential crises. While the film features an impressive cast, it ultimately struggles with pacing, feeling excessively long at 145 minutes. An alternate version with a more concise runtime could have improved the sharpness of the satire. As it stands, Don’t Look Up is an exhausting, meandering exploration of societal dread that some may find burdensome. —Brianna Zigler
19. Blame!
Year: 2017
Director: Hiroyuki Seshita
Stars: Sora Amamiya, Kana Hanazawa, Takahiro Sakurai
Rating: TV-14
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Tsutomu Nihei, known for his unique vision in dark industrial sci-fi, combines architectural expertise with manga artistry. His iconic series Blame! features haunting environments filled with enigmatic beings and intricate structures. After several failed attempts to adapt the series, Hiroyuki Seshita’s Blame! finally arrives, supported by Netflix. Set in a dystopian future dominated by a self-replicating superstructure known as “The City,” the film follows Killy, a solitary wanderer, in search of a human with the ‘net terminal gene,’ believed to be the key to stopping the City’s relentless expansion. With a screenplay by Sadayuki Murai, known for his work on Cowboy Bebop and Perfect Blue, the film streamlines the story into a more action-driven narrative while maintaining Nihei’s aesthetic vision. The adaptation successfully introduces viewers to the series while standing as one of the best original anime films on Netflix. —Toussaint Egan
20. Space Sweepers
Year: 2021
Director: Jo Sung-hee
Stars: Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Seon-kyu, Yoo Hae-jin
Rating: NR
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Space Sweepers, a big-budget sci-fi film from Korea, follows in the footsteps of the Chinese film The Wandering Earth by delivering a cohesive narrative filled with visual flair. Set in a dystopian future where a tech mogul creates a paradise on Mars, the majority of humanity is left to contend with pollution and poverty. A diverse crew of space junk collectors, each with their own motives, stumbles upon a mysterious young girl, leading them into larger dilemmas. With well-developed characters, exhilarating action scenes, and an engaging storyline, Space Sweepers marks a strong entry in Korea’s cinematic landscape as its first sci-fi blockbuster. —Josh Jackson