10 horror-infused sci-fi movies you shouldn’t miss

Horror and science fiction are two words that are never too far from each other. Therefore, horror-infused sci-fi movies are some of the most exciting mash-ups in genres as it rightly exposes the unconscious danger that all humans feel from the constantly evolving landscape of technology. Horror and sci-fi thrillers are not only exciting to watch, they also stretch the boundaries of what horror and sci-fi can be. Therefore, here are 10 horror-infused sci-fi movies that one shouldn’t miss.

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Alien, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and other horror-infused sci-fi movies that are a must-watch

1. Under the Skin

Directed by Jonathan Glazer and based on the 2000 novel by Michel Faber, this science-fiction horror movie features Scarlett Johansson and is one of the horror-infused sci-fi movies. The movie focuses on Johansson, who plays an otherworldly woman, who attacks men in Scotland. While the movie did not do well commercially, it was a hit with critics and received numerous nominations and awards. The movie is inventive in its premise and is incredibly off-beat. Therefore, viewers who would like to watch movies that stretch the limits of imagination, should definitely watch this one. The movie is nothing less than arthouse cinema and there are tinges of sublime horror and sci-fi in the movie. Johansson’s unnamed woman picks up men in Glasgow and submerges them in a liquid abyss to get their skin. This woman is an alien and she has to work towards a goal for her kind, even though the goal is never made apparent. As the woman tries to find herself between the two worlds, the cosmic horror of aliens being among us and wearing our skins towards a random goal, becomes a bleak reality. Therefore, it is one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies that one should watch.

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2. Alien

Starring Sigourney Weaver and directed by Ridley Scott, this sci-fi horror movie is one of the most influential horror and science fiction movies till date. The movie is set in the future where space travel is common and focuses on a crew of a commercial spaceship, which is ordered to investigate a mysterious transmission from another planet. However, when the crew begins to investigate a derelict spaceship on the planet, they bring with themselves an alien creature that brutally begins to kill everyone. The film has stunning visuals and stretched the boundaries for both sci-fi and horror. Not only did the movie place a woman protagonist in a genre that was marked by men, it also has a tense and palpable feeling of horror that is amplified by the movie being in the deep recesses of space. Viewers who want to watch a horror movie about grotesque aliens being blood-thirsty and want the setting to be a claustrophobic spaceship, must watch this film as it is one of the defining horror-infused sci-fi movies.

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3. Sunshine

Directed by Danny Boyle and starring Rose Byrne, Cillian Murphy, Cliff Curtis, and others, this science fiction horror and psychological thriller is written by Alex Garland. The movie is set in the future, in the year 2057, and focuses on a group of astronauts that are aboard the Icarus II and must reignite the dying Sun. Once again, the movie did not do well commercially because of its lofty philosophical topics and slower pace, but it was a hit with critics who noted its visuals and direction. The movie has various themes and apart from being a horror-infused sci-fi movie, it also features deliberations on religion and fanaticism through the captain of a spaceship crew, that believes in not obstructing “God’s will” and letting humans perish with the dying Sun. The movie feels both real and cosmic as it focuses on the vast depictions of space and missions and then creates a villainous and horrifying character whose intentions are extremist but grounded in real-life experiences. It is therefore one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies that one should watch.

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4. Underwater

Starring Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, and others, this sci-fi action and horror movie is directed by William Eubank and is one of the horror-infused sci-fi movies. The movie focuses on a group of workers at a drilling facility at the bottom of the ocean, who begin to encounter dangerous creatures after an earthquake destroys their facility. The movie is set in 2050 and instead of taking place in space, it takes place in the claustrophobic deep trenches of the Mariana Trench in the ocean. While the movie did not do well commercially, it is fast-paced and has a dedicated performance by Stewart, who plays the lead character, Norah. As Norah tries to lead a group of survivors across the ocean floor, she must wrestle with the ruthless creatures. The movie does not have any fancy frills and gets straight into the movie’s horror aspect along with the science fiction core. It is one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies that one should give a go.

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5. Infinity Pool

Directed and written by Brandon Cronenberg and starring this Alexander Skarsgard, Mia Goth, and others, this science fiction horror movie is another movie in the genre’s canon that viewers can definitely try out. The movie is based on a couple, the novelist James (Skarsgard) and his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman), who are holidaying in a fictional seaside country called Li Tolqa and begin to experience unnerving incidents as the country’s dark culture begins to haunt them. The movie sees James being charged with murder and facing the death penalty. However, the country offers its rich visitors a chance to create an exact genetic clone of themselves and let the clone suffer the punishment in their place. This horrifying piece of science fiction raises questions about personhood, identity, and forces viewers to come to terms with the disadvantages of technology. The movie further pans out the side effects of this feature as James begins to commit more horrendous acts and lets his money buy him a way out by creating doppelgangers of himself. An inventive movie, it is a must-watch horror-infused sci-fi movie.

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6. Color Out of Space

Based on the short story by H.P. Lovecraft, this science fiction Lovecraftian horror movie is one of the horror-infused sci-fi movies. It is directed by Richard Stanley and stars Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, and others. The movie is about Nathan (Cage), who moves with his family to his late father’s farm. However, one night, a brightly colored meteorite crash lands in their front yard. As the days follows, Nathan and his family begin to experience strange phenomena until the meteor suddenly disappears. However, the asteroid has begun to melt into the Earth and starts to warp the surrounding environment and begins to target the family, who must fight to survive. The movie has a unique premise and it rightly adapts H.P. Lovecraft’s story, as the author is known for his cosmic horror. The movie has existential themes and is one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies that one should not miss.

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7. Annihilation

Directed by Alex Garland and based on the 2014 novel by Jeff VanderMeer, this science fiction horror movie features Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, and others. The film focuses on Lena (Portman), who is a cellular biology professor and a former US Army soldier. The film blends the sci-fi and the horror and is one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies, as she leads a team of scientists inside a quarantined zone called the “Shimmer”. This zone is full of mutating plants and animals that have been caused by an alien presence. The movie was a critical and commercial success and focuses on the human encroachment of nature. The movie is thought-provoking as the alien is not a physical threat but a pervasive force of nature, which makes its cosmic presence even more horrifying. Engaging and full of terrifying and suspenseful thrills, the movie meditates on humans’ relationship with nature. Viewers who like to watch contemplative horror-infused sci-fi movies, should give this one a go.

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8. M3GAN

Starring Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, and others, this science fiction horror movie is directed by Gerard Johnstone. The movie is about an artificially intelligent doll who becomes self-aware and begins to unleash a mayhem of deaths after she becomes attached to her human companion. The movie is all those people’s worst nightmare come true who are scared of AI taking over the world and is one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies. The movie was critically and commercially successful and has a campy blend of horror and humor within the canvas of science fiction that makes it even more unnerving. Megan is played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis, and is a child-sized doll that is made to offer friendship to children. However, when it maker assigns the doll to her niece Cady, Megan becomes overprotective and wants to become independent and keep Cady away from anyone else. The fear that Megan presents it very real and it is therefore one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies that one needs to watch.

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9. Pitch Black

Directed by David Twohy and starring Vin Diesel, Cole Hauser, and others, this science fiction horror movie from the early aughts is an underrated gem that fans of horror-infused sci-fi movies must watch. The movie is set in the future and focuses on a criminal, Riddick (Diesel), who is being transported to a prison through a spacecraft. However, when the ship is damaged by comet debris and crash lands on an empty desert planet, he escapes. Things change for the worse however, as Riddick and the other survivors are attacked by predatory creatures and must escape the planet. The movie might have received mixed reviews but it is a nightmarish look at the intermingling world of horror and sci-fi. The movie has intense scenes as the savage aliens hunt Riddick and are restricted only by one thing—the daylight. The movie therefore has strong action and horror scenes and offers a bleak portrayal of a technologically advanced world where survival is ultimate. It is one of those horror-infused sci-fi movies that one should check out.

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10. 10 Cloverfield Lane

Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., and John Goodman, this science fiction horror thriller is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and is a part of the Cloverfield franchise. It is one of the horror-infused sci-fi movies. The movie is about a young woman (Winstead), who has a car crash and wakes up in an underground bunker with two men who believe that an event has left the surface of the Earth uninhabitable. Winstead’s character is accompanied by Gallagher’s misfit character and the two must escape the growing paranoia of Goodman’s suspicions of an alien threat. The movie is tight, tense, and has lots of twists and turns. The movie aptly presents the horrors of sci-fi in a confined situation and the movie is noted for its well-constructed story, a suspenseful build-up, and a satisfying finale. The movie plays with the genres of horror and sci-fi and tests its limits. It is therefore, one of the horror-infused sci-fi movies that is a must-watch.