7 Best Sci-Fi Movies You Didn’t Know Were Streaming on Prime Video

Prime Video stands as one of the streaming world’s best platforms for sci-fi shows, but its library also includes tons of great sci-fi movies for subscribers to choose from. Boasting a wide array of sci-fi TV series like Battlestar Galactica, The Expanse, and Humans, Prime Video is home to films that fans of these shows should peruse though. From recent releases like Poor Things to renowned classics like The Fog, Prime Video’s sci-fi movie catalog is nothing short of impressive. It also includes some projects that have flown under the radar over the years or have recently arrived on the platform.

As many titles move from one streaming service to another at the start of each month, subscribers may not be aware that these seven sci-fi movies are currently available to watch on Prime Video.

10 Cloverfield Lane

2016’s 10 Cloverfield Lane is a thrilling work of sci-fi horror. Functioning as companion piece to 2008’s Cloverfield, the film similarly focuses on a catastrophic alien invasion of Earth. 10 Cloverfield Lane‘s different approach sees a woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wake up in a bunker with two men (John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr.) who claim that the air on Earth’s surface is toxic.

A wildly unpredictable story with plenty of twists, 10 Cloverfield Lane hides most of its secrets until the very end. 10 Cloverfield Lane tests the audience’s intuition about who to trust and what to believe, making for a truly gripping viewing experience. Still an underrated sci-fi film, subscribers should check it out now.

Melancholia

2011’s Melancholia is one of many movies to tackle the end of the world, but the movie’s slow-burn approach renders it a far more introspective tale than most. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, and Alexander Skarsgård, Melancholia follows two sisters who spend their final days at a castle before Earth collides with another planet. Inspired by director Lars von Trier’s experience with depression, the film highlights how people approach the idea of impending doom in different ways.

Melancholia makes viewers ponder how they might feel during a potential world-ending event, as its thought-provoking story remains a uniquely small-scale work of sci-fi. The movie has largely gone overlooked when compared to other sci-fi greats of the last 15 years.

Super 8

Lots of movie fans have forgotten about 2011’s Super 8, but it remains a fantastic sci-fi flick. Directed by J.J. Abrams and led by Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney, Super 8 centers on a group of teenagers who witness a strange series of events after watching a train derail while filming a movie. Super 8‘s mysterious plot develops into something much more perilous than the movie’s beginning suggests, and it keeps viewers guessing until the end.

Containing all of the action one expects from a major blockbuster, Super 8 also succeeds in building strong emotional connections between its characters.

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Life

A compelling space thriller, 2017’s Life is headlined by the all-star trio of Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. The movie’s narrative revolves around International Space Station crew members who discover a life form on Mars and soon learn that it’s much more of a threat than a scientific breakthrough. Reminiscent of the legendary Alien franchise and likened by fans to Marvel’s Venom, Life blends suspense, horror, and intelligent sci-fi elements to build a gripping story. Life also boasts impressive visuals and strong acting performances, making it a worthwhile watch for all fans of the sci-fi genre.

Donnie Darko

Those looking for a sci-fi movie that feels more like a psychological thriller should immediately queue up 2001’s Donnie Darko. The film stars Gyllenhaal as an unstable teen who repeatedly sees a mysterious figure wearing a rabbit costume informing him that the world is about to end. Donnie Darko’s wild concept works well, and Gyllenhaal’s lead performance elevates the film to cult status.

Although Donnie Darko flies under the radar in conversations about legendary sci-fi movies, it deserves much more praise due to its unique ideas, eerie atmosphere, and alluring plot threads. Captivating and thoughtful, Donnie Darko is genuinely hard to forget after watching it.

Contagion

2011’s Contagion hits a little too close to home ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, but at the time of its release, the movie was groundbreaking, thrilling sci-fi material. Contagion chronicles the rapid spread of a deadly respiratory virus, which turns into a devastating pandemic. Featuring a star-studded cast of Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and more, Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion fascinatingly mirrors real-world pandemic events from quarantines to vaccines, as well as human behaviors such as panic-buying and science-denying. There aren’t many movies that have aged in such an interesting fashion as Contagion, and everyone needs to watch it at least once.

Starship Troopers

An entertaining and thought-provoking extraterrestrial tale, 1997’s Starship Troopers centers on a war between a fascist society of humans and giant alien bugs. The film, directed by Paul Verhoeven, contains some unique and terrifying depictions of the bugs, also known as Arachnids. Furthermore, Starship Troopers‘ battle sequences are riveting to watch, and its commentary about authoritarian regimes adds some substance to the entertainment. The negative reception of Starship Troopers in the wake of its release has prevented the movie from leaving a lasting mark on the sci-fi genre, but it deserves to be revisited nearly 30 years later.

What are your favorite sci-fi titles on Prime Video? Let us know in the comments!