Best Sci Fi Horror Movies Since 2000

The 25 Best Sci-Fi Movies of the 2000s

Did your favorite make the cutting?

The science-fiction feature pic genre has been around for decades, but it went through a curious evolution in the 2000s that gave us some of the best sci-fi films ever made. Coming right on the heels of the internet's ascension and the rise of the digital age, new technologies opened upwards a world of possibilities for filmmakers venturing into the sci-fi genre throughout the 2000s. From 2000 through 2009, audiences were glimpsing effects that were growing more realistic on an exponential level, fittingly climaxing with the groundbreaking Avatar to close out the decade. But while technology gave filmmakers more possibilities to make things bigger, improve, and flashier, the best films of the genre throughout the 2000s used the technology equally a tool, not a crutch, and some of the lower-tech sci-fi films ended upward being some of the all-time.

As nosotros now alive in a world where the sci-fi genre is evolving at an impressive rate, we idea it prudent to accept a look back and curate a listing of the all-time sci-fi films of the 2000s. Collider'due south own Adam Chitwood and Haleigh Foutch settled on a total of 25 sci-fi films that deserve this moniker, and so settle in and take a peek at their selections and explanations.

Only offset, a annotation: the superhero genre could technically fit inside the sci-fi genre, merely we fabricated the witting decision to not include superhero films in the making of this particular list, every bit those films could make up a list all their own. So earlier yous offset complaining near us leaving out Spider-Human being or X2 , know that these films were "butterfingers" from consideration.

Sunshine (2007)

Despite the fact that he's an Oscar-winning director with multiple cult classics, Danny Boyle often feels similar an underrated filmmaker. Time and fourth dimension again he has proved that he tin can conquer diverse subject field matters and genres with his signature manner and panache, and Sunshine is perhaps his nigh egregiously undervalued work. It's all, of course, to practice with that unfortunate third act twist, which spins what begins as excellently articulated hard-sci-fi-meets-blockbuster film into a flashy slasher pic, just notwithstanding Sunshine is a triumph of the genre. As always, Boyle is working with a start-charge per unit bandage including Rose Byrne, Cillian Potato, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis, Benedict Wong, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Chris Evans (in the first pre-Captain America role that actually gave him credit for his talent). And he puts them to great utilize in a pulse-pounding, legitimately science-based scientific discipline fiction for adults that was ever so slightly ahead of its time. Somewhat of a forerunner to hyper-realistic space sagas like Gravity , Inception, and The Martian , Sunshine takes the utmost intendance to endow its characters and circumstances with believability and heft that makes each minute pianoforte-wire taught. The greatest forcefulness of that tension comes from the sequences that pit the expert crew against the frivolity of nature and the imperfection of human nature, and while the final act ultimately undermines some of the peak sci-fi that elevates the bulk of the film, it'southward still a remarkable accomplishment that helped chart the grade for the future of big-budget sci-fi. --Haleigh Foutch

War of the Worlds (2005)

While the second collaboration betwixt Steven Spielberg and Tom Prowl was also a sci-fi film, War of the Worlds is far from the erudite-but-informal neo-noir of Minority Report . Instead, this 2004 remake seized the opportunity to mimic the topical quality of many of the classic sci-fi films of the 50s and 60s by seizing on our nation'due south post-9/11 fears, offering up 1 of Spielberg's darkest films ever. The aliens are secondary in War of the Worlds, with Spielberg'south focus instead on showing the impact and backwash of the invasion from a single point of view, Cruise's Very Bad Father Ray. What follows is a harrowing sequence of events that largely mirrors the country of our nation in the firsthand backwash of ix/xi—our confusion, our fearfulness, our anger. Spielberg captures this perfectly, and Cruise is tremendous as a guy who doesn't know how to exist a father and who is left being "The Parent" during the worst mean solar day of everyone'south lives. Sure the aliens are a petty uninteresting, but they were never the betoken. The best sci-fi seizes on some thematic resonance, some relevance to the world we live in, and that's exactly where War of the Worlds shines. – Adam Chitwood

Altered (2006)

Altered is pure B-pic shlock, only it's got the goods. Subsequently, ahem, altering the course of the horror genre with the institute footage progenitor The Blair Witch Project , director Eduardo Sanchez helmed this nasty little slice of sci-fi horror that pits a grouping of childhood friends against the vicious aliens that abducted them in their youth. With nary a proper noun or face y'all're likely to recognize (unless you're still pissed at Parker Abrams for breaking Buffy's heart), Altered puts a spin on the conflicting abduction mythos when the men kidnap i of their childhood captors in an ill-advised mission of vengeance. Telepathic, strong, and technologically advanced, the conflicting race is so obviously superior in every way, and the friends begin paying for their deadly arrogance directly away as the gruesome fallout reveals more than and more than of the alien race's offensive strengths. The performances are pulpy and the dialogue earns more a few cringes, but once you lot get pulled in, Sanchez makes the most of his limited means with brutal, visceral set-pieces and furnishings that absolutely concur upwards when they need to the most. An frequently-forgotten low-budget gem,Contradistinct volition get your stomach churning with consistently creative extraterrestrial kills that volition stick with you long after the credits roll. --Haleigh Foutch

Avatar (2009)

So we kind of debated including Avatar on this list given that neither myself nor Haleigh actually like this moving-picture show, but the film's technological and box function achievements cannot be denied—like information technology or non, Avatar is a significant flick in the register of sci-fi history. Writer/managing director James Cameron'south epic hinges on archetypes and familiar story construction to guide audiences through adventures on the world of Pandora, with Avatar debuting the first employ of new motion capture techniques to bring the actors' performances to life in CG like never earlier. Avatar is also the film that really kicked the 3D trend off the basis, bringing about a resurgence for the format and an alibi for studios to accuse higher ticket prices on whatever and all blockbusters going forward. While we await what Cameron has in store for us with 4 additional Avatar movies, his 2009 film remains the highest grossing picture show in history (worldwide), an undoubtedly stunning visual achievement, and yes, a cornerstone of the sci-fi genre equally a whole. – Adam Chitwood

28 Weeks Later (2007)

While 28 Days Later is arguably the superior film (though Weeks is one of the few sequels that gives the original a run for its money), it has no interest in the virus beyond that of a plot betoken. Conversely, the sequel leans into the sci-if over the horror in a film built effectually the military effort to rebuild British society afterwards the rage virus has been contained and the subsequent resurgence of the very same virus thanks to an allowed carrier. A somewhat more conventional spin on the zombie/viral apocalypse genre, 28 Weeks Afterwards gives us the outbreak the outset pic skipped, along with the ruthless and desperate government attempts at containment. Bolstered past an outstanding bandage including Rose Byrne, Idris Elba, Jeremy Renner, Robert Carlyle, and Imogen Poots, 28 Weeks Afterward was a hell of an English-language debut for director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who confidently kept the film in line with the stylistic approach Danny Boyle established in the original while putting his own spin on the material, and stands out as one of the all-time viral films of the decade. -- Haleigh Foutch

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Okay, then The Matrix Revolutions is kind of a disaster, but The Matrix Reloaded gets unfairly roped into how the Wachowski siblings chose to wrap up their sci-fi trilogy when in fact it'southward a pretty terrific piece of filmmaking in and of itself. The Matrix is pretty much a perfect motion picture, and while Reloaded falls short of being equally satisfying as its predecessor, the expansion of the world is ambitiously awe-inspiring, with the Wachowskis pushing the limits of cinematic language. The highway chase sequence alone is enough to qualify information technology equally a candidate for this item listing, but the precision with which the entire movie is crafted—with cerebral twists and turns galore anchored by a swell Keanu Reeves operation—solidify it equally one of the best sci-fi films of the 2000s. – Adam Chitwood

Splinter (2008)

A descendent of The Thing 's lineage, Splinter is your classic practically-scripted limited-location starter film with an extra edge thanks to first-time director Toby Wilkins groundwork in visual effects and a scene-stealing functioning fromShea Whigham, who somehow nevertheless hasn't become the industry-leading name his talent deserves . Set nearly entirely in a gas station, Splinter follows a believably worn-in-merely-yet-in-love couple Polly and Seth (Jill Wagner and Paulo Costanzo) who are taken hostage by a pair of deadly fugitives (Whigham and Rachel Kerbs). When they stop at a gas station, the group is besieged by an amorphous, infectious organism that inhabits and reconfigures the bodies of its victims into grotesque malformities. The concept is lean and elegant, and its executed beautifully, but the motion picture's greatest strength the organized religion information technology has in its characters, who are given the opportunity to defy expectation at every turn. Splinter gleefully plays confronting gender tropes, introducing Polly as the tough, outdoorsy type in contrast to Seth's reticent intellectualism, and celebrates the individual strengths that come up with those traits. Meanwhile, Whigham's Dennis Farrell, who is introduced as a violent antagonist, ultimately becomes the film's standout character. It'southward the type of movie that regularly turns upwardly on "The Best Movies You lot Haven't Seen" lists and the kind of directorial debut that makes you sad Wilkins hasn't turned out another original film since. -- Haleigh Foutch

Donnie Darko (2001)

Does a moving picture demand to make sense in order for information technology to exist great? Donnie Darko put this notion to the exam, as writer/director Richard Kelly'due south mindbending sci-fi drama quickly became a moving picture you just had to see before long afterward its release in 2001. What did it all mean? What, specifically, was that Abyss -looking thing? Are we to take the entire pic literally? These questions and more racked the brains of those who dove headfirst into the cult of Donnie Darko, and the concurrent ascension of the internet age allowed the conversation to continue online, equally websites and chat rooms popped upward purporting to explain (or hash out) what Donnie Darko was all well-nigh. In the terminate, the mystery is more satisfying than the reply, and Jake Gyllenhaal announced himself equally a serious talent to sentry equally he anchored Darko with an intense watchability cistron that was a sign of great things to come. Simply steer clear of the manager's cut. – Adam Chitwood

Primer (2004)

"Man, are you hungry? I oasis't eaten since later this afternoon." Primer is a slice of low-upkeep brilliance. Arguably the most complex time travel motion picture of all time, Primer is initially confounding and ultimately rewarding. Shane Carruth's directorial debut was famously filmed on a budget of $7000 before going on to win the Sundance One thousand Jury Prize and a standing status as a love cult film. Straight up, Primer takespiece of work to understand and is nearly indecipherable on a first watch. Carruth gives the ultimate credit to his audience, bold their intelligence, and never once explains the events of the film, which follows ii friends who inadvertently invent a time machine. But this isn't any one-time time auto that tin can travel willy-nilly to whatever period the user desires. Time travel in Primer has rules, a lot of them, and information technology doesn't subscribe to the old Butterfly Effect, "if you kill your gramps earlier you lot were born you cease to exist" axiom. Which means at that place tin be a lot of different incarnations of a single character with whatsoever given timeline, and that'southward where Primer gets really tricky...and downright ingenious. There are pages and pages, and scholarly papers, and charts a-enough detailing exactly what happens in Primer, but if you haven't seen it, practise yourself a favor and get in blind first. Scout in earnest, surmise what you lot can, and then savour the experience of realizing just how much you missed. Then picket information technology once again, because actually, you won't be able to help yourself. -- Haleigh Foutch

Star Trek (2009)

Rebooting Star Expedition every bit a characteristic film was an virtually sacrilegious prospect in the tardily 2000s, just manager J.J. Abrams' tremendously entertaining redo is a triumph. The film solves the problem of undoing the canonical history of characters everyone loves with a brilliant spin on time travel, creating this alternate timeline, and this is the film on which Abrams' skills as a filmmaker truly flourished. This movie is an accented blast from start to stop, and while it could be argued that Abrams fabricated a Star Wars film instead of a Star Trek picture, his command of the camera and visual acumen actually make this affair stand out as a memorable and visceral sci-fi thrill ride. This is what summer blockbusters should be, and while there's a bit less brains in Expedition '09 than some may had hoped, information technology'southward a peachy trip regardless. – Adam Chitwood

Paprika (2006)

While Inception is considered by many every bit the Mac Daddy of dreamscape movies, Paprika did it offset (and arguably improve). Directed by the late Satoshi Kon, Paprika is set in a fictional Japan where a new device, known as the DC Mini, allows therapists to enter the dreams of their patients. When the device is stolen, all hell breaks loose, and but the young therapist Chiba's in-dream change ego Paprika tin can set it. Thanks to its animated format, Paprika gets to swoop full-in on the dream logic, capturing that surreal ambiance of ever-evolving nonsensical narrative as the lines between reality and fantasy blur. The animation itself is absolutely gorgeous, bursting with vibrant color and ornate item, giving the dazzling listen-trip a singular aesthetic. There is peradventure nothing harder to pin down than the ephemeral logic of dreams, but Paprika manages to not only smash that feel, only insert information technology into a riveting plot. -- Haleigh Foutch

Timecrimes (2007)

Unlike my earlier time travel entry Primer , Timecrimes is all about causality. The events in Timecrimes happen considering the events in Timecrimes happen. Once you go past that logically inexplainable gear up up, Timecrimes delivers a bounty of causal loop fourth dimension travel deliciousness. The film follows Hector (Karra Elejalde), an everyman who, spying out into the woods, glimpses a nude young woman in the distance. Subsequently his wife heads out, he sees possible signs of distress and ventures out to investigate, eventually happening upon a time machine that sets him on a deadly course. Well executed fourth dimension loop movies are always a delightful puzzle (sadly the first-class Triangle doesn't quite count equally sci-fi for this list), and director/author/co-star Nacho Viganlondo concocted a tight fourth dimension travel thriller that finds its protagonist caught in a web of his ain design...and perhaps most chiefly in these kinds of entertainment-axial mind-benders, ultimately finds a satisfying resolution. --Haleigh Foutch

Moon (2009)

While the 90s were dominated past disaster pics and explosion-laden blockbusters, equally technology avant-garde throughout the 2000s, the about consistently good sci-fi films tended to be ones that erred on the side of low-tech. Such is the case with Moon , the feature directorial debut of Duncan Jones that stars Sam Rockwell equally an astronaut working lone on the moon who may or may non uncover something fishy going on. Moon looks meliorate than 90% of the sci-fi films release in 2009 and was made for a fraction of the budget. But while the impressive visuals standout, it's Jones' unique, Stanley Kubrick-esque story and Rockwell's possessed functioning that endure. Twists and turns grow in the film, and you notice yourself second-guessing what you thought you knew with each revelation. Information technology's a tightly wound thriller with a crackerjack lead performance (one of the only performances equally Rockwell is lonely for most of the screentime), and it appear Jones as a serious talent to scout. – Adam Chitwood

District 9 (2009)

While filmmaker Neill Blomkamp has however to match the heights of his debut feature, District 9 still stands tall equally an astounding directorial debut. The film boasts the all-time aspects of the sci-fi genre in marrying incredible visual spectacle/effects with a socially relevant premise, as Blomkamp contextualizes the internment of an alien species in South Africa as a metaphor for apartheid. Moreover, the visual execution of the film is terrific—it begins in mockumentary style and so slowly begins to morph into a traditional cinematic bespeak of view, but the transition is so graceful the audience is blissfully unaware, allowing them to become fully enraptured in the thrills of the movie's third act. And that's not to mention a breakout lead performance past Sharlto Copley, with Blomkamp essentially framing an entire picture with a hero akin to The Part 's David Brent. The effect? Iv Oscar nominations, including All-time Moving-picture show. Blomkamp outburst out of the gate with ambition to spare, and while his follow-up films have paled in comparison, Commune ix remains a spectacular film.

The Fountain (2006)

Darren Aronofsky is a visionary director, so it's no surprise that his sci-fi fantasy ballsy The Fountain is stunning and engrossing, if occasionally somewhat alienating. Set across three disparate timelines, The Fountain follows Hugh Jackman's Tomas/Tommy/Tom in his centuries-long devotion to the various incarnations ofRachel Weisz -- as a subject area to his queen, a human to his beloved, and a disciple to his (tree) idol. Thematically rich and consummately gorgeous, The Fountain embarks on an ambitious narrative that transcends space and fourth dimension in pursuit of lofty ideations of love, fate, and the fabric of the universe. Fittingly, Aronofsky concocted an organic approach to the film's effects, using high-speed microscope images and macrophotography to visualize the cosmic images of life and expanses of the universe. The result is unequivocally breathtaking, an intricate dance of shape and low-cal that makes the somewhat impenetrable storyline infinitely watchable. We expect cypher less from a manager like Aronofsky but, even so, The Fountain is still a remarkable piece of craftsmanship. --Haleigh Foutch

Minority Study (2002)

It's hard to believe that it took this long for Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise to work together, merely boy does Minority Written report brand information technology worth the wait. This is Spielberg's first full foray into neo-noir territory, as the story of a man on the run, a muddy crime mystery, and an emotional broken family unit tale converge into a whip-smart summer blockbuster. This is one of the near purely entertaining films Spielberg has ever fabricated, simply Scott Frank and Jon Cohen's script never shies away from the moral ramifications of arresting people for crimes they oasis't however committed, and Spielberg goes 1 further and treats the pre-cogs themselves with tremendous empathy. Janusz Kaminski'southward dirty, dreamlike cinematography gives everything a grounded sheen, all the while Spielberg is having a boom with the prospect of futurity tech at his disposal. Minority Report is the rare sci-fi blockbuster that doesn't forsake the heavy "sci-fi" attribute for merely wowing audiences with set pieces, only it also manages to entertain on a wide scale. That's one hell of an accomplishment. – Adam Chitwood

The Mist (2007)

While information technology'due south true that the most constructive moments of horror in The Mist stem from the actions of its human characters, it'southward also true that giant monster bugs are legit freaky. As are all the biological terrors that come with them. Featuring stunning animal designs from the great Bernie Wrightson (which were sadly executed with subpar 2007 era CGI); corrosive projectiles, toxic stingers, and the classic human being-incubated egg sacs all brand an advent to one thousand event, and while the otherworldy terrors of the insectoid scourge brand for plenty of thrills, The Mist -- like all neat sci-fi films -- is a classical, character-driven story through the lens of pulp genre. The characters are robust, remarkably filled-out through a tremendous cast (a number of whom would keep to Walking Expressionless fame), and are shown a level of dedication both in the writing and functioning that is too often lacking in genre films. They are heroic, brave, cowardly, sinister -- they are like shooting fish in a barrel to love or despise, and in some cases, both. Thanks to director Frank Darabont'south confident manus, The Mist is a drive-in B-pic treated with utmost respect, and that unique high-meets-low-brow sensibility makes information technology a true i of a kind. - Haleigh Foutch

AI: Artificial Intelligence (2001)

The 2000s saw filmmaker Steven Spielberg move in a number of directions, but he kicked the decade off with 1 of his well-nigh divisive efforts: A.I. Artificial Intelligence . Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick had been talking about A.I. for years before Kubrick's untimely death finally spurred Spielberg into activeness, and the result is a twisted nighttime fairy tale about playing God. Of grade what makes A.I. so good is that Spielberg doesn't simply tackle the adverse ramifications of artificial intelligence, and in focusing on the viewpoint of the robots themselves, we see our own failings as human beings. So Spielberg throws in one of his virtually emotionally devastating characters in David, played to perfection past Haley Joel Osment, to top it all off. A.I. is truly i of Spielberg's most aggressive efforts, but his deep investment in both the moral and emotional ramifications of the titular subject are what make A.I. really special. – Adam Chitwood

I Am Legend (2007)

Thank you to an unfortunate theatrical ending and egregious digital effects, I Am Fable doesn't get the credit it's owed. Director Francis Lawrence, who deserved a lot more love for Constantine , has never transcended the tremendous properties he'south adapted (though his piece of work on The Hunger Games franchise finally earned him his due recognition), and I Am Legend is another example of his adaptation work that fell short of its worthy acclamation. Total cease, the test-audience approved theatrical ending is subpar and a major disservice to Richard Matheson'due south iconic novel. Only when viewed with the intended original ending, I Am Legend is a worthy adaptation congenital on the kind of charismatic but empathetic leading man performance that made Volition Smith 1 of the concluding true movie stars. With Lawrence's original vision in tact, I Am Legend confronts the ethical implications of scientific advancement with an unflinching humanity. Lawrence one time again reaffirms his great eye for story-specific set pieces with the Times Foursquare hunting sequence and the infamous, emotionally devastating scene with Sam, the German Shepard. Nosotros all dear Omega Homo , merely Matheson's genre formative novel has yet to become the page-perfect adaptation fans crave, but with the original ending, I Am Fable nails the spirit of the book while delivering the loftier-concept thrills. If simply they used makeup and actors instead of gelled looking monsters... -- Haleigh Foutch

WALL-Eastward (2008)

Leave it to the wizards at Pixar to arts and crafts one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. Managing director Andrew Stanton's WALL-East is a masterpiece, and I'll hear none of this "It's only good for the first 20 minutes" nonsense. Indeed the moving picture does open with a truly unforgettable first act, which plays out like a silent film therefore making Stanton and Co.'due south artistry that much more than impressive, merely once the titular robot makes the trek to outer space, the film continues to shine thanks to its chirapsia romantic heart. While sci-fi is WALL-E's genre, romance is its ambition, and boy does this thing soar. The relationship between WALL-E and EVE is genuinely heartfelt, the romantic tension palpable—which, once more, is some kind of night magic given that this is an animated feature revolving around two robots who don't speak bodily words. Stanton threads a thematic resonance to our world today when it comes to humanity's dangerous drive to make life easier and easier, but WALL-E simply doesn't work if y'all don't intendance about WALL-E. And yous do. You really, really do. – Adam Chitwood

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