Sci-fiis easily one of the most enthralling genres in cinema. The mind-boggling scientific phenomena featured in these films haven’t failed to dazzle audiences since the early days of Hollywood. Unsurprisingly, manyupcoming sci-fi moviesare among the most anticipated titles of the year. While they can imagine any number of futures, it’s clear that stories featured in sci-fi works tend to lean towards a more pessimistic perspective. With despairing plots, the presence of a foreboding antagonist is guaranteed.
As a result, the genre has introduced many of thebest movie villainsto ever appear on the silver screen. Given the depressing nature of sci-fi, the antagonists in these films typically have a degree of plot armor. Despite the best efforts of the characters, the evil forces frequently come out on top. Whether it be an alien, a robot, or an overpowered monster, dystopian futures don’t care if humans survive.
A Quiet Place: Day One
Cast
A Quiet Place: Day One is a spin-off of the A Quiet Place franchise conceived by John Krasinski. The film is set at the beginning of the invasion as humanity scrambles to survive, before the events of the original film, with Lupita Nyong’O leading the cast, directed by Michael Sarnoski.
It’s undeniably impressive that John Krasinkski’s directorial debut was met with a sequel and standalone origin story in such a short timeframe.The bloodthirsty deaf aliens were first introduced in 2018 and haven’t lost steam since.Given the immense popularity of the first two installments, Paramount Pictures decided to createa separate prequel withA Quiet Place: Day One.
Unlike the original story, this movie takes place in downtown New York City, just moments before the arrival of the vicious monsters. The plot follows Samira (Lupita Nyong’o) and Eric (Joseph Quinn), who try their best to evade certain death in a city of chaos. When the two finally have the chance to leave the island, it’s clear that only one can make it.Knowing that she’s terminally ill, Samira decides to sacrifice herself as the remaining survivors are forced to escape to sea.It’s a completely hopeless ending. Eric managed to survive, but the world was still doomed.
Dark Skies
Dark Skies is a supernatural thriller that follows a suburban family, the Barrets, as they encounter increasingly disturbing events in their home. As the malevolent force targets them, Daniel and Lacey Barret take drastic measures to uncover the mystery behind the terrifying occurrences.
Extraterrestrial invasions have been approached from hundreds of different angles, butDark Skies’take on the concept remains unique. Oddly enough, the film hasn’t gotten much attention since its 2013 release. Even with the poor reception, it’s one of the fewalien movies that are actually terrifying. Like many related works in the genre,the presence of otherworldly invaders doesn’t bode well for humans.
Dark Skies: Ending & The Greys Explained
Alien invasion movie Dark Skies ends on a chilling and open-ended note. We break down everything that happens in the Blumhouse film’s ending.
Dark Skiesfollows the suburban Barrett family, who quickly become the victims of malevolent aliens known as “The Grays.” Their sinister influence is initially small, but the character’s lives quickly become a living hell. In the final moments of the movie, the Barretts make a last-ditch effort to put a stop to the madness.Despite trying their best to defeat the villains, the Grays ultimately prevail, abducting their son Jesse (Dakota Goyo).In the end, the family was completely powerless against their attackers from the instant they arrived.
I Am Legend
Loosely based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel of the same name, I Am Legend stars Will Smith as Robert Neville, a virologist who believes himself to be the last human on Earth. After a virus turns most of the world’s population into vampiric creatures known as Darkseekers, Neville finds himself immune. Believing himself to be the last man of Earth, Neville stalks through the ruins of New York, hoping to create an antidote that will save humanity.
Even after 20 years since its release,I Am Legendstill has an extremely polarized fan base. People seem to either hold it in very high regard or dismiss it entirely. Nevertheless, the film remains an icon of the early 2000s sci-fi horror era. Based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel of the same name,I Am Legendimagines a future plagued by an unforgiving virus. The infected individuals transform into hyperaggressive zombies called “Darkseekers” that only move in the shadows.
Robert Neville (Will Smith) is supposedly the last man on earth, living among the creatures in search of a cure. In the final moments of the story, he faces off against a swarm of Darkseekers who infiltrate his compound. This film presents a distinctive example of a villain winning because it only occurs in the theatrical ending.With nowhere to turn from the infected, Neville sacrifices himself by cooking a grenade in his hand.InI Am Legend’salternate ending, he survives, realizing the creatures have emotional intelligence and only want to recover the Darkseeker Neville was holding captive.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1978 science fiction horror film depicting two Department of Health workers in San Francisco. As residents transform into emotionless replicas of themselves, the characters unravel a chilling extraterrestrial threat spreading across the city.
The 1978 version ofInvasion of the Body Snatchershas stood the test of time as one of the most terrifying sci-fi movies to ever exist. It’s a rare occurrence for a remake to be held in high regard, especially if its source material is critically acclaimed. Yet, Philip Kaufman seemingly defied the odds, creating a bone-chilling masterpiece.Invasion of the Body Snatchersimagines a world that slowly gets conquered by invisible invaders.The aliens land on Earth and quickly begin to replace humans with perfect replicas that are devoid of any emotions.
The shriek featured inInvasion of the Body Snatcherswas created using recordings of pig squeals.
Following the perspective of Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) and a group of friends, the plot unfolds as the characters attempt to escape abduction. The final moments of the film show Matthew standing outside the health department. Nancy Bellicec (Veronica Cartwright) spots him from her hiding place and tries to signal his attention.In one of the most horrifying closing sequences in cinematic history, Matthew lets out a deafening screech, revealing that he’s a duplicate trying to signal his species.The one shred of hope is immediately destroyed, and the villain’s victory becomes solidified.
Brazil
In a dystopian future, a low-level government employee becomes entangled in a bureaucratic nightmare after encountering the woman of his dreams. As he navigates an oppressive system marked by inefficiency and surveillance, his quest for freedom and love spirals into chaos, highlighting the absurdity of totalitarian regimes and the human desire for individuality.
What happens when a gloomy Orwellian society is combined with whimsical elements of fantasy? Terry Gilliam’s 1985 dark comedyBrazilis a direct representation of this scenario. It’s an incrediblybleak sci-fi movie, and easily one of the best in the genre. The premise is often indescribable at times, featuring a narrative that feels like a hallucinogenic experience.At the center of the story lies Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce), a bureaucrat who works under the rule of a harsh totalitarian society.
After recognizing the woman he sees in his dreams, Sam is taken on a journey through his strange world. He is detained for breaking the state rules and gets tortured in return.In the final moments of the film, Sam sits strapped to a chair, revealing that his perception has been a complete lie.There are a lot of possible interpretations ofBrazil’s ending, but by most accounts, it demonstrates that Sam is ultimately powerless against the system and must exist in this reality permanently.
Alien: Covenant
Alien: Covenant, directed by Ridley Scott, follows the crew of the colony ship Covenant as they discover an uncharted planet. Initially seeming like a paradise, the planet soon reveals dark secrets. Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender, and Billy Crudup lead the cast in this science fiction horror film, which serves as a direct sequel to Prometheus and continues to explore the origins of the Alien species.
Die-hard fans of theAlienmoviestend to have a love-hate relationship with the modern franchise installments. Despite having fabled director Ridley Scott at the helm of the ship, the new-era Xenomorph films haven’t seemed to strike gold. WhileAlien: Covenantfailed to provide a quality follow-up toPrometheus, the negativity directed towards the movie is a bit excessive.In this sci-fi horror, members of the Covenant ship quickly discover that their potential planetary paradise is home to bloodthirsty aliens.
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Among the crew is Walter (Michael Fassbender), an AI tasked with maintaining the voyage. Once on the planet, they meet an older, indistinguishable version of Walter named David. It turns out that David has malicious intents and believes Xenomorphs to be superior to humans.When the characters finally reach the safety of the ship, it’s revealed that David killed Walter and took his place.With full access to the ship, he proceeds to insert the alien embryos into the human reserves, dooming the entire colony.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines sees John Connor living off the grid ten years after averting Judgment Day. The film introduces the T-X, a new robotic assassin, which forces Connor to join forces once again with his former adversary, the Terminator, to combat the looming Skynet threat.
Given the current state ofThe Terminatormovies, it’s crazy to consider that the first film only had a budget of $6.4 million.James Cameron single-handedly took the original premise and transformed it into an entire cinematic universe.Although the third installment is widely regarded as the first big drop-off in quality, these movies are iconic for a reason. Under the supervision of a new director,Terminator 3: Rise of the Machinestakes place in a world where Judgment Day never occurred.
John Connor (Nick Stahl) is now 25 and threatened by the presence of the T-X: the most dangerous cyborg yet. Despite its mediocre reception, the film has one of the best conclusions of the whole franchise.Just when it seems like the deadly artificial intelligence forms are being stopped, it’s revealed that their rise is inevitable.As the nukes launch into the sky, John and Kate (Claire Danes) sit in the bunker while all the remaining hope for the planet is eviscerated. In the end, Skynet succeeds, Judgment Day begins, and the villain prevails.
Upgrade
Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, Upgrade is a Sci-Fi, Action, and Cyberpunk film starring Betty Gabriel, Logan Marshall-Green, and Harrison Gilbertson. The plot sees a man suffering a tragic accident and becoming paralyzed as a result. He soon accepts a STEM implant that gives him back his body and much more.
Leigh Whannell’s 2018 thrillerUpgradeis easily one of the best sci-fi films to hit screens in modern times. It’s got a relatively unassuming exterior, but the story is packed with more than meets the eye. Everything from the soundtrack to the fight sequences is incredibly well-thought-out. Considering the measly budget of three million dollars,the creators delivered a surprisingly excellent futuristic action flick.
The premise is exactly as the title suggests. When mechanic Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) is left paralyzed after a mugging, he’s offered a revenge-driven cure through an implant called STEM. It effectively upgrades his body, granting Grey’s legs back in addition to a myriad of superhuman enhancements. He sets out to find his assailants, but soon discovers that there is more at stake.Upgrade’sendingfeatures a disheartening triumph of the antagonists.Ultimately, STEM manages to completely and permanently take over Grey’s body, casting his psyche into a fake reality.
Life
A six-member crew is tasked with studying a sample from Mars that may be the first proof of extra-terrestrial life.
After the massive global success of Ridley Scott’sAlienfranchise, the sci-fi spaceship horror schematic began to frequently surface within the genre. The concept has been attempted several times, but the layout is generally the same.There is a crew on a mission in outer space who accidentally discovers a new life form, and it ends up trying to kill them.Unsurprisingly, Daniel Espinosa’sLifewas essentially a copy-and-paste of this framework.
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Space exploration movies can inspire awe and intrigue like few other genres, whether they are far-flung sci-fi adventures or historical dramas.
The plot follows a group of astronauts on the International Space Station who find “Calvin,” an organism responsible for the extinction of Mars. After it easily kills the other crew members, the final sequence shows the remaining astronaut’s attempts to defeat the alien. David (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Miranda (Rebecca Ferguson) try to send Calvin into oblivion using a pod.In a shocking ending, the pod containing David and the alien is sent to Earth while Miranda drifts into the stars.The escape ship crashes down into the ocean, sealing humanity’s fate.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back is the second installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, directed by Irvin Kershner. Released in 1980, it follows Luke Skywalker as he trains under Jedi Master Yoda, while Princess Leia, Han Solo, and the Rebel Alliance face ongoing threats from the Galactic Empire and Darth Vader.
When it comes to sci-fi villains, few movies come close to the legendaryStar Warsuniverse. Although many people consider the films to fall under the category of space fantasy, their influence has been undeniable. Nearly 50 years after the original movie’s release, there are stillnewStar Warsmovieshitting theaters all the time. In contemplation ofsci-fimovies where the villain comes out on top,The Empire Strikes Backis undoubtedly the best example. The second installment was strikingly dissimilar from its source material, in both tone and conclusion.
Unlike the previous film, this sequel was much darker. The characters are constantly encountering challenges, and nothing seems to go right for them. In one of the most famous endings in the history of Hollywood, evil forces outshine the good. Right after getting his hand cut off, Luke (Mark Hamill) discovers that the crazed terrorist that’s plaguing the galaxy is his father. To make matters worse, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is simultaneously getting frozen in carbonite. It’s an all-around win for the empire and a big setback for the heroes.
