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Best Sci-Fi Movies of 2018

Sci-fi movies have become more than aliens and spaceships. Some of the best sci-fi movies of 2018 offer action, adventure, and a few unforeseen twists.

By James LizowskiPublished 5 years ago 6 min read
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The science fiction genre was once a niche genre of films. In the last couple of decades, however, it has really solidified itself into mainstream society. Whether it is a superhero movie or a sci-fi thriller, new sci-fi movies have outgrown their old niche. Some of the best sci-fi movies of 2018 were box office success stories that have helped to make fans of science fiction, both new and old, celebrate.

This movie, based on the novel by the same name, tells the tale of young Meg as she searches the universe for her lost father. Guided by a trio of guides, she searches all of time and space looking for clues to help her find her father and bring him home to his family. The movie tackles the subject of time travel in a way that is original and unique. The characters hop from one planet to another, one dimension to another, until they finally find what they have been looking for.

One of the best sci-fi films of 2018 was Solo: A Star Wars Story. This highly anticipated movie was just what all Star Wars fans were looking for. The origin story of Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian as Han chases adventure into the underworld before joining the rebellion. This movie is part western, part science fiction, and one of the best action movies to come out of 2018.

The Avengers franchise has been very successful, with each of the superheroes finding success in their own stand alone films as well. Avengers: Infinity War is the most recent of the Avengers films where the group of heroes has stop Thanos from destroying the universe. This movie is action packed from start to finish and the all-star cast does an excellent job of bringing the Marvel heroes to the screen for one more chaotic adventure.

Steven Spielberg has yet another hit on his hands, with the unique story of Wade Watts as he tries to gain control of OASIS, a virtual reality software that the people of 2045 use to try to escape their bleak reality. After the creator of the game dies, Watts finds himself on a quest to solve the game, and gain control of OASIS. He is joined by other players who help him on his mission to win the game, and keep a greedy company from getting hold of the software.

In this sci-fi thriller, we find a group of scientists in orbit above the Earth, which is about to be engulfed by a massive war. The scientists are aboard an international space station and they try to use a particle accelerator to solve the energy crisis on Earth. However, they find themselves trapped in an alternate dimension instead, searching for a way home. This is the third film in the Cloverfield franchise, and definitely goes toe to toe with some of the weirdest sci-fi movies of all time.

The concept behind Upgrade is really what makes this one of the best sci-fi movies of 2018. In the film, Grey Trace and his wife are the victims of a brutal attack that leaves him paralyzed and her dead. In true sci-fi form, Trace is approached by a billionaire inventor who offers to upgrade his body with an AI implant named STEM. Trace is given almost superhuman abilities and goes out to seek vengeance against his assailants. This is a very brutal and graphic film that is sure to achieve cult status somewhere down the road.

Natalie Portman plays former soldier turned biologist who leads a team into what is known as The Shimmer, a quarantined zone full of deadly mutated beings and an even more surreal landscape. As with many sci-fi tales, this zone is a threat to all life on Earth, and Portman has to find a way to save the planet. What makes this one of the best sci-fi films of 2018 is the way the movie is part visual experience and part psychological head trip. All in all, one of the most anticipated science fiction movies of 2018 lived up to its hype and made for a great movie that will leave you scratching your head long after it ends.

Netflix continually seems to deliver with some odd, yet very entertaining titles. Mute definitely doesn’t disappoint. Call it film noir, cyberpunk, or a sci-fi thriller, Mute follows the adventures of a man who doesn’t speak as he seeks out his missing girlfriend in the underworld of Berlin sometime in the future. The beauty of this movie is that, with a main character who doesn’t talk, what you are left with is a nonstop adventure where he battles bad guys, robots, and everything else that gets in his way.

Black Panther lived up to the hype and definitely deserves to be referred to as one of the best sci-fi films of 2018. The movie follows T’Challa (Black Panther) who returns home to Wakanda to take his rightful place as the king of the technologically advanced nation. This movie takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War. He is confronted by an old nemesis, who puts Wakanda and the rest of the word at risk. It’s up to Black Panther to save the world in this excellent sci-fi, action/adventure movie.

Poised at the brink of extinction once again, the dinosaurs of the Jurassic World theme park must be rescued before a volcanic eruption seals their fate once again. Chris Pratt returns as Owen as he tries to save the dinosaurs and the planet from a horrible fate.

The second of the movies in the Pacific Rim series, Pacific Rim Uprising follows Jake Pentecost (John Boyega from Star Wars: The Force Awakens) a Jaeger pilot whose father died fighting the Kaiju. Jake has strayed away from his hero days and dove headlong into the criminal underworld. However, once the monsters rise up from their first defeat, it’s up to him and the other pilots to save humanity. If you liked the original movie, then you won’t be disappointed here.

This is one of the more unique films on this list of the best sci-fi movies of 2018. A Quiet Place follows the plight of a family who must learn to live their lives in complete silence, otherwise they will be killed by creatures that hunt by sound. This is almost more horror thriller than sci-fi thriller, but it is a completely unique and original film that movie lovers and lovers of the best classic sci-fi horror films alike will enjoy.

The science fiction genre is adapting to meet the needs of an ever growing audience. From traditional to not so traditional, some of the best sci-fi movies were also some of the best movies to be released in 2018; so don’t complain to your friends that you don’t have something interesting to watch.

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About the Creator

James Lizowski

Spends his days making his own Star Wars figurines. His craft has driven him to look towards the future, drawing inspiration from past technological advances.

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