Aliens can be absolutely terrifying for a variety of reasons. Humans are often quick to assume that unknown life forms are out to destroy all living things on Earth and subjugate anyone who survives. Who is to say this is the truth, though? The real world has yet to come into contact with aliens, so maybe the first extraterrestrial encounter will have scientists encounter a bunch of friendly beings in flying saucers.
A lot of classic literature and movies point the finger at Earth's inhabitants and highlight humanity as the real monster. The films below either deal with people's natural prejudices or reflect mankind's general fear of the unknown. They also span over 70 years of film history, showing that treating humans as the villain of science fiction stories is nothing new.
7 District 9 (2009)
Neil Blomkamp's 2009 film made its mark in a number of ways and also introduced the world to the acting prowess of Sharlto Copley. Copley plays Wikus van de Merwe, who is tasked with forcefully relocating a ramshackle alien settlement in Johannesburg.
During the process, he sprays himself with Alien fluid and starts transforming into one of them. The movie is an obvious allegory for Apartheid in South Africa. Using aliens as an allegory for racism and discrimination is nothing new, but District 9 distinguishes itself with its believable world and intimate cinematography.
6 The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
The oldest film on the list carries a message that is still relevant today. In The Day the Earth Stood Still, an alien lands in the United States to deliver a message to the world. Humans greet the alien, named Klaatu, with suspicion and aggression, wounding him quickly upon arrival.
Klaatu eventually escapes captivity and offers a stern warning regarding the state of Earth's dominant species. If humans are unable to live in peace with each other, then they will soon destroy themselves. The 2008 remake starring Keanu Reeves does away with much of the social commentary and is generally considered inferior to the original.
5 The Iron Giant (1999)
Brad Bird's feature directorial debut already shows off the director's incredibly unique visual flare. It also tells a tear-jerking tale of an alien robot who falls from the sky and befriends a young boy. At the same time, the U.S. military is investigating its appearance.
It all comes to a head when the military is about to nuke the small town where the movie is set and the robot sacrifices itself to save everyone in the town. The robot might have had the ability to destroy humanity, but makes the conscious decision to rescue mankind from destroying itself.
4 Starship Troopers (1997)
On the surface, Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers is a cheesy action movie about humanity fighting a planet full of giant bugs. Underneath the b-movie exterior is a tale about a militaristic society waging an unjust war against an alien species in the name of colonizing a new planet.
The subtext is hidden in plain sight and the director uses some of his trademarks such as in-world advertisements to get the point across. The movie goes so far as to imply humanity let a meteorite his Earth in order to falsely justify its invasion of the alien planet.
3 Super 8 (2011)
Super 8 is like a mixture of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. along with any movie following a close-knit group of kids. Like Close Encounters, the characters unravel a mystery leading to an alien discovery.
Closer to E.T., the government is into getting its hands on the strange visitor. The alien has a monstrous appearance but is not malicious by nature. Its aggression is due to the painful scientific experiments scientists inflicted on the creature. Super 8 was produced by Steven Spielberg, which makes the similarities to his films more logical.
2 Avatar (2009)
James Cameron is no stranger to stories about aliens, having directed Aliens back in 1986. Unlike Aliens, the Na'vi in Avatar is a peaceful species who are under attack by humans invading their planet for greedy corporate interests.
The marines in this movie are interesting because they contrast with the soldiers in Aliens. In the 1986 film the Colonial Marines are defending themselves against the Xenomorphs, while they are an evil invading force in Avatar. Fans are interested to see how the story continues in the sequels, the first of which is ready to come out in December, 2022.
1 E.T. (1982)
Anybody who grew up in the 1980s has Steven Speilberg to thank for fond memories in the theater. E.T. tells the story about a boy who discovers an alien in his shed, leading to a growing bond between the two.
Government agents are spying on the alien the whole time and get in the way of the two's friendship. E.T. can make even the most stone-hearted individual cry. In addition to being one of the most legendary movies of the decade, E.T. also co-stars a young Drew Barrymore, over a decade before Charlie's Angels.