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Even though the 2000s happened relatively recently, some people might already struggle with remembering all the great movies that premiered in this decade. The 2000s saw the inception of the MCU as well as the premiere of multiple other well-rated superhero movies, such as the Spider-Man trilogy by Sam Raimi or two of Christopher Nolan's Batman movies.
However, for every successful science fiction movie, there are several that mostly flew under the radar, either because the competition was too high or because they came at the wrong time. That doesn't mean that some forgotten sci-fi movies from the 2000s don't have a lot to offer to the audience even today.
5 Happy Accidents (2000)
What Marisa Tomei and Vincent D'Onofrio both have in common is that they appear in the MCU, as Aunt May and Wilson Fisk, respectively. However, another lesser-known fact that connects them is that they played a couple in this sci-fi romance. Tomei stars as Ruby, a woman who has a problem finding a good guy until she meets Sam (D'Onofrio). The only problem is that Sam claims he's a time traveler from the future, more specifically the year 2470.
The audience gets hooked fast because they want to know if what Sam's saying is true, and if so, whether he manages to fulfill the mission that brought him back in time. What's more, both Marisa Tomei and Vincent D'Onofrio are excellent in the leading roles, so it's easy to believe the developing bond between them. If the viewers are in the mood for an unusual romantic story mixed with science fiction, Happy Accidents is a good choice.
4 Cypher (2002)
Some of the best science fiction movies have it all - a compelling and clever story as well as a strong cast - but they never become the type of huge hit that they could have been. Cypher is one of the sci-fi movies that deserves more attention than it had gotten from the audience. Jeremy Northam plays Morgan Sullivan, a man who leads a somewhat boring life and travels a lot, recording conferences for his company.
But then he discovers that his job might be something else than he expected when he meets the mysterious woman Rita Foster (Lucy Liu). The best aspect of the movie is that works with more than one unexpected plot twist, and as such, has the power to surprise the audience. Jeremy Northam is excellent in the leading role and Lucy Liu gives a memorable performance as well. The director Vincenzo Natali directed multiple unusual science fiction movies (such as the 2009 movie Splice with Adrian Brody) but Cypher is one of his best works.
3 The I Inside (2004)
One of the advantages of the science fiction genre is that it allows for some creative storytelling. In the case of this movie, the story jumps between two years, 2000 and 2002, and the main hero has the power to change his past thanks to his memories as he recovers them after an accident.
The concept alone is enough to attract the audience, and the movie doesn't disappoint as it delivers a compelling story that will keep people guessing as to what will happen next. Ryan Philippe does a good job in the leading role and the rest of the cast is solid as well, making The I Inside one of the hidden science fiction jewels that deserve more attention.
2 The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008)
Some movies have the bad fortune of being remakes, so no matter how high-quality they are, they never get as much critical recognition as their predecessor. The original The Day the Earth Stood Still came out in the 1950s, and to this day, it remains one of the staples of science fiction movies. So, of course, the sequel had a difficult position right from the start, and many viewers hated it.
However, if the audience is willing to accept the movie as a stand-alone story, The Day the Earth Stood Still has a lot to offer. For one, it has the power to make people think thanks to the questions it poses and the message it sends out. What's more, Keanu Reeves gives a compelling performance as the alien Klaatu who came to visit the Earth, but didn't do so with guns blazing.
1 Wonder Woman (2009)
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Wonder Woman is one of the most powerful and popular DC superheroes but before the live-action 2017 movie Wonder Woman with Gal Gadot in the leading role came along, the Amazonian stood on the sidelines. Those who want to see more of the brave and intelligent Amazon princess shouldn't miss out on watching the 2009 animated movie. It returns to Diana's origin story, how she left Themyscira, met Steve Trevor, and became Wonder Woman.
Even though all fans of the DCEU will know this story, it's interesting to see how the animated movie portrayed it in comparison to the live-action piece. And if that wasn't enough, the movie has a talented voice cast. Keri Russell voiced Wonder Woman. Other familiar names are Alfred Molina, Nathan Fillion, and Rosario Dawson. The animation looks good even today despite the fact how much the animation process has evolved in recent years.