Great horror science fiction movies are not hard to find. Yet, because of this, many gems either fly under the radar or are recognized for a short while and then quickly forgotten. It isn't a major problem, since a lot of these forgotten flicks are later rediscovered and develop a decent-sized cult following.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Event Horizon come to mind in this regard, with both going on to become cult classics in the years following their release. These often overlooked horror sci-fi movies are equally deserving of acclaim and are well worth a watch for fans of the horror sci-fi subgenre.
5 The Cell (2000)
Although it suffered from odd pacing, among other things, The Cell's potential wasn't lost on viewers, many of whom enjoy the movie to this day. The story follows a child psychologist who is part of a virtual reality program that allows her to enter the mind of a comatose patient. She is eventually roped into entering the mind of a comatose serial killer.
It indeed sounds quite hokey, and no actual child psychologist would be too keen to do such a thing in reality. Also, the science just isn't there yet. In all seriousness, though, the aesthetics used inside the killer's mind are interesting to see. Even if some of it is poorly executed, it is easy to see its potential. The premise of anyone entering a serial killer's mind is quite interesting, and, for this reason alone, The Cell deserves revisiting.
4 Sunshine (2007)
Okay, so this one isn't the most original of ideas regarding horror sci-fi. It is basically what would happen if Alien and Event Horizon had a baby. Basically, Earth's sun is dying, and, with no sun, life on Earth will obviously be caput. With this in mind, a team is sent up into space in true Armageddon fashion to take care of it. While heading to their destination the crew comes upon the spaceship of the old crew who had tried the same mission and did not return. After picking up the distress signal they fly on over to the other ship and board it.
Inside they find the whole crew massacred. They figure since they are there they can restock various supplies and they leave. Of course, one of the old crew members was a psycho and killed all of his crew mates, and, surprise surprise, he has secretly boarded the protagonists' ship. He then starts killing people and thus putting Earth's safety in jeopardy. Although it is a combination of several movies, it isn't a bad combination. Even though it is quite predictable it is still engaging.
3 Antiviral (2012)
Long story short, a man works for an incredibly affluent and powerful company that buys viruses and diseases off of celebrities and sells them to their fans. The celebrity fans, that is. Eventually, the main character discovers a more devious scheme going on, but not before he injects himself with an incredibly popular celebrity's virus and looks to pass it on to the highest bidder.
The movie does have its fair share of problems, but the exploration of how twisted and far the public's obsession with celebrities and public figures can go is incredibly disturbing. It shows not how these extremes dehumanize the celebrities, but the fans themselves. Plus, Brandon Cronenberg didn't hold back when it came to exploring body horror themes. This movie deserves a revisit for horror science fiction fans quite simply because it is a hard one to forget.
2 Daybreakers (2009)
Some sci-fi horror fans might have deviated from watching this movie due to a slight focal point on heavy dialogue-driven scenes. It wasn't a bad thing at all, but it is understandable for audiences to be turned off when expecting an action-packed vampire flick. This movie deserves a revisit, however, simply because many missed out on one of the best vampire movies of the early 2000s.
In short, in this vampiric world, human beings are harvested and treated as livestock, which is indeed a compelling twist on the vampire sci-fi genre. In the natural world, vampires would have one up on mankind, exploring this idea makes the movie worthwhile and revisiting it a no-brainer for those who enjoy vampire flicks.
1 Dark City (1998)
Dark City is probably one of the most overlooked sci-fi horror movies of the late 1990s. A man is wanted for murder after waking up with amnesia and winds up being followed by a bunch of creepy extraterrestrials with psychokinetic powers. He starts to take notice of the unending night in this world as well as the fact that each night the beings alter the memories of everyone in the city at midnight.
Not only do they tamper with peoples' memories, but they also change the entire layout of the city. Throughout the movie, the story's protagonist discovers that his memories are entirely false, that the entire city is in outer space, and that he too possesses the power of psychokineses. The movie is a bit aged regarding computer graphics, but it really is one of a kind and well worth a look for fans of sci-fi horror and dystopian realities.