Science fiction has continued to captivate movie fans since the genre first became popular in the 50s, though, at the time, the technological effects required to create futuristic worlds or other planets never quite matched up to the imagination of filmmakers. However, things have changed in the last few decades as film technology and computer animation have advanced.There were huge leaps forward in both practical effects and computer-generated imagery in the 90s that greatly benefited the sci-fi genre, resulting in several unforgettable movies. A great many sci-fi hits from the 90s have become classics that continue to set the bar for new movies in the genre.
10 Humanity Fights Back Against Advanced Aliens That Attacked Earth In 1996's Independence Day
Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman starred in 1996's Independence Day, which follows the survivors in the wake of an attack on Earth as they came together to defend the planet from a full-scale alien invasion. Independence Day was directed by Roland Emmerich and features incredible effects sequences of devastating alien destruction.
Humanity strikes back in an epic aerial battle between the air force and the advanced spaceships of the alien invaders. Independence Day received a sequel years later that brought the fight to the aliens' home planet, though the movie wasn't nearly as well-received as the original.
9 An Advanced Human Military Wages War Against Alien Bugs In 1997's Starship Troopers
Paul Verhoeven directed a satirical adaptation of Robert A Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers, which hit theaters in 1997. While the movie didn't initially resonate with fans, it quickly developed into a cult classic for its action-heavy battle scenes as well as the comedic takedown of the militaristic state.
Starship Troopers takes place in the near future as three high school friends enlist to gain elevated citizenship and join the fight against ferocious alien bugs. The alien designs and effects still hold up today, while the gore-filled action provides other genre fans an avenue of enjoyment.
8 1997's Men In Black Reveals The Truth About Aliens And The Secret Organisation That Policed Them
The largely unknown comic series Men in Black was adapted for the big screen in 1997 by director Barry Sonnenfeld. Will Smith stars as a police officer who is recruited by Tommy Lee Jones' veteran agent to join a secret organization known as the Men in Black, which monitors and polices aliens who live among us while also keeping their existence a secret from society.
The action-comedy was a hit that featured standout special effects and superb alien designs, along with a familiar but hilarious take on the typical buddy cop dynamic. Men in Black launched a successful franchise of films and an animated series that has overshadowed the source material.
7 A Deep-Space Rescue Team Boards A Missing Haunted Spaceship In 1997's Event Horizon
Horror and sci-fi make a wonderful mix of genres and director Paul W. S. Anderson further proved this with the 1997 cult hit Event Horizon. Starring Laurence Fishburne and Sam Neill, it's about members of a deep-space rescue team who are tasked with investigating a distress signal from a spaceship that had been missing for years.
What the crew discovers is a ship haunted with hellish memories from an experimental trip through a spatial wormhole – and it begins to affect the rescue team. The survival sci-fi is a mind-bending horror that infamously had scenes removed that were deemed too intense for audiences. Though what's left is still more than enough to entertain and terrify.
6 A Prisoner Travels To The Past To Discover The Cause Of An Apocalyptic Plague In 1995's 12 Monkeys
Bruce Willis stars as a prisoner in a post-apocalyptic world that is forced to live underground to avoid the mysterious airborne plague that decimated the world of the past in 1995's 12 Monkeys (directed by Terry Gilliam). To earn his freedom, he is sent back on multiple trips through time to investigate the cause of the plague that might help society recover in the future.
Gilliam's direction gives the movie an unforgettable aesthetic that made the future scenes stand out like a fever dream, with Brad Pitt's performance in the past standing out as well. 12 Monkeys was later adapted into a successful TV series that ran for four seasons.
5 Arnold Schwarzenegger Travels To Mars To Uncover The Truth About His Life In 1990's Total Recall
While he made his name in sci-fi and action movies during the 80s, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in quite a few hits during the 90s as well. He helped kick off the decade in Paul Verhoeven's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale," 1990's Total Recall.
Schwarzenegger plays a man whose implanted memories of a Mars vacation react with already modified memories, casting a shadow of doubt over his whole life. Verhoeven's take on the oppressed society of Mars and the advanced prosthetics and effects that bring to life some of the mutant population of the planet made this film an instant classic – though the same cannot be said of the 2012 reboot attempt.
4 1997's The Fifth Element Takes Place In A Futuristic Cyberpunk World Threatened By An Ancient Evil
Bruce Willis stars as a cab driver with military training who finds himself involved in the search for an ancient weapon against a cosmic threat that promises to wipe out the universe in Luc Besson's 1997 hit The Fifth Element. Milla Jovovich also stars, as an alien messenger with the key to humanity's survival who is forced to navigate the futuristic cyberpunk-inspired streets.
The chemistry between Willis and Jovovich carries the movie, though there are a few other standout performances from Gary Oldman and Chris Tucker that also serve to make the beautifully imagined world of The Fifth Element come to life on the big screen.
3 Robots From The Future Try To Change Humanity's Fate In 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The first entry in The Terminator franchise first hit theaters in 1984, though it was the 1991 sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day from writer-director James Cameron that doubled down on the dark future for humanity. A new Terminator brought to life with breakthroughs in animation is sent back through time to try to take out the eventual leader of the human resistance.
The would-be assassin is opposed by Arnold Schwarzenegger's returning Terminator, now fighting for the future to protect the young John Connor. Terminator 2: Judgment Day is often praised as one of the best movie sequels, with amazing special effects and an action-packed story full of heart.
2 1999's The Matrix Is A Virtual Modern World That Hides A Future War Between Man And Machine
Keanu Reeves stars as Neo in 1999's The Matrix from The Wachowksi's, which closed off the 90s with something fans had never seen before. A computer hacker unsatisfied with his life is awakened to the real world after meeting a man named Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne.
The Matrix is a virtual simulation designed to keep humanity happy while the bodies serve as batteries for machines in the future. Humanity is fighting a losing battle against machines in the real world, though they gain enhanced abilities while inside the virtual world. The Matrix wowed fans with amazing effects and a captivating story that turned into a somewhat disappointing quadrilogy.
1 Genetically Engineered Dinosaurs Escaped From An Experimental Theme Park In 1993's Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg directed the 1993 adaptation of Michael Crichton's hit novel of the same name Jurassic Park, which wowed fans in theaters with a combination of practical effects, robotics, and advanced CGI that were used to bring prehistoric dinosaurs to life on the big screen.
A group of scientific experts is brought to an island for a test run of the titular theme park that features genetically-engineered dinosaurs as attractions. Of course, the dinosaurs escape, and nature finds a way in the best sci-fi movie of the 90s that launched a franchise that has now lasted for decades.