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While sci - fi film have always been popular with mainstream audience , they have notoriously not been given the credit they often merit from highbrow film critic . Even picture likeBlade RunnerandThe Thing — which are now cited ashighly influential ingress to the genre , capable of root on prequels and sequels decennium after their original release date — were received negatively in the press at first , resulting in both flick massively underperforming at the box office . While those two moving picture were lucky enough to receive a 2nd life thanks to fans , plenty of sci - fi film have faded into obscurity after being hold " bad " by critics and failing to discover an consultation while in theater of operations .
We ’re taking a look at a number of sci - fi film that we believed wereunfairly criticized at the clip of their release . While these films may not be game - changers to the genre , they still provide up a phone number of original construct , intriguing visuals , and quirky characters to serve as an unexpected treat for skill fiction rooter .
Do n’t get us wrong , these plastic film have their flaws ( as most film do ) , but that does n’t mean they do n’t keep the viewer soundly entertained from commencement to conclusion .
Here are16 ' Bad ' Sci - Fi Movies That Are Actually groovy .
Equilibrium
Set in a dystopian time to come where feelings are outlawed and the governing knows all , Equilibriummay heavily borrow from George Orwell ’s sci - fi masterpieceNineteen Eighty - Four , but the film ’s highly original activeness chronological sequence and telling determine intent still make it a must - watch for fans of the genre .
The flick stars Christian Bale as John Preston , a high up - rank enforcement policeman who stops taking his daily dosage of Prozium — the government activity ’s mandated emotion suppresser — and plot of ground to join the Underground Resistance .
Despite a relatively small budget of $ 20 million , Equilibriumfeatures its fair share of standout warriorlike artistic production sequences that employ the strange technique of gun kata . While you might think this would at least get audience on board for the film , Equilibriumwas a corner office bomb , gross just over $ 5 million worldwide . For whatever reason , critic conk out to get behind the movie as well , leave inEquilibriumbeing largely forgotten in the 15 years since its release .
Event Horizon
effect Horizonis one of those film that take a tough left turn around the halfway stage that audience will either love or hate , as the tale chop-chop switch from sci - fi thriller to agrotesque horror flick . While it ’s understandable that this 1997 film will change by reversal some viewers off , the movie decidedly succeeds in making the audience feel as though they ’re getting in over their heads .
The story follows the members of a space crowd who are send out to investigate a starship known as the Event Horizon , which mysteriously reappear after years lost in space . On add-in the abandoned ship ship , they see that the crew of the Horizon unwittingly opened a portal to Hell itself , and the proximity to the gateway start to take its bell on the remaining crew fellow member .
The graphic wildness in the 2d one-half ofEvent Horizonmay not be for everyone , but for hardcore sci - fi/ repulsion swot , the picture show may be one of those lesser - cognize gems they ’ve been waiting to discover .
Tron: Legacy
Much like the original 1982 film , Tron : Legacyis all about the state of the art visuals , meaning that the write up and the character are admittedly lacking in this 2010 subsequence . However , the update effects , couple with a fitting soundtrack from Daft Punk , still make this sci - fi action plastic film a visual treat , particularly when viewed on the biggest screen possible with the 3D in full effect .
Tron : Legacyacts as a lineal sequel to the original fad hit , which finds Jeff Bridges returning to bring Flynn while Garret Hedlund recreate his adult son , Sam , who is transported into “ the Grid ” years after his father ’s mysterious disappearance .
The film is a guilty delight in every sense of the idiom , which is probable to win over fans of the originalTronwith perfect nostalgia alone . Many critic admonished the pic ’s character and plot growth ( or miss thereof ) , and we really ca n’t disagree with them . But if you ’re in the climate for some stunning eye confect and exhilarating sci - fi action succession , then you could certainly do a circle bad thanTron : Legacy .
Oblivion
release in 2013 , this post - revelatory sci - fi cinema received lukewarm reviews from critic and was only a modest loge office success . The film star Tom Cruise as Commander Jack Harper , who is tasked with protecting Earth ’s resources against alien scavengers , while Andrea Riseborough plays his communication theory collaborator , Victoria Olsen .
WhileOblivionmight not be quite as in effect as Cruise ’s 2014 follow - up film , Edge of Tomorrow , it ’s still an effectively made sci - fi thrillerwith a decided production design and a phone number of unexpected twist that carry off to keep the viewer on their toe .
However , many critics were unreasonably hard on the film , with some questioning if Cruise was“trying to bewilder out fellow Scientologist John Travolta for the honor of starring in the dumbest sci - fi epic ever?”Another critic asked if the picture show ’s title was“supposed to be the state of the role , or the interview ? ”
With such abrasive reviews for an overall enjoyable time at the cinema , we ca n’t help but wonder if these critics just have an aversion to Tom Cruise movies altogether .
John Carter
Released in March of 2012,John Carterwas a loge billet bomb calorimeter of epic proportion , grossing almost $ 200 million less than its cost of product and advertizement . The lack of a big ace and the confusing trailers may have contributed to the film ’s miserable public presentation , while the critical review sure as shooting did n’t aid bring in audiences .
John Carter presently holds a 51 % approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes , with most critics prognosticate the film derivative and lacking any serious character evolution . But upon revisiting the moving picture , John Carteris nowhere near as regretful as its initial entry made it seem ; and , in fact , the moving picture is a lot more enjoyable than your average summer blockbuster .
We gave the film a mostly positivistic review back in 2012 , cite that“scene by scene the film is in general well - craft , and bid a sense of both fun and adventure,”meaning that this is one sci - fi film that ’s still worth check out if you end up hop it ( along with everyone else ) during its initial run .
Pitch Black
In this sci - fi repugnance picture released in 2000 , Vin Diesel plays Richard Riddick , an notorious criminal/ mercenary , who is being transport to prison house when the spaceship he ’s move around on clangor res publica on a desert satellite crawling with sanguinary alien tool . Unlike his fellow traveller , Riddick has surgically altered eyes that help him see in the dark , which comes in handy when the alien tool embark on a feeding hysteria during an occultation .
Pitch Blackturned into an unexpected hit with audience , grossing over $ 50 million at the box role on a $ 23 million budget . However , critic were mostly underwhelmed by the film along with the two sequels .
While we agree that both 2004’sThe Chronicles of Riddickand 2013’sRiddickwere both a fleck of a letdown , the original film persist surprisingly entertaining and well put together , especially for a Vin Diesel action at law flick .
Titan A.E.
Originally conceived as a live - action film with input signal from writers including Joss Whedon ( The Avengers ) and Ben Edlund ( The Tick),Titan A.E.was give over to Fox Animationafter recede $ 30 millionduring the level growth . If that was n’t already bad enough , the cinema eventually proved to be a massive box office bomb calorimeter , gross only $ 36.8 million and lead in a $ 100 million red for Fox .
Most critic were also unreasonably hard on the pic , calling it unoriginal and nothing more than a Saturday aurora cartoon . However , at the time of its release , the life ofTitan A.E.was truly something to be marveled over . The filmmakers seamlessly meshed together authoritative life with CGI to tell the story of a starship of humans desperately searching for a lost blank space station conform to the destruction of Earth by an alien backwash . Not to mention that the characters inTitan A.E.are astonishingly smart and well - rounded for a film drive at child and unseasoned teenager .
The Fountain
Like most Darren Aronofsky film ( lament for a Dream , Black Swan , and nowmother ! ) , you ’re either going to love or hateThe Fountain — a 2006 sci - fi/ fancy film that intertwines three stories about piece ’s search immortality .
The pic star Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz as various couples throughout time , link together by love and personnel casualty , and the film apply non - one-dimensional storytelling by continuously cutting between 16th century Central America , the present day , and deep space well-nigh 500 years into the futurity .
For many , The Fountainis a perplexing project film , to say the least , which resulted in lustreless review and an underwhelming box office performance . However , the picture show has since attained a religious cult come asThe Fountaincan prove to be a rewarding celluloid for those that cover to connect the dots between the themes of each intertwining fib , making this a must - learn for those who bask athought - beset experience at the picture .
Starship Troopers
For a motion picture that did n’t do exceptionally well at the time of its waiver and was also lambasted by critic , 1997’sStarship Troopershas certainlyhad its mediocre share of stay business leader , spawning a potent cult following as well as four subsequence and a dead - lived animated series .
Based on the 1959 book by Robert Heinlein , director Paul Verhoeven ’s photographic film version wildly deviate from the original source material , turning the story about a futurist foot whole and their fight against a species of alien insectoids into a military satire , as opposed to a deadly serious sci - fi war film .
The fatal temper and overall clique of the film did n’t seem to land well with most movie critic , who figure the movie as a dumbed down version of Heinlein ’s novel , as opposed to a charade of military propaganda and right - wing fascism , which Verhoeven experienced first hand while growing up in the Nazi - occupied Netherlands .
Battlestar Galactica
This 1978 film marks the beginning of theBattlestar Galacticafranchise , which go on to be made into a weekly serial publication throughout the late ‘ LXX before being reboot into the critically hail 2004 SyFy show . However , the original plastic film was not quite as beloved by critics , who calledBattlestar Galacticaa cheap tear - off that was only calculate to capitalize on theStar Warshype .
The special effects are indeed laughable by today ’s standards ( and well below the calibre ofStar Wars ) . However , the $ 7 million budget in reality made the film the most expensive TV pilot ever made , which still do to move home interview at the time of its sacking .
WhileBattlestar Galacticais undoubtedly dated and unintentionally funny at meter , the story at the centre of the film was enough to launch one of the most renowned sci - fi franchise of all time . And while it may not be for everyone , it will certainly be deserving the while of series fan .
