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8 Underrated 80s Sci-Fi Movies Worth a Second Look

AGXStarseed

Well-Known Member
(Not written by me. Some of the trailers contain bad language, gore and scenes some people may find upsetting/offensive, so viewer discretion is advised)

’80s sci-fi movies are some of the best in the entire genre. From The Empire Strikes Back to The Thing to Blade Runner and many more, the decade was defined by many classics that have withstood the test of time. But, there are a plethora of ’80s sci-fi movies that have either slipped through the cracks, been somewhat forgotten, or aren’t as hailed as they probably should be.

We’ve pulled together eight such films that deserve to be rediscovered and reevaluated. Give ’em a look!


Xtro (1983)
This Alien knockoff has begun to gain the cult status it deserves, but many viewers will only see Xtro as a gonzo mishmash of super weird ideas. It’s much more than that. The story revolves around a boy whose father disappeared one day when a mysterious light appeared in the sky. Three years later, the father returns but he’s been transformed into an alien being who is intent on taking his son back with him.

Xtro is a masterful exercise in tone and atmosphere. It’s full of genuinely creepy moments and shocking special effects that are unlike anything you’ve seen before. Xtro is not for the faint of heart but it is for anyone who wants to check out a truly disturbing and unique sci-fi/horror gem.

Xtro Trailer


Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1983)
Halloween III: Season of the Witch got unfairly dismissed when it was released due to its disconnected nature with the previous films in the series. Gone was Michael Myers and the slasher format. Instead, this film decided to explore the origins of Halloween itself and tied it in with a diabolical company that plans to sacrifice thousands of children by utilizing special computer chips implanted in the Halloween masks they produce.

It’s nuts but in the best way possible. There are evil killer androids, a magical rock from Stonehenge, and heads that melt into bugs and snakes. This is a wacky one but it’s also surprisingly eerie and just as enjoyable as its two preceding entries.

Halloween III Trailer


The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
Maybe this eclectic sci-fi adventure will find some new viewers thanks to its shoutout in Ready Player One, but we’re still going to call it underrated at this point. It’s tough to summarize the plot of Buckaroo Banzai as it involves dimensional travel, rock and roll, alien conflict, and the threat of nuclear war. To be honest, it all makes perfect sense when you watch it unfold, and that’s part of the kooky magic of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.

If you’re looking for a genre mashup that’s as singular as it is silly, this is a movie you absolutely must track down.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Trailer


Enemy Mine (1985)
It’s disappointing how much this movie has left the conversation. Enemy Mine is a sci-fi riff on The Defiant Ones in which two enemies in an intergalactic war crash on a barren planet. They end up having to depend on each other to survive and form an unexpected friendship. The story expands and twists from there into one of the most emotional and inspiring sci-fi character dramas ever made.

Enemy Mine is a wonderful film with gorgeous direction, superb acting, and a compelling story that uses its sci-fi setting to its fullest. Don’t let this one be forgotten.

Enemy Mine Trailer


Lifeforce (1985)
Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist) directs this unhinged effects bonanza about space vampires that come to Earth to feed on all of humanity. That’s right. Space vampires. If it sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. Lifeforce is light on plot but heavy on visual splendor and exorbitant special effects. The big monsters and standout sequences are some of the best you can see in any of the ’80s sci-fi movies.

Lifeforce might get some laughs but it’s hard not to vibe with its particular brand of insanity. If the prospect of space vampires doesn’t entice you, we don’t know what will.

Life Force Trailer


Critters (1986)
Another flick that has finally begun to be recognized for its merits, but it still needs to be highlighted at any possible opportunity. Critters is usually dismissed by many as a simple Gremlins ripoff, but it’s so much more than that. It’s the story of a group of carnivorous aliens that terrorize a small Kansas farm. Two shape-shifting bounty hunters are tasked with hunting them down and the shenanigans explode from there.

Critters is an incredible balance of horror, humor, and genuinely well-crafted sci-fi world-building. If you’ve never seen it or haven’t given it a second look, hunt down a copy. You might be surprised just how good it really is.

Critters Trailer


The Hidden (1987)
Talk about a “hidden” gem! The Hidden is an über-violent action film about a parasitic alien that inhabits human bodies and uses them to cause chaos and discord. Once the body has been killed, it simply possesses someone else and continues its endless rampage. Another alien is sent to Earth to find it and ends up having to team up with the human detective that’s been following the crimes.

The Hidden is a cavalcade of ’80s action with a neat sci-fi twist. The over-the-top action is almost nonstop and the sci-fi alien bits are equally amusing. Plus, you get Dale Cooper himself as the heroic alien police officer. There’s just no losing with this movie!

The Hidden Trailer


Miracle Mile (1988)
Of all the films on this list, Miracle Mile is the one that hits the hardest. It’s a straight-faced dramatic thriller about the rapid decline of society when a nuclear attack is launched. It’s the most terrifying of science fiction concepts and Miracle Mile tells its story with absolutely no punches pulled. In the midst of this catastrophe, we follow two characters who meet and fall in love. It’s a tragic but poignant tale that is guaranteed to leave you shaken.

Miracle Mile is an unheralded classic. It’s a tough but rewarding watch that you will never forget.

Miracle Mile Trailer


Source: 8 Underrated 80s Sci-Fi Movies Worth a Second Look | FANDOM
 
Sorry but the original Critters was crap IMO, it basically just cashed in on the popularity of similar movies such as Ghoulies and of course, the 1984 classic, Gremlins.
 
Sorry but the original Critters was crap IMO, it basically just cashed in on the popularity of similar movies such as Ghoulies and of course, the 1984 classic, Gremlins.

I've never seen it personally, so I'll have to give it a try sometime.
In regards to the rest of the movies on this list, I've seen Enemy Mine and thought that was decent, while I do want to see The Hidden as I do have an interest in most movies involving aliens.
 
Nice list! The only ones I saw were Halloween 3 and Critters. I agree about Halloween 3 being underrated, they should have just called it "Season of the witch" and made it into its own franchise. I did like it though. Critters I watched as a kid , but don't remember it. I will give it another try. That movie "Enemy Mine" sounds really interesting. I never heard of it before.
 
Nice list! The only ones I saw were Halloween 3 and Critters. I agree about Halloween 3 being underrated, they should have just called it "Season of the witch" and made it into its own franchise. I did like it though. Critters I watched as a kid , but don't remember it. I will give it another try. That movie "Enemy Mine" sounds really interesting. I never heard of it before.

I agree that it could have been interesting if they'd stuck with the original idea for the Halloween movies and done the anthology series with something different with each movie rather than just making the same slasher movie over and over with increasingly negative results.
Apparently from what I've read regarding Critters, it was good enough to get 3 sequels despite people claiming it was ripping off Gremlins.

Enemy Mine was a pretty good movie; I do recommend you watch it at least once.
Heck, progressive metal supergroup 'Star One' even made a song about the film called "Inseparable Enemies". (Star One - Space Metal Album - 1:10:30)
 
One I always liked was Explorers (1985). I see it as sort of a cross between Goonies, Weird Science, and ET. Been hoping to score it at a resale but it seems to be extremely rare. Will probably just get it on ebay.
 
I've never seen it personally, so I'll have to give it a try sometime.
In regards to the rest of the movies on this list, I've seen Enemy Mine and thought that was decent, while I do want to see The Hidden as I do have an interest in most movies involving aliens.

If you've got Netflix, I think all 4 films are on that.
 
Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, I've seen several times. It was fun and light-hearted and it didn't take itself too seriously. Think I might have read the paperback years ago.
Have also seen Miracle Mile. Interesting movie with an apocalyptic themed plot, and young american actors that you might recognize. Very much an eighties style movie, in the genre of disaster movies such as 'day of the triffids' and 'the day after'. High anxiety, moving from one crisis to another, and interesting plot twists and turns.
 
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I have only seen Enemy Mine and Lifeforce, but thought them decent B-grade films. Life force reminded me much of Hammer's 'Quartermass and the Pit' with nudity.
 
Life force reminded me much of Hammer's 'Quartermass and the Pit' with nudity.

Good call !

Yep, Mathilda May in her birthday suit was a much nicer sight than moldy alien arthropods. While the arthropods weren't extraterrestrial vampires, they did kinda suck in comparison. :p

But I liked "Quartermass and the Pit" as well...nevertheless. High "creepy" factor. :cool:
 
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