Movies about aliens never go out of style. From the early Atomic Age classics likeIt Came from Outer Spaceto recent smash hits likeNope,alien movies have captivated audiences for decades. While some alien movies win Oscars, most are heaped onto the pile of science fiction schlock for hardcore genre fans to sift through and enjoy. Hidden deep within that pile, however, are underrated gems that deserve more recognition. From the misunderstood and the critically reviled, to obscure low-budget wonders and beyond, here is a list of the most underrated movies about aliens ever made.
Updated on September 11th, 2023 by Federico Furzan:This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
12Creature (1985)
William Malone’s 1985 filmCreatureis an easy flick to write off as one of a plethora of cheap knock-offs of Ridley Scott’sAlien. Indeed, it shares many plot points and apes the overall aesthetic ofAlien, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time.Creaturefollows two crews from rival corporations sent to Saturn’s largest moon to search for raw materials. While there, they run afoul of an alien life form that has been dormant for hundreds of thousands of years.
Beyond the obvious allusions toAlien,Creaturehas many intriguing ideas of its own, including the creature’s ability to zombify humans and use them as slimy puppets in its plot to feast on them. Despite the low budget, the film looks great, with scene after scene loaded with either foggy, alien caverns or beautifully realized spaceship interiors. Sure, we’ve seen this kind of material before, but if you can’t get enough of aliens on the loose on blue-collar space vessels,Creatureshould be at the top of your watchlist.
11The Fourth Kind (2009)
Part alien thriller, part found footage horror,The Fourth Kindis an underrated horror sci-fi feature that went mostly unnoticed because critics simply didn’t connect with its lightweight script in which a town in Alaska begins experiencing strange events, and it all points to aliens being the cause.
It’s presented in mockumentary style, which calls for realistic evidence to enter the picture, and that’s when the film turns into a full-blown horror film that will creep you out if you carelessly digest its story as much as possible. The three great leads Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas, and Will Patton are exceptional in this often disregarded film about aliens. The “footage” in question has the capacity of goosebumps. You’ve been warned.
10Captive State (2019)
Rupert Wyatt’sCaptive Stateflopped when it was released back in 2019. Audiences didn’t connect with the gloomy fallout an alien invasion has caused on Earth, and critics simply wanted more of its narrative. However, Wyatt’s film is more of a reflection of a possibility, and he takes on that. There’s no unnecessary manipulation of the plot, making humans the possible losers in the battle. As original as that may sound, it seems we weren’t prepared for it.
Captive Statetells the story of humankind being dominated by aliens. But not exactly through the use of violence. We’re under their command and we obey peacefully. Gabriel Drummond is a teenager who decides to join a rebel group planning to overthrow the alien dictators and break the martial law installed in Chicago.
9Without Warning (1980)
Without Warningis a low-budget horror film that follows a gas station attendant and a Vietnam veteran fighting against an alien invader. Although the pacing falters at times, the film more than makes up for it, with its gooey creature effects and charming moments of oddball brilliance.
With a stacked cast that includes Martin Landau, Neville Brand, and Jack Palance, and cinematography by the great Dean Cundey,Without Warningis much better than critical reviews would have you think. Also of note,Without Warningis credited as being one of the chief inspirations for the 1987 hitPredator.
8Forbidden World (1982)
Forbidden Worldis one of a handful ofAlien-inspired horror films produced by the legendary B-movie king Roger Corman. Much likeCreature, this film begins as a by-the-numbers clone ofAlienbut soon verges off into the unexpected. It centers around a group of researchers on an alien planet who develop an experimental life form in the hopes of preventing an intergalactic food crisis.
Unfortunately, the experiment goes awry, the life form breaks loose, and the team of researchers is put on the menu. A once-forgotten cult classic, reclaimed by Corman fans and given new life by Scream Factory,Forbidden Worldpacks all the bloody alien carnage you could hope for. It’s not as classy or intelligent asAlien, but it is a ton of fun and highly underrated.
Related:Best Roger Corman Films, Ranked
7Nightbeast (1982)
With its slimy monster, heaps of gore, and music by a young, then-unknown J.J. Abrams,Nightbeasthas, according to Daily Dead, “everything you could want in a sci-fi/horror/action thriller.” It’s about a carnivorous creature from outer space landing and wreaking havoc throughout a small Maryland town.
Make no mistake, this is B-movie schlock through and through, but it’s outrageously entertaining and loaded with great lo-fi special effects. The titular Nightbeast looks spectacular and should have become an ’80s horror icon like Jason Vorhees and The Thing. Alas, this underrated gem has yet to see such acclaim, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking it out and reveling in its cheesy glory.
6Attack the Block (2011)
Sci-fi action gemAttack the Blocktakes us to South London. During Guy Fawkes Night, a gang of teenagers wreaks havoc on their neighborhood. They’re vandals, to say the least, and they can stay out of trouble. That is until a meteorite falls from the sky, and with it, dog-like creatures from outer space arrive to munch on humans.
It’s up to the kids to defend themselves and their homes. How do they do this? Well, Joe Cornish’s film goes for an Amblin-esque tone for the plot and style, makingAttack the Blockan extremely funny and compelling alien invasion film that stands alongside other British productions as the best of their genre.
5The Green Slime (1968)
Decades before directing the infamous shockerBattle Royale, Japanese filmmaker Kinji Fukasaku made his mark on the kaiju film genre with his 1968 filmThe Green Slime. The movie follows two astronauts who destroy an asteroid and inadvertently take dangerous cells from the asteroid aboard their space station, which birth slimy aliens bent on devouring mankind.
It’s a rubber monster action blast of cosmic proportions, slickly directed and set to the tune of an amazingly campy rock and roll theme song. While it’s no2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s surely one of the most underrated movies about aliens ever made, and one you do not want to miss.
4Lifeforce (1985)
Inexplicably lacking from many lists of Tobe Hooper’s best films, 1985’sLifeforceis a truly underrated sci-fi spectacle about a beautiful but deadly alien vampire who turns London into a city full of zombies.
One of the biggest and best films by a trailblazing filmmaker, Hooper’sLifeforcewas initially met with negative reviews and poor box office earnings but has slowly garnered a well-deserved cult fanbase.
3Skyline (2010)
Skylineis one of those movies that what people remember the most about it, is watching its trailer, which is OK considering how cool it is. The film tells the story of a group of people who unexpectedly witness strange lights emerging from the California sky. It doesn’t take long until they realize the lights are massive spaceships sucking up people.
It’s not as bad as people said back in the day, and critics probably panned it because there were no prior screenings. Regardless,Skylinewill be fun to revisit because of its fairly decent special effects and its dark ending.
