20 Secretly Brilliant Sci Fi Movies That Came Out in 2020s

In a world where our sci-fi dreams are often overshadowed by yet another superhero wearing spandex, let's shine a holographic spotlight on the unsung heroes of the 2020s: 20 sci-fi movies that are so brilliantly hidden in the cinematic universe, you'd need a wormhole to find them.

1. "Archive" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

In 2038, a robotics engineer working in a remote facility develops human-like androids, secretly aiming to resurrect his deceased wife's consciousness, leading to profound ethical dilemmas and unexpected consequences.

2. "Synchronic" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Two New Orleans paramedics encounter a series of bizarre, gruesome accidents linked to a mysterious new drug that alters the user's perception of time, leading to a personal quest and startling revelations.

3. "Little Fish" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

In a world suffering from a pandemic that causes memory loss, a young couple fights to hold onto their love and memories against the relentless progression of the disease, exploring themes of love, loss, and identity.

4. "The Platform" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

In a vertical prison system where food descends from top to bottom levels, inmates fight for survival and basic human decency, highlighting the brutal reality of social stratification and human nature.

5. "Possessor" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

A corporate agent who uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies to commit assassinations for high-paying clients finds her sense of identity eroding and control slipping in her latest assignment.

6. "Stowaway" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

During a mission to Mars, a three-person crew discovers an accidental stowaway shortly after takeoff, leading to moral dilemmas and life-threatening decisions as they deal with limited resources in space.

7. "Oxygen" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

A woman wakes up in a cryogenic chamber with no memory of how she got there and must find a way out before her air supply runs out, uncovering startling truths about her identity and reality.

8. "Settlers" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%

On a desolate Mars colony, a family fights for survival against others who arrive and threaten their existence, exploring themes of human nature, territoriality, and the challenges of life on another planet.

9. "DUAL" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

A woman opts for a cloning procedure to ease her loss on loved ones when diagnosed with a terminal illness, but when she miraculously recovers, she must engage in a duel to the death with her clone to determine who remains.

10. "The Colony" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 54%

In a dystopian future where Earth has become uninhabitable, a woman returns to the planet from a space colony to find it overrun by unforeseen dangers, challenging her mission to save humanity's remnants.

11. "The Vast of Night" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

In 1950s New Mexico, a young switchboard operator and a charismatic radio DJ discover a strange audio frequency, leading them on a quest to uncover the truth behind an otherworldly mystery.

12. "The Midnight Sky" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 49%

A lone scientist in the Arctic races to contact a crew of astronauts returning to Earth to warn them of a global catastrophe that has decimated much of the planet.

13. "Space Sweepers" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

Set in 2092, this Korean film follows a crew of misfit space junk collectors who discover a humanoid robot that is both a weapon of mass destruction and a little girl, leading to an epic adventure.

14. "LX 2048" (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 45%

In a near-future dystopia where the sun is toxic and society is drug-dependent, a man tries to ensure the future welfare of his family as his own life slips away, challenging the nature of human identity and technology.

15. "Boss Level" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

A retired special forces soldier finds himself trapped in a time loop on the day of his death, forced to relive the same day repeatedly while trying to uncover the truth behind his endless assassinations.

16. "Infinite" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

A man discovers that his hallucinations are actually visions from past lives and finds himself in the middle of a centuries-old war between the Infinites who seek to use their knowledge for good and those who seek destruction.

17. "Chaos Walking" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 21%

In a dystopian world where all living creatures can hear each other's thoughts, a young man discovers a mysterious girl who may hold the key to unlocking the planet's many secrets and dangers.

18. "Finch" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

In a post-apocalyptic world, a dying inventor (played by our one and only, Tom Hanks) creates a robot to protect his beloved dog when he's gone, teaching it to be human and to understand the beauty and fragility of life.

19. "Voyagers" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 25%

A group of young people bred for intelligence and obedience embark on a mission to colonize a distant planet, but soon uncover disturbing secrets about their mission and descend into chaos and madness.

20. "The Tomorrow War" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 52%

A former soldier is drafted to fight in a future war where humanity's fate against an alien invasion relies on the ability to confront the past and the courage to protect his daughter's future.