50 best sci-fi films of all time, according to critics
Of all major movie genres, sci-fi has perhaps the most passionate devotees鈥攋ust look at the feverishly adoring fanbases of the "Star Wars" saga and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only do these ardent admirers frequent Comic-Con, engage in cosplay, and read throngs of backstories in comic strips and books, but they also sell billions in movie tickets (three of the were ) and as soon as the newest installment of their favorite franchise drops. It can lead to a somewhat skewed perspective in terms of whether or not certain highly-rated movies are actually worth watching.
Enter the film critic: a movie expert who, while not impervious to personal bias, is more likely to judge a work based on its actual merits. To that end, a list of the best critically reviewed sci-fi films will be different from one compiled according to IMDb user ratings鈥攅ven if specific titles are bound to overlap. In 2025, critics and audiences agreed on two "Predator" movies, "" and "," along with "" and Guillermo del Toro's "." But while reviewers approved of "," everyone else viewed it less favorably. On the other end of the spectrum, "" and "" won over audiences but earned largely negative reviews.
Keep an eye out for some potentially divergent takes on 2026 sci-fi releases, like "," "," "," and "."
With an understanding that audiences and professional reviewers are not always on the same page, 麻豆原创 presents the 50 best sci-fi films of all time, according to critics. Films were ranked by . In the case of a tie, the title with more critic ratings ranked higher. Excluded from consideration were any movies that have not yet been released to the public.
Without further ado, here are the 50 best sci-fi films of all time, according to the critics.
