If you're an '80s movie buff, you love a bit of science fiction, or just a high-spirited, high-concept caper, chances are you've already seen "Back to the Future" and its two sequels.
Rightly described by many (including me, in this very article) as one of the greatest movie trilogies ever, Robert Zemeckis' sci-fi comedy is just tons of fun from the off.
The first movie arrived in 1985 and became the highest-grossing movie of the year and, frankly, it's easy to see why. It boasts an eminently likable lead in Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, packs in plenty of hilarious moments, and spins a playful, deeply entertaining tale. No wonder it returned for two sequels!
If you haven't seen any of them yet, though, and you're planning to stream "Back to the Future" on Netflix, you'll need to change that, and fast. That's because the entire "Back to the Future" trilogy will be leaving Netflix on Monday, September 30.
While it will probably be available on another one of the best streaming services after that date, you won't be able to stream "Back to the Future" on Netflix anytime soon... unless you've got a DeLorean of your own.
Looking for a little bit more info about "Back to the Future" to decide whether to add it to your watchlist before it's too late? Read on to get a brief plot rundown of all three movies (mild spoilers ahead), along with a round-up of what
What is 'Back to the Future' about?
Broadly, all three movies follow Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) in time-traveling capers involving himself and Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Here's a quick run-down of what you can expect from all three flicks.
The first movie introduces our small-town Californian teen and his eccentric scientific friend, Doc, "Back to the Future" sees Doc Brown's experiments going wrong, flinging Marty — via a souped-up DeLorean car — back to the 1950s. Not only is Marty left trying to return home, he's also tasked with ensuring younger versions of his parents fall in love. Fail, and he just might stop existing.
In the sequel, "Back to the Future Part II", Doc persuades Marty to travel to the then-future of 2015 to stop his son from going down a bad path and ruining his family's future. Meanwhile, Marty's nemesis Biff Tannen manages to get his hands on the DeLorean and uses it to drastically alter his own fortunes, forcing Doc and Marty to head back in time to put things right.
1990's "Back to the Future Part 3" concludes with a sci-fi Western caper. After a mishap left both Doc and Marty stranded in separate periods at the end of Part 2, Marty uses the DeLorean to travel back to 1885 to save his friend from Biff's great-grandfather, the outlaw Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen.
Should you stream the 'Back to the Future' trilogy?
If it's not already clear, I wholeheartedly think you should check the "Back to the Future" trilogy out, if you somehow haven't seen any of Marty's adventures in time already.
All three movies come recommended on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, though the first movie is the highest-rated (by some margin). "Back to the Future" currently holds a prestigious 93% critic and 95% audience rating on the site.
Seeing as you'll know whether you want to watch the sequels after watching the first movie, here's what the critics have said about Robert Zemeckis' 1985 hit.
In his review for Empire, Adam Smith rated the movie 5/5, calling it "small, but perfectly formed", adding: "To put it bluntly: if you don't like "Back to the Future", it's difficult to believe that you like films at all."
In a 2015 review for Time Out, critic Tom Huddleston said the first feature "fits the bill" for being called a perfect movie, saying that it was "every bit as classy, clever and cockle-warming as it was 30 years ago".
In his 1985 review, Roger Ebert rated the movie 3.5/4 and said "Back to the Future" brings "charm, brains and a lot of laughter". What more could you want from a sci-fi crowdpleaser like this?
If you've already streamed "Back to the Future", or don't believe the sci-fi trilogy is right for you but still need more streaming recommendations, check out our guide to the best Netflix sci-fi movies and the overall best Netflix movies you can watch right now.
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