There’s just something about the science-fiction genre that feels electric. I know that when I’m watching a classic movie like “The Matrix” or something more suspenseful like “Gravity”, everything around me becomes non-existent. However, delving into darker territory is just the way to go sometimes, and sinister sci-fi movies tend to do that very well indeed.
From adventures into the dark depths of space to an unnerving dystopian world full of mysterious secrets, there is genuinely so much to experience and not enough time in the day to do so. What’s even better (for me) is some dark sci-fi movies introduce a mix of thrilling horror tropes, and Prime Video is the perfect place for that.
If you’ve found yourself scrolling through the best streaming services unsure of what to watch, our guide can help you. We choose movies based on their Rotten Tomatoes score, but of course, these ratings entirely depend on professional opinions. This review aggregation site is a reliable source we like to follow at Tom’s Guide, so you can trust that our list holds the most worthy content.
Without further ado, let’s reveal the best Prime Video movies with at least 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
'Aliens'
Following the events of the first “Alien” movie, this sequel takes place almost six decades later. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) has been in stasis for all those years on board an escape shuttle, but she’s thankfully found by a deep space salvage team. Now, after being debriefed by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, she discovers that a terraforming colony has suddenly gone quiet on the exomoon LV-426. Deciding to join the investigation, Ripley is once again thrown into a dangerous mess when she is confronted by the terrifying aliens that roam the colony. And if it wasn’t dark enough, throw in the facehuggers that attach themselves to your face.
Buy or rent on Prime Video
'Ghost in the Shell'
Throwing it back to an old Japanese animation, “Ghost in the Shell” focuses on the cyborg federal agent Major. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods), who wants to track "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), a hacking expert who can access the computerized minds of cyborg-human hybrids. Kusanagi, somewhat curious about the man’s ability to change the appearance of hybrids, starts to doubt her own identity and questions the benefits of having more human traits. However, the investigation goes in a different direction when Kusanagi’s curiosity gets the better of her.
The looming darkness of this science-fiction movie comes from the danger of relying on technology. Kusanagi’s battle with her own humanity is another contributor to the movie’s bleak and troubling narrative.
Buy or rent on Prime Video
'A Quiet Place'
Another dark sci-fi movie with elements of horror is “A Quiet Place”. In a post-apocalyptic world, we follow one family as they live in silence to avoid the alien-like creatures who hunt using sound. Making too much noise, even through a whisper or footstep, will attract their attention, and it’s impossible to outrun them. Lee (John Krasinski) and Evelyn (Emily Blunt) will do anything to protect their children, but with Evelyn being pregnant, navigating the changed world will become even more challenging for the family. As the movie slogan says: “If they hear you, they hunt you”.
Buy or rent on Prime Video
'Stalker'
For those who love strange and unsettling movies that were made before the 2000s, then “Stalker” is the perfect choice. This dark science fantasy art movie follows a figure known as the Stalker (Alexander Kaidanovsky) who leads a writer (Anatoly Solonitsyn) and a professor (Nikolai Grinko) through a hazardous wasteland known as the “Zone”. Venturing into this mysterious restricted site will lead you to The Room, another eerie place that is supposed to grant a person’s deepest and darkest desires. The secrecy and ominosity of this movie are what make the narrative much darker.
Buy or rent on Prime Video
'Birth/Rebirth'
“Birth/Rebirth” is a movie that dips its toes into several genres, the prominent ones being horror, thriller, and science-fiction. But what makes this so dark is its ability to challenge the boundaries of sci-fi when exploring modern identity. The plot follows morgue technician Rose (Marin Ireland) as she successfully reanimates a little girl named Lila, who is the daughter of a maternity nurse named Celie. When Celie discovers her daughter is alive again, she works with Rose to harvest biological materials that will keep Lila breathing, but it starts to blur the line between what’s right and wrong.
Buy or rent on Prime Video
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