Entertainment
8 Most Divisive Sci-Movies of All Time, Ranked
The sci-fi genre has given us some of the most acclaimed films of all time, ranging from exciting action adventures to deeply philosophical dramas. Using scientific (and science-adjacent) concepts to explore various aspects of the human condition, these films are an integral part of the global cinematic landscape. But while many sci-movies are universally beloved, there are also quite a few that have caused very mixed reactions from viewers and critics.
Sometimes these movies are divisive because they lean too heavily into the science of it all, leading to a dense story that isn’t easily palatable to the general audience. Other times, it’s simply because they faltered in execution or failed to fulfill the expectations of their fan base. Whatever the reasons may be, the one thing all these films share is the fact that they’re not meant for everyone, but they can still be enjoyable to certain audiences. Read on to discover our ranked selection of the most divisive sci-movies of all time.
8
‘The Core’ (2003)
A sci-fi disaster film, The Core follows a group of scientists on an impossible mission to save the world. When the planet’s molten inner core inexplicably stops spinning, it prompts a team of daring people to take up an experimental mission to drill to the core and set off nuclear explosions that they hope will restart the core’s rotation. The film features an ensemble cast led by Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank, with Delroy Lindo, Stanley Tucci, D.J. Qualls, Richard Jenkins, Tcheky Karyo, Bruce Greenwood, and Alfre Woodard in key roles.
The Core premiered in March 2003 to highly negative reviews and was a box office flop, drawing widespread criticism for being one of the most scientifically inaccurate Hollywood movies of all time. The fact that it’s a terrible film is almost universally accepted, but while some viewers consider it unwatchable garbage, others regard it as a deliciously campy movie that’s so bad it’s good. Again, it’s not a good film, but its combination of ridiculous self-seriousness and a highly unrealistic plot makes it an entertaining watch for fans of absurd unintentional comedy.
7
‘War of the Worlds’ (2005)
Based on H. G. Wells‘ eponymous 1898 novel, Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds is a 2005 science fiction action-thriller starring Tom Cruise as an American dockworker who must protect his children during an alien invasion. The film follows his attempts to keep his family safe and reunite them with their mother while the mysterious extraterrestrials cause devastation across the world using seemingly indestructible war machines. Besides Cruise, the movie also stars Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto, and Tim Robbins, with narration by Morgan Freeman.
War of the Worlds was critically and commercially successful at the time of its release, but it still divided audiences because of its ending. On the one hand, the film is a faithful adaptation of the novel that captures the suspense of its story while enhancing the action with modern special effects, but it’s that same faithfulness that proves its downfall, as the book’s ending is quite anticlimactic and unsatisfying. It’s one of the rare cases where a movie adaptation would have been better off straying a bit more from its source material, but it’s still a pretty entertaining experience nonetheless.
6
‘Solaris’ (2002)
Adapted from Polish author Stanislaw Lem’s eponymous 1961 novel, Solaris is a psychological science fiction drama set aboard a space station orbiting the titular planet. George Clooney stars as psychologist Dr. Chris Kelvin, who is invited to the station to investigate some mysterious phenomena. The film also stars Natascha McElhone, Viola Davis, Jeremy Davies, Ulrich Tukur, and John Cho in key roles.
Solaris premiered in 2002 to positive reviews but an underwhelming box office performance, which has been largely attributed to its slow pacing and meditative storytelling. The film isn’t as concerned with the usual sci-fi space tropes as the general audience might like, focusing more on an intimate exploration of grief and memory. Ultimately, it’s not a movie that’s exciting or really even that entertaining, but it does have some great performances and a compelling philosophical narrative.
5
‘About Time’ (2013)
A romantic science fiction comedy-drama, About Time follows a young man who inherits a family ability to time travel and decides to use this power to find love. With the guidance of his father, he embarks on a life-long journey of self-discovery and romance, helping the people he cares about in any way he can, but not everything goes according to plan. The movie stars Domhnall Gleeson in the lead, with Rachel McAdams, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Richard Cordery, Bill Nighy, and more in supporting roles.
About Time premiered in the United Kingdom in 2013 to a mixed critical reception, but it had a solid box office run and has developed a dedicated fan following in the years since. The film has proven somewhat divisive due to its shaky time travel rules, and some audience members have found the protagonist’s use of time travel for romance to be problematic. However, it’s also a warm, sentimental film with a heartwarming story and great performances, making it a great watch for fans of slice-of-life sci-fi movies that explore the value of human connection through sci-fi tropes.
4
‘Don’t Look Up’ (2021)
A satirical black comedy film, Don’t Look Up stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers who discover a comet on a collision course with Earth that would wipe out life on the planet. However, the government refuses to accept this, driven by corporate interests, and encourages the public to deny their impending extinction. Besides DiCaprio and Lawrence, the film also stars an ensemble supporting cast that includes Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Kid Cudi, Cate Blanchett, and Meryl Streep.
A biting allegory about climate change, Don’t Look Up premiered in 2021 to a highly mixed reception. Though the movie was praised for its performances and production, writer-director Adam McKay’s approach left critics divided between those who found it insightful and intelligent and those who thought McKay was just being smug and holier-than-thou. Whether the film’s satire is cynical or thought-provoking is really a matter of personal opinion, but the movie is undoubtedly well-made and has a very important core message, and it earned numerous accolades, including four Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe nominations.
3
‘Eternals’ (2021)
The 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Eternals follows an ancient group of immortals tasked with protecting the Earth and humanity from violent, invasive entities called Deviants. The film charts their story over thousands of years and follows their attempts to deal with a world-ending event in the present day that turns them against each other. The movie features an ensemble cast led by Gemma Chan, with Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie in key roles.
Released in theaters in 2021 as part of the MCU’s Phase Four, Eternals was the first film in the franchise to receive largely negative critical reviews. A unique combination of Marvel’s bombastic superheroics and director Chloé Zhao’s intimate, artful storytelling, the movie was highly polarizing as it didn’t give the fans of either camp what they truly wanted. Despite its divisive storytelling choices, the film did receive praise from some viewers and critics for its inventive deconstruction of superhero tropes, touching emotional beats, and stunning visuals.
2
‘Tenet’ (2020)
Tenet is a sci-fi action thriller that takes a unique approach to time-travel stories. The film stars John David Washington as a former CIA agent who is recruited into the titular secret organization and tasked with thwarting a complicated conspiracy involving objects that are traveling backward through time. Besides Washington, the movie also features Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, and Kenneth Branagh in key roles.
A highly layered work of science fiction, Tenet was the first major Hollywood film to open in theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have contributed to its critical and commercial failure. The film was highly divisive, largely because its extremely dense plot was far too confusing for most critics and audience members. It’s not an easy movie to understand, but it’s arguably the most ambitious film Christopher Nolan has ever made, and while it may not be to everyone’s tastes, it’s still an important work of cinema with intricate sci-fi storytelling and amazing visual effects.
1
‘Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi’ (2017)
The second film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is an epic space opera adventure film that picks up immediately after the end of 2015’s The Force Awakens. Starring Daisy Ridley as new Force user Rey, the film follows her attempt to seek the aid of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in the fight against the villainous First Order. The movie also stars Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Kelly Marie Tran, and more, with Carrie Fisher featured posthumously.
The Last Jedi premiered to a positive critical reception and was a massive box office success, becoming the second-highest-grossing film in the franchise. However, it was highly polarizing among Star Wars fans, largely because its climactic twist broke the expectations set by the previous film. The situation got even uglier as angry fans resorted to racist and misogynistic harassment of actress Kelly Marie Tran. Despite the division the film caused in the fanbase, it’s arguably one of the best movies in the franchise, taking bold risks and presenting a genuinely entertaining story that prioritizes thematic development over fan service, a choice that was disastrously reversed with the 2019 sequel Rise of Skywalker.
- Release Date
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December 13, 2017
- Runtime
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152 minutes
- Director
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Rian Johnson
- Writers
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Rian Johnson
- Producers
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Kathleen Kennedy, Ram Bergman, Leifur B. Dagfinnsson
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