Best Sci-Fi Movies of 2019 (And The Worst)

Critics Consensus: Equal parts plot holes and unintentional laughs, Replicas is a ponderously lame sci-fi outing that isn't even bad enough to be so bad it's good.

Synopsis: Neuroscientist William Foster is on the verge of transferring human consciousness into a computer when his beloved wife and children are killed in a car... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Thomas Middleditch, Alice Eve, John Ortiz

Directed By: Jeffrey Nachmanoff

Critics Consensus: Amiable yet forgettable, MiB International grinds its stars' substantial chemistry through the gears of a franchise running low on reasons to continue.

Synopsis: The Men in Black have expanded to cover the globe but so have the villains of the universe. To keep everyone safe, decorated Agent H... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rebecca Ferguson

Directed By: F. Gary Gray

Critics Consensus: Godzilla: King of the Monsters delivers spectacular kaiju action -- and reaffirms that cutting-edge effects are still no substitute for a good story.

Synopsis: Members of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe

Directed By: Michael Dougherty

Critics Consensus: This sci-fi thriller may not necessarily leave viewers in a Captive State, but it offers reasonably diverting alien invasion action with ambitious political undertones.

Synopsis: After 10 years of extraterrestrial occupation, residents of Chicago must decide whether to continue to live under alien rule or support the resistance. When young... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Majors, Vera Farmiga

Directed By: Rupert Wyatt

Critics Consensus: Alita: Battle Angel's story struggles to keep up with its special effects, but fans of futuristic sci-fi action may still find themselves more than sufficiently entertained.

Synopsis: Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido, a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Keean Johnson, Mahershala Ali

Directed By: Robert Rodriguez

Critics Consensus: Its ambitious reach occasionally exceeds its grasp, but Paradise Hills offers fans of thoughtful sci-fi a visually distinctive treat with timely themes.

Synopsis: Young women must band together to escape from a seemingly idyllic island that holds a sinister secret.

Starring: Emma Roberts, Danielle Macdonald, Awkwafina, Jeremy Irvine

Directed By: Alice Waddington

Critics Consensus: Dazzling, but a little dull, ANIARA's impeccable production design is undermined by its underwhelming philosophical pondering.

Synopsis: When a spacecraft carrying settlers to Mars strays off course, the consumption-obsessed passengers are prompted to consider their place in the universe.

Starring: Emelie Garbers, Arvin Kananian, Bianca Cruzeiro, Anneli Martini

Directed By: Pella Kagerman, Hugo Lilja

Critics Consensus: Terminator: Dark Fate represents a significant upgrade over its immediate predecessors, even if it lacks the thrilling firepower of the franchise's best installments.

Synopsis: In Mexico City, a newly modified liquid Terminator -- the Rev-9 model -- arrives from the future to kill a young factory worker named Dani... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes

Directed By: Tim Miller

Critics Consensus: Ad Astra takes a visually thrilling journey through the vast reaches of space while charting an ambitious course for the heart of the bond between parent and child.

Synopsis: Thirty years ago, Clifford McBride led a voyage into deep space, but the ship and crew were never heard from again. Now his son --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Donald Sutherland

Directed By: James Gray

Critics Consensus: Stocked with solid performances, Freaks is a clever sci-fi/horror hybrid that suggests a bright future for co-writers/co-directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein.

Synopsis: Kept locked inside the house by her father, 7-year-old Chloe lives in fear and fascination of the outside world. It's a place where Abnormals are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Lexy Kolker, Amanda Crew

Directed By: Adam B. Stein, Zach Lipovsky

Critics Consensus: Suspenseful, well-acted, and intelligent, I Am Mother is an ambitious sci-fi story that largely achieves its impressive aims.

Synopsis: Alone in a bunker, a droid called Mother raises a human girl from an embryo. To ensure the girl fulfills her potential, there's nothing Mother... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hilary Swank, Clara Rugaard, Rose Byrne, Tahlia Sturzaker

Directed By: Grant Sputore

Critics Consensus: See You Yesterday marries a novel sci-fi premise with urgent social relevance and forges something excitedly new from the union -- providing an impressive showcase for star Eden Duncan-Smith and debut writer-director Stefon Bristol.

Synopsis: Two teenage science prodigies spend every spare minute working on their latest homemade invention: backpacks that enable time travel. When one of their older brothers... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eden Duncan-Smith, Dante Crichlow, Astro, Marsha Stephanie Blake

Directed By: Stefon Bristol