7 Great Sci-Fi Movies You’ll Never Want to Watch Again

Science fiction has long been one of cinema’s most respected and beloved genres. From even the early days of cinema, sci-fi stories have had a place on the big screen, and eventually came to dominate the box office. While sci-fi now finds itself split into countless subgenres, audiences’ hunger for science fiction remains every bit as fierce as it ever has been. The best sci-fi movies capture the imagination of viewers, often across multiple generations. Many of these films are considered to be endlessly rewatchable, offering an experience that is seemingly impossible to replicate, try as other entries into the genre might.

However, not all great sci-fi movies are as primed for returning audiences. Even the best entries into the genre are occasionally emotionally taxing or difficult to watch, meaning that audiences can both love the movie and still hope to never see it again. Whether it’s thanks to a depressing movie ending, a distressing twist, or a simple lack of rewatch value, there are some great sci-fi movies that you likely won’t feel the need to watch twice.

7) A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a sci-fi movie that aged incredibly well, and boasts a wealth of talent on both sides of the camera. A collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick that stars Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law, its combination of speculative sci-fi involving sentient robots with fairy tale elements makes for a powerful story. Following young David’s journey as he yearns to become a real boy is emotional, and comes to a conclusion that is at once bizarre and emotional. All things considered, this makes A.I. a great sci-fi film that you’ll likely never choose to watch again.

6) A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Notorious for being a sci-fi movie that was banned for many years, 1971’s A Clockwork Orange is a well-known title. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, its story takes place in a dystopian future in which gangs of youths engage in acts of ultra-violence, with its protagonist being put through a gruelling experimental treatment to cure him of his sadistic urges. From its scenes of extreme violence to its generally bleak tone, A Clockwork Orange is a sci-fi masterpiece that is singularly emotionally draining to watch.

5) Under the Skin (2013)

Though it’s often overlooked, 2013’s Under the Skin is one of the most terrifying sci-fi movies of all time. Scarlett Johansson’s performance as a female extraterrestrial who manipulates and preys on lone men is deeply unsettling throughout. It’s a hypnotic movie that is brilliantly made, but Under the Skin is simply too creepy and unnerving for most sci-fi fans to ever willingly put themselves through it on more than one occasion.

4) Never Let Me Go (2010)

2010’s Never Let Me Go might not be an obvious sci-fi movie, but its dystopian premise leans into sci-fi elements in the most devastating way imaginable. It follows a group of young people in an alternate past who learn that they are clones who only exist to serve as organ donors for the wealthy. The emotional drama this facilitates is powerful and deeply upsetting, making Never Let Me Go a movie that uses its light sci-fi premise to ensure its audience will never want to watch it again, despite its quality.

3) Soylent Green (1973)

Soylent Green is known for boasting one of the best sci-fi movie twists in cinematic history. Living in a future in which the Earth has been ravaged by pollution, deforestation, and overpopulation, it concerns one man’s investigation into the mysterious green substance that eventually comes to a shocking conclusion. Unfortunately, despite being a seminal movie in the genre, Soylent Green simply isn’t as enjoyable after learning its big twist, and many feel no need to come back for a second viewing.

2) Gravity (2013)

2013’s Gravity combines sci-fi and disaster movie elements with exceptional filmmaking to deliver a pretty unique film. Starring Sandra Bullock, it follows an astronaut left stranded in space desperately trying to return home. Gravity is packed with thrills and is one of the most tense and epic sci-fi stories in recent memory, but that’s precisely why it’s rarely revisited. Having experienced the ending once is enough that few ever want to relive the harrowing story again.

1) Arrival (2016)

Widely cited as one of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s, Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, based on a short story by Ted Chiang, is one of the genre’s recent masterpieces. Its mind-bending use of language brings Arrival to a satisfying yet emotionally devastating conclusion that manages to be at once hopeful and deeply depressing. It’s an exceptional film that all sci-fi fans should see once, but few have the emotional capacity to seek out for repeated viewings.

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