Although sci-fi is a genre that is built around looking ahead to a speculative future, its long-term success is based on nostalgia. As science fiction has long been one of the most successful and consistently popular genres in modern fiction, it only follows that there have been many great sci-fi movies in living memory. While many different decades have delivered incredible entries into the genre, some of the best sci-fi movies were released in the 1990s. As that particular decade shrinks further into the past, more sci-fi fans feel themselves becoming nostalgic for the final years of the 20th century, especially when viewed through the lens of sci-fi movies.
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Some sci-fi movies are nostalgic for their setting, while others inspire the feeling as a result of their presentation, themes, or ideas. The subject matter itself isn’t necessarily important, but rather the way that movie captures the time it was released. With that in mind, the following sci-fi movies are all but guaranteed to transport nostalgic sci-fi fans back to the 1990s.
7) Event Horizon (1997)
Widely considered one of the most terrifying sci-fi movies of all time, Event Horizon is one of the more unique entries into the genre from the 1990s. Despite early critical and commercial failure, Event Horizon has since earned a considerable cult following. Its approach to sci-fi horror has a distinctly ’90s feel, with particular credit to its cast of some of the decade’s biggest stars, including Sam Neill, Lawrence Fishburne, Joely Richardson, and Richard T. Jones. Despite being set in 2047, Event Horizon is a movie that brilliantly evokes the 1990s.
6) Starship Troopers (1997)
Another 1997 sci-fi movie that wasn’t properly appreciated in its day, Starship Troopers also boasts a considerable cult following. Based on Robert A. Heinlein’s novel of the same name, Starship Troopers follows the military forces of the United Citizen Federation, an Earth-based government fighting an interstellar war against aliens known as the Arachnids. Over time, its message has become better understood by audiences and critics, and it is now rightly hailed as one of the best sci-fi action movies of the ’90s. Its presentation and its themes evoke the era of its release, making it a nostalgic piece of cinematic history.
5) The Matrix (1999)
The legacy of The Matrix, both in terms of the sci-fi genre and wider pop culture, cannot be understated. Its story involves a man being awoken from a simulation to help fight in a future war against humanity’s machine oppressors, learning to manipulate the titular simulation in the process. The scenes set within the Matrix itself are based on a typical ’90s society, with the leather-clad hacker chic of the movie’s wardrobe only furthering its nostalgic appeal. While The Matrix‘s message is considered every bit as relevant today, the movie’s style is something that is firmly rooted in alternative ’90s culture.
4) Total Recall (1990)
Whether Total Recall is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best sci-fi movie or not is a matter of opinion, but it’s certainly one of his most consistently beloved. Based on a story by the legendary Philip K. Dick, Total Recall follows a construction worker who is implanted with a memory of a fantastical adventure on Mars. Despite being set in 2084, Total Recall is a movie that has a distinctly nostalgic feel, as it was one of the earliest sci-fi successes of the ’90s. Audiences’ fond memories of the movie combined with its now-dated but still impressive visual effects make Total Recall another sci-fi film capable of transporting viewers back in time.
3) Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Although Johnny Mnenomic is far from the most successful sci-fi movie of the ’90s, it does boast an impressive cult following. Its depiction of a cyberpunk future in which society is dominated by megacorporations and beset by tech-induced plague was as unique as it was interesting, and though elements of the movie hurt its overall quality, it’s still an important piece of sci-fi history. Everything about Johnny Mnemonic is nostalgic, from its shortcomings to its strengths, and in many ways, it’s one of the 1990s’ most quintessential sci-fi movies.
2) The Fifth Element (1997)
The Fifth Element is remembered as one of the 1990s’ best sci-fi movies, and despite almost three decades passing since its release, it holds up brilliantly. Its imaginative approach to the genre sees an engaging sci-fi setting that makes use of an all-star cast, leading to The Fifth Element being a sci-fi movie many are still waiting for a sequel to. Its vision of the future is something that rings distinctly ’90s, helped by its cast of some of the decade’s biggest stars, including Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Chris Tucker, and Milla Jovovich. It’s a movie that reminds many fans of the time of its release, making it a nostalgic sci-fi watch.
1) 12 Monkeys (1995)
12 Monkeys is a sci-fi movie that predicts the future while also capturing the time of its release with singular accuracy. Travelling back from the year 2035 to 1996 to prevent the release of a deadly virus, James Cole (Bruce Willis) explores a world that he only remembers from the earliest days of his childhood. Seeing the ’90s through the eyes of a man who has lived his life underground is something that helps the movie perfectly depict the era of its release. Over time, that has led to 12 Monkeys becoming not just a great sci-fi movie, but one that serves as a nostalgic time capsule for the mid-1990s.
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