Timeless Visions: Exploring The Best Science Fiction Films Of The 1980s

Clara Moreau
Clara MoreauSeptember 22, 2025
The 1980s was a transformative period for the science fiction genre, with filmmakers pushing the boundaries of special effects, storytelling, and social commentary. This decade saw the emergence of iconic directors like Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and Steven Spielberg, who left an indelible mark on the genre. From dystopian futures to time-traveling adventures, the science fiction films of the 1980s continue to captivate audiences with their unique blend of action, suspense, and intellectual curiosity.

One of the defining characteristics of 1980s science fiction is its ability to balance entertainment with thought-provoking themes. Films like Blade Runner and The Terminator explored the consequences of emerging technologies, while movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Back to the Future used science fiction as a backdrop for timeless stories about human connection and adventure. The decade also saw the rise of sci-fi horror, with films like The Thing and Alien becoming classics of the genre.

As we look back on the science fiction films of the 1980s, it's clear that this decade was a pivotal moment in the evolution of the genre. The movies of this era not only reflected the anxieties and hopes of their time but also helped shape the course of science fiction in the decades that followed. With their groundbreaking special effects, memorable characters, and enduring themes, these films continue to inspire new generations of filmmakers and fans alike.

In this collection, we've gathered some of the most iconic and influential science fiction films of the 1980s, showcasing the diversity and creativity of this remarkable decade. From action-packed blockbusters to thought-provoking dramas, these movies represent the best of what science fiction has to offer: a chance to explore new worlds, ideas, and possibilities.
Blade Runner
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Blade Runner

#1

In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.

1982
7.9
14321 votes
The Terminator
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The Terminator

#2

In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?

1984
7.7
13803 votes
Aliens
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Aliens

#3

Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.

1986137 min
ActionThrillerScience Fiction
8.0
10292 votes
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

#4

An alien is left behind on Earth and saved by the 10-year-old Elliot who decides to keep him hidden in his home. While a task force hunts for the extra-terrestrial, Elliot, his brother, and his little sister Gertie form an emotional bond with their new friend, and try to help him find his way home.

1982
7.5
11524 votes
Tron
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Tron

#5

When brilliant video game maker Flynn hacks the mainframe of his ex-employer, he is beamed inside an astonishing digital world...And becomes part of the very game he is designing. In his mission through cyberspace, Flynn matches wits with a maniacal Master Control Program and teams up with Tron, a security measure created to bring balance to the digital environment.

198295 min
Science FictionActionAdventure
6.6
2446 votes
Back to the Future
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Back to the Future

#6

Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.

1985116 min
AdventureComedyScience Fiction
8.3
20806 votes
Predator
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Predator

#7

A team of elite commandos on a secret mission in a Central American jungle come to find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.

1987107 min
Science FictionActionAdventure
7.5
8512 votes
The Thing
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The Thing

#8

A twelve-man team at a remote Antarctic research station discovers an alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Soon unfrozen, the form-changing creature wreaks havoc, creates terror...And becomes one of them.

1982109 min
HorrorMysteryScience Fiction
8.1
7448 votes
Akira
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Akira

#9

A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath that only two teenagers and a group of psychics can stop.

1988124 min
AnimationScience FictionAction
7.9
4500 votes
Strange Behavior
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Strange Behavior

#10

When the teenagers in a small Illinois town start getting murdered, the police chief makes a connection to the mysterious scientific experiments being done at the local university and must stop them before his own son is dragged into the deadly scheme.

198199 min
Science FictionHorrorMystery
5.4
65 votes
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

#11

Bill and Ted are high school buddies starting a band. They are also about to fail their history class—which means Ted would be sent to military school—but receive help from Rufus, a traveller from a future where their band is the foundation for a perfect society. With the use of Rufus' time machine, Bill and Ted travel to various points in history, returning with important figures to help them complete their final history presentation.

198990 min
AdventureComedyScience Fiction
6.9
1957 votes
Back to the Future Part II
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Back to the Future Part II

#12

Marty and Doc are at it again as the time-traveling duo head to 2015 to nip some McFly family woes in the bud. But things go awry thanks to bully Biff Tannen and a pesky sports almanac. In a last-ditch attempt to set things straight, Marty finds himself bound for 1955 and face to face with his teenage parents -- again.

1989108 min
AdventureComedyScience Fiction
7.8
13366 votes
The Abyss
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The Abyss

#13

A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it.

1989
7.3
3182 votes
Nineteen Eighty-Four
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Nineteen Eighty-Four

#14

George Orwell's novel of a totalitarian future society in which a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love.

1984113 min
DramaScience Fiction
6.8
1532 votes
Spaceballs
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Spaceballs

#15

When the nefarious Dark Helmet hatches a plan to snatch Princess Vespa and steal her planet's air, space-bum-for-hire Lone Starr and his clueless sidekick fly to the rescue. Along the way, they meet Yogurt, who puts Lone Starr wise to the power of "The Schwartz." Can he master it in time to save the day?

198796 min
ComedyScience Fiction
6.9
3175 votes

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