8 Best Thriller Sci-Fi Movies Like Arrival

Arrival is a science fiction film that tells the story of a group of people who make contact with an alien race on Earth. The movie explores the consequences of communication between humans and aliens, as well as how difficult it would be to establish dialogue if we did not have a language to communicate. 

Arrival is based on the short story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang. It was directed by Denis Villeneuve and stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and Forest Whitaker.

The movie premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2016, and it had its wide release in North America on November 11th, 2016.

Here are eight best thriller science fiction movies like Arrival

1. Interstellar (2014)

Interstellar is one of the most popular science fiction movies like Arrival. Directed by Christopher Nolan, it centers on an exploration mission to find habitable planets. 

In “Interstellar,” the search for new worlds goes from Earth all the way out into space – and beyond! It’s exciting in both its story of survival and tender family drama about fathers finding their purpose through their children. It’s a not-too-distant future as humanity searches for other planets to colonize; it opens with Earth slowly dying and then embarks on a daring journey amidst risks that may lead them outside our solar system

Interstellar has been praised by noted astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson for its accuracy in skilfully presenting scientific ideas. The film uses time as a narrative device to explore the bond between parents and children with themes of love and loss. The movie is highly rated for emotional impact-not just adventure-and should be your first up on the queue if you haven’t seen it yet.

2. Under The Skin (2013)

Under the Skin is a sci-fi movie directed by Jonathan Glazer and written by Glazer and Walter Campbell. This film is loosely based on the 2000 novel of the same title (by Michel Faber) 

“The skin reflects the soul.” This phrase is what Under The Skin is all about. An alien, played by Scarlett Johansson, falls in love with a man, played by Jonathan Glazer. In order to get closer to him and make sure he doesn’t die in a car crash, she takes his body for her own. In this movie about self-identity and what it means to be human, the skin becomes a focal point. 

What does it mean when you see someone from the outside? To some people, there’s an uncanny valley that makes them uncomfortable when they feel like they’re looking at a human for the first time. I loved this movie because it’s so controversial about what it means to be human and how we should view each other.

The movie premiered at Telluride Film Festival on 29 August 2013 before being released to UK audiences in March 2014, North American audiences in April 2014, Swiss audiences July 2011-2014, or worldwide October 31st of that year.

3. Prometheus (2012)

Prometheus is a science-fiction horror film that’s based on the ancient Greek myth of Prometheus. Directed by Ridley Scott and written by Damon Lindelof, Prometheus was released in 2012 and stars Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, and Kate Dickie. It follows the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they discover a clue to an unknown number of ancient Earth colonies. 

These colonies hold clues to the origins of humanity, but also a threat that threatens their mission: The Engineers, an advanced race of beings who created humanity from a DNA sample taken from one of their kind. Find out why this movie is worth a watch with one easy question.

Prometheus is an amazing film with some of the most complex and interesting concepts to come out in a while. The story itself is really good, but it’s the cast that really makes this movie worth watching. The actors are all great and they each bring something unique to their characters. If you’re looking for a film that will keep your mind busy, Prometheus might just be what you’re looking for!

4. Ad Astra (2019)

Ad Astra is about the journey of an astronaut who goes to another solar system with a team of astronauts. They find an inhabitable planet, which turns out to be inhabited by creatures that are very similar to humans. The protagonist falls in love with one of these creatures and has to come face-to-face with the truth about their society.

This science fiction movie takes place in the future as Earth is about to be destroyed by an asteroid. Our current president sends astronauts to another solar system, where they might find a new home planet. The new planet turns out to be inhabited by creatures that look like humans. 

The main character falls in love with one of these creatures, only to come face-to-face with the truth within their society. This thriller science fiction will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish and is promising many twists and turns along the way.

5. Annihilation (2018)

Annihilation is an action-packed SciFi film that combines drama with the fear of unknown. The film follows a group of scientists who explore an area known as Area X, which is a forbidden and contaminated zone in the U.S. Southern coastline, where no one has ever been able to go back and live. 

When they enter this area, they start seeing weird things happen to them and all rational thought disappears. Once they get closer to the center of this area, one woman starts experiencing strange visions and finds out the source of all these events. 

The story of Annihilation is so captivating that you will want to watch it over again just to take in every detail of it all. This film also has a very interesting ending that will leave you thinking about it for days after you see it!

6. 2001: A Space Odyssey (2014)

2001: A Space Odyssey is considered one of the most influential films in cinema history. It is widely regarded as one of the best science fiction films ever made. The film has had a tremendous impact on cinema, culture, and society. 2001: A Space Odyssey explores themes like human evolution, artificial intelligence, robotics, space exploration, and the future.

The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won three for Best Original Screenplay (based on material from another medium), Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” changed how movies were made by showing how computer-generated imagery could be used to create realistic images without the use of animatronics or model sets. What’s more, it set a new bar for filmmaking by challenging audiences with its unconventional visuals that would seem alien even in today’s movie world.

The film also popularized concepts such as extraterrestrial life, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and time travel that are now often referenced in pop culture.

7. District 9 (2009)

District 9 is another science fiction movie like Arrival. But here, aliens didn’t come to help or destroy Earth, but instead, they came seeking a safe place to stay. Humans end up being the bad ones here in this story because they don’t want to help and only want their technology. This is an interesting take on an alien invasion.

It is about a secret government laboratory that houses an extraterrestrial specimen (an alien) that has the ability to shape-shift into human beings. The alien, Christopher Johnson, manages to escape from the laboratory and begins to explore his new environment. He makes contact with an ex-military man, Wikus Van De Merwe (played by David James).

The main message of the movie is that humans are more alike than they are different. The characters in the movie show how different cultures can coexist and learn from each other. The two main protagonists, Christopher Johnson and Wikus van de Merwe are both alien beings but they still share similarities such as working hard to gain what they want.

8. Sunshine (2007)

The 2007 movie Sunshine seems like a perfect, warm-hearted movie. This film is about a group of people who are working to fix the sun. The main character is a scientist who has spent his whole life with the goal of fixing the sun. His dedication to completing this task is what makes him so unlikeable for much of the movie, but he eventually grows and becomes more human. 

This movie is a little slow and takes its time to develop the characters. It also jumps around in time, which some may find jarring. But still, it is worth watching if you like films that have a message of positivity and hope.

The film starts out with the scientist, Jack Hallam, who is working on his project to fix the sun. His dedication to completing this task is what makes him so unlikeable for much of the movie, but he eventually grows and becomes more human. As he begins to work on his project more fervently and with an increased sense of urgency as he sees each passing day without sunshine.

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