The 1980s were packed full of entertainment. Whether it was music, movies, the newest fashion trend, or how you did your hair, there was so much to do and see that would leave a lasting impression on everyone, good and bad. Fans of Science Fiction movies were not let down during this unique decade, and there were quite a few great ones to choose from.
The Best 80s Sci-Fi Movies
The 80s was a golden era for movies, and it also represented a time where Sci-Fi movies really grew in popularity. So what were the best ones of the decade?
Here is a list of five of the best Sci-Fi movies from the 1980s.
1. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Following Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars came through with another blockbuster giving the Empire a chance to fight back. Hoth, an ice planet, sets the scene of a significant Imperial attack against the Rebels. Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Master Yoda. Han Solo and Princess Leia escape with the Millennium Falcon, and Lando Calrissian makes his first appearance, and ambush continues. If you are in the mood for action, adventure, a bit of fantasy, and space travel, make some popcorn and join the saga.
2. Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future is a classic film filled with exceptional talent, great humor, and time-traveling adventure. Michael J. Fox plays an average high school student, Marty McFly, who finds himself thirty years in the past. Doc Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, is a one-of-a-kind character who uses a DeLorean as a time-traveling device. Marty, now in the past, needs to find a way to get home without altering the future too much.
3. Aliens (1986)
Ellen Ripley is a well-known character from the 80s. The follow-up to the first film, Alien (1979), shows Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) waking up from a 57-year sleep after being the sole survivor of a catastrophic alien attack of a spaceship.
She tries desperately to warn about the creatures when she is called into mission once again to help defend against another attack on a space colony. Throw in the attempt to save a small child from the fatal destruction of the planet, and this movie will have you wondering what happens next.
4. Blade Runner (1982)
The 80s were not a slow time for Harrison Ford. The movie takes place in the then-future of 2019 in a run-down Los Angeles. Rick Deckard, a blade runner, is assigned to hunt down and terminate fugitive bioengineered humanoids that returned to Earth in a stolen spaceship.
The replicas (humanoids) are illegally in Los Angeles seeking out their creators. When Deckard learns the replicants are given false memories and believe themselves to be humans, the story begins to get a bit deeper and more challenging as real emotions get in the way.
5. The Terminator (1984)
In the first Terminator movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger is undoubtedly most known for his “I’ll be back” line. Schwarzenegger acts as a cyborg from the year 2029 that was programmed to locate and kill a young woman in 1984. Sarah Conner is believed to one day birth a child who will grow up to save humanity, which makes her a target.
When the Terminator time travels to the past, a human soldier is sent to stop him from completing his mission. Who will win the battle; an indestructible killing machine or a soldier from the future sent to protect?
So those are our 5 top picks for 80s Sci Fi movies that we think are the best of the decade. Did your favorite make the cut? If you’re looking for a great night of sci fi action, definitely check out or revisit any of these 80s sci fi classics.
