10 Near-Perfect Sci-Fi Adventure Movies That No One Remembers Today

There are plenty of sci-fi adventure films that are beloved among movie fans, largely because they are more accessible than their hard sci-fi counterparts. Anybody can enjoy a sci-fi adventure flick, because the latter half of the genre often does most of the heavy lifting. They are adventure films first and foremost, but they use sci-fi settings and ideas as the backdrop for their exciting stories.

Unfortunately, science fiction is a genre that is sometimes overlooked by casual moviegoers. The genre produces a ton of hidden gems that don't get the attention they deserve. Sometimes they are misunderstood when they debut, or are simply overshadowed by other releases. What's more, some sci-fi films fade from memory, despite being popular hits in their own time.

This list is made up of sci-fi adventure films that are near-perfect, but mostly forgotten. Some are bona fide cult classics with a small but dedicated fanbase, while others are notorious flops that deserve critical reappraisal. The only thing that links the films is the spirit of adventure, and all 10 movies on this countdown are guaranteed to entertain from start to finish.

10 The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984)

Like a twisted take on old radio serials like Flash Gordon, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is quintessential sci-fi adventure. The title character is a multi-hyphenated hero who can do pretty much anything, and he finds himself caught between warring alien races. The entire thing is a tongue-in-cheek jab at sci-fi clichés, and it's uproariously funny,

The movie intentionally throws the audience into the deep end, offering a rich world with almost no explanation. The adventure elements perfectly balance the humor, and Buckaroo Banzai is a wild ride from the very first frame. The cult classic was never destined to be a hit, but it is adored by those who finally get around to seeing it all these years later.

9 Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

Most people don't even know that there was a pseudo-sequel to Jumanji back in the 2000s, and Zathura: A Space Adventure is sadly overlooked. Two bored kids play a mysterious board game that causes their house to launch into space, and they must find a way to get back home. The film is essentially Jumanji with a science fiction twist, and the Jon Favreau flick is just as imaginative as its predecessor.

There's a magical whimsy to Zathura that makes it so engrossing to watch, and the story is filtered through the imagination of its adolescent protagonists. The family-friendly adventure elements make it great for youngsters, but it has neat sci-fi elements for viewers of all ages.

8 Titan A.E. (2000)

Don Bluth's Titan A.E. was such a disaster that it put its studio out of business, but it's actually a stellar sci-fi adventure flick. Many years after the destruction of the Earth, a human teen must discover the location of a hidden planet before an evil alien race can destroy it. Bluth's rich animation is on full display, and Titan A.E. combines hand-drawn and CGI styles.

Like Disney's Treasure Planet a few years later, the 2000 box office bomb melds classic adventure stories with the trappings of a space opera. It eschews hard sci-fi in favor of simplicity, and the story is engaging and streamlined. Despite a pretty committed fanbase, Titan A.E. has yet to enjoy the same popular reappraisal as other animated sci-fi flops like The Iron Giant or the aforementioned Treasure Planet.

7 The Last Starfighter (1984)

Sci-fi adventure stories are ultimately about escapism, and that was never more true than in The Last Starfighter. An average teen is an ace at his favorite arcade game, which turns out to be a recruitment tool for pilots in an intergalactic war. Though it has all the trappings of a Star Wars-like romp, The Last Starfighter also has richer ideas below the surface.

The film asks tough questions about the morality of war, with the hero struggling to adapt his video game acumen to real-life killing. Nevertheless, it's the sort of fish out of water story that's ideal for sci-fi adventure. The alien creatures are fun and novel, and The Last Starfighter drips with nostalgic '80s hallmarks.

6 Fantastic Voyage (1966)

Most sci-fi adventure films are about exploring outer space, but Fantastic Voyage is about exploring another plane altogether. In order to save a scientist's life, several people are shrunk to microscopic size where they must enter his body and cure his ailment. The '60s sci-fi gem hearkens back to the works of H.G. Wells or Jules Verne.

The speculative nature of the science is clever and engrossing, and Fantastic Voyage makes full use of its complex ideas. The effects might be cheesy by today's standards, but they were quite impressive back in 1966. They don't make movies like Fantastic Voyage anymore, and the Oscar-winning classic is largely forgotten by modern audiences.

5 Enemy Mine (1985)

In the crowded field of 1980s science fiction, Enemy Mine was thrust aside by much larger competition. During an intergalactic war, a human and alien pilot find themselves stranded on a hostile planet, and they must put their differences aside in order to survive. Enemy Mine is like an epic episode of Star Trek, but with a grittier edge and a lot more tension.

While relying on only two main performances, the film's script is rich and nuanced. It's fascinating watching the main characters explore the alien planet, and form a bond in the process. The best science fiction adventure films do the simple stuff the best, and Enemy Mine nails all the essentials of a perfect story. More than 40 years later, it still doesn't get the attention it deserves.

4 Starman (1984)

John Carpenter's filmography is packed with underrated gems, and Starman is perhaps his most overlooked offering. An alien is shot down on Earth while trying to talk to NASA, and inhabits the body of a dead man in order to return to his vessel and go home. The earthbound adventure story uses simple sci-fi ideas to weave a shockingly complex dramatic narrative.

There are hints of tragedy that are sure to elicit a few tears, and Starman touches all the bases to be a well-rounded cinematic experience. The movie did no business back in the '80s, mostly because it was a tough film to advertise. It isn't whimsical like E.T., nor is it terrifying like The Thing, so audiences didn't know what to expect from Carpenter's hidden opus.

3 Starship Troopers (1997)

Much like RoboCop and Total Recall, Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers is not what it appears to be on the surface. A fascist Earth military travels from planet to planet waging war against an insect-like alien race, and both sides are bent on the total destruction of the other. In between moments of gruesome action are some pretty hilarious cracks at the military industrial complex.

There are levels of irony in Starship Troopers that some contemporary critics didn't pick up on, but it is now celebrated as a brilliant black comedy. On top of that, the film has sci-fi adventure in abundance, with exciting spacefaring and cool aliens. It almost exists as a parody of sci-fi adventure tropes, along with all the other rich commentary the underrated '90s flick offers.

2 Galaxy Quest (1999)

Fandoms are integral to science fiction, and Galaxy Quest is a loving spoof of the culture surrounding pop culture. The cast of a long-canceled science fiction TV show are whisked into space by real aliens who think the show was true. Just the premise alone is hilarious, but it's what Galaxy Quest does with the premise that makes it such a classic movie.

It's fun watching the actors try to keep up the facade, and there are plenty of complex characters despite the movie's status as a silly romp. Galaxy Quest takes obvious pot-shots at Star Trek while understanding what makes the franchise so beloved by fans. The movie is one of the best cult classics of the 1990s, and one of the decade's greatest sci-fi adventure films.

1 ​​​​​​​Forbidden Planet (1956)

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As humanity launched into the Space Age, science fiction transformed from its fantastical roots into something more grounded. Forbidden Planet marks a major shift for the genre, and it's arguably the first truly great sci-fi adventure film. A space crew is sent to a remote planet to learn the whereabouts of missing scientists, and they must uncover the mystery of Altair IV.

With its vibrant color photography and lavish sets, Forbidden Planet is elevated above the usual '50s B-movie fare. Its emphasis on adventure sets it apart from many sci-fi films that would follow, and the movie embraces the spirit of exploration that was gripping the world at the time. Despite being a classic of the sci-fi genre, Forbidden Planet doesn't get enough attention from modern audiences.