While fast-paced action can be incredibly enjoyable, there’s a lot to be said for a slow-burn sci-fi movie that takes its time to reveal its true nature. By allowing the space for atmosphere and complexity to grow and breathe, sci-fi stories can become all the more thought-provoking and philosophically rich when they don’t underestimate the audience and allow for events to occur naturally without the need for endless explosions, chases, or blockbuster movie spectacles. A slower-paced sci-fi film allows for tension to build and the characters' motivations to reveal themselves.

Some of the epic sci-fi movies ever released were slow-burn triumphs exploring deep existential themes like searching for meaning in an unknowable universe or the probing humanity at the heart of technological advancement.

15 The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976)

Directed by Nicolas Roeg

The Man Who Fell to Earth starred glam rock icon David Bowie in the role he was born to play as the humanoid alien Thomas Jerome Newton coming to Earth to seek water for his drought-ridden planet. However, much like Bowie himself during the 1970s, Newton found himself at the mercy of human vices as the allure of alcohol, drugs, and sex corrupted him. As a slow-moving sci-fi with more to do with the complexities of human desire than thrilling action sequences, the surreal imagery of this cult classic made it stand out as among Bowie's best movies.

14 A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg stepped in to finish his friend and contemporary Stanley Kubrick’s long-planned sci-fi movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence. As a sci-fi reimagining of Pinocchio, A.I. was based on the 1969 short story "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss and told the story of a childlike android who longs for the affection and adoration of his deceased loving mother. With themes around grief, technology, and machines' capacity for emotion, A.I. has only become more relevant in the decades since it was released.

13 Under The Skin (2013)

Directed by Jonathan Glazer

Those who like their sci-fi movies fast-paced with traditional narratives should look elsewhere, as Under the Skin was among the most unconventional sci-fi movies of the 21st century. Starring Scarlett Johansson as a shapeshifting alien who lures unsuspecting men to their demise in the Scottish countryside, Under the Skin was a deeply atmospheric film made all the more effective through Mica Levi’s ethereal and otherworldly score. Widely regarded as a modern sci-fi masterpiece, Under the Skin might not hit with all viewers, but for those willing to give themselves over to its strange power, it’s deeply alluring.

12 The Thing (1982)

Directed by John Carpenter

Although John Carpenter’s The Thing did not get the love it deserved upon release, it’s widely regarded as a masterpiece of horror and sci-fi today. Featuring a crew of scientists at an Alaskan base that’s been overrun by a menacing shapeshifting alien, The Thing forced audiences to reckon with the horror of paranoia and isolation that comes from being unable to trust anyone or anything. As the crew turned on one another with suspicion about who could secretly be the titular thing, The Thing was a rare movie in which nobody made it out alive.

11 Interstellar (2014)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is one of those rare directors who excels just as much in slow-building, thoughtful narratives as he does in action-packed showcases of pure spectacle. One example of his more thoughtful side was in the modern sci-fi triumph that was Interstellar. As a deeply complex story that addressed time, space, and alternative dimensions, while Interstellar began with an astronaut's attempt to find a new home for mankind, it soon turned into a fascinating and paradoxical study of human relationships, family, and the age of time.

10 (1997)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Robert Zemeckis’ sci-fi classic told the story of the scientist Dr. Eleanor Arroway (Jodie Foster), who found evidence of extraterrestrial life and was chosen as the person to make first with aliens. With fascinating scientific concepts and theological inquiry, looked behind the mere idea of aliens' existence and addressed the complexities of mankind and intelligent species making the decision to cross paths with them. By probing deeper than the average sci-fi action film, managed to recapture the same wonder for the unknowable nature of the universe as iconic movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

9 Dune (2021)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

After director David Lynch’s notorious failure to successfully adapt Frank Herbert's Dune during the 1980s, it started to feel like this was truly an unfilmable story. However, Denis Villeneuve, hot of the success of Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, finally pulled off this gigantic feat by splitting the novel into two films and allowing the story room to breathe with a slower pace that highlighted the story's complexities and themes. With Timothée Chalamet as the heroic savior Paul Atreides, Dune and its sequel, Dune: Part Two, became one of the most satisfying sci-fi releases in living memory.

8 Solaris (1972)

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky was the king of slow-burn sci-fi movies whose focus on the psychological themes and the existential nature of space made him the ideal filmmaker to adapt Stanisław Lem’s novel Solaris. Centering on a spaceship crew falling into a deep state of emotional crisis, Solaris addressed themes of existential dread, the vast, unknowable nature of the universe, and thought-provoking ideas of a parallel Earth. While viewers looking for fast-paced chase sequences and grand explosions will be left disappointed, Solaris was a movie with a lot to say about the nature of human existence.

7 Moon (2009)

Directed by Duncan Jones

Sam Rockwell deserved an Academy Award nomination for his tour-de-force performance in Moon, a compelling sci-fi debut from Duncan Jones that explored a man’s personal crisis on a three-year solitary space mission. As a thoughtful and moving film, Moon used its sci-fi concept to explore the very nature of self, as loneliness and a lack of human connection had led to deep torment amid the enclosed space of a strange spaceship. With themes of doubling, identity, and the human psyche, Moon was as much about the personal needs of individuals as it was about the lead characters' search for alternative fuel on the Moon.

6 Her (2013)

Directed by Spike Jonze

The sci-fi romance Her was a fascinating study of humans' need for connection, which has only become more relevant in the years since its release. With Joaquin Phoenix as a lonely, introverted man who fell in love with his AI virtual assistant, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, Her was one of the most powerful breakup movies ever made as it used its science fiction concepts to represent emotions that felt all too human. Packed with wisdom about the complexities of modern relationships and the difficulties in making connections in an increasingly fractured world, Her will surely connect with those going through heartbreak.