10 Best Alien Abduction Horror Movies
4. Circle
In Circle, 50 people awaken inside an extra-terrestrial prison, only to learn one of them will be executed every two minutes. When the strangers discover they can choose the next victim, they organise a vote, which leads to further chaos.
Though labelled as a sci-fi horror, Circle plays out like a minimalistic drama, due to the singular location and dialogue-heavy scenes. The dynamic is reminiscent of 12 Angry Men, since the characters picks sides and bully their teammates to turn against the others. The tension never wavers, since the characters are dropping like flies from beginning to end.
Even though the stakes are sky-high, the situation could grow stale if the dynamic doesn't change. Fortunately, the remaining survivors keep trying different tactics to stave off death for another two minutes, which keeps the scenario permanently enthralling. Some of the unwilling participants rely on prejudice, ableism, and homophobia to sway the vote, while others rely on sneakier tactics that would fool almost anybody.
Even though the aliens themselves remain off-screen, Circle should satisfy sci-fi purists, thanks to the sharp writing, nerve-tearing suspense, and thought-provoking concept.