10 Sci-Fi Movie Clichés Everyone Secretly Loves

Science fiction might be one of the best genres in entertainment. The imagination and creative freedom that comes with pulling at the thread of technology, space-travel and human advancement is ripe with so much opportunity, it's practically a bottomless pit of ideas.

The limitless world-building is what pulls audiences back for more sci-fi, and as writers and movie-makers get more daring, their creative muscles have been going in all kinds of directions.

However, if you're an avid film watcher, you'll start to pick up on recurring trends in film - and science fiction is no exception. The cliches and tropes of sci-fi can become grating, and it's almost impossible not to think of anything else. You might start guessing twists and narrative plot points before they happen, because you've seen these directions so many times before.

That isn't to say they are not entirely welcome. In fact, some cliches and tropes in science-fiction are secretly adored. They help build the world we're about to watch, and while they might appear repetitive, they roll off our backs quite quickly and we're able to enjoy the films for what they are.

If you haven't noticed all ten, you won't stop seeing them in your favourite films after this.

The Martians and moon-people are about to conquer Earth. Humans look to the skies in horror and awe.

But if they're a resident in a quiet little town in Somerset, there's a strong chance they'll be watching the mayhem on the six o'clock news, because aliens love Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower.

It's almost laughable how many times aliens have blown up famous landmarks in their pursuit of fatally wounding the human race, and it isn't lost on movie watchers how often they've seen The White House or Empire State Building get beamed to smithereens.

So why do we enjoy it? Aliens attacking cultural landmarks provides a frame of reference for the audience. The montage of places you'd find on a postcard being overrun by invading green monsters gives audiences a scope of the worldwide invasion and how far the attack has spread. Big buildings and city skylines convey an almighty destruction that petrol stations in the Nevada desert just can't provide.

Plus it gives our heroes reason to act fast. If they don't fight back soon, the aliens will have destroyed every tourist destination. And if that happens, then what the heck is left to fight for?