12 Most Heart-Stopping Sci-Fi Movie Scenes Ever
7. Alien Cavern Scene - Super 8
The first of two entries from divisive Director JJ Abrams, who may not always create perfect films, but he sure can sure create some heart stopping moments. The first such scene to get the hearts a racing comes from the massively underrated Super 8, a brilliant fusing of Sci Fi tropes and 'coming of age' Goonies style adventures.
The film follows a rag tag group of teens whose small town is 'invaded' by an alien creature. With their friend Alice is captured and ready to be devoured by the alien, two of our protagonists, Cary and Joe, stage a rescue mission. The sight of live bodies hanging from a cavern in a cocoon is scary enough, but the scene only grows in intensity from there.
What makes this scene work so well is that the alien is a genuine threat that is more than happy to take out humans in its fight for survival, but while never being a true villain. As Alice explains to her friends, the alien isn't bad, it's just scared and wants to go home. The scene looks set for a cheesy happy ending with all the humans escaping, until the alien once more goes on a killing spree.
Abrams' ability to create a concluding scene that is just as engaging and captivating as the moments that came before was a nice change for JJ, and resulted in arguably his best film ever. The final moments between Cary and the alien has real heart, while never dropping the tension.