12 Most Underrated 2000s Sci-Fi Movies

It’s inevitable that some flicks end up overlooked in every decade—ever since the indie movie boom of the nineties more films than ever are released every year, and as the 2000s brought the further innovation of streaming platforms and VOD, the sheer volume of films available for viewers increased exponentially with each passing year.

This also means that each genre has a handful of hidden gems beneath the towering piles of so-so crap which are farmed out by producers looking to make a quick buck, and like horror sci-fi in particular is fertile ground for these unseen and underrated flicks. Science fiction, after all, has a reliable built in fanbase, and despite its often ambitious settings a lot of genre productions are happy to stretch a limited budget in order to see the creator’s vision fulfilled.

Combine this with the occasional big budget flops which are eventually vindicated by history as legions of fans discover they missed out on a solid flick the first time around, and you’re guaranteed at least a dozen overlooked films every decades that are worthy of spotlighting—like the twelve we’ve assembled for your viewing pleasure here.

Starring Jennifer Lopez and the eternally underrated Vincent D’Onofrio of Full Metal Jacket fame, this twisted sci-fi thriller from visionary director Tarsem Singh may have been greenlit with the hopes of creating another Silence of the Lambs clone like 1995’s uninspired but accurately titled Copycat.

However the resulting film is instead an endlessly inventive and visually enthralling sci-fi nightmare, merging imaginary futuristic technology with a terrifying trip inside the mind of a troubled serial killer hunted by Lopez’ conflicted cop.

Filled with some unforgettable imagery, this pulse-pounding headf*** mystery is well worth seeking out—though fair warning, this trip is only recommended for the strong of stomach. Ever seen a horse split in six? Singh's visuals are, er, an acquired taste.