As tech enthusiasts, it's perhaps unsurprising that we're obsessed with science fiction here at TechRadar. From glorious space operas to mind-bending films that make you think, there's something for everyone on our list of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix Australia.
I Am Mother
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A smart, slow-burn science fiction film that favours suspense over explosions, I Am Mother is more akin to the likes of Ex Machina and Moon than it is The Terminator or I, Robot. The mother in question is in fact a robot (voiced by Rose Byrne) who has been raising and preparing a young girl (Clara Rugaard) within a scientific facility since birth, with no contact with the outside world, for reasons unknown. Though the girl, referred to only as 'daughter', loves her 'mother', the arrival of an outsider (Hilary Swank) turns her world upside down with a startling revelation, forcing the girl to question her allegiance to the machine that raised her and its motives. Featuring a story that will keep you guessing, and an incredibly-convincing practical robot suit devised by Weta and performed by Luke Hawker, I Am Mother is a must-watch for sci-fi fans.
IMDB Rating: 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Watch I Am Mother on Netflix right now
Annihilation
If you've seen writer-director Alex Garland's previous sci-fi masterpiece, Ex Machina, you'll know to expect a wild ride with his follow-up, Annihilation. Based on the highly regarded novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation follows a group of women who set off on an expedition into an environmental disaster zone where the laws of nature don't apply. Natalie Portman leads the pack as a biologist searching for her missing husband, and she's joined by Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez and more. Though the film has only just been released in theatres in the US, Australia is lucky enough to be one of the countries getting the film on Netflix right away. Equally brainy and terrifying, Annihilation has all the makings of a modern science fiction classic.
IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Interstellar
One of Christopher Nolan's most ambitious films, Interstellar imagines a future where Earth is on its way out, and humanity must venture out beyond our galaxy to find a suitable new planet to call home. Among these astronauts are Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), who must leave his children behind, despite the journey possibly lasting several decades, and Brand (Anne Hathaway), who is on a mission to track down her partner in the far reaches of space. Simultaneously thought-provoking and mind-bending, Interstellar is a true science fiction spectacle – one that rewards multiple viewings.
IMDB Rating: 8.6, Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
The Matrix
Way back in 1999, The Matrix blew audiences away with its amazing special effects, mind-bending sci-fi plot, incredible wire-fu action scenes, wonderfully era-appropriate industrial soundtrack and spectacular bullet-time camerawork. Though writer-director siblings The Wachowskis would eventually follow it up with two lacklustre sequels, nothing could diminish the story of a virtual superhero named Neo (Keanu Reeves) and his awakening from a lifelike illusion. Neo learns that our world is just a virtual construct developed by machines in order to enslave humanity and use us as batteries to keep itself alive – not the best news to wake up to, that's for sure. In the words of Keanu himself, The Matrix is one film that is guaranteed to make you say "whoa".
