Ever since the dawn of humanity, there have been countless examples of people invading another place and conquering the people. History is full of examples of supposedly “superior” or “civilized” groups subduing others, often through bloody means. This has led to the fear of an invasion from an external becoming common, especially as our knowledge of space and its infinite possibilities increases.
In the 20th century, this fear became ingrained in popular culture in the form of the science fiction trope known as the alien invasion. From film serials of the ’50s, such asRadar Men from the Moon,to more modern invasion flicks, such asPacific Rim, tales of extraterrestrial invaders from beyond the stars threatening the people of Earth became a common fixture of science fiction cinema as well.These are the best alien invasion movies, showcasing the possibilities of the sci-fi genre and acting as a love letter to humanity’s resilience.
10’Earth vs. the Flying Saucers' (1956)
Directed by Fred F. Sears
Earth vs. the Flying Saucersis an alien invasion science fiction movie directed byThe Giant ClawdirectorFred F. Sears, loosely based on a book calledFlying Saucers from Outer Space.First released in 1956, the plot follows a scientist named Dr. Russell Marvin and his wife Carol as they discover an alien invasion and attempt to find a way to repel it.
Guided by Ray Harryhausen’s once-in-a-generation talent, the effects for both the flying saucers and the aliens that piloted them were highly effective for the time.
One of the best aspects ofEarth vs the Flying Saucersis the special effects, brought to life by thelegendary visual effects artistRay Harryhausen. Guided by this once-in-a-generation talent, the effects for both the flying saucers and the aliens that piloted them were highly effective for the time, appearing more convincing than nearly any other sci-fi film at the time.Earth vs. the Flying Saucersalsoestablished many of the tropes of the alien invasion genre, including abductions via flying saucer. However, the plot is a bit generic by today’s standards, potentially making it a difficult watch for more modern viewers.
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9’Independence Day' (1996)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Independence Dayis an alien invasion science fiction film first released in 1996. Directed byRoland Emmerich, the plot follows a group of people, mostly from either the government or military, dealing with the newly discovered presence of extraterrestrial invaders. A huge blockbuster hit, the film spawned a sequel in 2016 and various extended media, including video games and novels.
The film’s impressive cast includes the likes ofWill Smith,Jeff Goldblum, andRandy Quaid, so it’s no surprise that each actor completely sells every emotion, like the determination shown byBill Pullman’s President Thomas J. Whitmore during his iconic speech toward the end of the movie. Like other movies of its kind,Independence Dayhas incredible special effects. For instance, in the iconic scene in which the aliens destroy the White House, a lot of detail is put into this scene, as not only is every brick visible but also the exploding helicopter in front of the building.Independence Dayis one ofthe most iconic and enduring disaster moviesanda highlight of the alien invasion subgenre.
Independence Day
8’Signs' (2002)
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Signsis an alien invasion dramafilm first released in 2002. Directed byM. Night Shyamalan, best known for his twist endings, the story follows a priest named Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) as he deals with the grief surrounding the recent passing of his wife while trying to keep his family safe amidst an alien invasion. The film shines with its performances. For example, Gibson convincingly goes from scared to angry to determined to protect his children to conflicted about his faith.
Additionally,Signsalso excels inestablishing, maintaining, and increasing the suspense. For instance, the first hint of the aliens' presence is a series of crop circles, but the invaders' appearance is kept hidden. Later, a brief glimpse is shown in a grainy found footage style, arguably the film’s most iconic scene. This lack of clear identification of the alien invaders for the majority of the runtime allows the audience to build up their appearance, thus gradually increasing said tension throughout the movie. However, the notoriously nonsensical twist ending does hurt the quality overall.
7’Slither' (2006)
Directed by James Gunn
Slitheris a sci-fi comedy-horror first released in 2006.Directed byJames Gunn, the plot follows a police officer named Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion) as he deals with an alien plague that has infected his town, making a man named Grant (Michael Rooker) their infected hivemind. The practical visual effects are the stars here.
The extraterrestrial plague turns its victims into bloated monsters: when the character Brenda becomes infected, she turns into a blob-like creature whose size is emphasized by the space she is taking up. Additionally, the threatening nature of the smaller aliens is demonstrated by their high speed and vicious attacks. Being a pre-Guardians of the GalaxyJames Gunn film,Slitherprovides additional incentive to watch bygiving an insight into Gunn’s development as a directorbefore this more famous effort.
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6’The World’s End' (2013)
Directed by Edgar Wright
The World’s Endis a science fictioncomedy film directed byEdgar Wright. The final entry in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, the plot follows a group of friends that, during a pub crawl, discover an alien invasion conspiracy and then have to attempt to survive it.The World’s Endis a comedic riot. For example, whenNick Frost’scharacter, Andy, attempts to order water at one of the pubs,Simon Pegg’s character, Gary, responds with an incredulous “What?!”.
This contrast between Pegg and Frost’s characters' personalities indicates the type of effective comedy duo balance present throughout the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy. These kinds of opposite personalities bounce off of each other, creatingnatural and contagious humor that never distracts from the alien invasionplot. Plus, the effects for the androids, referred to as Blanks, are also quite good. For instance, when a Blank is activated, a glow is seen from behind their eyes and coming from inside their mouths, emphasizing their inhuman nature and their lack of belonging in the human world.
The World’s End
5’Mars Attacks!' (1996)
Directed by Tim Burton
Mars Attacks!is a black parody science fiction film based on a line of trading cards of the same name. Directed byTim Burton, the plot follows a group of colorful humans, including the president (Jack Nicholson), a donut shop employee named Richie Norris (Lukas Haas), and numerous military generals who deal with the aftermath of a Martian invasion. The character design for the Martians is very good, with vaguely skeletal designs and prominently protruding brains, a unique and striking design even by today’s standards.
The CGI further enhances the otherworldly nature of the alien invaders while also mimicking the appearance of similar invaders in movies from the ’50s and ’60s.Just as important is the satirical tone, helping the film stand out. The president,played by an over-the-topJack Nicholson, refuses to believe that the aliens could be hostile, even after their violent attack at the beginning of the film.Mars Attacks!satirizes the subgenre’susually competent government forces from earlier films with a more realistic, and therefore far less competent, government force.
Mars Attacks!
4’Pacific Rim' (2013)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Pacific Rimis a science fiction film first released in 2013. Helmed byPan’s LabyrinthandCrimson PeakdirectorGuillermo del Toro, the story follows a group of humans that build and operate giant robots called Jaegers to fightkaiju invaders from beneath the sea. The film received a sequel, an anime, and various other extended media.
One of the best aspects of the movie isthe distinct designs for the Jaegers and Kaiju. In regards to the Jaegers, the Gipsy Danger has a blue, Master Chief-style design, the Crimson Typhoon has three arms instead of the usual two, and the Cherno Alpha has a nuclear reactor-style head. For their part, the Kaiju Knifehead has a large, blade-like head, Otachi has a reptilian head and a scorpion tail, and Scunner has a battering ram-style head. Being a Guillermo del Toro movie,Pacific Rimhas stellar visual effects. During the fight scenes, every impact between the Jaegers and Kaiju is noticeable and impactful, with the audience feeling each blow.
Pacific Rim
3’Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1978)
Directed by Philip Kaufman
Invasion of the Body Snatchersis a science fiction horror film directed byPhilip Kaufman. First released in 1978, it is the remake of the1956 film of the same name, based on the 1955 novel The Body Snatchers byJack Finney. The story follows a group of San Francisco people who uncover an extraterrestrial conspiracy to replace humanity and then have to deal with this invasion.
Invasion of the Body Snatchersshines through tension. At the start of the film, Elizabeth (Brooke Adams) unwittingly brings an alien seed to her boyfriend, Geoffrey (Art Hindle), who then is replaced by one of the aliens, and she slowly comes to terms with his bizarre new behavior. This increasing tension leads to the audience being in a constant state of suspense alongside the characters as the truth about the invasion slowly gets revealed. The film flirts with body horror, too: when a person is seeded, their slimy and liquid duplicate emerges, demonstrating their invasive and inhuman nature.Invasion of the Body Snatchersis a triumph of science fiction, one of the most influential films of the ’70s anda true before-and-after in alien invasion movies.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
2’Edge of Tomorrow' (2014)
Directed by Doug Liman
Edge of Tomorrowis a science fiction action film first released in 2014. Directed byMr. & Mrs. SmithdirectorDoug Liman, the plot follows a soldier named Bill Cage (Tom Cruise), who, after being doused in alien blood, finds himself repeating the same day every time he dies. It’s based on the popular novel by Japanese writerHiroshi Sakurazakaand features stunning visual and production design.
The armor worn by the human soldiers is very bulky and stacked with weapons, hinting at the war-torn nature of the world and providing an easy outlet for action by having the characters run around strapped with large guns and high-tech body armor. Meanwhile, the alien invaders are given a reptilian design, enhancing their vicious nature. Cruise’s Bill Cage is one of his best roles in ages, blending physicality with emotional heft, perfectly complemented by his co-star,Emily Blunt.Edge of Tomorrowis arguablythe most cerebral alien invasion movie of the 21st century, a near-perfect blend of ambitious and challenging ideas and sheer spectacle.
Edge of Tomorrow
1’The War of the Worlds' (1953)
Directed by Byron Haskin
The War of the Worldsis a science fiction thriller first released in 1953. Directed byToo Late for TearsdirectorByron Haskin, the plot follows a scientist named Dr. Clayton Forrester and his love interest Sylvia Van Buren as they try to survive a Martian invasion. It was based on the novel of the same name byH. G. Wells.The visual effects are one of the best aspectsofThe War of the Worlds.For example, the Martian ships, replacing the tripods from the book, are brought to life through practical effects that were more effective than nearly anything else at the time.
This innovation is especially evident when they are flying, as they are convincingly hovering above the ground. In addition, the production design is also quite good. For instance, in the scene in which Clayton and Sylvia find themselves in an abandoned farm, the building they are in is extremely dilapidated and almost falling apart, thus showing the devastating nature of the Martian invasion. This destruction is also seen in the various ravaged cities in the ruined and empty streets and buildings that lay empty due to the aftermath of the invasion. Bringing to lifeone of science fiction’s greatest stories,The War of the Worldswould inspire most of cinema’s future alien invasion movies, cementing its place asthe best and most influential movie of its kind.
