Copyright Screen Rant
Tubi carries a ton of underrated sci-fi movies in its catalog, and all of those amazing hidden gems can be streamed for free. In the increasingly competitive and expensive world of streaming, free services like Tubi are a lifeline for cost-conscious film fans. Great movies are no longer locked behind pay walls, and even major blockbusters sometimes stream for free. Though Tubi supports ads, it's a small price to pay to get access to some of the best movies in the sci-fi genre. The platform has recognizable favorites, but it also carries hidden gems that are worth discovering. Without the hefty streaming price tag, the free sci-fi movies on Tubi aren't a gamble, and some are bona fide unrecognized classics. Species (1995) The 1990s was an era of earnest science fiction that advanced the philosophy of the genre with heady new ideas, but it also had its fair share of classic sci-fi cheese. Species falls squarely into the latter category, and concerns the creation of an alien/human hybrid. Reveling in excessive sex and violence, Species never takes itself too seriously. Species was a massive box office success, but has largely faded into the background of 1990s science fiction movies. However, as a rediscovered gem on free streaming, the 1995 blockbuster is the perfect way to waste a fun 100 minutes. Species also spawned three sequels, though they failed to match the over-the-top charm of the original. Logan's Run (1976) Logan's Run was just one of many dystopian science fiction films released in the 1970s, but it was one of the best. In the future, a young man escapes the confines of his idyllic community only to discover a darker truth about his existence. The movie blends retro-futurism and fantastical design, beating Star Wars to the punch by a year. The cult classic isn't perfect, but it represents an era of science fiction that will never return again. The speculative story is simple yet terrifying, and the wholesale embrace of exaggerated artistic choices gives the movie a one-of-a-kind look and tone. Sci-fi usually reflects the time in which it was made, and that was certainly the case with Logan's Run. The Man From Earth (2007) A film like The Man from Earth should have failed, but it remains one of the most surprising low-budget sci-fi movies ever made. A university professor is on the eve of retirement and reveals to his friends and colleagues that he's actually thousands of years old. Written by Star Trek scribe, Jerome Bixby, the movie is heavy on heady philosophy. Eschewing the usual bells and whistles of the sci-fi genre, The Man from Earth relies on its ensemble cast and Bixby's script. As such, the 2007 indie hit isn't for everyone, and is best reserved for die-hard science fiction fans who enjoy the more thoughtful side. Nevertheless, there's a reason the movie gained a cult audience in the pre-streaming days. Krull (1983) The success of Star Wars created a sci-fi/fantasy craze in the early '80s, and Krull aimed to cash in on the new genre trend. Set on a distant world, a dashing hero must rescue a princess from an evil being that has decimated the planet. Despite its bog-standard plot, Krull is an enjoyable film because of its unique details. It certainly leans more toward fantasy than science fiction, but there are still hallmarks of the latter genre to please purists. There's a reason that Krull was a flop, but there's also a reason that fans have come around in the decades since its release. It's an absurd failure, but its ambitious execution makes a perfect free streaming discovery. Coherence (2013) Streaming has given low-budget cinema a perfect home, and Coherence is a movie that only works in the modern era. A dinner party is interrupted by the passing of a comet which causes the partygoers to experience weird changes in reality. Made on a shoestring budget, the film exceeds because of the quality of its storytelling first and foremost. It's a mind-melting psychological thriller that uses the trappings of sci-fi to convey its ideas. Therefore, Coherence is able to stretch its budget without ever looking cheap or overly ambitious. Without the need for exaggerated visual effects, the story's twists and turns are left to stand on their own. Thankfully, Coherence was built on a strong foundation of filmmaking basics. The Final Countdown (1980) Effortlessly blending the war and science fiction genres together, The Final Countdown is nothing like other early 1980s movies. A modern-day aircraft carrier is mysteriously sent back to the early 1940s, and the crew must decide if they will alter the outcome of WWII. Hinging on a moral dilemma, The Final Countdown is quintessential philosophical sci-fi. While it lacks a lot of bombastic action, the highly underrated film is carried by strong writing and an even stronger cast of Hollywood legends. It was a pretty big hit back in 1980, but is not generally regarded as an '80s sci-fi classic. However, as a free movie on streaming, The Final Countdown is more than a worthy watch. Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008) If it wasn't for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Repo! The Genetic Opera would be the only film in the sci-fi/horror musical comedy genre. In a world where organ transplants are needed for survival, a company repossesses organs from those who can't pay. Weird movie musicals had a moment in the late Aughts, and Repo! is a rare highlight. Though the film is certainly frayed at the edges, it deserves a lot of credit for its ambitious ideas and low-budget execution. Being a musical, Repo isn't for conventional science fiction fans, and it even teeters more toward horror at times. With no money on the line, it's certainly worth the risk on a free streaming service like Tubi. Colossal (2016) Had Colossal been released a few years later, it might have made a perfect exclusive for a paid streaming service and had a better response. Anne Hathaway stars as a down-and-out writer who discovers that she is somehow in control of a giant monster that's terrorizing South Korea. A clever spin on kaiju cinema, Colossal is exceptionally funny. The forgotten 2010s gem has the quirky charm of an indie dramedy with the scale of a giant monster movie. The final result is a likable story that deftly balances its various tones, without sacrificing the strengths of either. It's hard to believe that an Anne Hathaway movie could be underrated, but Colossal deserves another chance. The Last Man On Earth (1964) The first film to adapt Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, The Last Man on Earth took a decidedly horrific approach to the sci-fi story. The sole survivor of a plague spends his days dodging undead vampires while putting the pieces of his past together. The classic chiller deserves credit as one of the first modern "zombie" films ever made. Matheson's book was also adapted into The Omega Man and I Am Legend. Beneath the horror, it's a science fiction story at heart. The film is in the public domain, so it's widely available for free. However, Tubi does have one of the better digitized versions of the Vincent Price vehicle. It isn't a great adaptation of the book, but a strong sci-fi movie on its own. Under The Skin (2013) Under the Skin was not designed to appeal to a wide audience, thus it remains an underrated science fiction film. The movie follows an alien who disguises itself as a human female in order to lure men and send them into an alternate dimension. There are plenty of sci-fi films about aliens, but none so unearthly as Under the Skin.
