Sci-fi is one of those genres that you need to be in the right mood to watch. But when you are, you want something great, not just good. Thankfully, there’s a lot from which to choose on all the top streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, including movies that dive into traditional sci-fi and some that skew to the fantasy realm.
If you’re looking for an interesting sci-fi movie to watch versus re-watching the same favorites over and over again, we have you covered with three sci-fi movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in October. From superheroes to video games to a movie centered around a long-held myth about the brain, these will each delight.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Lucy (2014)
A French sci-fi action movie from Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), Lucy is in the English language and stars Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman. Johansson is the title character, an American woman studying in Taipei who, through a series of circumstances, is forced to work as a drug mule.
When a psychedelic drug accidentally gets into her bloodstream, she develops enhanced physical and mental capabilities, tapping into the supposed other 90% of your brain humans don’t use, based on the long-held myth. But she no longer feels emotions or pain, making her a deadly force.
Lucy was a massive box office success, though the movie polarized critics. Despite the nonsensical premise, our reviewer says Besson’s “trademark sense of style is ever-present in the handful of set piece moments” with action sequences that pop and “flashy visual effects to help ground some of the more fantastical ideas without the realm of physical understanding.” Overall, he calls the movie a “mess, though an admittedly beautiful one.”
Stream Lucy on Amazon Prime Video.
Halo Legends (2010)
Delivered as a compilation of seven animated short films, Halo Legends tells the backstory of the entire Halo universe, which started with video games and has evolved into novels, a streaming TV show, and more. The adult animated military sci-fi anthology movie is dubbed in English and features content produced by six separate Japanese anime production houses.
The unique merging of the world of Halo with the anime style was an interesting decision, but it paid off. When reviewing the DVD, IGN’s Cindy White and Christopher Monfette applaud Halo Legends for being “surprisingly accessible to sci-fi fans in general.”
Stream Halo Legends on Amazon Prime Video.
Superman Returns (2006)
As the sixth installment in the original Superman movie series, Brandon Routh stars as the titular character in Superman Returns, joined by Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor. After being away from Earth for five years searching for other survivors from Krypton, Superman returns to discover that a lot has changed. His love, Lois, has moved on and has a son, while his nemesis Lex Luthor plans to kill him. Superman is welcomed by the public with open arms, but his personal life is in shambles.
Digital Trends ranks Superman Returns in the middle of the pack among the best Superman movies, appreciating the way it rebuilt the franchise for a new generation, though we wish it had a shorter than 2.5-hour runtime. While this movie is heavier on visual effects and serious storylines and lighter on action, Routh still comes out on top as arguably one of the best actors to play a live-action version of the superhero.
Stream Superman Returns on Amazon Prime Video.
