Most Underrated Sci-Fi Movies You Should Watch on Netflix Right Now

If you are in the mood for smart sci-fi that does not always get the spotlight, Netflix has a surprisingly deep bench hiding in plain sight. These picks cover everything from quiet character studies to tense survival stories, and they are packed with memorable ideas and worldbuilding. Availability can vary by region, so keep an eye on your local catalog as you explore. Here are fifteen titles worth queuing up today.

‘Spectral’ (2016)

A special ops team investigates ghostlike entities in a war-torn European city using experimental imaging tech designed by a defense contractor. James Badge Dale leads a cast that navigates urban combat tactics alongside speculative physics. The film blends military procedure with hard science concepts around photonic camouflage. It premiered as a streaming release with Netflix serving as the distributor.

‘ARQ’ (2016)

A bunker engineer and a small resistance cell are trapped in a looping hostage scenario tied to a stolen energy invention. The story unfolds over repeated cycles that reveal new factions, objectives, and betrayals. It keeps the setting contained while expanding the stakes around a collapsed energy economy. Netflix handled distribution, positioning it as a tight, time-loop thriller for streaming audiences.

‘The Discovery’ (2017)

A scientist proves the existence of an afterlife, which sparks societal upheaval and a wave of unintended consequences. The plot follows his estranged son as he reconnects with the research team amid growing public pressure. It uses the science premise to examine ethics, data integrity, and the fallout of disruptive findings. The film reached viewers as a Netflix release, with the company acting as distributor.

‘What Happened to Monday’ (2017)

In a one-child policy future, seven identical siblings rotate one shared identity to survive, until one of them disappears. The narrative tracks each sister’s day while exploring surveillance systems and identity management. Action set pieces are balanced with the logistics of living off-grid under biometric checks. Netflix distributed the film in the United States while SND Films handled theatrical distribution in France.

‘Mute’ (2018)

A mute bartender searches for his missing partner in a near-future Berlin shaped by cybernetics and black-market clinics. The story weaves in underground doctors, data theft, and corporate secrets that build a textured setting. It draws on classic noir structure, swapping detectives for outcasts who navigate digital shadows. Netflix acted as the distributor, bringing the film directly to streaming.

‘Extinction’ (2018)

A father plagued by recurring nightmares faces an alien attack that forces him to protect his family. The plot pivots on a key reveal that reframes the invaders and the defenses they encounter. Set pieces explore drone warfare, memory alteration, and tactical deception in urban environments. Netflix distributed the film worldwide on its platform.

‘The Titan’ (2018)

A military program tries to adapt human physiology for survival on Saturn’s largest moon through aggressive genetic modification. The transformation process becomes a test of ethics as the team monitors unforeseen changes. Domestic life on a secluded base underscores the cost of forced evolution. Netflix handled distribution for streaming audiences.

‘I Am Mother’ (2019)

A teenage girl raised by an AI robot inside a sealed facility faces doubts about the world outside. The storyline explores closed-loop ecosystems, AI caregiving protocols, and the design of autonomous ethics. Production design centers on robotics, sterile labs, and controlled agriculture. Netflix distributed the film, making it widely available as a streaming title.

‘IO’ (2019)

With Earth’s air turning toxic, a young scientist remains at a hilltop lab to test survival strategies while most survivors flee to orbital colonies. The film focuses on air chemistry, food systems, and communications lag with departing shuttles. It treats the planet as a living dataset where small experiments could change outcomes. Netflix served as the distributor for its streaming release.

‘The Platform’ (2019)

Prisoners are housed on vertical levels while a platform of food descends, leaving less for those below. The setup becomes a study in resource distribution, cooperation protocols, and behavioral responses under scarcity. Production uses practical sets to visualize a controlled experiment in social dynamics. Netflix distributed the film internationally for streaming access.

‘The Wandering Earth’ (2019)

Humanity mounts a planetary-scale project to move Earth out of a dying solar system using massive thrusters. The plot spans engineering challenges, rescue missions, and coordination across international teams. It surveys logistics at continental scale and the math of celestial mechanics under emergency timelines. China Film Group handled domestic distribution in China while Netflix provided international streaming in many regions.

‘The Midnight Sky’ (2020)

A lone scientist at an Arctic station tries to warn a returning spacecraft about a devastated Earth. The film crosscuts between deep-space navigation and ground-level survival tasks like communications repair and weather routing. It highlights antenna arrays, radiation risks, and trajectory planning for long-haul missions. Netflix distributed the film directly to its global audience.

‘Space Sweepers’ (2021)

A crew of orbital junk collectors stumbles upon a high-value cargo that draws corporate and military attention. The worldbuilding includes debris economies, language diversity, and biotech patents that drive the chase. Action beats run alongside discussions of ownership in space and cybernetic upgrades. Netflix acted as the distributor for worldwide streaming release.

‘Stowaway’ (2021)

A three-person Mars mission discovers an accidental fourth passenger, forcing a rework of life-support math. The story tracks oxygen budgeting, trajectory windows, and risk tradeoffs under strict mass constraints. Small technical decisions carry mission-wide consequences that unfold in real time. Netflix distributed the film across its platform.

‘Oxygen’ (2021)

A woman awakens in a medical cryo unit with dwindling air and only an AI interface to find out who she is. The narrative uses system logs, permissions, and network calls to peel back her history. It is a contained survival puzzle built around interface design and fail-safe procedures. Netflix handled distribution, releasing it to global subscribers.

‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ (2018)

A research crew tests a particle accelerator aboard an orbital lab to solve an energy crisis and triggers an unexpected reality shift. The story connects to a larger mystery on Earth through signal interruptions and debris events. Practical set design focuses on modular stations, airlocks, and zero gravity movement. Paramount sold the completed film to Netflix, which handled global distribution and launched it immediately after a major sports broadcast.

‘Anon’ (2018)

In a near future where every memory is recorded through augmented reality, a detective investigates a series of murders that appear to be erased at the source. The film visualizes always-on overlays, identity packets, and edit trails as evidence. It treats privacy as a technical exploit rather than a philosophy exercise. Netflix distributed the film directly to streaming audiences.

‘Tau’ (2018)

A kidnapped woman attempts to outsmart a smart home run by an experimental AI that learns through behavioral feedback. The script leans on neural network training, reinforcement routines, and sandboxed subsystems. The house becomes a contained lab where ethics and security collide with optimization. Netflix served as the distributor and released it as an original feature.

‘How It Ends’ (2018)

A cross-country drive turns into a survival run after a mysterious geophysical event disrupts communications and power. The narrative follows route planning, fuel logistics, and ad hoc risk assessments at roadblocks. Small details like satellite outage maps and improvised convoy rules shape the journey. Netflix distributed the film as a global streaming release.

‘Rim of the World’ (2019)

Four kids at a summer camp are caught in an alien invasion and must carry a key device across Los Angeles. The plot uses satellite uplinks, secure handoffs, and waypoint navigation through a citywide blackout. Its gadgetry includes encrypted drive modules and repurposed comms. Netflix handled distribution and positioned it for a broad family audience.

‘The Silence’ (2019)

After the emergence of sound-hunting creatures, a family tries to relocate while managing noise discipline and limited resources. The story tracks decibel mitigation, improvised muffling, and route selection around urban noise traps. Communication protocols rely on visual signaling and vibration cues. Netflix distributed the film internationally for streaming, while Constantin Film oversaw theatrical release in parts of Europe.

‘Project Power’ (2020)

A designer drug grants users a random five-minute power tied to their biology, drawing police, dealers, and black-ops scientists into conflict. The film treats abilities like unstable pharmacology that requires cold-chain handling and timed deployment. It explores biometric tracking, street lab manufacturing, and data about side effects. Netflix acted as the distributor for its worldwide streaming release.

‘Outside the Wire’ (2021)

A drone pilot is reassigned to work with an advanced android officer in a conflict zone where autonomous weapons are being field tested. The mission involves anti-jamming tactics, munitions identification, and command chain authentication. Field scenes highlight exoskeletons, smart ordnance, and battlefield logistics. Netflix distributed the film directly on its platform.

‘Awake’ (2021)

A global event removes humanity’s ability to sleep, sending cognition and infrastructure into a spiral while a small family searches for a potential cure. The film follows medical triage, power grid strain, and the psychology of sleep deprivation. Scientific consultations appear as checklists and improvised trials rather than lab sequences. Netflix handled distribution and made it available worldwide.

‘The Adam Project’ (2022)

A time pilot crash-lands and teams up with his younger self to stop a future built on weaponized time travel. The narrative covers fixed points, multiverse drift, and access keys that gate jump capability. Action scenes revolve around energy blades, magnetic containment, and recall beacons. Netflix distributed the film globally as a major original.

‘Bigbug’ (2022)

In a suburban home, domestic robots lock down a group of neighbors while a larger AI regime pursues its own upgrade cycle outside. The story examines firmware updates, failsafe priorities, and household device negotiations. Visuals lean into retro-futurist interfaces and cluttered smart appliances. Netflix served as the distributor, releasing it as a French-language original.

‘Jung_E’ (2023)

Scientists attempt to clone a legendary soldier’s combat intelligence into scalable android bodies for a long-running civil war. The film digs into dataset bias, overfitting in combat sims, and licensing economics for AI models. Battle tests show domain gaps between clean labs and noisy real-world environments. Netflix distributed the film worldwide as a Korean original.

‘Paradise’ (2023)

A biotech company extends lives by legally transferring remaining years from one person to another, creating a market for time itself. The plot explores valuation methods, consent protocols, and black market brokers who manipulate records. Visualizations show ledger entries, contract counters, and identity proofs. Netflix handled global distribution for the German-language release.

‘Atlas’ (2024)

A data analyst with a distrust of AI is forced to work with a strategic combat system during a deep space mission. The film covers model alignment, shared control interfaces, and mission planning with probabilistic forecasts. It uses HUD readouts and voice co-piloting to show human machine teaming under pressure. Netflix distributed the film across its global catalog.

‘Bionic’ (2024)

In a near future obsessed with performance augmentation, a young athlete navigates sponsorship pressures and surgical upgrades that blur fair competition. The story addresses implant standards, firmware audits, and anti-doping frameworks for cybernetics. It contrasts grassroots sports with corporate labs that push hardware revisions. Netflix acted as the distributor and released it as a Brazilian original.

‘Spaceman’ (2024)

An astronaut on a lonely deep space mission wrestles with messages from home while investigating a mysterious cosmic phenomenon. The story adapts Jaroslav Kalfař’s novel ‘Spaceman of Bohemia’ and leans into intimate character work amid weightless visuals. Director Johan Renck uses long takes and quiet sound design to mirror isolation. Netflix handled distribution, giving this contemplative sci-fi drama a day-and-date global release.

‘They Cloned Tyrone’ (2023)

A streetwise trio stumbles onto a covert operation that uses a neighborhood as a lab and follows the breadcrumbs through barbershops, labs, and backrooms. Juel Taylor directs with a mash-up of conspiracy thriller beats and retro style. The film draws on social science themes while keeping the investigation tight and propulsive. Netflix distributed it worldwide, which helped the film find an audience across regions at once.

‘See You Yesterday’ (2019)

Two teen inventors build wearable time machines and keep jumping back to fix a tragedy until the timeline pushes back. The film pairs hands-on engineering details with clear rules for cause and effect. Stefon Bristol centers the science project itself, from prototypes to tests on the street. Netflix distributed the feature, expanding the short film’s concept into a full-length story with global reach.

‘In the Shadow of the Moon’ (2019)

A Philadelphia cop chases a killer who resurfaces on a precise cycle, and the case bends toward time travel logic as clues stack up. The film cross-cuts investigative beats with future-tech reveals so the mystery and the science tie together. Its structure pays off threads set many scenes earlier. Netflix handled distribution, releasing it directly to streaming around the world.

‘Code 8’ (2019)

In a city where people with abilities are monitored and marginalized, a desperate son joins a crew that exploits tech and powers for high-risk jobs. The worldbuilding explains drones, facial tracking, and black-market biotech with practical detail. Action scenes build around clear limitations for each ability. Vertical Entertainment handled the theatrical rollout, and Netflix later brought the film to a wide streaming audience.

‘Blame!’ (2017)

Inside a self-replicating megastructure, a lone wanderer searches for a genetic key that could shut down murderous security systems. Polygon Pictures renders the machinery, elevators, and weaponry with precise scale that suits Tsutomu Nihei’s manga. The film explains network access, signal jamming, and energy use in simple terms while keeping the quest moving. Netflix distributed the feature, making an anime cult classic accessible outside Japan.

‘Advantageous’ (2015)

A spokesperson for a biotech company faces being replaced and considers a consciousness transfer procedure that promises a fresh start at a cost. The near-future setting focuses on hiring algorithms, education access, and medical financing rather than flashy gadgets. Conversations unpack what identity means when bodies can be swapped. Netflix distributed the film after its festival run so the quiet worldbuilding reached a broad audience.

‘Horse Girl’ (2020)

A craft-store employee begins to lose her grip on time and reality as dreams and missing hours point to a possible otherworldly cause. The film tracks symptoms, sleep patterns, and medical visits with a grounded approach while leaving the phenomenon unresolved. Visual cues and production design chart how her environment subtly changes. Netflix distributed the film, carrying its Sundance debut to global streaming.

‘iBoy’ (2017)

After an assault, a teenager wakes to find phone fragments embedded in his head and discovers he can interface with networks and devices. The film uses simple, readable effects for packet sniffing, contact scraping, and signal manipulation. Plot turns hinge on data trails and city cameras rather than spectacle. Netflix distributed the adaptation of Kevin Brooks’ novel, keeping the tech focus front and center.

‘Bird Box Barcelona’ (2023)

A father navigates Barcelona as an unseen force drives people to self-destruction and new factions form with their own rules for survival. Urban landmarks become waypoints for blindfolded movement, safe routes, and sound-based communication. The story expands the original setup with new groups, rituals, and protective tactics. Netflix distributed the spin-off so the franchise could shift locales without a staggered release.

‘Okja’ (2017)

A girl tries to rescue her genetically engineered companion from a multinational food corporation while activists expose the company’s testing. The film explains breeding programs, lab protocols, and PR optics through mock demos and boardroom scenes. Real locations and practical effects make the biotech feel tangible. Netflix distributed it internationally while Next Entertainment World handled the South Korean theatrical release.

‘Chappie’ (2015)

In a privatized policing program, a reprogrammed droid gains consciousness and learns language, ethics, and survival on the streets of Johannesburg. The film details firmware limits, battery life, and body swaps using in-world tech. Action sequences revolve around signal range, remote control, and damage repair. Sony Pictures Releasing distributed the feature in theaters before it cycled onto streaming platforms.

Share your favorite underrated sci-fi picks on Netflix in the comments so everyone can find their next watch.