5 Forgotten Alien Invasion Movies That Still Hold Up Today
by Ryan Scott · /FilmHumanity has a long history and fascination with aliens. In many cases, it's curiosity and wondering whether or not we're truly alone in the universe. In other cases, it's about humanity versus hostile beings from another world. Alien invasion movies represent one of sci-fi's longest-standing sub-genres. From the inspired-by-a-terrifying-"true"-story "The Blob" to "A Quiet Place" and everything in between, these stories continue to resonate.
The thing is, alien invasion movies are really, really popular, at least generally speaking. "Independence Day" is the biggest alien invasion movie of all time and was, for at time, one of the highest-grossing movies ever. Some of Steven Spielberg's most beloved movies, including "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," involve aliens. Heck, even "The Avengers" could technically fall into this category, depending on how one wants to look at it.
But what about the alien invasion movies that have sort of slipped through the cracks over the years? There are good movies belonging to this storied sub-genre that probably won't ever get a Criterion release or aren't regularly recommended by major streaming services. Maybe they're movies that weren't appreciated in their day but have benefitted from the passing of time.
We're going to have a look at five forgotten alien invasion movies, ranging from big-budget misfires to micro-budget gems. Let's get into it.
Evolution (2001)
Director Ivan Reitman forever made himself an army of fans thanks to "Ghostbusters," which ruled the box office in 1984, at the same time as "Gremlins." Reitman made other hit movies in his day, but in the realm of genre storytelling, he never quite reached those same heights. However, relatively late in his career, he returned to the realm of science fiction for a big-budget, comedic take on an alien invasion that is delightful and surprisingly ambitious 25 years later.
Released in 2001, "Evolution" finds a meteor crashing on Earth, bringing with it single-celled organisms that quickly evolve. A group of four various professionals (David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, and Julianne Moore) stumble upon these aliens and must stop their growth to avoid a global takeover.
DreamWorks gave Reitman the resources to go nuts with these aliens, crafting all sorts of various creatures that show up as the evolution cycle continues. Some are brought to life with impressive CGI (for the day), while others are brought to life through practical effects. It's a very fun idea, and though it's a product of its time in many ways when viewed through modern eyes, the stuff that works really works. Seann William Scott, in particular, is having a great time, as is Orlando Jones. These spectacles tend not to work if the humans don't make it work. Reitman always had a knack for casting.
"Evolution" is one of those movies that is just downright entertaining. It's junk food cinema that feels cozy to the right sort of viewer. In its day, it was viewed as something of a swing-and-a-miss. In the here and now, it's an under-appreciated gem in the filmography of a beloved director worth revisiting.
Monsters (2010)
It's always impressive when a filmmaker manages to scrap together a little bit of money and make the most of it. "The Blair Witch Project" is one of the most famous examples, but Gareth Edwards, before he made the hit that started the MonsterVerse that was 2014's "Godzilla," also made a low-budget feature that showed Hollywood what he could do in the form of 2010's "Monsters." Made for under $500,000, Edwards wrote, directed, and handled much of the VFX work personally, resulting in a hugely impressive example of doing a lot with a little.
The movie picks up six years after the crash of a NASA space probe that brought deadly aliens to Earth. A large area between Mexico and the U.S. is under quarantine as military forces battle these giant creatures who now live there. A photojournalist (Scoot McNairy) is covering the conflict and gets way too close to the action as he escorts his boss' daughter (Whitney Able) to the U.S. border.
One of the things that Edwards has done so well throughout his career is demonstrate scale. That can be more flashy when you're making a "Godzilla" movie or a "Star Wars" movie, but even in "Monsters," he does this incredibly well. There's a guerrilla feel to it, and he does a great job of making this f****d up world feel real. It's a far more "boots on the ground" alien movie than something like "Independence Day," for example.
"Monsters" does seem a little low-budget at times but not "I made this for way less than $1 million" small. Rather crucially, from an audience POV, this movie is compelling and unique within the canon of alien invasion cinema. It's definitely worth seeking out.
The Watch (2012)
Some movies catch a bad rep for reasons that have very little to do with the movie itself. Such is the case with 2012's "The Watch." Directed by The Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer, this alien invasion comedy featured an all-star cast and seemingly had everything going for it ahead of its release. Unfortunately, the movie formerly known as "Neighborhood Watch" had its marketing pulled following the killing of Trayvon Martin, who was shot by an actual member of a neighborhood watch.
A movie becomes far less important in the face of real-life tragedy, and Fox changed the title to "The Watch," worried about how it might impact the release set for late July, just several months after all of this unfolded. Critics panned it, and it died a painful, commercial death. This movie, in my ever so humble opinion, deserved a better shake than it ever got. Now is as good a time as ever to give it another chance.
The sci-fi/comedy centers on four neighbors, Evan (Ben Stiller), Bob (Vince Vaughn), Franklin (Jonah Hill), and Jamarcus (Richard Ayoade), who form a neighborhood watch. They initially struggle to take it seriously, but when they discover aliens living among them, it falls to this unlikely group to save the human race from annihilation. High-stakes hijinks ensue.
This is a funny movie! The visual effects are genuinely impressive too. Plus, the cast has great chemistry. In an era when fewer and fewer theatrical comedies are getting made, this movie now feels like a relic from what could be viewed as a better time. Whether you missed "The Watch" in its original run or haven't thought about it in a while, it's worth the time if you're looking for a good time.
The Vast of Night (2020)
So, so, so many movies got shafted as a result of being released during the Covid-19 pandemic. Credit Amazon Studios for giving director Andrew Patterson's admirably inventive, low-budget sci-fi flick "The Vast of Night" a home in the first place. Unfortunately, dropping this gem on Prime Video at the height of the pandemic meant it was never going to get the attention it so sorely deserves. For those who are looking for a true hidden gem, this is 100% it.
The movie unfolds during a single in the late 1950s in New Mexico as a switchboard operator (Sierra McCormick) and radio DJ (Jake Horowitz) start hearing a strange signal over a radio frequency. Surprise! It's aliens.
To steal the words of my colleague Ben Pearson, "The Vast of Night" is a great example of how to make a sci-fi movie on a budget. One of the problems with science fiction, particularly when it involves aliens, is that there is a certain level of spectacle audiences tend to expect. Doing one of these movies for less than $1 million makes that challenging. Patterson masterfully manages to unsettle and enchant viewers without making them feel like they're missing out on spectacle that should be there but isn't. The movie never feels compromised by its limited resources, and that's rare.
It's one of the best examples of limited resources benefiting the final product rather than hindering it. Patterson gets the most out of his actors and nails a tone that is equal parts splendid and disquieting. It's the kind of movie that makes one go, "I want to see what that guy does next." It's unique and a cut above what we typically expect from a feature directorial debut. It's the goods.
Arcadian (2024)
Nicolas Cage is no stranger to science fiction. From underseen gems like "Color Out of Space" to disasters we dare not speak of, like "Knowing," Cage is no stranger to genre storytelling. But one of his most underseen movies of the last handful of years is without question "Arcadian." Released by RLJE Films and Shudder in 2024, this monster movie/alien invasion/survival tale flew under the radar. It absolutely deserved an above-the-radar treatment.
Directed by Benjamin Brewer, the movie takes place in the near future where life on Earth has been decimated. Paul (Cage) and his twin teenage sons, Thomas (Jaeden Martell) and Joseph (Maxwell Jenkins), have lived in quiet isolation. When the sun sets, ferocious alien monsters awaken and consume all in their path. When Thomas doesn't return home before sundown one day, Paul leaves the safety of their fortified farm to find him before the creatures emerge. Chaos ensues.
Broadly speaking, "Arcadian" essentially gives Cage an "A Quiet Place" of his own. Nobody is going to deny the similarities. That said, it's far from a simple "Quiet Place" rip-off. Cage delivers a genuinely great, more subdued performance as a father trying to protect his family. Brewer does an outstanding job with crafting tension, not to mention the rad creature design.
The movie is full of effective performances, nail-biting tension, and crowd-pleasing moments. This movie's biggest and only perceivable sin is that the "A Quiet Place" franchise did it first and, for a lot of people's money, maybe did it better. But this is a worthy movie in its own right and one that is absolutely worth the time for monster-movie die-hards. It's the kind of movie Cage seems to genuinely enjoy making, which always leads to a better result.