1986 delivered an unusually strong run of science-fiction films, ranging from family adventure and comic-book absurdity to body horror, space action and Cold War paranoia. Forty years later, these movies remain remarkably varied—and many have grown more influential with age.
Here is RETROCADE’s ranking of the 10 best science-fiction films released in 1986, from an underrated cult curiosity to one of the greatest action sequels ever made.
10. Howard the Duck
A laboratory accident pulls Howard, a cigar-smoking duck from another dimension, into Cleveland. With rock singer Beverly, played by Lea Thompson, and scientist Phil Blumburtt, played by Tim Robbins, he must stop the alien Dark Overlord from taking over Earth.
Howard the Duck is not the hidden masterpiece its defenders sometimes claim, but its reputation as an irredeemable disaster is too harsh. Practical effects, strange humour and an unapologetically bizarre premise have helped it become a cult favourite. Produced by Lucasfilm, it was George Lucas’s first major box-office disappointment after Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
9. Black Moon Rising
Master thief Quint, played by Tommy Lee Jones, helps the FBI recover sensitive data from a criminal organisation. He conceals the information inside an experimental supercar called the Black Moon, but a ruthless car thief steals the vehicle, forcing Quint to recover both the machine and its cargo.
John Carpenter wrote the screenplay around the period when he was making Escape from New York. Although Carpenter did not direct, his influence is clear in this combination of high-tech espionage, futuristic motoring and tough 1980s action. Its mix of advanced cars and cyberpunk atmosphere makes it a natural fit for fans of Knight Rider and early technological thrillers. For more arcade and gaming coverage, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
8. Flight of the Navigator
David Freeman is 12 when he vanishes in the woods. He returns eight years later without having aged, discovering that an intelligent alien spacecraft accidentally carried him into the future. Accompanied by the ship’s wisecracking computer, voiced by Paul Reubens, David searches for a way back home.
Disney made many live-action family films during the 1980s, but few balance warmth, humour and spectacle as effectively as Flight of the Navigator. It is both a coming-of-age story and an inviting science-fiction adventure. Sarah Jessica Parker also appears in one of her earliest film roles, long before Sex and the City.
7. Short Circuit
Lightning strikes an experimental military robot known as Number 5, triggering self-awareness. Calling himself Johnny 5, the curious machine escapes the laboratory and meets animal lover Stephanie Speck, played by Ally Sheedy, and inventor Newton Crosby, played by Steve Guttenberg. The military, however, wants its expensive creation returned.
Years before artificial intelligence became an everyday subject, Short Circuit presented a sentient machine through broad comedy and genuine affection. Johnny 5’s inquisitive personality made him an instant pop-culture figure, and the film’s success produced a 1988 sequel.
6. The Manhattan Project
Teenage scientific prodigy Paul Stephens discovers that his mother’s boyfriend, physicist John Mathewson, is secretly handling weapons-grade plutonium. To expose the danger, Paul builds an atomic bomb for his school science fair, turning a provocative demonstration into a dangerous confrontation with the government.
Arriving only months after the Chernobyl disaster, the film reflected Cold War anxiety about nuclear weapons and scientific ambition without restraint. Marshall Brickman directed and co-wrote it after winning an Oscar for co-writing Annie Hall with Woody Allen. Despite positive reviews, the thriller attracted little attention and remains one of the decade’s most overlooked science-fiction films.
5. Big Trouble in Little China
Truck driver Jack Burton, played by Kurt Russell, believes he is helping his friend Wang Chi, played by Dennis Dun, rescue Wang’s kidnapped fiancée. Instead, Jack enters a hidden world beneath San Francisco’s Chinatown, where sorcerers, monsters and ancient curses turn a straightforward rescue into an extraordinary adventure.
The film initially disappointed at the box office, yet its standing has steadily improved. John Carpenter undercuts the usual action-hero formula by making Jack convinced he is the central hero while frequently proving the least capable person present. That inversion helped turn the film into one of the era’s most cherished cult classics.
4. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
After taking the USS Enterprise to rescue Spock in Star Trek III, Admiral James T. Kirk and his crew travel back to 1986. A mysterious alien probe is threatening Earth, and only humpback whales can communicate with it. The crew must find two whales—and blend into 1980s San Francisco—to save the future.
Often regarded as the funniest Star Trek film, The Voyage Home showed that the series could succeed without a space battle-driven plot or a conventional villain. It was the highest-grossing Star Trek film at the time, strengthening the case for more theatrical adventures. Its accessible humour and environmental theme remain central to its appeal.
3. The Fly
Scientist Seth Brundle, played by Jeff Goldblum, believes he has solved teleportation. When a fly enters one of his experiments, their DNA combines and Brundle begins a gradual transformation into something no longer fully human. The result is a tragic collision of scientific wonder, horror and physical decay.
David Cronenberg’s remake of the 1958 film is widely regarded as one of cinema’s finest remakes. Goldblum gives one of his strongest performances, while Chris Walas won the Academy Award for Best Makeup for the film’s disturbing practical effects. Its impact remains undiminished four decades later.
2. Highlander
Scottish swordsman Connor MacLeod learns that he belongs to a group of immortals who must fight through the centuries until only one survives. Under the guidance of his mentor Ramírez, played by Sean Connery, Connor prepares for a final battle with the cruel Kurgan, played by Clancy Brown.
The original Highlander remains the chapter most fans regard as definitive, despite sequels, a television series, novels, comics and an upcoming reboot. Queen supplied an unforgettable soundtrack, including songs written specifically for the film such as “Princes of the Universe” and “Who Wants to Live Forever.” Its swordplay and fantasy mythology also make it a strong thematic companion to classic arcade adventures; browse the arcade machines catalogue for the wider home-arcade experience.
1. Aliens
Fifty-seven years after surviving the xenomorph, Ellen Ripley returns to LV-426 with a squad of Colonial Marines. Contact has been lost with a human colony, but the rescue mission soon becomes a fight against a complete xenomorph hive and its terrifying queen.
Few sequels exceed their predecessors, but Aliens transformed the possibilities of the action follow-up. Sigourney Weaver earned a surprise Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, an unusual achievement for a science-fiction action film, while James Cameron established himself as a leading blockbuster director. Four decades on, the film remains thrilling, frightening and exceptionally rewatchable.
Want to bring more classic shooting action home? RETROCADE’s arcade light guns collection offers a natural way to explore the genre beyond the screen.
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