The Future of Fear: Top Sci-Fi Horror Films from 2022

You remember the X-Files as one of the most paranoid sci-fi horror TV shows ever, and no one argued with you about that. But then came 2022, and with it, a film titled “Something in the Dirt” directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. It’s a blend of sci-fi, comedy, and horror set in an irresistible paranoid setting to where it might just give Mulder and Scully a run for their money. The story revolves around two lonely men. Shortly after Levi moves into an apartment and becomes acquainted with John, who has been living nearby for quite a while, weird things happen in the former’s apartment. For as long as John can remember, the apartment has always been vacant until Levi arrives. The closet seems to emanate electromagnetic radiance. Mathematical equations – presumably scribbled by the previous tenant – suddenly appear all over the walls. A crystal object levitates on its own and emits prism-shaped lights, and some random plants sprout slimy fruits. John and Levi are sitting bewildered and overwhelmed by everything around them, and then they decide to make a documentary about the experience. Before the film even reaches half of its 116-minute duration, it already seems like you’re going through an extreme episode of the X-Files mixed with The Twilight Zone’s absurdity. “Something in the Dirt” has its own sense of wonder, and it’s only one of the notable sci-fi horror films from 2022.

Firestarter

Based on a 1980 novel of the same name by Stephen King, the sci-fi horror “Firestarter” is a little similar to The Shining (1980) and Carrie (1976) in the sense that the main characters in those movies know that they’re nothing like other normal people, simply because they have unusual mind powers. All the aforementioned movies are based on different novels also written by Stephen King. In “Firestarter,” Charlie shows her power like a phoenix following a dodgeball incident and expresses her fury emotions into a massive fireball. The teacher and principal think it must be from some sort of explosive device, but Charlie’s parents know that it’s something entirely different. The thing is, mom and dad also have their own powers, because of an experimental secret program run by The Shop.

Kids vs. Aliens

There’s not much of a hidden message or any social commentary in Kids vs. Aliens. It’s all about an underage group of rascals trying to defend the Earth from invaders of extraterrestrial origin. Well, the world in the story is just the entire family mansion. Samantha seems to be the one to blame for letting a wild Halloween party take place while mom and dad are away on a business trip. But once you get to know all the other characters, you realize that everyone else actually is a teen sociopath. And that’s enough moral dimension for a film aimed mostly at kids and teenagers. The character development is also quite simplistic, as the film shows that growing up appears to be all about getting into smoking, wearing a lot of makeup, and taking much less interest in your friends. At least the action is entertaining, and the aesthetic is pleasing to make up for its rather thin plot.

Prey

Let’s not fool anybody here. Prey is quite an impressive prequel to the sci-fi horror classic Predator (1987). Taking place way before the original film, the scary alien predator makes its presence in the Great Plains, setting the stage for a faceoff with Naru, a young female Comanche warrior. Not much has changed about the Predator’s modus operandi; it’s a hunter from another planet looking for trophies, just like in the original film. The camouflage tech and the laser weapon are also the same, making the film feel fresh and familiar at the same time.

M3GAN

There has to be a film about artificial intelligence every year. For the year 2022, the spot is filled gracefully by M3GAN. You know how the story goes in such a story; an initially benign-looking humanoid robot slowly becomes overprotective of its master and takes excessive measures to make sure that it accomplishes its mission. Those excessive measures may include murders.

We think 2022 turned out to be an exceptional year for sci-fi horror. Of course, there are plenty of other films, including from indie productions or those from countries outside the United States. That being said, the aforementioned titles appear to represent a list, as they cover a broad range of audiences, themes, and tropes. Sci-fi horror has always been an intriguing and tricky genre. When done properly, it delivers a gripping and memorable storyline with no clear boundaries between terrors and excitement; if poorly executed, however, the resulting film has all the potential to be a random mash-up of overused tropes and easily forgettable plot pieces.

Are your favorite sci-fi horror films from 2022 included in the list? Can you name other sci-fi horror films aimed at kids? We’d love to hear from you.

Other Things You Might Want to Know

How many films are there in the Predator franchise?

There are currently 5 main films, including:

Predator (1987)
Predator 2 (1990)
Predators (2010)
The Predator (2018)
Prey (2022)

The franchise’s next film, “Predator: Badlands,” is currently in production. Apart from those, there are also two crossover films, including Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007).