Upgrade is an intensely violent sci-fi movie. Writer/director Leigh Whannell brings lots of gore and gadgetry to a unique and surprising revenge tale. Sci-fi films often lend themselves to extreme portrayals of violence — dystopian futures where machines threaten humankind, alien invasions, etc. The concepts often deal with scenarios where violence becomes necessary.
You definitely should go see Upgrade in theaters as soon as you can (our FANDOM review here). Afterward, you might want to dive deeper into more R-rated titles from the genre. These are nine insanely violent sci-fi movies you should check out after you’ve enjoyed Upgrade.
The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter’s retelling of John W. Campbell Jr.’s chilling novella Who Goes There? is one of the greatest sci-fi/horror films in cinema history. Set in an isolated Antarctic research base, the ragtag crew discovers an ancient alien that mimics any organism it comes into contact with. This leads to some horrifying mutations that rip apart the cast in astonishingly brutal ways.
The Thing is an effects extravaganza and a lot of those effects go towards some pretty gory kills and transformations. It ain’t for the faint of heart, but when it comes to violent sci-fi movies, this one is an essential watch.
The Terminator (1984)
Most fans gravitate to Terminator 2: Judgment Day when it comes to this killer robot franchise, but The Terminator is the one that started it all. Plus, it’s a much grimier, crueler, and shockingly violent entry than its sequel. The story revolves around an android assassin who comes from the future to murder the mother of a future resistance leader. It sounds complicated but The Terminator is a lean, mean, scary machine of tension, action, and violence.
It’s tough to remember just how groundbreaking and vicious The Terminator was upon its release. There are numerous scenes of wanton killing as the Terminator attempts to eliminate its target. Not to mention the bloody damage that gets inflicted on the Terminator itself. Ever wanted to see a man cut out his own eyeball? The Terminator is your kind of movie!
RoboCop (1987)
RoboCop is best known for its thrilling action and pointed satire, but it’s also infamous for its over-the-top violence. Director Paul Verhoeven — who will pop up multiple times on this list — submitted his cut of the film to the ratings boards and received an X-rating for the violence. Normally, the X-rating would only apply to films with aggressive sexual content. That should tell you how overboard RoboCop goes in the blood and guts department.
Seriously, the ED-209 scene alone is a masterclass in gonzo gore. It goes on for so long that it goes from shocking to disgusting to outright hilarious. The extraneous amount of blood in RoboCop is used in so many different ways, and it’s a testament to the power of fictional violence on film.
Total Recall (1990)
Look, it’s Paul Verhoeven again! This adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” goes for camp insanity and that’s certainly reflected in its violence. The plot centers around a bored construction worker who decides to take an imaginary vacation thanks to the mind-altering technologies of tech company Rekall. But, the procedure goes haywire and the line between fantasy and reality gets blurred.
Total Recall brings together RoboCop director Paul Verhoeven and The Thing effects wizard Rob Bottin. The results are a non-stop explosion of gruesome deaths and wacky creatures. Total Recall is something of a mess but it’s a glorious mess that any fan of violent sci-fi movies will get a kick out of.
Riki-Oh: Story of Ricky (1991)
Hoo boy, this is a doozy. Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky takes place in the dystopian future of 2001. All prisons have become completely privatized. Our main character is Ricky, a superpowered martial arts master who comes into conflict with the corrupt criminal element that runs the prison. This leads to a whole lot of cartoonish fighting that involves some of the goriest gags in movie history.
Really, we can’t even begin to show you the insanity that takes place in this movie. People get strangled with intestines, crushed by falling ceilings, and exploded from just regular punches. It’s nuts. If you’ve never heard of Riki-Oh: Story of Ricky, this is a hidden gem worth tracking down.
Fortress (1992)
Another sci-fi prison story is Stuart Gordon’s Fortress. This is about a future where having more than one child is strictly forbidden. The main character is shipped away for 31 years but vows to find a way to escape. The big gimmick in Fortress is the Intestinators. These are implants that cause the inmates severe pain or even death if they disobey the tyrannical warden.
Fortress goes all out with its violent moments and moves at a brisk pace. Honestly, it kind of feels like a B-movie version of a Paul Verhoeven sci-fi flick. That’s actually a huge compliment. Speaking of Paul Verhoeven…
Starship Troopers (1997)
The last entry in Verhoeven’s unofficial sci-fi trilogy is about a future where alien arachnids are the number one enemy of humanity. We follow the lives of a bunch of young high school graduates who enter into military service to fight these extraterrestrials. What’s surprising is that the film works as a straightforward action story but is also a scathing satire of über-patriotism and warmongering.
Plus, it’s insanely violent. Starship Troopers goes for broke in the blood department and not just when it comes to humans. The antagonistic arachnids also get blown to smithereens and it’s a colorful blast of gory goodness. When it comes to violent sci-fi films of the ’90s, Starship Troopers might be the cream of the crop.
Battle Royale (2000)
This adaptation of Koushun Takami’s 1999 novel became an international hit and sparked a ton of controversy. The story is about a class of junior high students who are randomly selected by the government to battle each other to the death on a remote island. If this sounds like The Hunger Games, you’d be right. But, Battle Royale was written over a decade before Suzanne Collins’s first YA novel.
And Battle Royale doesn’t shy away from being a disturbing and violent affair. There is no PG-13 sanitizing when it comes to these children ruthlessly killing one another. It’s a bleak affair that’s also incredibly enthralling. This isn’t going to be an easy watch, but it’s a vital piece of sci-fi cinema.
Dredd (2012)
Though the popular comic book character Judge Dredd got a movie adaptation in 1995, it’s the 2012 version that feels more faithful to the grisly nature of the character. Dredd mostly takes place in a futuristic apartment complex that’s run by a diabolical crime lord known as Ma-Ma. The titular police officer and his new partner have to survive while they are trapped inside Ma-Ma’s domain. Along the way, they shoot a lot of bad guys.
For real, this movie racks up the body count and isn’t clean about it. Judge Dredd blows away criminals like it’s just another day of work because … well, it is. There are even subtle references to RoboCop in the film. That should clue you in on just the kind of over-the-top violence you’re gonna get.
Need some other sci-fi flicks in your life? How about a few that don’t get talked about enough? Check out this list of underrated sci-fi movies that deserve your attention. Don’t worry, they’re pretty violent as well.
