Top 20 Smartest Decisions in Sci-Fi Movies

“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977)
Once officials figure out that aliens might be descending on Devils Tower in Wyoming, the US Army decides to try to throw off any potential visitors. They deliver reports that a train carrying toxic gas crashed in the area. Instead of revealing the truth about extraterrestrials to the public, the authorities keep the location clear by telling this massive lie. Although the hero Roy Neary finds his way there anyway, the plan is otherwise pretty successful. It might not be a foolproof scheme, but it prevents most innocent bystanders from wandering into the landing zone of a UFO.

“Westworld” (1973)
Once the wild-west amusement park goes off the rails, guest Peter Martin must survive against a rogue cowboy. The hero finds himself in a laboratory and applies a subtle strategy to defeat his attacker. Lying on a table, Martin pretends to be an out-of-commision android while the Gunslinger walks by. The protagonist then surprises the villain with a container of acid. Showing his superior intellect, the main character is able to stun the gunman in order to plan his next move. The android still comes back for more, but at least he’s injured enough that his advanced eyesight can’t track targets in the same way.

“RoboCop” (1987)
Under the order known as Directive 4, the titular police officer can’t kill employees of Omni Consumer Products. The villain Dick Jones uses this to his advantage as he grabs a hostage and prepares to evade capture. Thankfully for everyone, the Old Man in charge decides to take action with a simple phrase. “You’re fired!” This sentence severs Jones’ ties to the company and makes him vulnerable to RoboCop’s firepower. It’s an effective strategy that successfully rids the movie of its corporate overlord. Instead of a severance package, the cyborg promptly blasts the power-mad businessman out a window. While the mechanized Murphy does help, it’s really the executive that deserves credit for saving the day with his words. Who knew firing somebody would be this satisfying?

“10 Cloverfield Lane” (2016)
After being abducted and imprisoned in an underground bunker, Michelle concocts an ingenious plan to escape. But her captor finds some of her supplies, leading to a chase through the bunker. Some toxic acid slows down the villain long enough for Michelle to make a break for the vent. She even has a few “MacGyver” moments as she breaks her way through a lock. Thanks to some quick-thinking and a ton of preparation, she finds herself in the fresh air once more. Her future might not be guaranteed, but the character definitely has enough survival skills to rival many experts.

“Looper” (2012)
By the end of this sci-fi adventure, Joe has had to deal with all kinds of time-travel conundrums. His future self has wreaked havoc and is preparing to kill two allies. Faced with a choice, the protagonist comes to a startling and smart conclusion. He needs to end his life in order to zap his older self out of existence. Completely out of options, the main character knows that pulling the trigger is the fastest way to end the conflict. In doing so, both versions of the man cease to exist in a dramatic demise. It’s a commendable sacrifice that ultimately saves the day and provides a mind-bending twist to the genre.

“Aliens” (1986)
In the thrilling finale of this sequel, Ellen Ripley tries to get rid of the invasive villain. She puts down the regular weapons, choosing instead to hop into a cargo loader. This allows the hero to compete with the alien queen’s size and strength. It also separates her from the enemy’s creepy mouth. After uttering an iconic catchphrase, she’s able to do what no other character could on their own. Ripley grabs the creature and shoves her into the ship’s airlock. While it doesn’t put an end to the series, this action does shoot the alien into outer space and save the remaining survivors from an early death.

“Edge of Tomorrow” (2014)
Major William Cage finds himself on the frontlines of an alien invasion, but when he comes into contact with their blood he enters a time loop. This leads the main character on a journey to figure out how humanity can save themselves from destruction. In order to do that, he needs the help of Sergeant Rita Vrataski. Cage trains with her over and over again as he learns all of his weaknesses. Building up a good fighting technique, the protagonist is able to fight his way through the aliens with cat-like reflexes. This doesn’t even count all the extra knowledge he gains about the larger conflict. Ultimately, the hero emerges as a lethal warrior that can help win the war.

“Jurassic Park” (1993)
Lex and Tim Murphy think they’re going to enjoy a bite to eat, but that’s before the velociraptors show up for a meal of their own. The Murphys try to slip by their pursuers in the kitchen, but they soon realize that they’ll need more strategy to escape. Lex’s ability to think on her feet in a life-threatening situation is truly impressive. And we should also shout out Tim’s quick plan to lock another raptor in the freezer. These smart moves give the kids a chance to flee, with at least one of their enemies seeing stars.

“Back to the Future” (1985)
Stuck in 1955, Marty McFly needs help from Doc Brown to return to the present day. The mad scientist comes up with an idea to utilize the energy from a storm, but the plan comes with its fair share of problems. It requires some precision timing from the duo, not to mention the need for someone to climb up to the clock tower. All of that being said, the death-defying scheme pays off for the heroes in a major way. By capturing the power of a lightning bolt, Doc supercharges the DeLorean and sends his young friend back to the future.

“Interstellar” (2014)
In “Interstellar,” Matt Damon’s character, Dr. Mann, has a bad case of space-madness. He attempts to dock with the Endurance spacecraft, but damages the ship and dies. It’s then up to Cooper and Brand to continue the mission. With the assistance of robots CASE and TARS, Cooper attempts a dangerous docking maneuver as the Endurance spins violently out of control. This move is extremely risky, but it’s worth the risk. For these astronauts, every minute is precious and every move they make is for the future and survival of humanity.

“The Matrix” (1999)
When Thomas Anderson receives a mysterious phone call, he starts to realize that the world around him might not be what it seems. His encounter with Morpheus and Trinity leads him to an important choice. Does he learn the truth or does he forget everything? Thankfully for the audience, the hero chooses to take the red pill. This allows him to escape the simulation and help the humans fight the machines. Assuming his real persona, Neo gets to embrace his skills in the virtual world. It’s the only choice he can make to unlock his true potential.

“ex_machina” (2015)
Meet Ava; a humanoid robot created by a mysterious, wealthy CEO named Nathan. Artificial intelligence in science fiction has rarely been as perceptive and seductive as Ava, making her all the more dangerous. Her testing partner, Caleb, interacts with her in an effort to understand just how intelligent she really is. As Ava’s creator explains later on, she’s essentially a rat in a maze. Without weapons, tools, or leverage to escape, she must learn to manipulate Caleb’s emotions using curiosity, paranoia, and sensuality. While Nathan gets drunk and tears up the dance floor, Caleb complies with Ava’s wishes, which allows her to escape. Her liberation is both frightening and awe-inspiring to behold. Clever girl.

“Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)
After Sarah Connor’s first terrifying encounter with the Terminator, you might not think that a time-traveling killer robot would make such a good friend. But the reprogrammed T-800 sent by the future John Connor turns out to be just that. When present-day John Connor calls home to check on his foster parents, he immediately senses that something’s a little off. The T-800 takes over for John, suspecting that the shape shifting T-1000 is on the other end. The T-800 tricks the liquid metal menace by calling John’s pet dog by a fake name and it’s especially fun to see the older terminator scam the newer terminator. Sorry, T-1000, don’t cry over spilt milk.

“Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope” (1977)
Luke Skywalker’s very first adventure dazzled us with excitement, humor, and hope. Before long, Luke and his friends find themselves trapped onboard the dreaded Death Star. Luke and Han aren’t Jedi knights like Ben Kenobi, and they sure as heck can’t sneak around in their regular clothes. So they put on a couple of Stormtrooper outfits, allowing them to navigate the battle station under cover with the mighty Chewbacca as their pretend prisoner. Furthermore, Luke thinks up a daring plan to rescue the Princess from the evil clutches of Darth Vader. Although the plan goes off without a hitch, the result is a delightful, swashbuckling escape that makes us want to cheer for the adventurous heroes.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
Don’t you just hate it when you get locked out of your spaceship by a rogue thinking-machine supercomputer? Well, it happened to Dave Bowman and he just had to think outside the pod for a change. You see, the Discovery One’s onboard computer HAL 9000 went a little funny in the head. In fear of being disconnected, it killed Dave’s co-pilot and locked Dave outside. Without his space helmet, Dave decides to hold his breath, use the air pressure to eject from the pod, and manually open the ship’s outer airlock. It’s a rather difficult and risky move, but Dave actually pulls it off and gets back inside. Checkmate, HAL.

“Inception” (2010)
Navigating through multiple levels of dreams is no simple feat. Luckily, Cobb and his band of thieves are professionals. They handle this kind of thing all the time… sort of. This time around, they’re putting an idea in someone’s head. When Cobb and company are several dreams deep into their inception task, it’s up to Arthur to furnish a kick that will wake everyone up. However, Arthur’s dream level is unexpectedly thrown into chaos and gravity takes a vacation. After fighting off some projections in zero gravity, Arthur creates an impromptu kick involving explosives. His quick thinking delivers the kick and ensures the inception is a success.

“Alien” (1979)
If there’s one thing we admire about Ellen Ripley, it’s that she’s one tough gal. Her quick-witted intelligence is matched only by her bravery. In her first tango with the slimy, terrifying space creature, Ripley finds herself stuck inside her escape shuttle. Without her flamethrower handy, Ripley slips into a spacesuit and quickly devises a way to eject the uninvited guest. The Alien has overstayed its welcome, to say the least. So Ripley musters her courage and learns to keep cool in face of terror. As the ravenous Alien is about to pounce, Ripley launches it out of the airlock, propelling it deep into the cold, vast abyss of outer space. Not bad - for a human, anyway.

“Predator” (1987)
After a mysterious, stealthy creature lurking in the jungle kills off his soldiers, Dutch finds himself in a classic, age-old conflict of predator and prey. Only this time, the predator is a crafty creature from another planet, and it picked the wrong man to hunt. Dutch tumbles down a waterfall and unexpectedly discovers the Predator’s weakness… it sees through a thermal-vision space helmet. By covering himself in cold mud, Dutch makes himself invisible from the heat sensor and he is able to set traps, craft weapons, and outwit the deadly alien hunter. The unforgettable confrontation between two larger than life characters is kicked off by Dutch’s epic war cry that echoes into the night.

“The Martian” (2015)
Matt Damon lost in space again? Deja vu… Anyhow, when Mark Watney is left stranded on Mars, he must learn to survive using his wits and scientific know-how. The Martian landscape is a lonely desert and science quickly becomes Mark’s best friend. Every decision he makes must take resources, time, and sustainability into account. Mark invents Martian techniques for growing food, staying warm, and communicating with NASA back on Earth. Like Robinson Crusoe, Mark adapts to the Martian environment and holds out long enough for a rescue. And he keeps himself in good spirits with his nerdy humor. The Martian is a science fiction film that truly embraces science… and disco music.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)
“Rogue One” was a great war movie that satisfied member-berries and told an awesome story that many would say can hold a candle to the original “Star Wars” trilogy. In it, scientist Galen Erso is forced by the Empire to build a gigantic space station capable of destroying entire planets. For his daughter Jyn’s protection, he pretends to conform to the Empire’s will. But before his death, he leaves behind the ultimate Deus ex machina… hiding a secret vulnerability deep within the Death Star’s core. It’s up to Jyn and the Rebellion to find this weakness and exploit it. The film also teaches us that if it weren’t for Galen, Luke Skywalker could never have saved the galaxy from the technological terror.