Plot: After learning that they were adopted, misfit brothers Elias and Gabriel travel to a remote island in an attempt to track down their biological father.

KBZ’s Take: We absolutely had to include this film in our Top 10 as it’s not only the funniest film about genetic engineering of the 2010’s, but perhaps the entire subgenre. It’s the type of film where you have to watch it a second time to see how all the clues are laid out for the results of the father’s genetic experiments.

We don’t want to go too much into the plot, or we would spoil the film for others. But we can say the five brothers in this film (led by an unrecognizable Mads Mikkelsen) are utterly hilarious as they get closer to finding out the truth about themselves and their genetic scientist father.

This is a Danish film, so some people won’t want to watch it due to having subtitles. However, we would still implore everyone to see the film as it transcends language and is one the most original, twisted and darkly comic films of the subgenre.

Additional Lists: Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s #1

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: Ja-yoon is a high school student who struggles with memory loss after she endured some unknown trauma during her childhood. While trying to uncover the truth, she is unwittingly dragged into a world of crime and finds herself on a journey that will awaken many secrets hidden deep within.

KBZ’s Take: This is a film that made our “Best Of” lists for both Psychic Powers Films and Genetic Engineering Films. It’s a lesser-known South Korean from 2018 that has developed a cult following. Those who have seen the film (ourselves included) cannot stop raving about it.

The Witch: Part 1 is an action-packed and bloody film about a group of genetically engineered children that develop psychic powers. It also features a great story as Ja-yoon (Kim Da-mi) can’t seem to remember her violent past or how she developed powers.

This is a must-see film of the subgenre. Though it starts slowly, it quickly accelerates to a third act filled with telekinetic battles that are some of the best you’ll ever see. We’re 100% confident fans of telekinesis and genetic engineering will love this film.

Additional Lists: Best Films About Telekinesis #3, Best Recent Films About Genetic Engineering #3

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. If the mission is not completely successful, it could possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

KBZ’s Take: This is the most recent film on our list and the best film of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. While all the films have an emotional core at the center of their Space Adventures, this third entry focuses on Rocket’s (Bradley Coopers) backstory and is one of the most heart-wrenching of the entire subgenre.

Though the film also has some great Space Adventure sequences (especially with the Orgocorp Heist scenes), it’s the Genetic Engineering subplot of the film that will give even the most hardened Sci-Fi fan some tear-filled eyes.

Even if you’re not a fan of Films About Superheroes and Comics, we would implore fans of the subgenre to see this film as the genetic engineering (and animal experimentation) themes of the film are some of the best of the entire subgenre.

Additional Lists: Best Recent Films About Genetic Engineering #1, Best Space Adventures #6

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.

KBZ’s Take: Blade Runner was #1 on our Best Future Noir Films list, #2 on our Best Cyberpunk Films list, #3 on our Best Films About Artificial Intelligence list and #7 here. The film’s core theme is about AI (in the form of Replicants) and tackles everything from the evolution of AI in surpassing humans to the moral questions of what it means to be human or AI.

As for the film, it’s based on Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”. Dick is known as the father of Cyberpunk and even has an award named after him (that another famed Cyberpunk novelist, William Gibson, won in 1985). Though the film loosely follows the novel, it’s Ridley Scott’s direction and visuals that bring life to the Cyberpunk world. Until that time, there weren’t many filmed visualizations of a Cyberpunk world, but Scott set the standard with Blade Runner.

Watched together with its sequel, Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and various supporting films, there’s entire worldbuilding around AI, Genetic Engineering, Robots and philosophical questions about life that’s some of the best of the subgenre.

Additional Lists: Best Future Noir Films #1, Best Cyberpunk Films #2, Best Films About Artificial Intelligence #3, Best Robot Films #4, Best Hard Sci-Fi Films #20

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: A research scientist uses sensory deprivation and hallucinogenic mixtures to ‘devolve’ into a primal state.

KBZ’s Take: This film was quite popular in the early 1980’s but has become forgotten over time. It’s still one of the best films of the Sci-Fi Biotechnology Film subgenre and has intriguing philosophical concepts that are debated in the film and still relevant today.

Though the film also has themes of Body Horror, it’s mostly about genetic engineering – but not in the way that’s shown by most films in the subgenre. It’s an interesting take on genetic code found in humans, how it has evolved and if past evolutionary code can be accessed.

As Ken Russell directed the film, weirdness abounds, and it is a mind trip during many of the hallucinatory states of Edward Jessup (William Hurt). With that said, it’s still a film primarily based on genetic engineering and one of the best films of the subgenre.

Additional Lists: Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s #1, Top Body Horror Films You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s #2, Top Sci-Fi Biotechnology Films You Haven’t Seen #2

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: Two mutants, Rogue and Wolverine, come to a private academy for their kind whose resident superhero team, the X-Men, must oppose a terrorist organization with similar powers.

KBZ’s Take: We could have used any of the X-Men films in this slot as they all feature various forms of genetic mutants. But we wanted to focus on the first film as it has a specific narrative surrounding genetic engineering and politics.

Though the film touches on the political aspects of humans vs. mutants, it’s the subplot involving Senator Kelly, his abduction and eventual forced genetic mutation that sets the tone for all subsequent X-Men films. It’s the best film of the franchise (apart from Logan (2017)) that touches on the ethical and moral implications of genetic engineering.

Additional Lists: Best Films About Telepathy #4

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: In a future society in the era of indefinite eugenics, humans are set on a life course depending on their DNA. Young Vincent Freeman is born with a condition that would prevent him from space travel, yet is determined to infiltrate the GATTACA space program.

KBZ’s Take: Andrew Niccol is second only to Christopher Nolan when it comes to making Hard Sci-Fi films. Niccol has written some of the most memorable films of the subgenre including Gattaca, S1m0ne (2002) which covered Artificial Intelligence and Anon (2019) which featured the dangers of Augmented Reality.

Though Gattaca was released over 25 years ago, its concepts of genetic engineering were eerily accurate. Not only have advancements in genetics come closer to the fictional world of Gattaca, but the film’s social and legal implications of genetic engineering have guided academia and scientific policies regarding genomics and bioengineering.

Additional Lists: Best Future Noir Films #8, Best Hard Sci-Fi Films #10, Best Cyberpunk Films #15

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: When Seth Brundle makes a huge scientific and technological breakthrough in teleportation, he decides to test it on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a common housefly manages to get inside the device and the two become one.

KBZ’s Take: Cronenberg’s most mainstream and popular film, The Fly is considered a classic film within the entire horror genre. As a remake of the equally terrifying The Fly (1958), where the updated film differentiates itself from the original is with visual and disturbing Body Horror as Brundle’s condition deteriorates both mentally and physically.

While the film is firmly situated more within the horror genres than sci-fi, it’s still one of the best of the subgenre that explores themes of unintended genetic engineering gone wrong.

Additional Lists: Best Body Horror Films of All Time #1, Best Cronenberg Body Horror Films #2, Best 1980’s Horror Film for Halloween #17

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: After his ship sinks, Andrew Braddock (Michael York) washes ashore on a tropical island owned by Dr. Moreau (Burt Lancaster). While waiting for a ship to return him to civilization, Braddock becomes disturbed by the strange creatures roaming the island, and at the same time falls for the lovely Maria (Barbara Carrera), who lives with Moreau. Soon Braddock discovers that the creatures are the results of Moreau’s sinister experiments, and plots to escape before he himself becomes a victim.

KBZ’s Take: We know almost anyone over the age of 40 has likely seen this film and grew up watching this classic film about genetic engineering run amok. But we’re including it as our #2 selection for a few reasons.

First, younger generations likely have not seen this film or ended up seeing the very inferior 1996 remake starring Val Kilmer, David Thewlis and Marlon Brandon. The remake was a troubled production from the start and the end result shows it.

Second, even though some people think Island of Lost Souls (1932) is the definitive adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel, even H.G. himself thought the 1933 adaptation was terrible. We personally feel H.G. would have been more receptive to the adventure-themed nature of the 1977 version.

Third, there’s no better portrayal of H.G Well’s mad scientist with a God complex than Burt Lancaster. Though older generations might have had a harder time envisioning Lancaster in a ‘bad guy’ role, younger generations aren’t as familiar with his typecasting as a hero in the 50’s and 60’s.

If you haven’t seen the film or have only seen the 1996 remake, we would encourage every fan of the subgenre to check out one of the earliest and best stories about genetic engineering – that is the Law!

Additional Lists: Top Films About Genetic Engineering You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s #1

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: A wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park and help calm anxious investors. However, the park is anything but amusing as the security systems go off-line and the dinosaurs escape.

KBZ’s Take: There’s little doubt that the entire Jurassic Park franchise is the best of the subgenre. Every film in the franchise explores various themes of genetic engineering from the debut film’s engineered genome to create classic Dinosaurs of millennia past, to the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor hybrid creation named Indominus Rex in Jurassic World (2015).

It’s also a film that raised the bar for how Films About Dinosaurs should look and feel with its groundbreaking special effects. And while other subgenre films have introduced us to everything from underwater Nazi zombies to genetically modified vampires, Jurassic Park showed that there’s nothing more horrifying than bringing back hungry carnivores that ruled the earth long before the dawn of mankind.

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon