Space Adventures are often Space Operas and sometimes include Soft Sci-Fi elements. While Hard Sci-Fi Films Set in Space will feature realistic and technical details about space itself, Space Adventures are usually action-oriented, lean heavily on adventure-themed narratives and feature sci-fi concepts that aren’t technically accurate (nor feasible).
In our previous article of the Best Films About Space, we looked at the best Hard Sci-Fi films within this subgenre. You can read that article for more information on the differences between Hard Sci-Fi Space Films, Soft Sci-Fi Space Films and Space Operas.
For Space Adventures, these films usually have a few core tenets and themes. First, the films typically involve aliens or alien civilizations encountered in space. Second, space battles with futuristic weapons are often featured as a major conflict of the film. Third, there is often a hero that is destined for greatness or rising to oppose an oppressive force (or being). And finally, Space Adventures will often also include themes of the Action-Adventure subgenre that incorporate romantic and dramatic elements as subplots of their narratives.
Unlike Hard Sci-Fi, Space Adventures are most associated with the Sci-Fi Military Films subgenre. Other subgenre themes that can be found in Space Adventures include Action-Adventure Films, Disaster Films, Films Based on Superheroes & Comics, Parody Comedies, Films About Fate & Destiny, Contemporary & Urban Fantasy Films, Epic Fantasy Films, Romantic Dramas, Alien Invasion Films, Films About Robots, Time Travel Films, Films with Bad Aliens, Films with Good Aliens, Thriller Action Films and Sci-Fi Westerns.
What are the Best Space Adventures? Read on as we look at some of the most popular films featuring Space Adventures and Space Operas from the last 60 years. This is our twentieth “Best Of” subgenre list where we will rank the Top 20 Space Adventure films from the Films Set in Space subgenre.
For our rankings we’re going to use some criteria to help define and refine our list. First, all films must have a major portion of the film set in space. We’ll give priority ranking to films that devote most of their screen time within spaceships, on planets (other than Earth) or in outer space.
Second, we’ll de-emphasize films with Hard-Sci technical space elements. Though some of these films do have some Space Adventure elements, they are typically more technically oriented and not focused on the action and thrills of space battles and aliens. This will omit Hard Sci-Fi space films like Interstellar (2014) and The Martian (2015) from this list’s rankings, but they are featured more prominently with other Hard-Sci Space Films on our Best Films About Space list.
Third, we’re not going to pay much attention to technical details of space. These are adventure-themed films so even though laser blasts wouldn’t make a sound in the vacuum of space, they look and sound much cooler during space battles.
Fourth, we’re going to give priority to films that feature aliens. These can be Good Aliens or Bad Aliens. What is the sense of a good Space Adventure if you don’t come upon an alien species during your travels?
Fifth, we’re also going to give priority ranking to films that feature the major tenets of a good Space Adventure. These will include themes of fate and destiny where our hero rises up to battle against oppressive bad guys, massive battles in space and romantic and dramatic elements for our space hero.
And sixth, we had to follow our rule for all of KBZ’s film listings where we only list films that have a 4.0/10 or higher rating. We’ll also be focusing on films from 1956 to the present.
Our complete list of Films Set in Space features over 213+ films from 1956 – 2023 and we have separate articles of the Top Films Set in Space You Haven’t Seen and Best Films About Space (that features the best Hard Sci-Fi films set in space). We are planning on a follow-up article to this list with some lesser-known Space Adventures so subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release future articles.
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Best Space Adventures
Honorable Mentions: Barbarella (1968), Dark Star (1977), The War in Space (1977), Message From Space (1978), Battlestar Galactica (1978), Moonraker (1979), Battle Beyond the Stars (1980), Galaxy of Terror (1981), Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983), The Ice Pirates (1984), Dune (1984), Lifeforce (1985), Spaceballs (1987), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Lost in Space (1998), Pitch Black (2000), Mission to Mars (2000), Titan A.E. (2000), Red Planet (2000), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Dead Space: Downfall (2008), Star Trek (2009), Pandorum (2009), Space Battleship Yamato (2010), Thor (2011), John Carter (2012), The Avengers (2012), Prometheus (2012), The Last Days on Mars (2013), Ender’s Game (2013), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Infini (2015), Zygote (2017), The Titan (2018), Prospect (2018), Ad Astra (2019), The Wandering Earth (2019), Captain Marvel (2019), Space Sweepers (2021), Settlers (2021) and Avatar: The Way of the Water (2022).
Rank 20-1:
#20 Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3D4yIl9
#19 Enemy Mine (1985) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3NOoeuS
#18 The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3D7Mnb4
#17 Galaxy Quest (1999) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3PPPg7N
#16 Explorers (1985) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3D3t82q
#15 Krull (1983) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3O5ZTlE
#14 The Black Hole (1979) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Dbw24Y
#13 The Fifth Element (1997) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/46GhE2e
#12 Stargate (1994) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3rhvesN
#11 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/44ElRSa
#10
Serenity
Plot: When the renegade crew of Serenity agrees to hide a fugitive on their ship, they find themselves in an action-packed battle between the relentless military might of a totalitarian regime who will destroy anything – or anyone – to get the girl back and the bloodthirsty creatures who roam the uncharted areas of space. But… the greatest danger of all may be on their ship.
KBZ’s Take: Space Adventure Films use quite a few themes of Westerns and Serenity is the closest thing you will find to a true Sci-Fi Western on our list.
While the film is based on the Firefly TV series, you don’t need to have watched the series to enjoy the film. Mal (Nathan Fillion) is basically Han Solo and the film features darker elements such as cannibalistic Reavers you wouldn’t find in the Star Wars universe.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3JQPtE7
Plot: Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela.
KBZ’s Take: All the Thor films include sequences set in space, but Thor: Ragnarok is the closest film of the franchise to a true Space Adventure. Under Taika Waititi’s direction, the third film had a much lighter tone than its predecessors and Waititi injected quirky and self-referential humor throughout resulting in a fun and exciting adventure.
Additional Lists: Top Films Set in Space You Haven’t Seen #1, Best Hard Sci-Fi Films #9
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3PPS4Ce
Plot: A video game expert is transported to another planet to defend an alien world from attack.
KBZ’s Take: The Last Starfighter is a film that was popular in the 80’s but has been lost to time. It’s another one of our personal favorite films and we’re listing it this high so younger generations don’t miss out. If you’ve been raising your youngsters on Star Wars, this is another great Space Adventure-themed film they’ll enjoy. The special effects are somewhat dated but the storyline and “ordinary teenager rising to galactic hero” message is universal.
There’s rumors that the remake of the film might actually happen, but until then, you’ll always have the original classic to watch.
Additional Lists: Top Sci-Fi Military Films You Haven’t Seen #1, Best Military Sci-Fi Films #9
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3wEBURl
#7
Avatar
Plot: In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.
KBZ’s Take: Avatar combines so many different Sci-Fi subgenres (Cloning, Military Sci-Fi, Alien Invasion) that it’s hard to categorize and, as a result, hasn’t ranked in the Top 10 for our lists – until now. Despite all these different subgenre elements, they culminate in a Space Adventure and one of the best of the subgenre.
It also flips the script on Alien Invasion Films where humans are the invading force with Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang) as one of the best villains of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Best Military Sci-Fi Films #15
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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.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3JNoZ6o
#5
Flash Gordon
Plot: A football player and his mates travel to the planet Mongo and find themselves fighting the tyranny of Ming the Merciless to save Earth.
KBZ’s Take: Even after 43 years, this cult classic is still one of the best Space Adventures on our list. What it lacks with its very dated special effects, it more than makes up for with its very campy adventure set in space.
It’s hard to identify one single thing that makes the film great as it’s a sum of its parts. There’s a great soundtrack by Queen. There’s a humorous tone throughout the film and even campier performances from Hans Zarkov (Topol), Prince Vultan (Brian Blessed) and General Klytus (Peter Wyngarde). And the film features one of the best villains of the subgenre In Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow).
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3JRtIDY
#4
Aliens
Plot: When Ripley’s lifepod is found by a salvage crew over 50 years later, she finds that terra-formers are on the very planet they found the alien species. When the company sends a family of colonists out to investigate her story, all contact is lost with the planet and colonists. They enlist Ripley and the marines to return and search for answers.
KBZ’s Take: There’s often quite a bit of crossover between Space Adventures and Sci-Fi Military films. While both subgenres include elements of the other, the second Alien film perfected this blend with one of the most action-packed and exciting films of the subgenre.
Aliens set the bar for how a futuristic military would confront an alien species. There’s everything from the initial military command structure to the eventual tactics used by the marines when confronting the Aliens’ attack. Like other James Cameron films The Terminator (1984) and Avatar (2009), the Sci-Fi Military machines and weapons are futuristic yet grounded in reality.
The Alien universe has always been first and foremost about the Alien Xenomorph, but Aliens (and to a lesser extent Prometheus (2012)) have integrated Sci-Fi Military and Space Adventure themes to up the ante in the battle of humans vs. the iconic Alien species.
Additional Lists: Best Military Sci-Fi Films #2
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Z7y6DK
Plot: It is the 23rd century. The Federation Starship U.S.S. Enterprise is on routine training maneuvers and Admiral James T. Kirk seems resigned to the fact that this inspection may well be the last space mission of his career. But Khan is back. Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen, Khan – brilliant renegade of 20th century Earth – has raided Space Station Regula One, stolen a top-secret device called Project Genesis, wrested control of another Federation Starship and sets out in pursuit of the Enterprise, determined to let nothing stand in the way of his mission: kill Admiral Kirk… even if it means universal Armageddon.
KBZ’s Take: In our introduction in this article, we noted that Space Adventures often include Space Operas and Soft Sci-Fi films. Star Trek is a perfect example of Soft Sci-Fi as the TV series and initial film in the franchise were often focused on social and political issues. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, however, was the first franchise film to fully embrace Space Adventure themes.
Of the 13 Star Trek franchise films to date, The Wrath of Khan is still considered the best of the series. It’s a fast-paced adventure with a thrilling plot, a great cat and mouse space battle and features the second best villain of the entire subgenre (right after Darth Vader). KHAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!
Additional Lists: Best Military Sci-Fi Films #11
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/44iNKQe
#2
Dune
Plot: Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence – a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential – only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
KBZ’s Take: While the original Dune (1984) has become a cult classic, Denis Villeneuve has created the definitive version of Frank Herbert’s classic Sci-Fi Military novel of the same name. With interplanetary politics serving as the catalyst for the eventual war between House Atreides and House Harkonnen, Dune slowly reveals its unique world building based on an incredible amount of Sci-Fi Military and Soft Sci-Fi elements.
Dune also incorporates one of the classic themes of the Space Adventure subgenre. There are many similarities between Paul Atreides and Luke Skywalker’s destiny to lead the galaxy against an oppressive regime.
With the second part of Dune coming soon in November 2023, it’s only a matter of time until the Dune franchise will cement its place as the second-best Space Adventure franchise right after #1 on our list.
Additional Lists: Best Military Sci-Fi Films #5
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3Z3d8Wx
Plot: The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
KBZ’s Take: The only suspense to #1 on our list is which of all the Star Wars franchise films would represent its ranking. We had to go with The Empire Strikes back for a few reasons.
First, it’s the best film of the entire franchise. Even though Star Wars has a better climatic space battle, Empire features numerous confrontations from The Battle of Hoth to the Millenium Falcon escaping Tie-Fighters through an asteroid field to its final climatic lightsaber duel.
Second, the film utilizes melodramatic Space Opera themes to maximum effect. There’s the deepening romance between Han Solo and Leia, the patient Yoda training an impatient Luke Skywalker and the eventual Darth Vader reveal which is the greatest twist in cinematic history.
There’s simply no franchise that is better associated with Space Adventures and Space Operas than Star Wars and likely won’t be for a very long time.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/44BFKJJ
