Plot: A single mother and her shy son move in with her estranged hermit father in the backwoods of a small town. Soon, they learn of deadly mutations that threaten to spread from animals to humans.

KBZ’s Take: Strange Nature is not a great film by any means. It’s low budget, some of the acting is bad and it takes much too long to get to the meat of the story. But we wanted to include the film here for fans of the film’s obvious inspiration, Prophecy (1979).

Like Prophecy, the film is about a corporation’s contaminated waste and the effect it’s having on the environment. It’s a film subgenre fans will enjoy, especially for some of its great practical effects of the mutated animals, just go into it with lower expectations.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/47NZnAP

Plot: Two doctors use ancient DNA to clone a Neanderthal named William, but his distinctive physical features and different way of thinking soon provoke fear and hostility from those who encounter him.

KBZ’s Take: We wanted to include this film for its unique plot – the genetic recreation of a Neanderthal and how this reincarnated human ancestor might adapt to our current environment and society.

However, while the plot and science in the film is interesting, it tends to get too melodramatic when it focuses on typical teen angst issues of the young Neanderthal William (Will Brittain). The film is much better when it focuses on the ethical and moral implications of cloning and genetic engineering.

You won’t miss anything groundbreaking (subgenre-wise) if you don’t see this film, but it’s still worth checking out for fans of the subgenre looking for more unique genetic engineering stories.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3OMDjOg

Plot: Marc, a successful, ambitious man, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, and is given a few months to live. Unable to accept death, he decides to cryogenically freeze himself. The love of his life is devastated. Seventy years later, Marc becomes the first cryogenic resuscitated person in history. But this doesn’t happen in the idealized way he dreamt of.

KBZ’s Take: Technically, this film would be better suited in our umbrella list, Sci-Fi Biotech Films, which covers a variety of biotech including cryogenics. But we also included it here though the themes of genetic engineering are minimal and it’s a more philosophical film on morality and life.

With that said, we still think subgenre fans will enjoy the film but be warned – the film opens with a graphic scene of a childbirth which might be off-putting for some viewers.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/45JiMB2

Plot: When the Universe decides what it wants, it’s pointless to resist. With his family’s life at stake, Joseph Steadman finds himself the unwilling test subject of a maniacal scientist in a battle that could save the world – or destroy it.

KBZ’s Take: This is a ‘love it’ or ‘hate it’ type of film with equal praise and vitriol. The people who enjoyed the film thought it was a great, low budget take on a Superhero Film with amazing special effects. Detractors, however, cited the low budget and poor acting as the film’s biggest weaknesses that make it almost unwatchable.

We didn’t ‘love’ the film, but we did enjoy it as we knew next to nothing about the film before watching. What everybody can agree on (and we also agree with) is that the film has one of the most unique concepts of the subgenre.

We would advise watching the film for the concept alone as it is one of the best of the subgenre from the decade.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3qOMQMG

Plot: Alice, a single mother who is more dedicated to her work as a genetic engineer than to her teenage son Joe, develops a new variety of flower that is supposed to have the ability to make its owner happy thanks to its special chemical properties.

KBZ’s Take: This is another film that people either love or hate. What most people will agree on though is that the film has an interesting concept and great acting that’s ruined by the god-awful soundtrack in the film. It really distracts from the story and gets to the point where it becomes annoying.

Despite the music, the film is a commendable variation of the Body Snatchers theme found in films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and Assimilate (2019). However, unlike those films, this is not a horror film (despite being listed under the horror genre) and is more of a Drama About Families with some suspenseful and thrilling sequences.

If you’re a fan of Body Snatchers films, it’s worth checking out. And for subgenre fans, it does have some unique aspects of genetic engineering and its unintended consequences.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3OQyXpr

Plot: Toward the end of World War II, Russian soldiers pushing into eastern Germany stumble across a secret Nazi lab, one that has unearthed and begun experimenting with the journal of one Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The scientists have used the legendary Frankenstein’s work to assemble an army of super-soldiers stitched together from the body parts of their fallen comrades — a desperate Hitler’s last ghastly ploy to escape defeat.

KBZ’s Take: Some people might be put off by Frankenstein’s Army’s use of the Found Footage format and the incredible number of historical inaccuracies within the film. But it’s a horror film about crazy Nazi mutant killing machines so we think it’s safe to throw historical logic out the window on this one.

As for the film, it has some of the most unique ‘monsters’ we’ve seen in any film, and those alone make the film worth seeing. You won’t soon forget any of Viktor Frankenstein’s ‘creations’ from this ride…

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3EkWGsI

Plot: 11-year-old Nicolas lives with his mother in a seaside housing estate. The only place that ever sees any activity is the hospital. It is there that all the boys from the village are forced to undergo strange medical trials that attempt to disrupt the phases of evolution.

KBZ’s Take: Though Evolution has elements of Psychological & Medical Horror and Body Horror, we wouldn’t classify this French film as horror. It’s much more a very creepy and unsettling Mystery Film.

However, the film excels in its use of this overarching mystery as it slowly reveals how genetic engineering is at the heart of the women and male boys in this seaside village. It’s a slower paced film that might turn off some fans of the subgenre, but we would still recommend checking it out for the disturbing and shocking reveals throughout the film.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/45tJvBZ

Plot: Set in the future in a time of interplanetary colonization, an unlikely pair race against an impending global crisis and are confronted by the monsters that live inside us all.

KBZ’s Take: If you’re a fan of Post-Apocalypse Films from the 80’s, you’ll love this film. This Australian film harkens back to an era which featured gun toting heroes navigating a wasteland filled with the remnants of society – and monsters. And the monsters in this film are the result of corporate genetic engineering run amok.

Though the film is held back somewhat by its lower budget and non-linear storytelling, it’s still a fun film and one of the better action-oriented subgenre films from the decade.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3sBhQAd

Plot: France, June 1944. On the eve of D-Day, some American paratroopers fall behind enemy lines after their aircraft crashes while on a mission to destroy a radio tower in a small village near the beaches of Normandy. After reaching their target, the surviving paratroopers realize that, in addition to fighting the Nazi troops that patrol the village, they also must fight against something else.

KBZ’s Take: Overlord is likely the most seen film on our list as it had a wide release and was a popular film in 2018. But in good conscience, we couldn’t leave the film off our list. In fact, we had the film slated for our #1 pick until the film that now resides in our top slot came along.

Like Frankenstein’s Army (2013), Overlord is set during World War II and features nefarious Nazi genetic experiments. However, unlike the previous film, Overlord is a much more action-packed and thrilling film. It’s also better at using mystery and suspense as a lead up to what the American soldiers ultimately uncover.

It’s hands down one of the best genetic engineering films of the decade and arguably one of the best films of the entire subgenre.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3svxpcQ

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 put this film as #1 on our list as it’s not only the funniest film about genetic engineering of the decade, 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.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3KWJ2zS