Remakes are like stale popcorn. It’s likely you’re not going to enjoy it, but curiosity always sees you going back for more. Besides sequels, superhero movies, and anything that can be made a franchise of, remakes are one of the biggest gambles to embark on in Hollywood, and more often than not, they don’t pay off. They rarely recapture the magic of the original film they’re trying to replicate or improve upon. There are some, however, that do just that and more, and a lot of them can be found in the science fiction section of your watchlist.
Aliens, dangerous science experiments, and interplanetary takeovers have all been given a good, solid first try, with some rightfully finding a place in cinematic history as a result. That’s probably why, years later, other directors would try their hand at retelling these stories, and in doing so, deliver a remake that actually surpasses its predecessor.
With that in mind, here are five great movies that took notes from the previous example and made groundbreaking, beloved versions of their own. All we ask is that you remember the unwritten rule about remakes: just because your favorite film got an update, it doesn’t mean the original is any worse. Except, well, maybe “The Crazies.”
The Thing (1982)
In Christian Nyby’s “The Thing From Another World,” the alien being that invades an Alaskan outpost feels like a blend of different well-known monsters. When it thaws out to cause chaos, drink blood, and tower over those trying to stop it, it’s a scary alien creature bred from Dracula, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Frankenstein’s monster. Fitting then, that in 1982, director John Carpenter’s take on “The Thing” was all about stealing the identities of anything it could.
Opening with an angry Norwegian trying to gun down a seemingly harmless husky, the inhabitants of Outpost 31 soon realize that the stranded hound is anything but, quickly revealing itself to be an alien lifeform that can imitate anything it comes in contact with. Kurt Russell leads the way, or threatens to kill any of those not willing to follow, as MacReady, who fights both the space-based inhabitant and the paranoia settling in.
Besides being one of the greatest remakes ever made, it’s unquestionably one of the best horror movies ever filmed, delivering masterful moments of tension, and some of the most original body horror sequences ever conceived. From the terrifying kennel outbreak to the blood test to that unsettling cliffhanger ending, “The Thing” doesn’t fall under the shadow of its predecessor, instead creating its own legacy that few have dared to imitate.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Someone on this site deemed “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” 1978 as the greatest alien invasion movie of all-time, or maybe it was a pod person? Either way, there’s no question that Phillip Kaufman’s take on Jack Finney’s 1955 novel and remake of the 1956 film of the same name set the bar for space invaders to send normality into anything but. Paced to perfection, Brooke Adams’ dubious lab technician, Elizabeth Driscoll, pulls her pals together when she starts to notice those close to her being a little off, and Kaufman spends precious time in deathly silence or in plain public sight proving that she’s right on the money.
Very soon, she, along with Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, and Veronica Cartwright, are trying to keep their cool as organized chaos unfolds all around them. Unsettling visuals of an off-kilter society flood the screen as the human race begins to dwindle in numbers.
Whether it’s 1956 star Kevin McCarthy sprinting onto the street, warning us all of what’s coming, or a bizarre cameo from Robert Duvall as a priest on a swing, Kaufman’s pacing of this classic story is exceptional. This science-based spine-tingler is almost certain to get under your skin. Plenty of films have tried to tackle an alien invasion the same way, but none come close to the atmosphere of this still unnerving remake.
Dune (2021)
There’s no doubt that David Lynch did everything he could with Frank Herbert’s rich and worm-riddled universe back in 1984, assembling the talents of Kyle MacLachlan, Patrick Stewart, and Sting to bring Arrakis to life via inner monologues that shed some light on the strangeness unfolding onscreen. Flash forward to 2021, though, and Oscar-nominated director Denis Villeneuve gave it a go himself and, in doing so, created an epic sci-fi saga to perhaps even rival the Skywalker story.
Timothee Chalamet takes on the role of Paul Atreides, who, along with his family heads to the desert planet, only to see his house overthrown by House Harkonnen, led by Stellan Skarsgård’s grotesque Baron Harkonnen. Admittedly, Villeneuve took the smart route of splitting Herbert’s story into two movies, but there’s no doubt that by doing so, “Dune” as a whole is easier to absorb.
This grander scope, and an incredibly impressive collection of stars that includes Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista and Zendaya all play their part in showing the first chapter of the son of a fallen Duke that would become Lisan al Gaib. With this, “Dune” ends on a perfect note that doesn’t just leave you hungry for Part Two, but happy to give it a re-watch as soon as the credits roll.
The Fly (1986)
Perhaps one of the most haunting images of Kurt Neumann’s original take on “The Fly” is seeing a fly with David Hedison’s noggin buzzing for his life after being caught in a spider’s web. In 1986, body-horror master David Cronenberg took that monstrous concept and stripped it away, layer by rotting layer. Jeff Goldblum is the doomed Seth Brundle, who, after trying out his homemade teleportation device, gets his DNA mixed with a housefly, leading to his girlfriend (played by Geena Davis) fighting for her life and warning people to be very afraid. She was right to do so, as gradually the charming Goldblum starts to leave bits and pieces of himself all over the place as the fly takes over and becomes part of him in a beastly final act.
Cronenberg brings an undeniably darker lens to this story, focusing on the loss of identity, and it still turns the stomach after 40 years. Like other films on this list, the advances in movie production and special effects create one of the most shocking creatures to ever grace the screen.
Goldblum’s gradual loss of humanity is something that both repulses and entrances like few horror films can, leading to the heartbreaking conclusion that proves, as all great sci-fi horrors do, there are things man and fly just weren’t meant to meddle with.
Dredd (2012)
After Sylvester Stallone did an atrocious, campy job of proving that he was the law, future “The Boys” star Karl Urban dared to pick up the judge helmet in Pete Travis’ 2012 take, “Dredd.” Doing away with the polished and pristine Mega City One we encountered in 1995, Travis, with a script penned by “Ex-Machina” and “28 Days Later” world-builder, Alex Garland, created a confined but brilliantly mapped out movie. This one saw Dredd bust into an apartment block housing a massive drug operation led by Lena Headley’s pitch-perfect villain, Ma-Ma. With no backup coming, and only Olivia Thirlby as Cassandra Anderson in his corner, what follows is an action-packed, occasionally stunningly slow-motion showdown that left fans hankering for a sequel that never came.
“Dredd” deserves extra credit for not only removing the tainted reputation set by Stallone’s film but also holding its own against Gareth Evans’ action movie, “The Raid,” that was released the year before. Both shared the same plot, and while “The Raid” might have come with a lot more violence and angrily swung machetes, “Dredd” holds its own as a great remake and cult classic action movie that still warrants more love.
Urban himself has demanded he step back into the role after “The Boys” is done and dusted, and we can only hope that somehow, someone signs off on putting Mega City One’s legendary lawman back on duty, as it’s been far too long.
