3 Cult Classic 1996 Sci-Fi Movies That ‘90s Fanboys Still Know Every Word to Thanks to VHS Rewatch

There were some huge sci-fi movies that came out in 1996, but there were also some cult classics that arrived that year that many fans from the era love as much as the big blockbusters. Independence Day was the biggest sci-fi movie of 1996, and it might be one of the best of the entire 1990s decade. This was also the year that one of the best Star Trek movies ever made was released, with the arrival of Star Trek: First Contact. However, there were also some smaller cult favorites that 1990s kids bought on VHS tapes and wore them out, and many of those fans can quote those movies to this day.

From a movie that was a direct rival to Independence Day to a very different alien invasion movie and a cult classic indie superhero adaptation, here are three of the best cult sci-fi movies from 1996.

3) Barb Wire

Based on the Dark Horse Comics character of the same name, Barb Wire stars Pamela Anderson as the title character, a woman who lives in 2017 during the Second American Civil War, but where superhumans exist with advanced technology. Barb Wire is Barbara Kopetski, a young woman who grew up in Steel Harbor, leaving after her parents’ deaths. She returns to find it overrun with crime and warring gangs, now working as a bounty hunter, which puts her in all sorts of trouble.

This was an iconic cult classic, one of Pamela Anderson’s biggest movie roles after her breakout on Baywatch, and an interesting cast surrounding her, including Temuera Morrison, Xander Berkeley, and Udo Kier. The film was a flop at the box office, and it received terrible reviews, with a 28% Rotten Tomatoes score. It also earned several Razzie nominations, with Anderson winning for Worst New Star. However, it was a bigger success on home video and earned a large cult following over the years.

2) The Arrival

The Arrival was an underrated sci-fi thriller that came out in 1996, directed by David Twohy, the man who later directed the Vin Diesel classic, Pitch Black. Charlie Sheen stars in the movie as Zane Zaminsky, a SETI researcher who records an extraterrestrial radio signal from 14 light-years away. However, when he reveals the breakthrough to his supervisor, all evidence is destroyed, and Zane is fired and blacklisted from working at other observatories. When he figures out the government is covering this up, he realizes his life is in danger.

The movie received favorable reviews, with a 66% Rotten Tomatoes score, and while it was a box office failure thanks partially to fans’ excitement about the upcoming Independence Day, The Washington Post reports that it became an international success. The film was also successful when released on home video. Unlike Independence Day, which was a high-octane disaster movie, The Arrival offered up a smarter, low-key alien invasion movie that sees the humans as the greater threat than the aliens.

1) Mars Attacks

Independence Day and Mars Attacks were being made around the same time, and the rival studios realized that they could eat each other’s box office. This led Fox to rush out Independence Day for a perfect Fourth of July release, and Warner Bros. held onto Mars Attacks for a December release. There was no reason to fear because the two movies were nothing alike. While Independence Day was the box office champion, Mars Attacks barely made back its budget, and it took a loss when it came to advertising expenses.

That said, Mars Attacks became a massive hit on home video. Mars Attacks is an absurdist comedy by Tim Burton, with Martians attacking Earth in an attempt to conquer the planet. The cast was top-notch, with names like Michael J. Fox, Jack Nicholson, Jim Brown, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, and many more. It is instantly quotable, and it has some of the most memorable scenes of destruction in any sci-fi horror comedy.

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