Science Fiction is a rich and expansive genre that comprises multiple sub-genres, each contributing to create a complex and engaging tapestry. While most Sci-Fi sub-genres are popular, arguably none is more well-known or acclaimed as the space opera.
Usually defined as a sub-genre involving warfare, heightened drama, and heavy romantic elements, the space opera has carved a recognizable niche in pop culture thanks to several acclaimed films. From Star Wars to Star Trek and everything in between, these space operas have cemented their place as icons in the annals of cinematic pop culture.
10 ‘The Last Starfighter’ (1984)
Nick Castle‘s space opera The Last Starfighter is an underrated Sci-Fi classic. The film stars Lance Guest as a teenager and video-game enthusiast recruited by an alien army to fight in an intergalactic war.
A groundbreaking achievement in visual effects, The Last Starfighter is a unique entry into the space opera canon. It wears its Sci-Fi influences on its sleeve. While it’s never narratively innovative, it makes up for its flaws through spirited bravado and dazzling visual effects that hold up surprisingly well. The Last Starfighter is an exciting thrill ride that deserves more attention from audiences, especially Sci-Fi fans.
9 ‘Star Trek’ (2009)
Rebooting a venerable and beloved franchise is never easy, but J. J. Abrams succeeded with his 2009 Sci-Fi masterpiece Star Trek. Set in an alternate reality, the plot centers on Kirk and Spock as they reluctantly join forces to combat the vengeful Romulan Nero seeking retaliation for his planet’s destruction.
Thanks to Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto‘s confident and refreshing takes on the iconic characters; Star Trekis a raging triumph. The film does the impossible, living up to its lofty expectations by offering an engaging and suitably epic story that satisfies veteran devotees of the franchise while being accessible enough to welcome new fans.
8 ‘Flash Gordon’ (1980)
Mike Hodges‘ campy cult classic Flash Gordon is among the most distinctive and refreshing space operas. The plot follows the titular character, a star quarterback who launches a revolt against the despotic tyrant Ming the Merciless, the ruler of planet Mongo intent on destroying Earth.
Colorful, vibrant, and refreshingly honest, Flash Gordon disposes of the world-building elements of other franchises in favor of a straightforward approach to the space opera. In stark contrast to other self-serious entries into the sub-genre, Flash Gordon offers tongue-in-cheek and lighthearted humor that further distinguishes it in a field of grim and self-important movies.
7 ‘Serenity’ (2005)
Firefly lives in pop culture infamy as a beloved Sci-Fi tv classic canceled too soon. Luckily for fans, the show received a proper conclusion via the made-for-tv movie Serenity. The film brings the original cast back and follows the Serenity’s crew as they are pursued by a ruthless Alliance operative searching for the ship’s doctor, Simon, and his psychic sister, River.
A love letter to the fans that made Firefly a modern classic, Serenity is a victory lap for a far-too-short race. Witty, exciting, and surprisingly cerebral, the film is a unique space opera, blending Western elements with a hectic plot resulting in one of the most original and ambitious entries into the crowded sub-genre.
6 ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ (2014)
James Gunn‘s MCU debut came in 2014 with the superhero space opera Guardians of the Galaxy. Starring an ensemble led by Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldaña, Guardians of the Galaxy follows a ragtag team of outlaws and misfits who steal a powerful object from a deranged warlord.
Guardians of the Galaxy takes a B-list comic book property and elevates it into superstardom through comedy and warmth, a combination that Gunn has mastered by now. Dazzling visuals and excellent chemistry between its cast of human and CGI characters further help the film to become an endlessly entertaining and charming space opera and one of the MCU’s most wildly creative and rewatchable entries.
5 ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ (2017)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi continues the sequel trilogy in a thrilling, unexpected, and rewarding fashion. The plot follows Rey as she seeks Luke Skywalker for guidance while the scatted Resistance attempts to flee from an attack from the First Order.
Possibly the most divisive mainstream film of the past decade, The Last Jedi is a gripping, layered, and daring entry into a franchise that never quite found its footing after the original trilogy. And while it doesn’t quite work as a sequel to the mediocre Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi excels as an expansive and audacious entry into the series’ canon, thanks to its thought-provoking ideas, unapologetic approach and willingness to redefine the rules that kept the franchise boxed for so long.
4 ‘The Fifth Element’ (1997)
The last decade of the 20th century was a weird period for science fiction. The ’90s offered many underrated Sci-Fi movies and some mainstream successes; The Fifth Element is the latter. The film stars Bruce Willis as a former Special Forces major tasked with protecting a young woman who holds the key to Earth’s salvation against the upcoming attack of an evil space entity.
Featuring a couple of unhinged performances from Gary Oldman and Christ Tucker, a suave Bruce Willis, and a delightful Milla Jovovich, The Fifth Element is the mother of all summer blockbusters. Campy, colorful, wild, and unrestrained, The Fifth Element is a dynamic and breathtaking space opera perpetually stuck in overdrive, and fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
3 ‘Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan’ (1982)
The Star Trek franchise reached its pop culture apex with the release of 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The film follows Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise in a race against time to prevent the formerly exiled tyrant Kahn Noonien Singh from recovering a powerful terraforming weapon.
Elevated by a spectacular performance from the late Ricardo Montalbán as the now-iconic Khan, The Wrath of Khan is Star Trek at its utter best. Dramatic, fast-paced, and emotionally rewarding, the film captures the franchise’s essence perfectly, proving that nothing beats a well-told story with a compelling and menacing villain at its center.
2 ‘Dune’ (2021)
Denis Villeneuve achieved the seemingly impossible and adapted Frank Herbert’s unyielding Sci-Fi masterpiece Dune into an epic space opera that ranks among the best science fiction films in recent memory. The story centers on Paul Atreides, a young man in the middle of a galactic conflict for control of the desert planet Arrakis.
Blending the novel’s notoriously challenging and complex narrative with larger-than-life setpieces worthy of a Hollywood tentpole, Dune is a victory in every sense of the word. Absorbing and enthralling, the film is an unrelenting, grim space opera that honors its acclaimed source material. And while dividing the novel into two movies might yield uneven results, the first part is among the highest-rated films of the 2020s and a cinematic classic in the making.
1 ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)
The space opera owes its cinematic staying power to George Lucas and his Star Wars series. While the original 1977 movie set the tone, it was the 1980 sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, that cemented the series as a timeless and influential cinematic juggernaut. The plot follows Luke Skywalker as he trains under Master Yoda to become a Jedi while the Galactic Empire continues its unrelenting retaliation against the Rebellion.
Epic, shocking, and suitably groundbreaking, The Empire Strikes Back is a triumphant achievement and the ultimate space opera tragedy. Thanks to its bold and daring twist and a successful expansion on its predecessor’s main themes, The Empire Strikes Back is an enduring masterpiece and a near-perfect space opera.
