Looking for a good summer sci-fi movie? There are three on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in July that are perfect for a warm, summer night. They’re all currently available with a base Amazon Prime subscription, but that could change. So, add them to your watchlist now and enjoy.
One of the movies is a classic from the late ’80s starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. One is a gripping documentary, and the other is a Japanese sci-fi superhero film that has received rave reviews. Each one offers a unique take on the genre that will delight, no matter what type of sci-fi you typically enjoy.
Shin Kamen Rider (2023)
This Japanese superhero film written and directed by Hideaki Anno, a follow-up to Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman and available with English subtitles, is a thrilling tale about a man looking for revenge. A sinister organization called SHOCKER (Sustainably Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling) kidnaps motorcyclist Takeshi Hongo (The Last Samurai’s Sosuke Ikematsu). The group plans on turning him into an Aug, a brainwashed synthetic animal hybrid, part of its plan to slowly take over society.
But before Takeshi reaches the brainwashing stage, he’s saved by Ruriko Midorikawa (Minami Hamabe), a former SHOCKER member who has since defected. Takeshi is still effectively a cyborg, but with his faculties intact, he works alongside Ruriko to try to take the organization down.
The film has been largely praised by critics and audiences, alike. Simon Abrams from RogerEbert.com calls the movie both “thrilling and thoughtful,” and describes it as an “expression of Anno’s instantly recognizable style and a weirdly moving expression of the title hero’s restless spirit.”
Stream Shin Kamen Rider on Amazon Prime Video.
The Running Man (1987)
It doesn’t get any more classic Arnold Schwarzenegger than The Running Man. In this dystopian action movie that takes place in the “future” year 2017, a totalitarian police state has taken over, and the government gets its kicks through a popular TV show called The Running Man whereby criminals must literally run from mercenaries to earn a pardon. Schwarzenegger is Captain Ben Richards, a wronged man who happens to impress the right (or rather wrong) people with his physicality and is forced to appear on the show.
The Running Man is classic Schwarzenegger: You know exactly what you’re going to get and go into the film with the knowledge that you’ll be sufficiently satisfied and thoroughly entertained by the end. Heavy on the action and light on the plot, The Running Man has even inspired an upcoming remake, which will reportedly star Glen Powell, according to Deadline.
Stream The Running Man on Amazon Prime Video.
I Know What I Saw (2009)
Looking for something more cerebral? Perhaps a thought-provoking sci-fi documentary? I Know What I Saw, presented by UFOTV, features interviews from witnesses from around the world who purportedly have the most credible stories about UFO sightings. The individuals range from Air Force generals to astronauts, military pilots, and even government officials. They all have one thing in common: They claim to have witnessed something they simply couldn’t explain. The group gathers to testify at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C., retelling their goosebump-inducing stories.
Director James Fox uses the series to present a theory about government secrecy and a criticism of policies. But as far as credible, believable documentaries about life on other planets go, you may find I Know What I Saw to be among the most interesting, and one that will raise questions and debate.
Stream I Know What I Saw on Amazon Prime Video.