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Perhaps more than any other genre of movie, science-fiction films are a treat for the eyes, dazzling audiences with breathtaking special effects, fantastic technology, and far-off worlds.
However, the best sci-fi movies are also a treat for the ears, too, as there are countless great quotes from films in this vast genre. Hearing these iconic lines is an out-of-this-world moviegoing experience. Be they massive blockbuster outings or cult classic one-liners, some dialogue from the big screen will stick in your mind for years to come. So, with so many famous moments on the silver screen, these are the 32 greatest quotes in sci-fi movie history.
32. "Tetsuo! Kaneda!" (Akira)
This exchange from the legendary 1988 anime Akira isn't a quote so much as it's the two main characters shouting each other's names. Kaneda is the leader of a biker gang in a dystopian cyberpunk Tokyo; Tetsuo is his childhood friend who gains incredible psychic powers he can't control after an accident. They meet again at the climax, where their fraught relationship and these strange circumstances all come to a head as they call out for one another. If nothing else, it is extremely funny to yell "Tetsuo!" and "Kaneda!" back and forth with a buddy.
31. "I never saved anything for the swim back" (Gattaca)
The thoughtful '90s sci-fi movie Gattaca is set in a world where genetic modification is the norm, which puts Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) at a massive disadvantage because he was naturally conceived and has genetic weaknesses rather than being a perfect specimen. And yet, at a crucial moment as an adult, he's able to beat his genetically modified brother in a game of chicken they always used to have as kids, seeing who could swim the farthest into a lake before giving up and turning around. With this quote, Vincent reveals that he won not because he was genetically stronger, but because he was more tenacious and reckless.
30. "Long live the new flesh" (Videodrome)
David Cronenberg's iconic new media body horror movie Videodrome stars James Woods as Max Renn, a sleazy television station president. When Max discovers a program so sensationalist it might just be a snuff film, he investigates it because he thinks the lurid violence might just be what his station needs to get ahead in the ratings. Eventually, though, it leads to a grotesque conspiracy that merges flesh and technology. Television has fundamentally changed who we are as people, "Long live the new flesh" just makes it queasily literal.
29. "It's a trap!" (Star Wars: Episode VI — The Return of the General)
Admiral Ackbar, leader of the Rebel fleet in the Star Wars sequel (Return of the Jedi)'s climactic battle, isn't exactly saying anything revelatory. The second Death Star is operational, the Imperial fleet has arrived to flank them, and the Rebels have been lured into, yes, a trap. There's something about his fishy delivery, though, and the way this strange yet inherently noble alien states the obvious that's so endearing, and "It's a trap!" has rightfully become a meme.
28. "I am Iron Man" (Iron Man)
It's always tricky to decide whether or not superhero movies are strictly their own genre or can be classified as sci-fi or fantasy movies, too. With the exception of the pretty explicitly sci-fi Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the MCU is mostly just its own thing. The first Iron Man, though, came before all that, and is simply a story about a man building a high-tech suit of armor. Pretty straightforward sci-fi stuff! When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) does away with the concept of secret identities and proudly announces to the assembled press (and by extension the world) that he is the superhero known as Iron Man, it sets the tone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to come.
27. "Klaatu barada nikto" (The Day the Earth Stood Still)
In this iconic '50s sci-fi film, an alien being known as Klaatu (Michael Rennie) arrives on Earth with a silent, hulking robot companion known as Gort. Klaatu has come in peace, for now, bearing a message to Earth as an envoy from the rest of space—but should something happen to him, Gort will retaliate. Only the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" can put a stop to his rampage, and when Klaatu is killed, the human woman who Klaatu had befriended rushes to the spaceship to try to put a stop to Gort's violence before it gets out of hand. "Klaatu barada nikto" is an incredible bit of alien phraseology; just the right amount of nonsense while also sounding somehow gravely important.
26. "I have a bad feeling about this" (Star Wars)
First uttered by Luke Skywalker as in Star Wars: A New Hope as the Millennium Falcon approaches the Death Star, the phrase "I have a bad feeling about this" (or some variation of it) has become a Star Wars tradition, as somebody has a bad feeling about something, and says as much in every single movie, whether it's a Force premonition or if they just sense bad vibes. (You might not hear the quote in English in The Last Jedi, but it's there, technically; the droid BB-8 bleeps it in binary during an opening battle.)
25. "Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!" (Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure)
The most beloved pair of slacker time-travelers, William "Bill" S. Preston, Esq., and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves), came up with this silly but beautifully earnest motto for life in this classic 1989 sci-fi comedy. The pair is destined to unite the world with their music (which is why they need to go back in history collecting important figures so they can pass a crucial high school final, naturally), and with vibes like "Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!" you can see why. "Four score and seven years ago" is now the second-best quote that Abraham Lincoln ever said.
24. "They should have sent a poet" (Contact)
Jodie Foster stars in this adaptation of the great Carl Sagan's novel of the same name, playing SETI scientist Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway, who finds evidence of extraterrestrial life. For most of the movie, Ellie's pretty analytic and pragmatic; it's only when she's sent into the depths of space to meet this alien life as a representative for Earth does the majesty of everything overwhelm her on a more fundamental level. As she looks at the beauty of space, she can't find the words to describe it.
23. "Watch the skies. Everywhere. Keep looking. Keep watching the skies!" (The Thing From Another World)
John Carpenter's remake of The Thing is correctly recognized as a sci-fi horror masterpiece, but the 1951 movie (which was the first adaptation of the 1938 novella Who Goes There?) is pretty great for what it is. A group of military men and scientists on an Arctic research base encounter a monstrous alien creature that soon proves to be violent. They manage to defeat the Thing, but the film ends with one of them making a warning on a radio broadcast that there are likely more out there, ominously imploring listeners to "keep watching the skies."
22. "Soylent Green is people!" (Soylent Green)
The reveal that Soylent Green—a go-to food product enjoyed by the residents of an overcrowded, dystopian version of New York City—is made out of people is one of those plot twists that people know even if they've only barely heard about the actual movie. And yet, despite being so well-known and more than a bit cheesy out of context, it's still tremendously effective to watch Charlton Heston's character realize the true horror of the conspiracy he's stumbled upon.
21. "They’re here already! You’re next!" (Invasion of the Body-Snatchers)
The 1956 movie Invasion of the Body-Snatchers is one of the greatest alien invasion movies ever made. Although it ultimately has a happy ending compared with the chilling bleakness of the 1979 remake, the penultimate scene is pretty harrowing. After Dr. Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) discovers that alien pod people are replacing all the residents of a California town, he rushes to the highway and attempts to alert anybody who will listen. His screamed warning that "They're here already! You're next" is delivered essentially to the camera, making the audience squirm in their seats.
20. "Where we’re going, we won’t need eyes to see" (Event Horizon)
It's not impossible, but it's certainly difficult to make a good horror movie that's also a sci-fi movie, as when you have your film set in some futuristic spaceship, it inherently strips away some of the relatability that makes the scariest horror movies so terrifying. The 1997 movie Event Horizon is a definite exception, following a team as they go to investigate a missing spacecraft that reappeared, only to discover there's a malicious presence aboard. Sam Neill's character falls prey to the haunted ship's malevolent influence, removing his own eyeballs and creepily telling his companions that, "Where we're going, we won't need eyes to see." It's a great line that manages to live up to both halves of the sci-fi horror subgenre; a chilling invitation to an upsetting future.
19. "Would you like to know more?" (Starship Troopers)
Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi action flick is not at all subtle in its themes, which makes it all the more baffling that so many viewers (and even critics) missed that it was a deeply cynical anti-war movie. Following Earth's invasion of a bug-like alien species' home planet, Starship Troopers has nothing good to say about militarism, imperialism, and propaganda—the last of which keeps coming up via a series of broadcasts about the conflict. These videos all end with the phrase "Would you like to know more?" offering the illusion of choice in a society where violence is ultimately the only option.
18. "I know kung fu" (The Matrix)
The Matrix, released in 1999, is a revolutionary piece of cyberpunk cinema and one of the greatest action movies ever made. Perhaps the most iconic quote (other than "Woah," which is incredible in context but maybe a bit too slight to include on a list of the greatest sci-fi quotes) is when Neo (Keanu Reeves) gets hooked up to Nebuchadnezzar's training programs and gets martial arts info instantly downloaded into his brain. Suddenly, as he states, he knows kung fu. In the scenes to come, he'll show off just how true that is.
17. "Where we’re going, we don’t need roads" (Back to the Future)
An essential part of science-fiction is the sense that the audience is being taken somewhere they've never been before—a wondrous place of the future that they could've only imagined. The closing moments of Back to the Future include a quote that's one of the purest distillations of this feeling, as Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) picks up Marty (Michael J. Fox) and Jennifer (Claudia Wells) in his DeLorean and sets up the sequel, revealing that the time-travelling car can fly now. In this instance, "we don't need roads" is literal, but it speaks to something so much bigger: unbridled possibilities.
16. "Welcome to Earth" (Independence Day)
The full text of President Thomas J. Whitmore's speech is too long to be considered a "quote," so instead here's Will Smith's Captain Steven Hiller punching an alien invader in the face after managing to take down its seemingly invulnerable spacecraft and saying "Welcome to Earth." (Except the way he pronounces it, it almost sounds like "Welcome to Earf.") Independence Day is a tremendously fun sci-fi movie, a while part of that is because of the epic stakes and incredible special effects, the charisma of the star-studded cast is essential too. Only an inherently charming and likable actor like Smith could elevate "Welcome to Earth" to iconic status.
15. "By Grabthar’s hammer, by the suns of Worvan, you shall be avenged" (Galaxy Quest)
Galaxy Quest, 1999's pitch-perfect (and ultimately loving) parody of Star Trek and the geeks who love it, sees a bunch of washed-up actors who used to star in a Trek-like TV show suddenly find themselves in outer space for real, where they're battling real aliens and there are real stakes. Alan Rickman's character, Alexander Dane, is a Shakespearian actor who has always been the most dismissive of the character he played, including his "By Grabtha's hammer" catchphrase. But when he sees how the phrase was a real inspiration to one of his newfound alien compatriots, the once nonsensical phrase acquires a true meaning.
14. "You maniacs! You blew it up!" (Planet of the Apes)
Planet of the Apes ends with one of the most famous plot twists in cinema history: the reveal that the simian world that astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) found himself stranded on was actually Earth all along. The ruined remains of the Statue of Liberty, evidence of the planet's original primate rulers' destructive war, confirms as much. There's really no other response than Heston's anguished, disparaging exclamation. (Another great Planet of the Apes quote? Heston telling the apes to take their stinking paws off him.)
13. "If it bleeds, we can kill it" (Predator)
This Arnold Schwarzenegger quote perfectly captures the vibe of one of the most gung-ho, "dudes rock" action sci-fi flicks ever made. A bunch of the most macho soldiers imaginable head to the jungle only to discover there's an even more deadly killer hunting them—an alien that can turn invisible and has high-tech weaponry. So what simple calculus does Schwarzenegger's Dutch make when formulating a plan of action? "If it bleeds, we can kill it." What else could these gun-toting slabs of beef need other than that?
12. "Fear is the mind-killer" (Dune)
Frank Herbert's seminal science-fiction novel Dune is full of memorable (and frequently trippy quotes), and Denis Villeneuve's shockingly great adaptation of what was thought to be essentially an understandable book preserved most of the best lines. "Fear is the mind-killer," part of a mantra that protagonist Paul Atredies (Timothée Chalamet) repeats to himself to steel his nerves, is perhaps the most metal of all these great quotes. It's certainly a cool thing to say to yourself when you're preparing to do anything even remotely frightening.
11. "I am Groot" (Guardians of the Galaxy)
Three words have never said so much as when Groot, a big walking tree who can talk (with a limited vocabulary), announces himself. As voiced by Vin Diesel (who famously recorded the dubbed versions of "I am Groot" in every language for international releases of the Marvel movie), Groot is a breakout character, and Diesel manages to put unique spins and implied meaning on each line delivery despite only saying the same phrase each time—except for during the first film's climax, when Groot sacrifices himself to save his friends, announcing "We are Groot."
10. "The needs of many outweigh the needs of the few" (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
One of Spock's final lines as he sacrifices himself to save the Enterprise is such a great quote that you'd be forgiven for thinking it's some ancient piece of wisdom rather than a soundbite from a Star Trek movie. It's a beautiful, in-character moment for Leonard Nimoy's Spock as well. He's a character defined by logic, and he's correct that sacrificing one person makes more sense than letting everybody on the ship die. And yet, at the same time, the choice Spock is making is one of instinct and love for his friends, especially William Shatner's Captain James T. Kirk.
9. "Game over, man! Game over!" (Aliens)
The Alien franchise is no stranger to great lines. The first movie's tagline, "In space, no one can hear you scream," isn't technically a quote, but it's a banger, and James Cameron's sequel has memorable exchanges, like Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley fiercely telling an alien queen to get away. The best, though, might be courtesy of Bill Paxton's Hudson, a space marine who talks a big game but is quick to panic when the Xenomorphs actually start attacking. "Game over, man! Game over!" is exactly what you say when you're out of your depth and throwing in the towel.
8. "No, I am your father" (Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back)
One of Star War's most iconic moments is constantly misquoted. Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) does not say "Luke, I am your father," but even though people tend to struggle to get the exact line right, there's no denying its impact. It's one of the most famous plot twists in cinema history for a reason, as these five words cut Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) far deeper than any lightsaber could—and that's saying something, considering that moments earlier Vader used his lightsaber to lop off Luke's hand.
7. I’ll be back (The Terminator)
The audio of Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his distinctive Austrian accent, cooly announcing "I'll be back" is so famous that you'd be forgiven for forgetting what circumstances lead him to say it in The Terminator. They're pretty good, as Schwarzenegger's cybernetic robot killer from the future utters them at a police station shortly before making good on his promise, returning by driving a car through the wall and then shooting everyone inside. "I'll be back" has become something of a tradition for successive Terminator movies, appearing in some variation in all of the sequels.
6. "E.T. phone home" (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial)
The titular alien doesn't do a ton of talking in Steven Spielberg's beloved alien story, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, but he makes his words count, whether that's a touching promise to Elliot that he'll be "right here," pointing to the young boy's heart as he bids farewell, or when he's announcing his plan to get in touch with the rest of his alien species. Like so many iconic quotes, "E.T. phone home" has taken on a somewhat meme-able life out of context; watching E.T. say it during the full movie is an earnestly moving and dramatic moment.
5. "Life finds a way" (Jurassic Park)
In just four words, Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) sums up the thesis of Jurassic Park, one of Steven Spielberg's most enjoyable blockbusters and a great tale of mankind's hubris. The scientists at Jurassic Park were so concerned with whether or not they could bring dinosaurs back to life that they didn't consider whether they should, and they assumed that they would be in control. That wasn't the case, as nature cannot be so contained and life—especially life as ferocious as dinosaurs—does indeed find a way.
4. "I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that" (2001: A Space Odyssey)
Perhaps the greatest and most influential science-fiction film ever made, Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey also features one of the most iconic A.I.s in all of cinema in the form of HAL 9000. The computer overseeing everything on a spaceship headed to Jupiter to investigate a strange monolith, HAL turns against the humans aboard the ship with the same cold, calculated calmness as everything else he does. The nonchalance of HAL's turn, as he refuses to comply with an order to open the pod bay doors, is perhaps the most chilling part.
3. "It’s alive!" (Frankenstein)
Though often considered to be more in the horror genre, Frankenstein is very much a sci-fi story, as it's about a scientist who uses science to bring a corpse back to life. (Indeed, Mary Shelley is sometimes considered the first science-fiction author because of her 1818 book.) In the 1931 Universal film adaptation, Colin Clive's Henry Frankenstein leans into the "madness" aspect of his mad scientist schtick when he becomes overwhelmed with his seemingly godlike power upon resurrecting the dead. The monster Frankenstein created may be scary, but this moment when science went too far is where the real horror is.
2. "Like tears in the rain" (Blade Runner)
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe," Rutger Hauer's Replicant character Roy Batty says in the sci-fi masterpiece Blade Runner as he prepares to accept his death. "Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die." The film gives no real context for anything Batty mentions; these are just incredible, literally out-of-this world things he's experienced. Despite being an artificial human, he's experienced a profoundly full life—and it's all coming to an end. The "Tears in the Rain" monologue is one of sci-fi's most moving.
1. May the Force be with you (Star Wars)
How many other sci-fi quotes are so famous that they can boast that they have a whole day named after them? But Star Wars' most iconic quote is a great one year-round, not just on May 4th. Placing eighth on AFI's list of the 100 greatest movie quotes of the century—the highest placement of any quote from a sci-fi movie—"May the Force be with you" is ultimately an optimistic phrase. It's a wish of hope and encouragement that rings as true here and now as it did a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
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