One of Bruce Willis’s most prominent performances and a box office record-breaker at the time of its release, The Fifth Element is a very unusual sci-fi movie, which possesses the epic nature of Star Wars and the humor of French movies. In other words, it is a classic for many years to come and an outstanding creation of Luc Besson’s imagination.
One of the reasons why The Fifth Element is still so beloved is that it is quite unique in its genre and it’s difficult to find something with the same spirit. Fortunately, there are still some very good sci-fi comedy examples to check out after watching this 1990s classic.
Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets – Available On DirecTV And Syfy – (2017)
Another one of Besson’s creations, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets has often been compared to its predecessor. Although this movie is not as exciting or funny as The Fifth Element, it can still be a great watch thanks to its visual beauty, exciting action sequences, and an abundance of jokes.
Based on a French sci-fi comics series, it follows Valerian and Laureline, two special operatives, who are tasked to find out what exactly is threatening the metropolis Alpha and prevent the city from being overtaken by this evil.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy – Available On DirecTV, Max Go, And Cinemax – (2005)
Starring Martin Freeman and Zooey Deschanel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is an often overlooked sci-fi comedy because of its status as a somewhat failed adaptation. Nevertheless, its stellar cast and a variety of truly funny jokes elevate the movie and make it an enjoyable watch.
The story follows Arthur Dent, a regular person who is unexpectedly saved by his friend, who explains to Arthur that Earth is about to be demolished by an alien construction company.
Spaceballs – Available On AMC+, BBC America, And Sling TV – (1987)
One of Mel Brooks’ many iconic parodies, Spaceballs is a movie that will be enjoyed both by sci-fi fans and by satire and parody admirers. In essence, it is a parody on such franchises as Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Planet of the Apes.
The story itself largely resembles that of Star Wars: A New Hope. The mercenary Lone Starr and his half-man, half-dog sidekick, Barf, are offered a reward for rescuing Princess Vespa from the clutches of the evil Dark Helmet.
Megamind – Available To Buy From Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, And YouTube – (2010)
Though not set in space, Megamind has the kind of humor that other sci-fi comedies do not possess. In a way, it is even similar to Spaceballs in that it makes fun of its genre (though not as openly as Brooks’ parody). Megamind is more subtle in its ways and even takes the villain as its protagonist.
The main hero is the so-called Megamind, an alien with a big head and blue skin, who was sent to Earth by his parents in an attempt to save him from their dying planet. Another alien called Metro Man lives in the same city as Megamind and was sent to Earth in similar circumstances. However, while Megamind grew up in the prison and became a villain, Metro Man grew up in a wealthy family and became the superhero fighting Megamind.
Men In Black – Available On DirecTV, FuboTV, And Starz – (1997)
Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, Men in Black is another sci-fi comedy classic from the 1990s, which also has lots of action that makes the spectacle even more exciting. In addition to that, the movie has two sequels and a recent spin-off as well as an animated series and an original set of comics it is based on.
The story follows an undercover NYPD detective, who finds out about the existence of aliens. He also finds out about a special organization called Men in Black that makes sure nobody becomes aware of the aliens’ presence on Earth and beyond.
Ghostbusters – Available On AMC+, DirecTV, And FuboTV – (1984)
The supernatural comedy Ghostbusters is somewhere on the intersection of sci-fi and fantasy, but its comedic elements take lead. With its massive success and influence on pop culture, it is easy to see how it became such a huge multimedia franchise. In fact, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is set to be released this year.
Set in New York City, it follows a group of parapsychologists, who decide to open a business that specializes in capturing ghosts while a much bigger unexpected threat looms over the world.
Thor: Ragnarok – Available On Disney+ And DirecTV – (2017)
Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok completely reimagined the character of Thor. With its bright colors, energetic soundtrack, and hilarious jokes, it became a fan favorite MCU installment immediately, while making Thor even a more popular character.
Two years after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor returns to Asgard to discover that his brother, Loki, has been posing as their father Odin. After Odin’s death, their unexpected sister, Hela, appears and the two brothers find themselves trying to save their home from their own sister.
Deadpool – Available on Hulu and DirecTV – (2016)
Arguably one of Ryan Reynolds’s best roles, Deadpool had taken the world by storm back in 2016 becoming a true cultural phenomenon. Like Megamind, Deadpool makes fun of the superhero genre, but it directly breaks the fourth wall when doing this and also makes fun of other things along the way. Of course, neither of the two are space comedies, but both are amazing sci-fi comedies.
The eighth installment in the X-Men franchise, it follows the mercenary, Wade Wilson, who enters an experiment that gives him superhuman abilities. Now under the alias of Deadpool, he seeks out the person responsible for his new appearance and powers.
Guardians Of The Galaxy – Available On Disney+ – (2014)
Another installment from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy has the kind of weird but relatable humor of Thor: Ragnarok while being set in space like The Fifth Element.
The story follows Peter Quill, a space smuggler who steals a mysterious orb and becomes involved in a complicated situation when he realizes multiple parties are also going after the artifact. Eventually, Quill starts working alongside his fellow teammates and friends, now known as the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’
Back To The Future – Available On Prime Video And AMC+ – (1985)
Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future and its two sequels make up one of the most iconic trilogies in history, while also being one of the most well-known sci-fi comedies of all time.
Set in 1985, it follows the teenager Marty McFly and his scientist friend, Doc, who have designed a time machine. After tragedy strikes, Marty ends up traveling back to 1955 to warn the Doc about future events. However, he soon finds that he has to make his parents fall in love again after he accidentally messes with the timeline. If he doesn’t succeed, then this could lead to a very different future.
