#1 – THE FLY
The ultimate body horror monstrosity, Jeff Goldblum’s Brundlefly is both a sympathetic monster and a terrifying cautionary tale for science gone awry. His descent from human being to insect is harrowing, gross, and above all awesome movie magic. The special effects in THE FLY are top notch and as the film celebrates it’s 30th anniversary, it gets another accolade by being our top pick on this list.
#2 – JURASSIC PARK
Most people forget that dinosaurs are monsters from the real world rather than supernatural creations of a writer’s imagination. Steven Spielberg’s immortal blockbuster brought the giant beasts back to life in a way never seen on screen before and the results are timeless. They are also the results of genetic experimentation, which means they deserve a lofty spot on this list.
#3 – SPECIES
Like SPLICE, SPECIES features a very sexy monster. But, in this film, it is the awesomely hot Natasha Henstridge who is topless through a good amount of the movie. Hell, even the H.R. Giger designed creature has a killer rack. It is very uncomfortable finding a monster sexy and scary at the same time, but somehow they did it with Sil.
#4 – DEEP BLUE SEA
Before SHARKNADO, there was DEEP BLUE SEA. Taking the terror brought to movie screens by JAWS and adding enhanced brain function and the ability to swim backwards and you get the sheer monstrosities in this movie. Sharks were terrifying enough and now they can eat Samuel L. Jackson without warning? That is just not okay.
#5 – Stranger Things
While there is a lot we don’t know about the Demogorgon or how Eleven came to get her powers, there was clearly the use of hallucinogenic drugs and experimentation at play. Hopefully season two of the series will delve into more of The Upside Down and maybe we will see more monsters. For now, these creations deserve a spot on this list.
#6 – MIMIC
Guillermo Del Toro’s scifi horror film has the filmmaker’s trademark creature designs but what really sells these humanoid bugs is when they keep to the shadows. MIMIC never got quite the exposure it deserved but lives on as a cult favorite. I still cannot unsee that creepy ass creature looking like an old man on the subway.
#7 – SPLICE
While some found this film a bit underwhelming, there is no questioning the creepy nature of Dren. Played by Delphine Chanéac, Dren is at once very sexual and oddly uncomfortable to look at. As Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley continue their experiments, Dren begins to evolve and that is not good for anyone. The results are one of the creepiest genetic creations on film.
#8 – RESIDENT EVIL
In traditional zombie films, the undead are the result of exposure to a toxin, disease, or alien pathogen. In the RESIDENT EVIL films, they are the result of the Umbrella Corporation experimenting on living subjects. As the films progressively get more insane, so do the monsters. The Nemesis zombie is one evil son of a bitch and is a highlight of what happens when you mix science and zombies.
#9 – BLADE RUNNER
Yeah, Replicants may not be wholly human but they are also not wholly machine. The mix of living and technological blurs the line of what humanity means in a similar way as EX MACHINA. The difference in Ridley Scott’s iconic film is that we are left questioning whether Harrison Ford’s Deckard is himself human or machine. The themes of slavery and independence through this film also further warrant the question as to who the true monsters are.
#10 – EX MACHINA
Last year’s indie hit starred Alicia Vikander as an artificially intelligent robot. While you may not consider this genetic engineering in the traditional sense, I am willing to argue that the imitation of life to a degree where murder and insanity come into play is as altered a state as you could possibly get to. The real question in this film is whether the real monster is the creation or the creator.
