Top 85 Robot Movies
With Terminator Salvation currently in theaters, I thought it would be a good idea to crank out a list of the Top 85 Robot Movies for our readers to enjoy. Some of the categories are an acquired taste (especially the Bad Robot Movies), but all of these top 85 robot movies are sure to get a reaction from you. When you’re done with the list, be sure and check out my review of Terminator Salvation, as well.
Scary Robot Movies
While most horror movies involve Asian ghosts or crazed slashers, a handful are also made up of scary robot movies. Here are a few of the best.
1. Hardware – A military killer robot is pulled from the scrap heap and presented to a sculptor as a present. Too bad the droid has the ability to self-repair.
2. Death Machine – A robot known as the Warbeast is on the loose, and a few of its potential victims are Brad Dourif and a young Rachel Weisz (in her first movie role).
3. Screamers – Peter Weller takes on military killing machines fond of exploding out of the ground and cutting their victims in half. And beware of the models which use a stuffed teddy bear as a disguise (not joking).
4. Alien – Sigourney Weaver and her shipmates pick up a lethal alien during their trip into space. A lethal android is also around to make things more complicated. The first and best of the series.
5. Deadly Friend – Kristy Swanson meets a violent end, but her neighbor fixes her up with a computer chip and brings her back to life. Unfortunately, she’s crazy as hell at this point.
6. The Stepford Wives (1975) – Beautiful housewives are being replaced by something more “agreeable” to the local male population. See the original, NOT the remake.
Action-Packed Robot Movies
Some robot movies emphasize horror or sci-fi elements, but the following works qualify as action-packed robot movies. You can bet that plenty of shootouts and explosions will take place in the films listed below.
7. Eve of Destruction – Gregory Hines must use guns instead of tap shoes to subdue a rampaging female robot.
8. Virtuosity – Russell Crowe is a computer program made up of some of the most evil men in history. When he enters into the real world, it’s up to tough cop Denzel Washington to stop him.
9. Solo – Mario Van Peebles is a military android who develops a sense of compassion. This doesn’t sit well with his bosses, as you might imagine.
10. Alien: Resurrection – Sigourney Weaver is back once again, and this time she’s got to contend with both the xenomorphs and a cyborg sent to assassinate her.
11. Small Soldiers – Tiny action figures get hooked up with computer chips and start a real war against one another.
12. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The upcoming sequel to the hit film Transformers, which features the Autobots against the Decepticons…plus the stunning Megan Fox.
13. X-Men 3 – The gignatic mutant-killing robots known as the Sentinels make a cameo in battle against Wolverine and company.
14. Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla – Godzilla faces off against a robotic version of himself. Blu Oyster Cult must’ve been proud.
Funny Robot Movies
Besides scaring the hell out of us or firing off thousands of rounds of ammo, robots can also tickle our funny bones. Just take a look at this list of funny robot movies.
15. The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy – Earth is destroyed in order to make way for a hyperspace expressway, and the surviving Arthur Dent embarks on numerous galactic adventures.
16. Robots – This CGI-animated comedy takes place in a future when humans are extinct and robots rule the Earth.
17. Sleeper – Woody Allen stars as the owner of a health food store who is cryogenically frozen against his will and winds up in the 22nd-century.
18. Heartbeeps – Two robots fall in love and decide to make their own way in the world. Stars Andy Kaufman, Randy Quaid and Bernadetta Peters.
19. Short Circuit – It doesn’t get much more adorable than Johnny-5, the humorous robot featured in this film.
20. Making Mr. Right – John Malkovich plays an android who falls in love with a PR expert (Ann Magnuson).
21. Spaceballs – Mel Brooks spoofs Star Wars. Dox Matrix (voiced by Joan Rivers) stands in for C3PO.
22. Spaced Invaders – When a group of Martians hear Orson Wells’ War of the Worlds, they mistake it for the real thing and launch an inept invasion of Earth.
23. Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey – At one point in this sequel, Bill and Ted are replaced with evil robot doubles. And don’t miss their showdown with Death, featuring such games as Battleship and Twister.
24. Toys – Robin Williams plays a gentle toymaker in this visually unique film from director Barry Levinson.
25. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me – Mike Myers’ dentally challenged British spy must take on Dr. Evil, Mini-Me, and a number of lethal fembots.
26. Meet the Robinsons – A young inventor seeks to find his true family, and this sets off a wild time traveling adventure. Another computer-animatedhit from Walt Disney.
27. WALL-E – The adventures of an adorable robot named WALL-E. A film which kids and adults alike can enjoy.
28. Dark Star – This early John Carpenter film takes an irreverant look at the future.
29. Weird Science – A pair of nerds decide to create the perfect woman. They succeed, but she would later go on to marry Steven Seagal.
30. Edward Scissorhands – Johnny Depp stars as an artifical being created by a kindly old scientist. When his creator dies, the sensitive creation must journey out into the world on his own. Directed by Tim Burton.
31. Lost in Space – The classic television show is adapted to the big screen. Stars Gary Oldman, William Hurt, Mimi Rogers and Matt LeBlanc.
Classic Robot Movies
These classic robot movies are oldies but surely goodies. Plus, you can buy most of these for next to nothing on Ebay or Amazon.
32. Metropolis – This Fritz Lang classic features Brigitte Helm as both a worker and her robotic double. Focuses on the stuggle between the classes.
33. The Day the Earth Stood Still – An alien arrives on Earth to inform the population that their violent ways are slowly dooming the human race.
34. Forbidden Planet – Inspired by The Tempest, this film features the first appearance of Robby the Robot. Leslie Nielsen co-stars.
35. Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet – After landing on Venus, an American crew must battle off various plants and monsters.
36. Devil Girl from Mars – A leather-clad women from Mars arrives on Earth and goes on a lethal, yet sexy, killing spree.
37. Alphaville – An unusual sci-fi film from France, the film features no real special effects. The film’s hero seeks to destroy Alpha 60, the intelligent computer which runs the entire city of Alphaville.
38. Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine – A spoof of spy films, this movie features Vincent Price as a mad scientist who builds an army of female robots to seduce and rob wealthy men.
39. Dr. Who and the Daleks – Peter Cushing portrays the time traveling hero Dr. Who. In this film, he takes on the evil Daleks, radiation-scarred men who long ago encased themselves in protective machinery.
Sci-Fi Robot Movies
Sci-fi robot movies are the most common type to feature futuristic androids, cyborgs and artificial intelligence. Some of the those listed below rank as the most famous films ever made.
40. The Terminator – Arnold plays a cyborg who travels through time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton).
41. Terminator Salvation – Set in the future, John Connor (Christian Bale) must lead the human resistance against the machines.
42. THX 1138 – Directed by George Lucas, this film tells the story of life in a totalitarian state where emotions are violentally supressed.
43. Silent Running – In the future, all plant life on Earth has died, but a few are still preserved in a greenhouse orbiting the planet. When the order comes to destroy them, it’s up to one botanist (Bruce Dern) to save the day.
44. Westworld – Everything’s great in this theme park featuring lifelike robots, until they malfunction and start to kill the customers.
45. Star Trek: The Motion Picture – A destructive cloud is headed for Earth, and it’s up to Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise to save the day.
46. The Iron Giant – A heartwarming story of the friendship which develops between a giant robot from space and a lonely boy.
47. Blade Runner – The classic sci-fi film starring Harrison Ford. He plays Dekker, a man who specializes in tracking down and killing out-of-control robots (known as “Replicants”).
48. Red Planet – Val Kilmer plays an astronaut who must undertake a mission to Mars. As you can imagine, things become a complete mess and plenty of people die.
49. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow – Set in an alternate version of 1939, the heroic Sky Captain must thwart the evil schemes of Dr. Totenkopf.
50. Returner – A young woman travels through time to save the human race, winding up in the past and teaming with a crime figure. Great Japanese action.
51. Star Wars – The beginning of a franchise. Meet Luke, Leia, Han, and all the rest. Too bad the second series of films couldn’t have been like this.
52. The Empire Strikes Back – The darkest film of the original trilogy. Boba Fett debuts, and Luke gets to have his showdown with the man who “killed” his father.
53. Return of the Jedi – The final fate of Vader is revealed, plus we’ll finally get to see if Han is able to hook up with Leia.
54. The Matrix – Keanu Reeves learns that everything around him is simply a computer program. Teaming up with the resistance, he takes on the evil machines who are manipulating mankind.
55. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines – Arnold is back for the third time, and he’s protecting John Connor and his future wife from the impending doomsday.
56. I, Robot – Will Smith must battle out-of-control robots in the future. A surprisingly fun experience.
57. Zathura – Much like Jumanji; in fact, it was written by the same author.
58. Aliens – Sigourney Weaver is back to once again take on the xenomorph menace. This time, she’s joined by a squad of space marines (including Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn).
59. The Black Hole – Returning from a mission in space, our heroes discover a black hole and a lost ship. The best character in this one is the killer robot known as Maximillian.
60. Bicentennial Man – Robin Williams as a robot who slowly develops into a fully-functioning human being.
61. Terminator 2: Judgment Day – This time around, Arnold plays a good robot, while Robert Patrick plays his shapeshifting nemesis.
62. Transformers – Megan Fox and Shia LeBouf team up with the heroic Autobots to foil the villainous Deceptacons.
63. RoboCop – After being shot down in the line of duty, a police officer is brought back as a robotic peacekeeper.
64. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence – Steve Spielberg’s depressing film about an android boy who never grows old. Jude Law also makes an appearance as an android gigolo.
65. Casshern – Wild Japanese film about a superhero fighting the forces of evil. Beautiful colors in this one, and an excellent scene pitting our hero against a hoard of killer robots.
66. Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones – Anakin is now a Jedi apprentice, and his love with Padme begins to bloom. Jango Fett also makes his badass debut.
67. Android – A scientist (Klaus Kinski) and his android assistant try to create a female android while in orbit above the Earth.
68. Batteries Not Included – Tiny alien machines come to Earth and help the residents of an apartment block scheduled for property development.
69. Logan’s Run – In the future, everyone must be executed when they reach a certain age.
70. 2001: A Space Odyssey – First there’s a computer gone rogue, and then there’s a mind-bending trip through time and space. Classic Kubrick.
71. D.A.R.Y.L. – A government-created robot (in the form of an adorable little boy) is set free into the world and must try to avoid being recaptured.
72. Total Recall – Schwarzenegger thinks he’s a spy, but is it all just in his head? Great cast and lots of bloody shootouts.
73. Star Trek: First Contact – The Borg travel back in time to try and prevent Earth from making first contact with aliens.
74. Cyborg – Jean-Claude Van Damme must protect a cyborg who may have the key to saving our dying planet.
Bad Robot Movies
If you love trashy cinema, then you may want to check out these bad robot movies. They’re so bad that they’re almost good..well, except for Pluto Nash.
75. Runaway – When a robot malfunctions and becomes dangerous, give Tom Selleck a call. In this film, he’s forced to take on the villainous Gene Simmons, who strangely neglects to spit fire or blood from his mouth.
76. Robot Monster – The villainous Ro-Man has killed all but eight members of the human race. By the way, out villain has a skull for a head and the body of a giant gorilla. A favorite among fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
77. The Adventures of Pluto Nash – Eddie Murphy stars in one of the biggest box office failures in history. I still liked it better than Harlem Nights, however.
78. Star Trek Nemesis – The film which ensured the cast of The Next Generation would never again be allowed on the big screen.
79. The Matrix Revolutions – This trilogy went downhill fast, culminating in this bloated crapfest.
80. Space Truckers – Dennis Hopper plays a space trucker. That should be all you really need to hear.
81. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians – Santa and two kids are abducted and taken to Mars. There’s even a Martian who starts acting like Santa, which is really disturbing.
82. Saturn 3 – Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett just want to get their freak on in space, but crazy-ass Harvey Keitel keeps messing things up.
83. Cherry 2000 – Melanie Griffith as a bounty hunter in the future.
84. Judge Dredd – Stallone plays Judge Dredd, but he manages to spend most the the film with his helmet off. Rob Schneider also appears as his sidekick, thus ensuring this one will completely blow.
85. Wild Wild West – Kevin Kline and Will Smith team up in the wicky-wicky wild west. If Robert Conrad were dead, he’d be rolling over in his grave.
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 at 10:49 pm and is filed under Movie Megalists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
109 Responses to “Top 85 Robot Movies”
@ Marry D if no one replied to your text your movie is Cherry 2000 (1987)
I was impressed as a kid by the movie “TOBOR” which of course is robot spelled backwards
I’m sure someone must have given themselves a pat on the back for that clever title.
Please read Asimov for most of these plots.
Dec 30, 2012
Hi I am looking for a ro robot movie that was made in the 19 something it’s when this robot is made for the army and the robot is alive and runs away form the base and finds this girl how thinks the robot is an alien and that’s all I can remember hope you can find it for me thank you.
I think the one I’m trying to find is from the 80’s. I believe the woman was a writer and took a human looking robot for a companion on her vacation. There was a way to make him more romantic, which she did. Anyway he got real possesive of her and imprisoned her. She kept trying to kill him but he was like terminator. He was programmed to protect so he wouldn’t hurt her. It got pretty intense. Can’t remember how it ended, but I would like to see it again.
@Mirsch
I know… years too late, but that movie is Moontrap (1989). It has the football head and the saw scene.
hi tere is this one robot movie, where it comes from space and this little boy finds it and he can stand up inside it, kind of like a suit but the robot itself functions on its own, cant remember what its called now.im guessing from the 90s
John
One I did not see on the list was “Vindicator (1986)” This movie was better then some of the others on the list IMO.