Every Jeff Goldblum Sci-Fi Movie, Ranked

Known for his eclectic personality off-screen, Jeff Goldblum has easily captivated audiences over the years within the sci-fi genre. His charm and abilities are evident. Whether he is playing a quirky scientist, a protector of Earth, a horrifying creature, or an alien himself, Jeff Goldblum has cemented himself as one of the most impressive actors to ever join the sci-fi genre. Taking on unique roles, Jeff Goldblum never fails to excite and intrigue audiences with his talent.

Though Jeff Goldblum is well-recognized and acclaimed, it goes without saying that even more recognition for his work in the sci-fi genre wouldn’t go unappreciated. However, his legacy still seems to be slightly under-appreciated, considering how many cult classics he finds himself playing a part in.

11 Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

From Rolan Emmerich, who also directed the hit disaster movieThe Day After Tomorrow (2004), Independence Day: Resurgence is a cash-grab and a feeble attempt at a sequel. The film claws its way towards making something as energetic and tense as the original Independence Day. The film takes place 20 years after the original alien invasion and the battle for Earth.

Like Independence Day, Independence Day: Resurgence tells the story of humanity’s fight against the same aliens who have come back for Earth yet again.

Even with Jeff Goldblum’s Skills, the Movie Lacks Substance

Reprising his role as David Levinson, Jeff Goldblum uses hybrid alien-human technology to fight against the Harvester Queen. Jeff Goldblum is accompanied by Liam Hemsworth, who plays Jake Morrison, a pilot for the Earth Space Defense.

Even with the expanded world and the interesting concept of hybrid extraterrestrial technology used against the same aliens that created it, Independence Day: Resurgence basically repeats the original plot of Independence Day, but without any of the stakes seen in the previous film.

The second installment also fails to have the same level of spectacle as the first film, as the CGI is just an improved version of what audiences and the characters have already seen before. With all this in mind, Jeff Goldblum still gives a decent performance with what has been given to him, albeit repetitive.

10 Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)

Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Jurassic World: Dominion is the final film in the Jurassic World trilogy. The film reprises the main cast of both the Jurassic Park trilogy and the Jurassic World trilogy as they work against Biosyn, which has been infiltrating and sabotaging the efforts made by activists and geneticists in controlling the dinosaur population after the volcanic eruption on Isla Nublar.

Jeff Goldblum’s Return Carries Jurassic World: Dominion

Though critically panned by critics for the film’s continuation of a franchise that is almost decidedly done, audiences still enjoyed the return and reunification of the original Jurassic Park cast.

With incredible appearances by, of course, Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcom, Sam Neill as Alan Grant, and Laura Dern as Ellie Sattler, Jurassic World: Dominion is still an admirable attempt at fan service and closure for the entire Jurassic Park and World franchise. The film’s attempts at originality with dinosaurs living alongside humans globally, is also an intriguing and exciting addition to the franchise.

9 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

One of the better iterations in the Jurassic World franchise, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom revisits Isla Nublar as Claire Dearing, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, and Owen Grady, played by Chris Pratt, make the effort to save the doomed dinosaurs from an approaching volcanic eruption.

Though the theme park has been demolished, there are still a number of dinosaurs stranded on the island with no chance of survival. However, things go south when Claire and Owen discover that some of the dinosaurs have evolved into far more dangerous breeds than ever before.

Again, Jeff Goldblum’s Cameo Brings Excitement to the Film

Jeff Goldblum makes a brief cameo as Ian Malcom during a U.S. Congress hearing. In this scene, Ian Malcom reiterates what he has been saying since the original ending of Jurassic Park, and he brings up the chaos that would arise from keeping these dangerous animals alive. Like all the other films in the franchise, the dinosaurs are kept alive once again.

Though it was exciting for fans of the original Jurassic Park trilogy, the cameo is far too brief for some viewers, especially since he is repeating the ideas he has had since the first film of the franchise. However, executive producer Steven Spielberg didn’t want the Jurassic World trilogy to be hyper-focused on the past and old characters. Regardless, the brief moment brought a lot of excitement to a film that ended up really needing it.

8 Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997)

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Jurassic Park: The Lost World is the sequel to the original Jurassic Park, and the film is based off of Michael Crichton’s second novel of the same name. Jurassic Park: The Lost World is arguably one of the better sequels in the entire franchise, with new stakes and offering the beginnings of the spiral genetic cloning has caused.

Without comparing the film to the first in the trilogy, The Lost World is able to stand well on its own, even if it is incomparable to Jurassic Park‘s level of originality and spectacle.

Jeff Goldblum Acts as a Voice of Reason

Jeff Goldblum reprises his role as Ian Malcom alongside Richard Attenborough as John Hammond. The two work in discouraging interference with the stranded dinosaurs on Isla Sorna. However, this mission is corrupted by Peter Ludlow and InGen, where they are already cloning the dinosaurs and planning a future theme park in order to prevent bankruptcy.

Traveling with other researchers, Ian Malcom successfully isolates the dinosaurs of Isla Sorna and helps create a nature reserve to isolate and protect the animals. Ian Malcom is just as insightful and thrilling to watch in The Lost World as he was in Jurassic Park, and it is interesting to see how his theories and ideologies have changed since the tragedy of the first park. Compared to the other films in the franchise, his big role in this film is refreshing, and it displays his wide range of acting abilities.

7 Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)

Directed by Julien Temple, Earth Girls Are Easy is an incredibly camp take on sci-fi and pop culture. Starring Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey, and Damon Wayans as the aliens that crash-land in Geena Davis’s pool, the film is one of the most fun sci-fi films to grace the genre. The furry alien trio come into Geena’s life just as she’s upset with her unfaithful husband.

The aliens Mac, Wiploc, and Zeebo realize their affections for the women of Earth, and they accordingly scour Los Angeles for companions, running into comedic trouble throughout. In the end, Geena Davis’s character, Valerie, realizes just one of the aliens is the one for her in this experimental musical/sci-fi/comedy film.

Eccentricity at Its Best, Jeff Goldblum Excels as an Alien

Playing the furry blue alien, Mac is an inquisitive and caring alien that Valerie falls in love with over the course of the film. Her previous fiancée, Ted, pales in comparison to the intrigue and excitement Mac adds to her life. Just like the persona he presents outside of film.

Jeff Goldblum’s natural ability to exude eccentricity and charisma is deeply apparent in the film. Working alongside other comedic masters, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans, Jeff Goldblum thrives in this overwhelmingly campy film.

6 Independence Day (1996)

Directed by Roland Emmerich, Independence Day is a classic doomsday, disaster sci-fi film that champions a pretty common trope of alien invasions. However, the level of craft and spectacle makes this film one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time. Being the underdogs, the humans have to band together as they fight the hivemind aliens that look to take over the Earth.

Jeff Goldblum Adds to the Spectacle

Winning the Academy Award for sound and visual effects, Independence Day proved to be a pinnacle of CGI during the era. Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith perfectly fit into their roles, and the believability of their acting with an immense amount of special effects adds to the authenticity and stakes of the film. Independence Day manages to juggle impressive moments of drama and depth, while also being a massive blockbuster spectacle and hit.

The film’s legacy also inspired a resurgence of a sci-fi film industry that was believed to be exhausted already in the ’80s.

5 Asteroid City (2023)

From Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, Asteroid City is a highly stylized, yet subtle exploration of the human fear of the unknown. Specifically, this is explored through the film taking place during the Cold War, and the beginnings of the Nuclear Age. This, and the sudden stress and fame that descends on a town that didn’t ask for an extraterrestrial alien to crash into their lives, opens up an incredibly introspective look into fear and the future.

Asteroid City Is Cerebral and Understated

In Asteroid City, it is revealed at the end of the film the alien that crashed into their town in the play version of their story. Jeff Goldblum plays the alien in this instance. Throughout Asteroid City, the film jumps between the “movie” version of the story, and the teleplay that was created after the event. Though he is unrecognizable, the moment cements the notion that fear cannot corrupt a human’s ability to connect and thrive, with the crowd chanting this idea as Jeff Goldblum’s alien portrayal walks through the crowd.

4 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984)

Directed by W. D. Richter, Buckaroo Banzai is an otherworldly and intensely weird addition to Jeff Goldblum’s career. It is equally loved as it is hated for its outlandish and complex plot, characters, and visuals. The film follows the multi-faceted scientist and musician Buckaroo Banzai, played by Peter Weller, as he travels through dimensions with his crew to fend off the Red Lectoid aliens from Planet 10.

Buckaroo Banzai Is Lovably Strange

The cavalier that travels with Buckaroo Banzai is an eclectic group, featuring Jeff Goldblum as New Jersey. He dons cowboy attire and travels with Buckaroo’s colleagues in what looks like a tour bus. His character is one of the tamer additions to the film, with the rest of it sometimes being borderline indecipherable. Despite this, the film’s strange and endearing take on sci-fi has a massive cult following.

3 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Based on the novel, Body Snatchers by Jack Finney, this adaptation of the book reveals a universe where aliens take up humans as hosts in order to sustain their dying population. As these impostors become more apparent, scientist Elizabeth Driscoll leads the effort in discovering what is happening to people she once knew, as they become apathetic and dull. With her allies, they fight off the growing alien population, as well as their own duplicates that seek to possess them fully.

Jeff Goldblum Thrives in the Role of Jack

Jeff Goldblum plays Jack Bellicec, the owner of Bellicec Mud Baths, where one of the first duplicates is spotted and reported. Later in the film, he sacrifices himself to distract the aliens, resulting in him becoming a lifeless duplicate. He stars among other film legends, including Donald Sutherland as Matthew Bennell, and Brooke Adams as Elizabeth Driscoll.

Directed by Philip Kaufman, the concept and visceral nature of the film has often landed Invasion of The Body Snatchers as one of the best sci-fi and horror films of all time.

2 The Fly (1986)

Created from the mind of David Cronenberg, The Fly is a classic, but completely subversive, take on the “science experiment gone wrong” trope in the sci-fi genre. The film follows Seth Brundle, a scientist whose teleportation device slowly turns him into an insect hybrid. Because a housefly accidentally inserted itself into Brundle’s machine, the scientist is now cursed with spiraling into an other-worldly state, frightening his girlfriend, played by Geena Davis.

Jeff Goldblum’s Most Unique Role

Jeff Goldblum expertly plays the role of Seth Brundle, and he depicts his hauntingly slow transformation into a man that is more fly and monster than human. His deterioration and transformation delves into pure horror, as his girlfriend, Ronnie, is subject to navigating a life with him as his violence and disgusting nature grows until he fully transforms into a fly.

The Fly is still one of the most praised sci-fi body horror films of all time, with its horrific story and convincing special effects to build onto that.

1 Jurassic Park (1993)

Directed by the masterful Steven Spielberg, Jurassic Park is a thrilling adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel of the same name published in 1990. The film version based on the #1 New York Times Bestseller was released soon after to critical acclaim in 1993. The original film is still one of the top box office films of all time, and Jurassic Park‘s innovative take on sci-fi has made it a staple of the genre and of film itself, with its use of practical effects blended with revolutionary CGI.

An Iconographic Film

Alongside stars like Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Richard Attenborough, Jeff Goldblum plays the offbeat mathematician, Dr. Ian Malcom. His character often adds what most viewers feel towards the idea of genetic replication.

Throughout the film, he reminds the awe-struck scientists that this could easily result in chaos, hence his “chaos” theory. Jeff Goldblum’s career, despite its vastness, is often attributed to this film, where he does an incredible job diving into the occasionally eccentric Dr. Ian Malcom as he fights for his and his colleagues’ survival.