The Most Criminally Underrated '90s Sci-Fi Movie Is Now On Disney+
Decades before Kathryn Bigelow’s explosive A House of Dynamite (2025) caused a stir on Netflix or James Cameron’s Avatar (2009) broke box-office records, the pair collaborated on one of the most underrated ‘90s sci-fi movies. The film is also one of the divisive sci-fi movies out there, flopping at the box office and earning a mix of prestigious awards and scathing reviews. Now, you too can watch the underrated, polarizing film Strange Days (1995) on Disney+ since it arrived on June 11, 2026.
What Is ‘Strange Days’ About?
Strange Days takes place in Los Angeles in 1999, where the black market is booming with a new technology known as the SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device). The recording device not only captures memories but also sensations, allowing people to truly relive others' memories.
Former cop Lenny Niro (Ralph Fiennes) makes a living selling SQUID recordings on the black market, but finds himself pulled into a murder mystery when one SQUID device captures the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend’s friend, Iris (Brigitte Bako). Recruiting the help of his best friend, Mace (Angela Bassett), Lenny sets out to solve the murder and stumbles into a conspiracy within the LADP.
Why ‘Strange Days’ Is One of the Most Underrated Sci-Fi Films of the ‘90s
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by James Cameron, with the acting prowess of Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett, Strange Days had quite a bit of talent behind it. Yet, it failed massively at the box office, grossing just $17 million against a whopping $42 million budget. The problem was that Strange Days was way ahead of its time and didn’t resonate with the ‘90s audience.
Strange Days is a lot more than a sci-fi murder mystery thriller. The real-life Los Angeles riots, which occurred after the police assault of Rodney King, inspired the movie’s tense atmosphere and unrest. The film delves deep into serious themes of racism, sexual assault, and police brutality at a time when police brutality had only just been broached as mainstream conversation and certainly hadn’t exploded as it would in the 2010s. Similarly, Strange Days probes the concept of voyeurism years before it became common to encroach on and trespass into the private lives and memories of others through the desensitized recording and posting of videos on social media.
It’s not that the problems Strange Days probes didn’t exist at the time of its release, but just that audiences may have been less open to acknowledging them. Additionally, Strange Days was a little too dark for ‘90s audiences, and even for some modern audiences. The film contains some shockingly brutal depictions of assault and violence that may feel exploitative or gratuitous to audiences. Between the mature material and the fact that it was years ahead of its time in its thought-provoking themes and concepts, it’s not so surprising that Strange Days struggled at the box office and slowly faded from mainstream conversation thereafter.
Why To Watch ‘Strange Days’ on Disney+
Strange Days’ gritty premise and mature subject matter aren’t appropriate for everyone. However, if you’re open to a gritty, cyberpunk sci-fi thriller, Strange Days is a must-see. It paints an intriguing portrait of an alternate 1999 Los Angeles, juxtaposing the epitome of voyeuristic technology against societal unrest. Its protagonist, Lenny, is perfectly jaded and stuck in the past to portray the reluctant hero, while Bassett proves she’s an epic action star as the powerhouse Mace.
However, what will stand out most to modern audiences rediscovering Strange Days on Disney+ is how eerily it seemed to predict the future. The voyeuristic and racial themes have never been more relevant than now, when it’s not uncommon for people to stand and record tragedies rather than step in to help, and when national race relations remain precarious. Strange Days is gritty, thrilling, and entrancing in its depiction of dystopian Los Angeles and its tackling of timely themes. If you love the cyberpunk and neo-noir aesthetic of Blade Runner (1982), you’ll find a similar vibe in Strange Days, while the haunting premise parallels those of Brainstorm (1983) and The Thirteenth Floor (1993).
