5 Terrible Sci-Fi Movies On Syfy That You Absolutely Have To Watch

Syfy is home to some pretty fun content. Often one to capitalize on popular concepts, zombie fans may know the network for "Z Nation," arguably its response to AMC's "The Walking Dead." It's also home to the "Battlestar Galactica" series, easily one of the best science fiction shows of all time. If you give the channel a perusal, it has some amazingly underrated projects.

However, Syfy is also home to some pretty bad made-for-TV movies. Think of it as the Lifetime for sci-fi. Some of its offerings, like the "Sharknado" franchise, have a lasting impact on popular culture, whereas others are entirely awful. Of course, there is a range, and some of the channel's worst offerings are still worth a watch, even if it's just because of the leading actor or an interesting premise.

If you are willing to give some truly bad films a chance, these are the ones to prioritize from Syfy. They include cryptid creatures, strange hybrids, legendary horror stars, and B-list imitations. The CGI is questionable, the plots outlandish, and the acting isn't always the best, but these are some terrible movies you absolutely need to see at least once.

Alien movies are a staple in science fiction, so it should be no surprise that Syfy has a few projects featuring extraterrestrials. The one that falls into "it's so bad you have to watch it" territory is "Alien Apocalypse" from 2005. Bruce Campbell stars as an astronaut kidnapped and forced into a labor camp by oversized termites.

However, this isn't actually happening entirely in space — the aliens have been on Earth for two decades, so Campbell's Dr. Ivan Hood and his team are taken the minute they finish their 40 year mission. What ensues is him trying to determine if the president is alive, and if he can take back the country (and maybe planet?). It's outlandish and bizarre, but it's a welcome change from an alien invasion that aims to kill all the humans. And, watching the actor punch termites in the face is a good time. Think of it as a discount "District 9."

For Campbell fans, "Alien Apocalypse" is absolutely worth a watch, even if he's the best part. Reddit user Weak_Radish966 writes that it's "a fun, dumb movie with a perfect hammy performance by [Bruce Campbell]," while Letterboxd user VINsanity714 says that the "saving grace" of the film is "the always entertaining Bruce Campbell and his classic one line gems." Those one liners include great zingers like, "Your stupidity is terminal. And now you're cured."

When the Olympics come to an end, you may want thematic fictional viewing to keep the spirit of the game alive. For the Winter Olympics, that might include the 1978 romantic drama "Ice Castles" or the 1993 comedy "Cool Runnings." However, for the horror and science fiction fans, Syfy's "Ice Spiders" should be on the watch list. Teen skiers training for the Olympic trials end up in a nightmare in the Utah mountains after mutated spiders escape a lab and start killing people.

They're mutated black widows, which means they're deadly. Despite their development being tampered with, causing their growth to go unchecked, there are still ways to kill them. The teens and their coach make a run for it, while a retired Olympic skier tries to help the flabbergasted scientist. It's a wild movie from start to finish, including explosions, bus crashes, a government coverup, and web cocoons everywhere.

"Ice Spiders" might have the worst CGI of the options on this list, and while those effects can make it hard to take seriously, it is fun to watch the spiders and people duke it out. You can't go wrong with huge spiders attacking. "This movie entertains the hell out of me and as someone who has arachnophobia this movie really works for me," Letterboxd user Wyatt Fortin wrote in a review of the film.

Fans of "The Fly" need to watch "Mansquito," also known as "Mosquito Man," which takes a similar premise and turns an inmate into the titular creature after he's bitten by irradiated insects. One scientist wants to cure a disease and is using radiation in an effort to develop a treatment, but instead, it causes someone bit by the bugs to develop mosquito-like attributes.

Yes, the plot is very similar to "The Fly," but there's no teleportation to worry about. Mosquitos are cooler insects, and the transformation in "Mansquito" isn't quite as graphic as "The Fly." There's a notably lighter tone, despite the idea of scientists testing treatments on criminals, but the story does boil down to the Mansquito wanting to mate with the scientist, since she is the Womansquito, also undergoing the transformation. It's all just absurd enough that you can't help but watch.

"Mansquito" falls into the "it's so bad it's good" category of movies on Syfy. The effects aren't too bad, and the derivative nature makes it just campy enough, since it came out two decades later. "Do not expect art or logic from this film. What matters is the action. And it's not bad," Reddit user Mgellis posted in the r/horror subreddit.

Cryptozoology is a great source for horror and sci-fi content. There are plenty of movies about Bigfoot, Mothman, and even the Chupacabra — we're looking at you, "Chupacabra: Dark Seas" — but in "Mongolian Death Worm," Syfy took inspiration from the titular cryptid. When an American drilling company begins extracting oil in the Gobi desert of Mongolia, it instead comes face to face with the Mongolian Death Worm. Workers are dying, there's a disease hurting people, and there are signs that the worms might be connected to Genghis Khan's tomb.

Yes, you read that right — oil drilling, disease outbreaks, and the tomb of the original leader of the Mongols are all part of the plot of "Mongolian Death Worm." What results is a combination of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Tremors," with a dash of "I Am Legend." That sounds like a lot, and it is, but that's part of the fun. You never know where the story is headed, which makes for a wild ride.

Is the CGI of the titular worm the best? No, but that's okay. It adds to the campy vibe "Mongolian Death Worm" has. Letterboxd user maceyrobinson calls it "the funniest movie [I've] ever watched," even going so far as to add that "the [CGI] is soooo peak." If you like "Tremors," it's worth the watch, so long as you know what you're in for.

When you think of Syfy original content, the "Sharknado" saga probably comes to mind. It's the ultimate B-movie shark franchise, but it isn't the only awesome shark project from the network. If sharks and extreme weather aren't your thing, you should watch "Sharktopus," a film following a genetically engineered octopus-shark hybrid that goes on a rampage in Mexico.

The military is trying to create a new weapon, which is how the sharktopus comes to fruition. However, much like blockbusters such as "Jurassic World," they don't actually have control over the creature, causing the aquatic monster to discard all orders and instead terrorize tourists. Who knew trying to use electromagnetic pulses to control an apex predator could go so wrong?

"It was awful, but at least it knew that it was awful, which made it entertaining at times," Reddit user IAmWeary wrote. This is a common sentiment about the film, and a project that doesn't take itself too seriously is always a good thing. However, what helps it stand out from the other Syfy original shark movies is its lead actor, Eric Roberts, known for his work in "The Dark Knight" and "The Expendables." Many watch the flick just for him, with a deleted Reddit user claiming that "anything with Eric Roberts in it is worth a watch."