The 10 Best Killer Robot Horror Movies Of All Time

While many movie fans associate The Terminator franchise as a whole with stellar action, sadistic science fiction, and frantically fun times in the theater, it is easy to forget that the film originate as a true-blue horror sci-fi thriller that was as pulse-pounding as it was bone-chilling. Arnold Schwarzenegger portraying an assassin sent back in time by supercomputers to kill Sarah Connor was menacing, terrifying, and as great a performance as Schwarzenegger has ever given. The Terminator is one of the greatest horror movies of all time, that never gets talked about in great horror movie discussions.

Virus has everything a horror fan could ever dream of. Aliens, robots, gore, cheesy acting, and Jaime Lee Curtis stealing the show in every single scene she is in, yet for some reason, this 1999 sci-fi horror film is mainly forgotten by many who love the genre. While Virus is by no means the most sophisticated or elite horror movies to ever be released, the film has a delightful cast, wonderful direction from John Bruno, and is a frightfully fun time akin to creature features that would release in the late 90s and early 2000s, but instead of monsters, its killer robots.

Released smack in the middle of the 1990s, Screamers was a perfect encapsulation of everything that science fiction robot horror was throughout the decade. Terrifying robots hellbent on killing humanity, cheesy but respectable acting, sci-fi elements that are far more fun than actually dystopian, and an overall vibe of a frightfully fun time. Tragically, Screamers has gone so far under the radar that many forget this entertaining little film even exists, which is a shame because for those looking for a fun film with killer robots, they would be hard-pressed to find anything better. 

From the mind of Richard Stanley, Hardware beautifully mixes elements of western and cyberpunk dystopia with splatter and psychedelic imagery to create an overwhelming feast for the sense that will leave audiences in awe of the masterpiece they just witnessed. The film follows a government-built killing machine with artificial intelligence that soon becomes unhinged and goes on a murderous rampage. While its premise may seem incredibly basic and run-of-the-mill today, in 1990, this was absolutely groundbreaking, and the direction and commitment to perfection from Stanley helped solidify the film as a work of art.

Arguably the best and biggest cult killer robot horror movie of all time, Chopping Mall is one of the most ridiculous, over-the-top, and nonsensical campy films to ever release, and is a genuine masterpiece of B-movie making. Following a group of robots who become deranged and attempt to kill everyone in a local shopping mall, Chopping Mall is a frantically fun film that adds in as many weird, bizarre, and out-of-this-world scenes as it possibly can, having characters make the worst decisions simply for the enjoyment of the audience. A genuine camp masterpiece, Chopping Mall is a one of a kind experience second to none.  

When M3GAN was announced, many fans were skeptical about yet another killer doll/robot movie. When the trailer for M3GAN was released, everyone changed their tune real quick and hyped it as the best thing since sliced bread. When M3Gan was released, it more than lived up to the wildest of expectations. An absolutely unhinged and bonkers killer robot horror movie, the film is as campy, ridiculous, and over-the-top as many fans wanted it to be, but still managed to keep passion and heart, never delving into the so-bad-it's-good territory, but being a genuine feat of cinematic achievement, that also is as weird as they come.