VR or Virtual Reality refers to a simulated artificial environment generated by using position tracking and 3D near-eye graphics. Users interact with 3D spaces rather than simply watching a screen in front of them.
Virtual Reality has applications in entertainment (especially video games and movies), teaching (such as health or military training), and even in business (eg. online meetings). A cinematographer would define VR as the capability to immerse a spectator not only in the plot but also in the characters themselves. Today, we are sharing a list of the 15 best VR movies to watch in 2024.
Top 15 Best VR Movies in 2024:
Not all VR movies offer a passive experience; some include motions and decisions to make as you advance through the experience. You can experience movies as you have never seen them before through VR. Let’s dive in to know which are the best VR movies to watch these days.
Release Date: June 10, 2016 (India)
IMDb: 7.3/10
‘The Conjuring’ is certainly the
best horror movie made in the history of mankind. ‘The Conjuring 2’ was a huge hit amongst fans, and a VR version was produced to capitalize on the success. Through the VR movie, you will be able to enter Hodgson’s house on your own and experience all the horrible sights yourself as if you were living there. It is a must-watch film for all horror junkies.
Release Date: September 4, 2020 (USA)
IMDb: NA
Space Explorers is the most expensive production film ever shot in space. It comprises an interactive four-part series and showcases the life of eight astronauts on the International Space Station. The ISS Experience, filmed for over two years with exclusive access to its crew, gives an insider’s view of the thrill, wonder, and perils of living in space.
Release Date: February 24, 2020 (USA)
IMDb: 7.1/10
The Invisible Man is one of the best VR movies to watch. As the title indicates, the film contains a terrifying and eerie aspect that gets disclosed by the end. It is a film about two inexperienced drug dealers who hide a stock of high-grade narcotics. Throughout the film, they fight to escape from a dealer to whom they owe money. The dealer makes an offer to settle the transaction using Russian Roulette. Things start to become tense, and it’s worth witnessing with your VR goggles.
Release Date: May 21, 2019
IGN: 7.5/10
Vader Immortal bridges the boundaries between movies and video games in a manner that is only possible through
Virtual Reality. You will learn how to harness the Force and handle a lightsaber as a Darth Vader student. Ultimately, you will have to decide whether to embrace the light or the evil side. This three-episode series is equivalent to a featured Star Wars movie.
Release Date: January 14, 2021
IMDb: 7.6/10
Baba Yaga is an animated story in which the spectator has to play the lead role. You are supposed to venture into a forbidden forest in search of a witch who possesses the cure for the head of a village who has fallen ill.
The entire experience lasts around half an hour, although there can be several endings depending on your choice. Glenn Close, Jennifer Hudson, and Kate Winslet are among the voice actors. This film by Baobab Studios premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
Release Date: October 2, 2015 (India)
IMDb: 8/10
The Martian is one of the best VR movies based on science fiction. This film is about an astronaut, Mark Watney, who is stuck on the planet Mars by himself. He has extremely few supplies, and he has to fight for his life until he can return to Earth. During an emergency scenario on Mars, he is mistakenly left behind and is unable to connect himself with Earth. One can watch this VR movie to experience a virtual expedition in space.
Release Date: July 21, 2017
IMDb: NA
Save Every Breath is a hit VR movie based on the Second World War. It is directed by Christopher Nolan and narrates three distinct stories from the land, sea, and air. The VR provides you with an original experience of the adventures and hardships of World War II. The storyline is excellent and will keep you riveted until the very end.
Release Date: December 5, 2014 (USA)
IMDb: 6.7/10
Comet is a film about two people who share a romantic relationship. Dell and Kimberley, the main protagonists of the story, meet unexpectedly amid a meteor shower. The movie captures the heights and depths of their six-year-old relationship through random glimpses of alternative universes and flashbacks. Actors Justin Long and Emmy Rossum have done a good job under the direction of Sam Esmail.
Release Date: October 13, 2017 (UK)
IMDb: 6.3/10
The Ritual is a VR-compatible Netflix original film. It is inspired by the British horror novel ‘The Ritual’ written by Adam Nevill. The film is full of unusual occurrences and thrilling moments. The plot revolves around a group of friends who prepared and went on a trek to unknown woods in Sweden.
On the trekking trip, one of them gets injured. After one point in time, everyone realizes that they are lost. The movie features a cannibal family, a wild mutant, and a witch.
Release Date: January 18, 2018
IMDb: NA
Wolves in the Walls is a VR film based on the work of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. An eight-year-old girl, Lucy, is trying to uncover what is hidden behind the walls of her house. She believes that wolves reside within them, but her family does not seem convinced.
Release Date: November 23, 2012
IMDb: 7.9/10
This is another VR-compatible movie based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel. The lead of the story ‘Pi Patel’ manages to survive in a wrecked lifeboat in the middle of nowhere. His battle against the odds is aided by the presence of a hyena and a male Bengal tiger. The tiger appears to be very real in VR. The spectacular effects elevate this film’s theatrical experience.
Release Date: December 18, 2009 (India)
IMDb: 7.9/10
Avatar is another one of the best VR movies to watch because of its impressive visuals. The movie is set in a new Earth-like world named Pandora, where rare minerals such as unobtanium are present. This planet is inhabited by primitive blue-colored humanoids. Humans aspire to mine unobtainium, which is a valuable mineral.
To do this, they developed the Na’vi, which are genetically altered bodies designed to connect with Pandora’s blue humanoids. Directed by James Cameron, the movie won three Academy Awards.
Release Date: July 19, 2019 (USA)
IMDb: 6.8/10
The recreation of Hollywood’s 1994 hit cartoon classic, directed by Jon Favreau, was shot entirely in
virtual reality. He has no idea what to label the result, but it appears to be a real movie. The film is about Simba, a young lion prince who escapes his kingdom when his father, Mufasa, is killed. Years later, he returns to reclaim what rightly belongs to him after an accidental meeting with Nala, a lioness.
Release Date: 2001-2003
IMDb: 8.8/10
This epic series is about two hobbits, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin), who travel to Mount Doom to destroy Lord Sauron’s terrible ring. Based on the novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings presents a magnificent world to explore, with great battles, fascinating people, and wonderful magical lands. Through VR technology, one can get a real experience of the lovely Elvin village and the scary Orcs.
Release Date: 2017
IMDb: NA
Fairness Works: Refugee Crisis is about North American refugees and has won several awards, including The Webby Awards and The Rosies. The narrative takes place in North America when war has been declared, and families are forced to flee from their homes. The key lessons of this film are violence, emotions, and conflict, which are best felt from a 360-degree virtual environment.
Final Thoughts:
Cinema is indeed evolving. The world will soon witness the era of VR movies. Moreover, these films provide an interactive experience, so you are truly living it rather than just viewing it. In this article, we have listed the 15 top-rated best VR movies you must watch to spend some quality time with yourself.
Anand is passionate about exploring a wide range of topics, from technology to lifestyle. When he’s not writing, you can find him brainstorming new ideas and taking on fresh challenges. Anand is always eager to learn and grow in his journey as a writer.
