When Hollywood transitioned from the '80s to the '90s, technology was a huge participant when the rules were changed. Suddenly, horror wasn't as important as "looking good" in science fiction, and plots tended to be put aside for the sake of a better "look and feel." In budgets, changes were oriented towards special effects and finding at least a big name that could elevate a genre film into something more mainstream.
Underrated Sci-Fi Movies of the '90s, Ranked
In the decade of Jurassic Parks and Terminators, special effects became a huge motif, and these science-fiction adventures fell off the radar.