Terrific dystopian-future movies
With a pandemic, climate change and unstable politics dominating our global view, it’s easy to feel like we’re living in one of the dystopian futures Hollywood once imagined for us.
However, as these classic examples of the genre show, things could be very different down the line, potentially darker, but also filled with hope – and sometimes even laughter.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
(iTunes, Google Play, YouTube) Brain Aldiss’ 1969 short story Super Toys Last All Summer Long was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s 2001 homage to Stanley Kubrick. Set in a futuristic, post-climate change society, it follows the Pinocchioesque adventures of a child-like android programmed with the ability to love. A great performance by Haley Joel Osmen.
Blade Runner (Netflix) In Ridley Scott’s 1982 film, Harrison Ford tracks down genetically engineered replicants, which are visually indistinguishable from adult humans, in a dark, dystopian 2019 Los Angeles. It predicted the use of voice-command computers, video phones and massive electronic billboards, but also proved to be something of a curse for companies like Pan Am, Atari and RCA.
Children of Men (iTunes, Google Play, YouTube) Before he went on to wow the world with Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron helmed this excellent 2006 sci-fi adventure starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore and Michael Caine. Set in the near future, it’s about an infertile human race and a man who must protect a rare, pregnant woman. It crackles with tension and has an authenticity that has unnerved many.
Demolition Man (iTunes, Google Play, YouTube) The closer we get to its 2032 setting the more hilariously prescient this 1993 actioncomedy becomes. An unlikely pairing of Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock shine in this tale about a cryogenically frozen 90s cop who is thawed out when his arch nemesis (Wesley Snipes) sets about causing havoc in the more peace-loving future. It’s a supposed utopia, where people are fined for swearing, make no physical contact and Taco Bell is the only fast-food franchise left.
The Lobster
(Google Play,
YouTube)
Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos’ 2015 romanticdramedy is a triumph of shifting tones. Colin Farrell plays a singleton who, according to the rules of the prevailing society, has just 45 days to find a partner, or be turned into a beast. Rachel Weisz plays the ‘‘short-sighted woman’’ he befriends.
The Matrix (Netflix) Almost 22 years since its debut, the Wachowskis’ narrative still takes some getting used to. Part Alice in Wonderland, part 12 Monkeys, part Terminator, this is one science-fiction movie that threatens to overload your mind with What Ifs? And How Comes?
Keanu Reeves is the man who is allowed a glimpse behind the veil and is horrified by what he sees. The special effects still look groundbreaking, the action crowdpleasing and the conceit mind-melting.
Minority Report
(Amazon
Prime Video)
In this 2002 movie, Tom Cruise plays Captain John Anderton, a specialist in PreCrime – the policing tool used in mid-21st Century America to help prevent felonies before they happen – through the use of psychics. Steven Spielberg keeps the action coming thick and fast, also ensuring the story stays engaging.
Planet of the Apes
(Disney+)
Despite Wellington’s Weta wizards and Andy Serkis combining to create a terrific reboot trilogy, nothing compares to the shock and awe of Franklin J Schaffner’s 1968 original. Charlton Heston is a titan, while Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter convey amazing emotions under all that incredible makeup. Then there’s that unforgettable ending.
Robocop (iTunes, Google Play, YouTube)
What could have been a mindless, bloody actioner, is instead a hilarious, subversive – albeit still violent – delight thanks to the sensibilities of Dutch director Paul Verhoeven. This 1987 tale is as interesting for its frightening look at the potential future use of robotics in policing, as it is for its mocking of America’s obsessions with consumerism and conservatism.
Soylent Green (Netflix) I’m not sure what’s more disturbing – that this Charlton Heston thriller is nearly 50 years old – or that its 2022 setting is now so close. Set in a world where the greenhouse effect is in full swing, this is a sci-fiinfused police procedural with a sting in its tail. Loosely based on Harry Harrison’s 1966 sci-fi novel Make Room! Make Room!, it was also Edward G Robinson’s last onscreen appearance.
Wall-E (Disney+) Charming and endearing 2008 tale about a small waste-collecting robot, left behind to clean up our mess, that inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind. Provides proof of the enchanting power of musicals and silent films, even in this modern age, and also a timely warning of our need to look after our planet.
Zombieland (Neon, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube) Director Ruben Fleischer’s whizzbang, all-action 2009 undead-fest is a guaranteed hooting and hollering crowdpleaser. Point-of-view shots, witty on-screen graphics and variable film speeds add to the film’s cartoonish nature, while the story is filled with memorable characters like Jesse Eisenberg’s phobia and irritable bowel syndrome-plagued hero and Woody Harrelson’s liveaction version of Yosemite Sam.