Dystopian stories set in terrifying post-apocalyptic landscapes represent some of the very best movies thatsci-fihas to offer, although some incredible films have flown under the radar. Everyone will be well aware of classicslikePlanet of the Apes,Mad Max, andChildren of Men, but there are so many morebleak dystopian moviesfor sci-fi lovers to check out. Whether it was hidden gems from bygone eras or more recent films that just flew under the radar, there’s a lot more to dystopian cinema than the best-known releases.
As a depiction of society in the aftermath of a crumbling civilization,truly effective dystopian stories distill humanity’s needs down to their barest essentials. Featuring drought-stricken landscapes, politically unstable circumstances, and post-apocalyptic surroundings, dystopian stories represent the aftermath of cataclysmic chaos. Even though none of these movies have gained widespread attention from the mainstream, they’re allmust-watch releases for sci-fi fans.
Despite having ascreenplay co-written by James Cameron,Strange Dayshas been mostly forgotten by modern viewers. As an epic sci-fi from the future Best Picture-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, this fantastic dystopian story addressed racism and abuses of power. Taking influence from recent history, such as the attack on Rodney King and the trial of O.J. Simpson,Strange Daysdepicted an electronic device that allowed users to experience other people’s recorded memories and physical sensations.
WhileStrange Daysfailed to meet box office expectations at the time, it’s held up incredibly well. The failure ofStrange Dayssadly derailed Bigelow’s career for several years, and it was only after the surprise success ofThe Hurt Lockerthat she managed to bounce back fully. As an underrated sci-fi that was misunderstood by critics at the time and overlooked by viewers today, you won’t regret checking outStrange Days.
While lots of movies explore the dystopian aftermath of a cataclysmic event, few were as time-sensitive asThese Final Hours. Set in the immediate aftermath of an asteroid that has collided with Earth in the North Atlantic, Western Australian inhabitants have just 12 hours until the global firestorm reaches them. It’s out of this carnage that a self-obsessed young man named James rescues a young girl who is searching for her father, and the pair find meaning in their relationship as the world falls apart around them.
These Final Hourswas an incredible human story that was elevated by a thought-provoking scriptfrom writer and director Zak Hilditch. As a clever thriller that actually had something to say about the way humans react to total obliteration,These Final Hoursdeserves to be far better known.
While Charlton Heston has been in plenty of iconic sci-fi movies likePlanet of the Apes, the 1970s dystopiaSoylent Greenstands as one of his most interesting roles. As a compelling blend of police procedural and sci-fi,Soylent Greenexplored ecological destruction, pollution, lack of resources, and overpopulation in a thoughtful story of deranged consumption. With humans forced to subsist on a strange food product, the big twist revealed that the food item known as Soylent Green was actually made out of people.
The dark implications of this terrifying dystopia revealed a world where human life was no longer considered sacred. As a fearful satire that feels shockingly plausible,Soylent Greenforced us to consider the consequences of endless consumption and a society that values profits over the everyday people.Soylent Greenwas an effective satire that addressed the growing fears of overpopulation in the 1970s, yet this issue has not been resolved, and the movie remains as relevant as ever.
Code 46was a dystopian love story that explored the implications of biotechnology in 2077. Set in a world where people are divided into living “inside” in overpopulated major cities and “outside” in rural concentration camps, access to the cities is highly regulated and requires a Bio-Passport to allow for freedom of movement. Tackling ideas that feel like they’ve only become more relevant in the two decades since it was released,Code 46brought up many interesting questions about the future of biotech.
Alongside these thought-provoking themes of futuristic surveillance,Code 46also told a love story that essentially reimagined the 1945 classicBrief Encounterwithin a sci-fi context. With Tim Robbins as an insurance fraud investigator and Samantha Morton as a woman he’s surveilling, professional boundaries are crossed as their relationship develops. From memory-erasing officers like Genetic Police to complex legal structures, the world depicted inCode 46was one categorized by overbearing bureaucracy.
While absurd British comedies from icons of bygone eras like Monty Python’sLife of Brianhave endured as endlessly quotable classics, it’s surprising just how little recognitionThe Bed Sitting Roomgets as a hilarious, satirical dystopia.Based on the 1963 play by Spike Milligan and John Antrobus, this black comedy was set in the aftermath of a nuclear war that killed the majority of the British population. With society in absolute ruins, it was hilarious to see how the survivors attempted to hang onto some semblance of normalcy by continuing traditions that no longer had any relevance.
Examples of the absurdity ofThe Bed Sitting Roominclude a news anchor delivering his reports from the inside of a broken television set or crowning Mrs. Ethel Shroake of 393A High Street, Leytonstone, the British monarch because she’s the closest living relative of the late Queen. With a dark, self-deprecating sense of humor that was decisively British,The Bed Sitting Roomwas a hidden gem that deserves to be remembered with the same reverence as the Pythons’ work.
The futuristic comedySleeperwas a prime example of one of Woody Allen’s earlier, funny films that predated his Best Picture-winning success withAnnie Hall. With a slapstick sensibility and near-constant one-liners and witty asides,Sleepertold the story of Miles Monroe, a jazz musician who was unwittingly frozen and woke up in a dystopian society 200 years in the future. As a parody of everything from2001: A Space Odysseyto the stuntwork of Buster Keaton’s silent movies,Sleeperproved that just because a film was set in a dystopia, that didn’t mean it couldn’t be funny.
Sleepersaw Miles awake in an inept police state that poked fun at totalitarian dystopian fictionclassics likeBrave New Worldand1984. Much in the same way that Allen makes light of the seriousness of Russian literature in his follow-up filmLove and Deaththe following year,Sleeperis a pastiche of all things sci-fi.
While any self-respecting sci-fi fan will be well aware ofAlien,RoboCop, andTerminator, the fascinating dystopianDeath Machineis not nearly as popular. However, it should be, as it came from Stephen Norrington, the special effects artist on films such asLifeforce,Aliens,Hardware, andSplit Second. With Brad Dourif as the deranged weapons designer Jack Dante,Death Machinedepicted his attempts to unleash a murderous robot on the new female CEO who fired him from his job.
The appeal ofDeath Machinewas the way it brought together allusions and references to lots of other dystopian movies and served as a tongue-in-cheek exploration of the genre itself. As a cult classic that’s still criminally underseen,Death Machinewas an over-the-top B-movie triumphthat will appeal to sci-fi enthusiasts who will have a great time trying to spot every subtle reference.
Tank Girladapted the comic book series of the same name by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlettinto a box office flop that never quite got the credit it deserved. As a cult classic with feminist themes,Tank Girlwas set in a post-apocalyptic Australia where a girl fights against the crooked corporation that dominates the remaining water supply of the planet. With a campy energy and an enjoyable 1990s aesthetic,Tank Girlwas definitively a product of its time stylistically.
As an ambitious sci-fi that maintains a manic energy throughout, Lori Petty gave a great performance as the titular Tank Girl, facing off against Malcolm McDowell’s villainous Kesslee. Part of the appeal ofTank Girlis that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and is more concerned with delivering a wacky adventure than truly unpacking the details of its dystopian setting. However,Tank Girlalso stands as a great example of female empowerment in cinema and stands alongside works likeBuffy the Vampire Slayeras contributing to growing recognition of feminism in 1990s media.
2Never Let Me Go (2010)
Directed by Mark Romanek
Despite being an adaptation of a Booker Prize-shortlisted novel, a screenplay by Alex Garland, and some major stars at the helm,Never Let Me Gonever seemed to go much further than being a cult favorite. This dystopian story was based on a book by Kazuo Ishiguro and was set in a dystopian world where clones are disconnected from the rest of society in a strange British boarding school environment.
With Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield in the lead roles, every single one of these actors would go on to have extraordinary success in later years. As a story of friendship and identity,Never Let Me Gowas thought-provoking and philosophically rich. Much like their Ishiguro adaptations, likeThe Remains of the Day, this unique take on sci-fi cloning was far more about the humanity of those who lived their lives without knowing the dark truth of their existence.
The Girl with All the Giftswas an unconventional zombie movie that blended post-apocalyptic horror with dystopian fiction. Througha gritty combination of the intensity of28 Days Laterwith the humanity underpinningThe Last of Us, this vaccine survival story feels totally relevant to modern times. Coming from director Colm McCarthy and writer Mike Carey, who adapted his own novel for the script,The Girl with All the Giftsexplored a world that has been disseminated by a parasitic fungus that transmits through bodily fluids.
With a disease that turns its infected into terrifying, fast-moving zombies called “hungries,” the last hope for humanity is a small group of children who appear immune to the disease. Like the best dystopian stories,The Girl with All the Giftstaps into themes and ideas that are totally plausible but pushes us to imagine them at their absolute extreme. Tackling questions of acceptance, understanding, and morality, we’re forced to ask ourselves if an infected girl has a right to live despite societal fears around her condition.
