The Sci-Fi

genre is known for its exploration of hypothetical future worlds, but some may be closer to reality than they initially seem. When looking into these hypotheticals, these films often explore topics that come as concerns in everyday life, taking them to what would apparently be their natural, worst-case conclusion. Now, since these films’ releases years ago, it seems the world is getting closer and closer to these conclusions every day.

Many viewers remember the best science fiction horror movies for their haunting implications, of the future possibilities they present, no matter how far-fetched. Even outside the horror subgenre, stories give viewers plenty to think about with terrifying sci-fi endings that leave any who watch reeling. With so many pertinent themes so frequently addressed by the genre, it is no surprise that some science fiction movies may have predicted the future.

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Ex Machina (2015)

A Haunting Exploration Of Artificial Intelligence & Its Implications

The story of Ex Machina begins when programmer Caleb wins a contest to meet an eccentric CEO known for creating both a mᴀssive search engine and the company that Caleb works for. When he arrives, the CEO introduces Caleb to a robot named Ava, built with artificial intelligence so powerful that she feels incredibly human and can even pᴀss a Turing Test. What follows is a manipulative dance back and forth between Caleb and Ava that eventually ends in Ava’s escape.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence in recent years has made something like what is presented in Ex Machina look more and more possible as time goes on. These machines have gone from rudimentary image generators to language-learning models used by many in their everyday lives. It isn’t difficult to believe that this is the next step, with the question of what makes a person or robot sentient one that is looming on the horizon.

7

Soylent Green (1973)

This Sci-Fi Film Addresses The World’s Growing Population

Starring the iconic Charlton Heston in one of the most recognizable dystopian sci-fi films of all time, Soylent Green takes place in a world where humanity’s growing population has reached its natural breaking point. Food, water, and shelter are all hard to come by, as there are simply too many people for everyone to survive. Initially, it seems that the Soylent Corportation is here to help, feeding people with food wafers developed by the company.

Soylent Green has one of the best twists in sci-fi history, adding to its themes of overpopulation and the seeming inevitability of it. If anything, overpopulation is even more of a problem than it was when Soylent Green was initially released, making it feel as though it is only a matter of time before the dystopian nature of this film becomes a terrifying reality.

6

12 Monkeys (1996)

It Shows A Very Dangerous, But Very Possible Future

Focusing on a prisoner named James Cole, 12 Monkeys follows him as he is sent back to the past in an attempt to save the world. In the setting of this film, a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly virus was deployed by a group named The Army of Twelve Monkeys many years in the past, and since then it has led to worldwide devastation. The story is a desperate hunt to change the world, one that has since been remade into a popular TV series.

Although the film does hinge its plot on time travel, it is instead the state of the world in the future that stands as a worrying snapsH๏τ into a possible reality. With a pandemic having happened so recently, people are not beyond the possibility of something like it happening again. The fear of a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly virus ravaging the world is a very real one, and it is almost a scenario that the planet had to face head-on already.

5

Blade Runner (1982)

A Sci-Fi Classic & Empathetic Look At Technological Advancement

Blade Runner is one of the most recognizable sci-fi movies of all time, starring Harrison Ford as the тιтular “blade runner” Rick Deckard. Sent to hunt down the extremely human-like replicant androids, it is his job to find them hiding among humanity. However, when his morals are questioned, and he interacts more and more with these replicants, the question soon shifts to what makes someone human, and whether these replicants are really nothing more than metal shells.

Another film addressing humanity’s advancements in technology, the themes at the center of Blade Runner have also only become more relevant. Robots are becoming more like humans with each pᴀssing moment, looking more like humans and acting more like them as well. With the power of artificial intelligence, similar to the questions raised in Ex Machina, at some point, robots may be seen as sentient creatures akin to humans.

4

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Yet Another Classic Takes A Terrifying Look At Artificial Intelligence

Considered to be one of Stanley Kubrick’s masterpieces, 2001: A Space Odyssey revolves around a mission into space to investigate an alien monument. The crew is aided by a much older AI character that has now become infamous, named HAL 9000. However, as the mission wears on, HAL 9000 becomes more of a threat than a boon, even putting the crew in serious danger as the film continues.

The film itself is built on beautiful cinematography and immersive use of color, each frame painting a picture as HAL 9000 flies off the rails. Alongside more modern movies handling the same topic, 2001 digs at the fears that so many people have about artificial intelligence and the possibility that it could turn on humanity someday. It urges caution, something that there seems to be so little of when dealing with this advancing technology.

3

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)

Based On The Classic Orwellian Novel

Based on the iconic novel by George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a film that shows a civilization that has been completely captured by a horrifying dictatorship. History is rewritten, propaganda is pushed, and even peoples’ thoughts are policed by the government. It is a tale of rebellion in the face of impossible odds, told on a surprisingly close, though seemingly hopeless, scale.

In this society so fueled by the internet, Orwell’s original story has only come across more like something that could happen if the world took the worst possible turn. There are more ways for privacy to be lost, and the population is more perceived than ever before. If a leader wanted to take action and rise to power in such a horrific way, it seems as though the pieces are there to do just that.

2

Children Of Men (2007)

This Sci-Fi Thriller Tackles Hard Topics

Another dystopian science fiction film, Children of Men is set in a version of the year 2027. Humanity has become infertile, and this has only prompted a more totalitarian turn for the government of the United Kingdom. The film explores what life would be like in a society like this, while also throwing it into conflict when it introduces a woman named Kee, who is quite possibly the only pregnant woman in the world.

With plummeting birth rates across the globe, Children of Men stands as a concerning example of what could potentially be the opposite of Soylent Green. Nonetheless, the outcome is just as horrifying. No matter which extreme the world leads itself into, the result is stilldangerous.

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Idiocracy (2006)

A Hilarious Sci-Fi Satire That Takes A Stance On The State Of Politics

Idiocracy is an interesting example of a sci-fi film, as it is primarily a satire first and a science fiction movie second. When a United States Army Librarian and a call girl are placed in suspended animation as a part of a government initiative, their lives are held in place when the program is suddenly canceled. Because of this, they are finally awakened five hundred years later, suddenly thrust into a society in which intelligence has dramatically decreased.

Some will believe that the influence of social media in recent years has motivated people to act rashly and irrationally, showcasing their thoughts in a way that does, in fact, seem to incentivize immediate feedback over deeper thought. Idiocracy takes this idea to its most out-of-control ending, sprinkled with plenty of comedy to keep things going. It is a unique sci-fi movie, one that, while entertaining, still paints a concerning picture of the future.