The science fantasy genre in movies has grown, not only in numbers, but in creativity, over the decades. The classics have inspired many adaptations that not only retold the stories but put them in a whole new light, like I Am Legend’s adaptation on The Last Man on Earth. The 20th century brought new technology to movies that helped progress cinematic creativity, and with this brought conversations of what the possible future might entail.
While some classics can never be rewritten because they were just too good, there have been many modern movies that have set the bar higher for the rest of the genre. Not only are these movies enjoyable to watch, but they inspire thought-provoking ideas and conversations on the possibilities of life on Earth, or beyond. With the help of IMDb, here is a list of some better science fantasy movies.
8 Blade Runner (1982): 8.1
Blade Runner is a classic in the science fantasy genre and is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep?. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is a former police officer where his job was a ‘blade runner’, people that track down bioengineered humanoids called replicants and ‘retire’ them. Throughout the movie, viewers will watch as tests are given to these replicants. There are certain triggers during these tests that reveal if individuals are human or not.
This movie is not only fascinating by talking about robots and the way they work in society, as well as the amazing cinematography of the futuristic Los Angeles, but the talk of humanity. What makes robots different from humans? What does it mean if the only thing separating humans and replicants are what the tests infer?
The second movie, Blade Runner 2049, received an IMDb rating of 8, and follows K who finds a buried secret and tracks down the former blade runner, Harrison Ford, to find answers. It is a slower movie but goes more in depth with the idea of humans versus replicants while providing visually stunning work and an amazing cast. With a possible TV show in the works, there is hope to find more answers to this fantastic world in the future.
7 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015): 8.1
The Mad Max franchise began in 1979 and has flourished since with the recent addition, Mad Max: Fury Road. The sequel is considered better than its predecessors, and rightfully so due to the advancement of its visual effects and amazing character development throughout the film.
This post-apocalyptic world is unlike what fans usually see in the science fantasy genre. Instead of seeing familiar cities falling apart and being taken over by vegetation, the world is a desert, and water is slowly drying up. The main character, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), is imprisoned in this sequel, where a War Boy uses him as a “blood bag”. Even though Max escapes, he isn’t free just yet.
Through amazing chase scenes, Max and his group work on surviving the terrible terrain and odds that are against them. Not only does this movie have amazing scenes, a great soundtrack, and a beautiful story, it also puts another spin on what might become of Earth in the future.
6 Jurassic Park (1993): 8.2
While Jurassic Park is set on Earth, and not in an apocalyptic setting, this story is just as dangerous as the rest of them. Based on the 1990 novel by Michael Crichton, this movie is set on a theme park where cloned dinosaurs are caged for viewing pleasure, like a zoo. On an island off the Costa Rican cost, the park is being examined by professionals to make sure it’s safe enough for visits.
When investigating, the protective safety measures are tampered with, making the powered fences go down. This allows dinosaurs to escape, attacking not only the visitors but the people who have come to investigate the park. As the group work to escape, they must dodge and hide from these cloned beasts, creating a riveting and suspenseful watch for viewers.
Jurassic World: Dominion is the next installment of the franchise and will be the sixth movie, however, the first movie has stolen most fans hearts by still being rated the top one.
5 WALL-E (2008): 8.4
While some may question this listing choice, WALL-E is one of the more brutally honest looks into the future. Although Pixar creates movies for the whole family, it can still be unsettling to watch this movie. WALL-E is the last operational waste-collecting robot where his job is to clean up Earth but ends up going on a space journey with EVE, a drone that scans for wildlife that may have sprouted.
Viewers might watch for the cute love story and the humorous interactions these two have, but there is a deeper meaning. With pollution taking over the planet, the humans are forced to live their lives on a spacecraft while they wait for life to come back to Earth to start recolonization.
The A.I. of the ship, AUTO, is preventing the humans from returning due to a secret directive it has, thus ensuing the challenge of taking over AUTO’s power of the ship. With a decent IMDb rating, this movie not only gives the family an enjoyable watch but points out the dangers of pollution and what could come of the Earth of life continues down that path.
4 Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back (1980): 8.7
No list is science fantasy list is complete until Star Wars is mentioned. The franchise not only took fans into a whole new reality but offered a baseline for movies on how far creativity can take them. With the many movies within the franchise now, The Empire Strikes Back is one of the top-rated ones.
As Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) trains with Yoda as a Jedi Knight, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia (Carrie Fisher) make their way to the Cloud City where they meet Han’s friend, Lando Calrissian. When Luke hears of his friends in danger, he leaves before completing his training, putting him in danger at going to the dark side since he is unable to control his anger and impulsiveness.
Star Warsvisual effects were ground-breaking at the time and is considered one of the most influential movies. Since it’s release, it has won several awards and Academy Award nominations.
3 Interstellar (2014): 8.7
This movie does not set primarily on Earth and is in the not-so-distant future of 2067. Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) leaves his home, which is on the brink of ruin due to crop blights and dust storms, to make a journey through a wormhole where potential habitable planets are. It doesn’t take long before Cooper uncovers lies about his trip.
Interstellar, while a long movie, sitting shy of three hours, mixes both science and fantasy beautifully. While Cooper works hard to find the answer to humanity’s survival, he also is racing the clock to get home quickly. This is a great movie that makes viewers stop and think afterwards.
2 Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003): 9
Like Star Wars, it’s hard to think about the science fantasy genre without thinking of J.R.R. Tolkien’s amazing world. Based on the third volume, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the top-rated and an impressive science fantasy movie.
Frodo and Sam continue their adventure to Mordor with the Ring in this one. They are met with many obstacles, like Gollum who is trying to betray them for the Ring. King Théoden fights the Orcs, and Gandalf comes to the rescue for the hobbits. Due to its amazing visual effects, costume design, screenplay and music, there’s no wonder how it has received eleven Oscars, making it one of the most impressive movies within its genre.
1 The Dark Knight (2008): 9.1
Not only is The Dark Knight one of the highest rated science fantasy movies, but it is also the highest IMDb rated Batman movie so far. The corrupt city of Gotham is facing another attack due to Joker’s goons, and Bruce Wayne, or Batman, needs to put an end to his tyranny. While the vigilante works tirelessly to end Joker’s efforts, it’s still not enough when Batman is faced with a terrible decision that leads to brutal consequences.
With Heath Ledger’s Joker having one of the best performances in the franchise, it’s safe to say that The Dark Knight had an amazing cast, costume, stunts and visual effects to award it with its high rating. While the movie genre of science fantasy highlights many movies, it deserves the title of being one of the best.