Classic Dystopian Films for the Sci-Fi Geek

Above (clockwise): Metropolis (1927), Mad Max (1979), Planet of the Apes (1968), Gattaca (1997)

A dystopia is defined as “an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.” What makes dystopias so interesting—and a corner stone of the sci-fi genre—is the fact that they are often the representation of a path our current world could take. If the wrong person is in power, what might happen to the world we now know? If we run out of resources, how will we cope? Here are just a few classic dystopian films every fan of the genre should watch.

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Battle Royale
2000

Based on the novel of the same name, Battle Royale is a Japanese dystopian action film that has also been called the “original Hunger Games”. The film follows a class of Japanese students that has been chosen by the government to participate in an annual game where they must fight to the death until only one is left alive. Needless to say, the film’s violence between children made it controversial and led to it being banned in several countries. Despite that, references to Battle Royale still pop up in Western pop culture all the time and Quentin Tarantino has called it one of his favourite movies released since he started his directing career.

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Tags: dystopia, dystopian films, Sci-Fi, science fiction