Imagine a world where the cities are in ruins, hope and freedom are things of the past, and you’re living under the fear of being watched. But this is just one face of the coin; on the other hand, you see the rich eating and enjoying every pleasure of life. That’s a dystopian world for you. Here are 10 best films that explore or are set in such a rotten and decaying world.
Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner takes place in a not-so-great future Los Angeles, where Rick Deckard is called back to his old job to find and kill four replicants. If you don’t know, these replicants are bioengineered humans that look just like real people and have made a run for Earth without permission.
Moreover, the replicants are looking for a way to stretch out their short lifespans. The not-so-great world in the movie explores corporate takeover, nature falling apart, and what happens when we let technology take over.
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
In Alita: Battle Angel, we see a future that’s seen better days. Earth is split into two big groups: the rich people who hang their coats in the floating city of Zalem and the not-so-rich ones living it up in the down-and-out Iron City below. In this world, the rich enjoy expensive upgrades while the poor lead a rough life.
Dr. Dyson Ido finds the leftover parts of a cyborg in the Scrapyard. Ido rebuilds her and gives her the name Alita. When Alita wakes up, she has no memory of what came before and has to figure out how to survive the sketchy streets of Iron City.
Logan’s Run (1976)
The Dystopian world shown in this film sees people living in a domed city and being told that they’ll die once they reach 30. To keep the population in check, everyone goes through a process called Carousel, where people are supposed to get renewed. Yep, just like our Netflix subscription!
Logan, a Sandman who has to make sure that everyone follows the rules, finds out the truth. Logan realizes that the world he has been living in all this time is more of a dystopia than a utopia. Logan finds a partner in Jessica, and together, they head out to witness the world outside.
Brave New World (1998)
Brave New World takes place in a place called the World State. In this land, people are basically conditioned from the get-go for a life that’s all about pleasure and following the rules. The government’s technology and genetic experiments keep everyone in check and stick to the plan.
It looks like a utopia on the surface, but the truth is far from it. The people are willingly living in a world where those in control have put a lid on personal freedom and knowledge. Bernard Marx and Lenina Crowne, two people of the same world, start asking questions, and that leads to anarchy.
The Hunger Games (2012-2013)
The Hunger Games is set in a future that’s anything but bright. The Capitol is in charge of twelve districts, and each year, they make each district send a teenager, called a Tribute, to take part in a televised battle royale known as the Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen offers to take her sister’s place and is teamed up with Peeta Mellark, another unfortunate teenager chosen for the battle royale.
These Games aren’t about winning; they’re a way for the Capitol to keep everyone in line and entertained. It’s a society where the rich have everything while the poor struggle for a piece of bread.
Snowpiercer (2013)
This one is the most interesting pick on the list because, instead of happening in a whole world, it all goes down inside a fast-moving train. In Snowpiercer, we’re taken to a world that has been turned upside down by a climate experiment gone wrong. This said experiment brings the world into a new ice age that makes Earth totally unliveable.
The only survivors roll around on the Snowpiercer, a non-stop train circling the world. Like all the others, the train too is divided into two parts. The rich and powerful live in front, while the poor are being fed protein bars made of insects in the tail section.
Elysium (2013)
In Elysium, we find Earth to be overcrowded, polluted, and drowning in poverty and sickness. The rich people, though, live a peaceful life in Elysium, a high-tech space paradise where they can treat any sickness, even the uncurable ones.
Max, a factory worker, comes into contact with a deadly dose of radiation, and to survive, Max infiltrates the Elysium, hoping to treat his sickness with life-saving technology. If you think about it, the movie shows the true facet of modern society, where the rich enjoy a luxurious life while the poor and needy have it tough.
1984 (1984)
This one takes inspiration from George Orwell’s best-selling masterpiece of the same name. We follow Winston Smith, who faces challenges in a society ruled by the Party and its leader, Big Brother. These people control the world, whether it is by constant scrutiny or spreading fake news to hide the real truth.
One day, Winston decides to rebel and join forces with Julia, who also has the same idea. Things don’t go as planned, and they’re soon caught, tortured, and brainwashed by the police. In this world, being yourself and dreaming of freedom is a sin and, at the same time, a dream that’ll never come to fruition because “Big Brother is always watching you.”
THX 1138 (1971)
In THX 1138, the story is set in a future where feelings and relationships are restricted, meaning you can’t ever fall in love. The people living in this world are stripped of their names and given codes only to stay in a clinical world. THX 1138, a regular worker, starts catching feelings for LUH 3417 and decides to rebel.
In response, the authorities hit the panic button and launched a manhunt to catch them. The movie also has a big lesson to teach – that society loses its lustre when individuality is sacrificed for the sake of fake peace.
The Terminator (1984)
In The Terminator, we find ourselves in a future where machines run by the AI, Skynet, are at war with humanity. To secure its victory, Skynet sends the Terminator, a cyborg, back in time to murder Sarah Connor, the woman who’ll give birth to the man who’ll lead a resistance group someday.
To lay waste to the AI’s plan, humans send Kyle Reese to make sure Sarah lives to see another day. The film talks about a world that Elon Musk often discusses on talk shows – a future where machines take over and humanity is at their mercy.
There we have it, our list of 10 best movies about dystopian worlds. What do you think about our picks? Did one of your favourites make the list? Let us know in the comments below!