Science fiction is famous for stretching our knowledge and imaginations. The genre covers a broad range of material from post-apocalyptic films like Ready Player One to space operas like the Star Wars movies. Regardless of the setting, science fiction films all share a desire to explore new possibilities in technology and science. These speculative environments provide the perfect setting to explore what it means to be human—especially in comparison to advanced robots and aliens.
Depending on the subgenre within science fiction, some films lean more heavily towards the “science” aspect while others take more “fictitious” liberties. Even though the “fiction” in some science fiction films can be distracting, it can be fun to imagine “what if” scenarios in movies even if they could never take place in real life. If you are looking for a movie to make you smarter, science fiction is a good place to turn. Here are the most intellectual science fiction movies and some of the ideas that they convey.
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8 Blade Runner
Warner Bros.
Blade Runner is a staple in any science fiction collection. While the film showcases interesting technological advances, its questions and commentary about humanity sets it apart. Harrison Ford stars as a Blade Runner sent to hunt down replicants (or engineered human clones), but when he falls in love with a replicant, things change for him. The characters wonder if beings manufactured in a lab are really people, or robots in a different form; if a robot has implanted human memories, is it still a robot, or do memories make us human? These were the questions that original author Philip K. Dick liked to ponder, and this movie is so intellectually puzzling that even the director and the main actor disagreed on the ending’s meaning.
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7 The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
20th Century Fox
The Day the Earth Stood Still, made during the Cold War, highlights the importance of peace and the shortcomings in conflict. In this film, an alien comes to Earth and tells the world that the galaxy is worried about the planet’s recent development of nuclear weapons. The people of Earth must learn to live peacefully with one-another, or intergalactic forces will destroy the planet before Earth’s nuclear arsenal endangers the rest of the galaxy. As the alien strives to create peace, he learns about both the good and the bad in humanity. The film causes viewers to question their own abilities to impact world peace. As critic Ken Sanes writes, “It lets us look at the human race through the eyes of an outsider who doesn’t share our foibles and emotional vulnerabilities. Its goal – and this makes it one of the more ambitious movies that have ever been made – is to radically shift our perspective and point the way to a higher level of ethical awareness.”
6 Gattaca
Sony Pictures
This film explores the increasingly controversial topic of genetic manipulation. As science is becoming more advanced, questions about the ethics of manipulating genes (of humans and other animals) have become increasingly common. The underrated Andrew Niccol movie imagines what the world would be like if genetic manipulation was taken to the extreme. In Gattaca, even though genetic segregation is technically illegal, people are deemed valid or in-valid based on their genetic makeup. Viewers of this film not only question genetic manipulation, but also how to judge a person’s value, and how social hierarchies work. By the end, this movie inspires its viewers to defy expectations and to judge people by more than what’s on paper, or how they were born.
5 2001 A Space Odyssey
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Some people view this film as an optimistic commentary on the perseverance of life, while others view it as a cynical statement about people’s self-destructive habits. Years later, people still argue over the story’s conclusion and many symbols within 2001: A Space Odyssey. Either way, the film successfully explores human nature, and how people differ from machines. The Stanley Kubrick masterpiece is an important provocation and conversation starter about one of people’s greatest enemies — themselves.
4 Arrival
Paramount Pictures
Linguists know that a language is more than a framework for communication, it also represents nuances in culture and is formative in shaping perceptions of reality. As linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky (amongst many others) has said, “The structure of language determines not only thought, but reality itself.” In this Dennis Villeneuve film, an alien species comes to Earth, and linguist Dr. Louise Banks is asked to study the language well enough to communicate with them. It turns out that time and language are linked for these extraterrestrial creators, and as the linguist discovers the alien language, she learns more about science than she could have ever imagined. Arrival explores both philosophical cultural norms, and cutting edge theories about time travel and language in one fell swoop.
3 The Martian
Matt Damon Stars in The Martian as an astronaut stranded and alone on Mars. While the film takes some creative liberties, most of the science holds true. While many modern superheroes are praised for their strength or weapon skills, the hero of this film solves almost every obstacle with his mind instead. Audiences enjoyed watching this astronaut overcome impossible challenges like isolation, equipment failure, and lack of food with nothing but his own will. As he puzzles through these challenges, the audience has the opportunity to try solving the same problems as they guess what happens next. It explores the possibility of life off of Earth, and the value of a single person’s life, while also intellectually emphasizing the ‘science’ in science fiction.
2 Ex Machina
A24
The debut directorial effort from 28 Days Later writer Alex Garland uses artificial intelligence to explore what it means to be human, and the dangers of science in the hands of massive corporations. The main character of this film, Caleb, is tasked with determining if a robot feels alive like a real person. However, Ex Machina takes a much darker and even creepier dive into the human psyche. As the characters (including a wonderful turn from Oscar Isaac) each struggle with distinct weaknesses, their flaws trickle into the beings they create. It leaves viewers questioning the darker side of human nature, if our flaws are forever a part of our identities, and if whatever we create will be flawed like us.
1 Interstellar
Most people need to watch Interstellar more than once to pick up on all the details in both the plot and the science. Even after a few times through, a lot of the scientific terms still go over our heads. This film seamlessly blends both the fictional plot with cutting-edge science in a way rarely seen. It’s a movie that mathematicians and everyday moviegoers can enjoy together, and one which incorporates fascinating theories of quantum physics and time travel.
The Christopher Nolan film even made its own scientific discovery! During the making of Interstellar, the special effects teams worked very closely with physicist Kip Thorne to create detailed images of black holes. Although scientists have been able to take some beautiful pictures of black holes, they lacked the detail and the sense of dimension for an IMAX movie. The visuals created for the movie had never-before seen detail and realism, and actually anticipated the world’s first look at a real black hole.
As the astronauts in the movie enter the black hole, you may notice some interesting shapes and textures just before the event horizon. The special effects team discovered these interesting light patterns on their simulation after creating something that both satisfied scientific laws and the film’s resolution. The final product is stunning, but especially meaningful to the science community.
