When an audience hears that a film falls withinthe genre of science fiction, they likely picture something along the lines ofStar Wars; that is, a film packed from beginning to end with futuristic technology, intergalactic adventures, and otherworldly characters. In reality, none of these are requirements of the genre. While theorists have argued about specific definitions for decades, science fiction can really include anything that explores how life as we know it can be changed, typically for reasons related to new technological/scientific innovations.
Because of this,there are actually many sci-fi movies that don’t rely on visual effects to convey the changes that have been made within society. Oftentimes, an insightful script is all one needs in order to convey a thought-provoking science fiction story. Of course, this is not meant to detract from the greatness ofsci-fi marvels likeAlienorArrival. Over the years, filmmakers have simply discovered effective ways of presenting science fiction without these big-budget visuals. Although audiences tend to love extraordinary special effects, these films prove that you can present a compelling sci-fi story without them.
Moon
Cast
Duncan Jones presents Moon, a sci-fi mystery drama that follows Astronaut Sam Bell, who has spent the last three years working at a lunar mine in isolation and is coming up at the end of his shift. However, as Sam prepares to return home to his family and meet his daughter for the first time, he begins to experience vivid hallucinations of a younger version of himself and begins to experience hazardous events. Before Lunar Industries arrives to relieve him of duty, he must uncover the reason for his recent psychosis and free himself of his mental prison.
Although set entirely on the Moon, the 2009 sci-fi feature,Moon, does not rely on an overabundance of ground-breaking special effects to convey its story.The film stars Sam Rockwell as Sam, the sole individual living on the Moonin order to oversee the production of an alternative fuel mine, while also in charge of sending the gathered materials back to Earth.
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Matters quickly begin to spiral as Sam discovers a clone of himself, prompting him to seek out the dark realities of his situation. While the otherworldly setting ofMoonsounds like it would pave the way for some impressive special effects, the film makes the decision to avoid leaning into them too much.
Though this may have been prompted byMoon’s budget of a mere five million dollars, the film proves that overwhelming visual effects would have been completely unnecessary. Instead,the film relies on its unique, carefully-planned script, as well as the impressive performance by Rockwell (as multiple versions of the same character).
Upgrade
Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, Upgrade is a Sci-Fi, Action, and Cyberpunk film starring Betty Gabriel, Logan Marshall-Green, and Harrison Gilbertson. The plot sees a man suffering a tragic accident and becoming paralyzed as a result. He soon accepts a STEM implant that gives him back his body and much more.
Set in a near-future version of Earth,Upgradeis a 2018 film from Blumhouse Productions thateffectively blends the genres of sci-fi and action.Upgradefollows Grey Trace, an auto mechanic whose life is drastically changed by new technology after a terrible incident. Following a violent attack that leaves Grey paralyzed and depressed, he is convinced to accept a new piece of tech known as a STEM implant, which not only restores full use of his body, but implements a new voice in his mind to guide his vengeful actions.
Being made ona budget of only three million dollars,Upgradecertainly does not rely on revolutionary visual effects (although it doesn’t shy away from intense action sequences). Because the main futuristic technology in the film is an implant within the characters' minds,Upgradeinstead relies on the noteworthy performances of its cast (led by Logan Marshall-Green) to convey the complex internal conflicts at its core.Upgradeexplores the dark side of a new technology that seems less futuristic every day.
Under the Skin
Under the Skin is a sci-fi thriller directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Scarlett Johansson. Johansson plays “The Female,” an alien from another world that hunts men in Scotland. Despite receiving high praise upon release, Under the Skin was a box office bomb, only making a little over half of its budget.
Years before he received multiple Academy Award nominations for hiswriting/direction ofThe Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer ventured into the sci-fi genre withUnder the Skin. The film starsScarlett Johansson as an unnamed alien woman who travels through Scotland, observing various people to learn about humankind, before ultimately capturing them.
Although the film failed to recuperate its entire budget, it was a huge success among critics, and was nominated for various British film awards. Unlike many sci-fi films,Under the Skinemploys a ratherminimalist approach to filmmaking. Aside from Johansson, the cast largely consists of non-actors, adding to the genuine feel of the main character’s observations of humans.
The film also features multiple scenes that were entirely unscripted, and filmed using hidden cameras to capture the real reactions of the non-actors. These unusual techniques allowed Glazer and his team to believably explore the idea of how an alien would react to the daily lives of human beings.
Gattaca
Gattaca, a 1997 science fiction film directed by Andrew Niccol, explores a future society where genetic engineering dictates human potential. Ethan Hawke stars as Vincent Freeman, a genetically inferior “in-valid” who assumes another’s identity to pursue his dream of space travel. Co-starring Uma Thurman and Jude Law, the film delves into themes of destiny, ambition, and the ethical ramifications of genetic manipulation.
In 1997,Andrew Niccol made his directorial debut withGattaca, a sci-fi drama which takes place on a near-future version of Earth. In the world of the film,the process of carefully selecting which genes are passed down to the next generation has become commonplace.This creates a drastic social divide between those who were born with meticulously pre-selected genes, and those who were not.
The Oscar-nominated film stars Ethan Hawke as Vincent Freeman, a man who dreams of going into space, but knows his unoptimized genetics would prevent him from doing so legally. Though set in the future,Gattaca’s version of Earth is quite similar to the version that exists today, except for the key difference regarding genetics.
The film is a prime example of the sci-fi genre being used to assess flaws in modern society by demonstrating how they could worsen in the future. At its core,Gattacais a commentary on workplace discrimination. It simply uses a futuristic setting and concept to illustrate its message in a way that is complex and enticing for the audience.Gattacaproves that science fiction is dictated by its message, not by its special effects.
6The Man from Earth (2007)
Directed By Richard Schenkman
What would it take for you to believe that your beloved coworker is actually 14,000 years old? This question sits at the heart ofThe Man from Earth, a science fiction film directed by Richard Schenkman and written by acclaimed sci-fi author, Jerome Bixby.The events of the film unfold entirely within one house, where a small going-away party is being held for John Oldman, a local college professor.
The Man from Earthproves that you need nothing beyond a good script and a team of willing actors in order to present a thrilling sci-fi story.
The party gradually devolves into a deep discussion when John claims to be thousands of years old, having been born with a condition that has prevented him from aging.The Man from Earthproves that you need nothing beyond a good script and a team of willing actors in order to present a thrilling sci-fi story.
Shot ona tiny budget of only $200,000,The Man from Earthdoes not include special effects of any kind. In fact, it only includes a single set, and hardly any props whatsoever. Instead, the film relies entirely on its fascinating dialogue, which dives deep into the possibility of whether the same man could actually have been walking the Earth for thousands of years.
Asteroid City
Asteroid City is a comedy/romance film by director Wes Anderson and follows several parents and children brought together across the country for a Junior Stargazer convention. When strange and cosmic events occur, the world as they know it will change, all while trying to carry on with their event.
The latest feature from Wes Anderson,Asteroid City,allowed the auteur director to dive into the world of science fiction while sticking to his iconic style of storytelling. Presented as a sort of film-within-a-film,Asteroid Cityhighlightshow a small, desert town is affected by the brief arrival of a UFO. Like most of Anderson’s productions,the film features a star-studded ensemble cast, led by Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Hanks.
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Asteroid Cityis unlike most works of science fiction in several key ways. For one, the film is largely character-driven, with a greater attention given to the individual lives of the town’s residents, as opposed to following a singular narrative. Additionally, the film is mostly lighthearted and comedic, with its bright, eye-catching visuals strongly contributing to the overall tone. Lastly,the film only uses special effects very simplistically; even the alien itself (which is only onscreen for about a minute) is made using simple stop-motion animation.
The Truman Show
The Truman Show is a 1998 comedy-drama directed by Peter Weir. It follows the life of Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey), a man who discovers that his entire life has been a reality TV show with an audience in the millions. Laura Linney plays Truman’s wife Hannah Gill, Noah Emmerich plays his best friend Marlon, and Ed Harris portrays the series' director, Christof.
In 1998, Peter Weir combined science fiction with comedy, drama, and romance in order to createThe Truman Show. The Oscar-nominated film stars Jim Carrey as Truman,an everydayman who lives his life fully unaware that his entire existence is being broadcast to the world nonstop as a television show, and that all the people around him are not his actual family and friends, but actors on a massive set.
As the film progresses, Truman begins to notice the cracks in the world around him, prompting him to seek out the truth about his existence.The Truman Showfalls under the umbrella of science fiction much more because of its psychological elements and commentary than its minimal special effects.
Though it is not explicitly stated, the film appears to occur in a near-future version of Earth, one where society’s obsession with media has driven it to create the titular television program. Even without using much in the realm of visual effects (or futuristic technology, for that matter),The Truman Showmanages to both entertain and unsettleits audience with its depiction of 24/7 surveillance.
Spike Jonze’s 2013 feature,Her, explores the dramatic intersection between science fiction and romance. In the film, lonely writerTheodore Twombly finds himself engaging in a romantic relationship with Samantha, a highly complex artificial intelligence, capable of learning, growing, and loving alongside him.
Herwas incredibly well-received with critics, earning five Academy Award nominations (including a win for Best Original Screenplay), with additional praise given to Joaquin Phoenix’s lead performance.Herdoes not invent entirely new technologies, but rather expands on the abilities of technologies that have become fairly widespread today.
Herhas a Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 95%.
Artificial intelligence has become a definite area of focus in recent years, and Jonze manages to tackle the subject in a way that is both creative and ahead of its time.Herdoes not rely on special effects in any capacity, instead opting to redefine the abilities of products that already exist. Even without the use of various elements typically viewed as trademarks of the genre,Herhas become recognized asone of the greatest sci-fi films ever made.
Coherence
Coherence is a 2013 American sci-fi thriller film written and directed by James Ward Byrkit. The film follows a group of friends whose dinner party is disrupted by a series of strange events that challenge their perceptions of reality. As the night unfolds, the group begins to experience a series of bizarre occurrences that question the nature of their identities and relationships.
When a comet passes above Earth, a group of friends at a dinner party begin to notice unusual events going on in the world around them. This eerie concept sets the scene forCoherence, a 2013 film by James Ward Byrkit.Coherencecombinescomplex characters, mysterious power outages, and bizarre doppelgängersto form a thrilling sci-fi adventure.
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Witha budget of only $50,000, it is no surprise that the film does not depend on over-the-top special effects. While many high-stakes sci-fi thrillers use high-tech devices like laser blasters and other futuristic weapons, Coherence manages to turn everyday objects like glow sticks and ping-pong paddles into important props.
This is just one of the ways in which the film proves that good science fiction can be made without having to break the bank. Another clever trick used by the filmmakers involved hiring the twin brother of one of the lead actors, so they could actually show the man’s doppelgänger onscreen without having to turn to special effects.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind as Joel Barish and Clementine Kruczynski, a couple who rediscover their love after erasing each other from their memories. The 2004 drama is written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Michel Gondry, and includes Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, and Tom Wilkinson in its cast.
Backed by one of the most highly praised sci-fi scripts of all time,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis a 2004 sci-fi romance filmwritten by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry. Jim Carrey stars as Joel,a man who decides to undergo a procedure that will erase all memories of his former girlfriend, Clementine, from his mind, upon discovering that she has just gone through the same procedure.
The critically acclaimed film is one of the most emotional pieces of science fiction, proving that the genre can blend seamlessly with romance.
The critically acclaimed film is one of the most emotional pieces of science fiction, proving that the genre can blend seamlessly with romance.Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Minddemonstrates the value of having a grounded, human story, even when it is set in a futuristic world.
Since the birth of the genre, science fiction has not been solely about futuristic worlds and new technologies; it has been about the people living in these worlds and using these technologies, and how the current world can learn from them. At its heart,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis a heart-wrenching, emotional film about love. Its existence as a sci-fi film simply adds to its charm.
