Whether in film, gaming, books, or otherwise, the science fiction genre is often known for succumbing to certain tropes, even among some dedicated fans. These familiar staples include strange aliens, robotic monstrosities, and of course, outer space locales.
These celestial settings certainly aren't foreign when it comes to sci-fi films, which often feature spacecraft soaring through this vast darkness. It makes sense, as sci-fi typically focuses on technological advancement and future settings. But being the inventive, ground-breaking medium that it is, science fiction extends beyond the "final frontier" of space.
In fact, some of the genre's best, most interesting films avoid the far reaches of space entirely.
10 The Running Man (1987)
Simultaneously cynical and goofy, this sci-fi thriller entertains with its wild action scenes balanced with amusing societal commentary. Tried-and-true action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger proves a great fit for the role of police pilot Ben Richards, who finds himself a contestant of an over-the-top game show featuring deadly acts and mad scrambles.
Forced into these futuristic gladiatorial romps, Richard must fight for his life by fleeing armed mercenaries for the entertainment and pacification of viewers. The film oozes cheesy moments and ample gore. Yet it also captivates with fun dystopian themes and some gritty, realistic set design.
9 Ex Machina
In this often overlooked film from 2014, director Alex Garland presents a tale that favors atmosphere and emotion over epic action scenes or sci-fi flashiness. Resembling a Philip K. Dick tale that never was, Ex Machina similarly explores what it means to be human with a plot centered around a humanoid robot taking part in the Turing test.
Programmer Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) is called upon to aid tech company CEO Nathan (Oscar Isaac) to play counterpart to the robot Ava, gauging her artificial intellect and awareness. While it's a slow burn, this film entices with its personal, psychological, and philosophical flair—and pays off with a memorable ending.
8 RoboCop (1987)
Not to be confused with the lukewarm 2014 remake, RoboCop remains a cult classic with its intense action and science fiction charm. The film proves that neither aliens nor interstellar settings are needed to provide a fun sci-fi ride. In this case, it's but a super-powered cyborg cop and quasi-dystopian Detroit that gets the job done.
On the surface, this film comes off as a delightfully campy action romp wrought with violence and sci-fi tropes. But beneath its military-grade steel exterior, Paul Verhoeven's RoboCop captivates with its emotional core, a clever premise of corruption, and stellar cinematography.
7 A Clockwork Orange
It's not often that films do justice to the novels from which they're spawned. But much like Stanley Kubrick's take on the renowned thriller The Shining, the experimental director shines with this intriguingly twisted crime film from 1971.
Despite its age, this trippy, disturbing plot of mind control set in dystopian Britain, still holds up absent overt sci-fi flair. This is thanks to its rich set design, stout imagery, and dark, atmospheric tone—brought to life by memorable villains and antiheroes.
6 Donnie Darko
Rather than venturing through outer space, this '01 thriller from director Richard Kelly explores the vast human psyche and the potentially dark notions of the unknown. Donnie Darko centers around a troubled protagonist prone to sleepwalking; and dark omens that apparently take the form of a deformed rabbit.
Early on, the rabbit ominously informs Donnie that the world will cease to exist in about a month. This message and the significant finding of a crashed jet engine in his bedroom, set in motion some mind-bending visions, exchanges, and events that blur reality and hallucination. The film takes a Twilight Zone-esque approach with its dark, atmospheric tone—and a warped, creative premise that has viewers questioning the nature of reality itself.
5 The Hunger Games (2012)
Based on the YA novel trilogy by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games revolves around a deadly competition in the wilderness contrasted by a dystopian sci-fi backdrop. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a downtrodden protagonist who, to save her younger sister, volunteers to take part in a televised battle royale where only one out of 24 emerge victorious (and alive). These fighters are forced by the center of power, the Capitol, to compete to the death as a means of both tribute and entertainment for the more fortunate citizens.
Set in an alternative future of totalitarian America, the film captures the imagination and emotion of viewers with dynamic performances and heart-pumping action. Humble, independent—and quite skilled with a bow—it's easy to pull for the underdog Katniss as she fends off pursuers and sows the seeds of rebellion against the wealthy Capitol.
4 Inception
Building on the expansive—and often unstable—foundation of dreams, director Christopher Nolan lets the imagination run wild with this surreal trip from 2010. The film features Cobb and Arthur, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, respectively.
They're "extractors" who utilize cutting-edge technology that allows one to delve into the dreams of others as they unfold. This is done in order to gather useful data from their subjects and implant ideas into their minds. What follows is a thrilling, emotional tale of love, tragedy, and corporate espionage. Inception illustrates that one's dreams can bring a depth and imagination that eclipses space and time itself.
3 Back To The Future
Many filmmakers have shown that sci-fi can be creative, profound, and epic without the need for ETs and space travel. Yet, Robert Zemeckis demonstrates that a simple time-travel premise can be just as fun. Much like the iconic time-traversing DeLorean itself, Back to the Future takes viewers on a wild ride from beginning to end.
The journey is strengthened by the memorable duo that inspired Rick and Morty, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), and Emmett "Doc" Brown (Christopher Lloyd). The two find themselves in the 1950s when an experiment by the scientist goes awry.
2 Blade Runner (1982)
Stemming from the deceptively-named P. K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? this Ridley Scott rendition has essentially spawned a franchise in its own right. Still, most fans continue to swear by this '82 classic, which draws viewers into a gloomy, yet wondrous cyberpunk city, in which jaded cop antihero Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) resides.
While getting lost in the rich, detailed backdrops of the "far distant future" of 2019 Los Angeles, viewers follow Deckard as he seeks out AI "replicants" posing as humans. In the spirit of the book, Blade Runner presents moral quandaries and asks what it really means to be human—featuring very human-like replicants at odds with Deckard. At the same time, Scott decorates this premise with awesome cinematography and dazzling special effects.
1 The Matrix
Much of the best art and entertainment inject various influences that span a wide range—as is the case with the renowned classic from The Wachowskis, The Matrix. The film dabbles in everything from philosophy to Kung-Fu action to Alice in Wonderland and fuses it all into a truly impactful "coming of age" tale taken to the next level. And it does this without venturing beyond the now-scorched planet earth.
In The Matrix, a humble programmer is (quite literally) given a wake-up call and a harsh dose of reality. As he tumbles down the rabbit hole—dodging bullets, speaking with Oracles, and downloading skills on his brain along the way—he finds the world is not what it seems.
This film excels and captivates on countless levels—from its ground-breaking special effects to its epic world-building, to its inspiring plot of liberation and self-discovery.