The idea of being trapped in a post-apocalyptic scenario is not exactly enticing but it makes for great cerebral cinema fodder, with some brilliant filmmakers venturing into different variations of dystopia and stirred our minds and hearts in the process. (Compiled by Sajin Shrijith)
While science fiction veteran Philip K Dick's "Do Androids of Electric Sheep?" wasn't honoured with a completely faithful book-to-screen adaptation as purists expected, it gave director Ridley Scott and writers David Peoples and Hampton Fancher enough ideas to power a cult classic.
One of Alfonso Cuaron's best films, his English-language film adaptation of P.D. James' 1992 novel "The Children of Men" depicts a dystopian 2027 where the entire world has been grappling with infertility. The film benefitted from a gritty treatment, with some phenomenal single-take sequences that plant us in the middle of all the chaos.
The Planet of the Apes reboot series, beginning with 'Rise', followed by 'Dawn', 'War', and recently culminating in 'Kingdom', cannot be recommended without including, at least, the very first Planet of the Apes. The reboot series rose to even bigger heights when Matt Reeves ("The Batman") came on board to direct 'Dawn' and 'War'.
Philip K. Dick finds another mention in this list, with Paul Verhoeven's R-rated (and deservedly so) gore-heavy 1990 film adaptation fronted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It has the distinction of being one of the rare Schwarzenegger action films that aim to be intellectually stimulating while also bringing in ample firepower.
Imagine beginning with a simple revenge story that transforms into something much, much more throughout the saga's five-film course during which we saw the evolution of George Miller as a formidable filmmaker capable of simultaneously weaving together multiple themes and jaw-dropping action sequences.
French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet made his directorial debut with this dystopian dark comedy set in a post-apocalyptic France, populated with a host of quirky characters, both good and bad. The film's singular and extraordinary visual style and storytelling approach are testaments to the fact that Jeunet operates best on his home turf.
One look at Fritz Lang's silent cinema masterpiece, and you begin to wonder how many modern sci-fi films must've borrowed concepts from it. The immensity of the film's production design and the special effects wizardry rival the best in contemporary modern cinema.
Sixty years after Fritz Lang presented a robot in Metropolis, screenwriter Edward Neumeier imagined the idea of a law enforcer who also happened to be a robot operating with the consciousness of a recently murdered cop, played by Peter Weller. Interestingly, the Robocop idea popped up in his mind during a visit to the Blade Runner set.