10 best dystopian movies that will change your perception of the world

Dystopian movies are one of the most interesting genres in filmmaking. While filmmakers can create a reality and a future out of pure creativity, they can also introduce mind-bending concepts with absolute freedom. Dystopian movies are generally considered to be about human extinction and have a depressive atmosphere. However, there are many dystopian movies that offer a different perception of the world among tough times. Here are 10 dystopian movies that are unique in their themes, thought-provoking messages, and simply because of their direction, allow viewers to view reality differently.

---

Blade Runner 2049, Snowpiercer, and other dystopian movies that will change one's perception of the world

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

Directed by George Miller, this Australian post-apocalyptic action movie is a part of the Mad Max franchise and stars Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and others. The film is set in a world where petrol and water are scarce commodities and the world is now a desert wasteland. Amidst such a world, Max (Hardy) joins forces with Furiosa (Theron) and leads a road battle against a warlord Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who has enslaved his wives and must be freed. The movie was a smash hit and is one of the must-watch dystopian movies. The film has non-stop action and stunning visuals that offer a new perspective of a post-apocalyptic world. One of the best dystopian movies.

---

2. Wall-E

Featuring the voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, and others, this animated sci-fi romantic movie is directed by Andrew Stanton. While the movie focuses on the journey of the lone titular robot who falls in love with another robot and pursues her across the galaxy, the dystopian and post-apocalyptic themes are omnipresent in the movie, making it a must-watch dystopian movie. The film presents a world that has become uninhabitable due to the greed of humans and the titular robot has to clean up the garbage while humans now live in other space colonies. The film has major themes of consumerism, the environmental impact caused by humans, and global catastrophe. A critically and commercially acclaimed movie, the film is emotionally powerful and delivers a strong message. It is therefore, one of those dystopian movies that will change the viewers’ perception about the world.

---

3. Blade Runner 2049

Directed by Dennis Villeneuve, this epic neo-noir sci-fi movie is a sequel to the 1982 movie. Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, and others, the movie is about K (Gosling), who is a “blade runner” and must race against time as he uncovers a secret that can destabilize society and change the course of human civilization. While the movie received mixed reviews, it was appreciated for its visual effects and cinematography. The film is one of those dystopian movies that present a neo-noir fantasy world that captures the dystopian theme perfectly. Viewers who associate dystopian movies with the cyberpunk aesthetic will love this movie. The movie also poses questions about identity and humanity and will force viewers to think about where humans stand in a new world full of technology. Therefore, it is a must-watch movie and features stunning visuals.

---

4. Never Let Me Go

Starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield, and others, this British dystopian romantic drama is based on the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro. Directed by Mark Romanek, the film is set in an alternate history and focuses on Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, who are played by Mulligan, Knightley, and Garfield, respectively. While the movie seems like a romantic drama about a love triangle, the twist is that the three main characters have been created as clones and are fated to be compulsory organ donors for their rich counterparts when they grow up. The movie is one of the must-watch dystopian movies as it presents an uncomfortable reality where people are being created only for the selfish needs of the others, and the essence of humanity is being lost.

---

5. Snowpiercer

Directed by Bong Joon-ho and starring Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, and others, this post-apocalyptic action and thriller film is one of the best dystopian movies. The movie is based on the French graphic novel by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette. The film presents a future where global warming has destroyed the Earth and even when humans try to attempt climate engineering to stop it, the Earth turns into an ice age that destroys most life on Earth. Now, the only humans left are aboard the titular train that travels a globe-encircling track. However, even during dystopian times, the class difference remains and Curtis (Evans) becomes the leader of the lower-class tail-section passengers, who rebels against the elite passengers in the front of the train. The movie is therefore one of the must-watch dystopian movies as it forces viewers to view dystopia in a new light—one that is still filled with prejudice, class, and bias.

---

6. A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Based on the 1969 short story by Brian Aldiss, this sci-fi drama movie is directed by Steven Spielberg and has received massive critical and commercial acclaim, making it one of the best dystopian movies. Starring Haley Joel Osment, the movie is set in a futuristic society where David (Osment) is a childlike android that has been uniquely programmed with the ability of love. The movie presents a world where rising sea levels and global warming has wiped out coastal cities and the human population is on the decline. Hence, the need for androids. David is created to be given to a family whose son is unwell. However, David possesses awareness and wanders on a path of self-identity that turns out to be lonely and cruel. The movie will force viewers to think about dystopia in new terms and it is therefore one of the must-watch dystopian movies.

---

7. Gattaca

Written and directed by Andrew Niccol and starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and others, this dystopian sci-fi movie presents a futuristic society where children are conceived through genetic selection so that they possess the best hereditary traits of their parents. The movie is therefore set in a world where eugenics reign supreme and is one of the must-watch dystopian movies. However, Vincent (Hawke), is one such person who was created outside the eugenics program and he therefore must overcome genetic discrimination to realize his dream of going into space. The movie is thought-provoking as it focuses on a future where eugenics will decide everything and people will suffer from genetic bias. The movie deals with questions of superiority and inferiority and has hauntingly beautiful visuals that add to the pertinent questions that the movie is posing. Therefore, it is one of the best dystopian movies.

---

8. Minority Report

Starring Tom Cruise and directed by Steven Spielberg, this cyberpunk action movie is based on the 1956 novella by Philip K. Dick and is one of the must-watch dystopian movies. The movie is set in the future in 2054 where a specialized police department called “precrime” can apprehend criminals before they commit a crime through the use of foreknowledge provided by three psychics called “precogs”. The movie was a critical and commercial success and portrays a world where humans can predict crime. However, the movie poses questions about personal privacy that is getting eroded with more and more technology in our lives. The movie has fast-paced action scenes and is one of the must-watch dystopian movies. The movie seems to showcase a future where criminals can be apprehended before committing the crime and it therefore seems like a utopia, but the challenges faced by the protagonist prove that the future might not be as utopian as it seems.

---

9. Children of Men

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Iain Smith, Tony Smith, and others, this dystopian action thriller is based on the 1992 novel by P.D. James. The movie is set in 2027 where humans have suddenly lost the ability to reproduce and two decades of human infertility has led to human society on the brink of collapse. Even the asylum seekers are subjected to detention and deportation by the government. Amidst all this, a former activist tries to protect a pregnant woman who is the first woman to be pregnant in decades and the two must flee from oppressive forces. It is one of the must-watch dystopian movies as it has lots of social commentary. It has beautiful cinematography and is a human story about hope and survival. Therefore, it is one of the best dystopian movies.

---

10. The Matrix

One of the most popular sci-fi action movies, the film stars Keanu Reeves and is directed by The Wachowskis. The movie was a critical and commercial success and is a part of pop culture. The movie focuses on Neo (Reeves), who is a computer hacker and he discovers that all of reality is a simulation that is created by intelligent machines that enslave humanity. Now, he must join a group of rebels who must fight to wake people up from their digital prison. While the movie has cutting-edge action scenes and memorable dialogues about the choices one makes in life, it is, at its heart, a movie about a bleak dystopia where machines have caged humans and they don’t even know about it. It is one of the best dystopian movies and has revolutionary visual effects and mind-bending concepts. The movie is highly symbolic and forces viewers to look at reality in a different manner. The movie spawned a franchise and is therefore, one of the must-watch dystopian movies.