Still, ‘Blade Runner 2049’ dir. Denis Villeneuve

Today sees the eagerly awaited Blade Runner 2046 finally hitting worldwide cinemas. Almost 35 years since the release of the first film, this sequel – directed by David Villeneuve – will see the return of Harrison Ford, who reprises his role as Rick Deckard, starring alongside Ryan Gosling, Ana De Armas, Jared Leto and Robin Wright.

Set in Los Angeles in 2019, the original film directed by Ridley Scott presents audiences with a dystopian future in which bio-engineered ‘replicants’, that are aesthetically indistinguishable from humans, are hunted down by special police operatives known as Blade Runners. Set in 2046, Villeneuve’s sequel is set to take this fear of the power of intellectual intelligence to the next level.

The success of Scott’s original film is of no surprise; as humans we are predisposed to fear the future, and dystopian future movies are the perfect cathartic release exposing our shared anxieties as a human race. Throughout the years we have been treated to many films that portray worlds devoured in apocalyptic fear and robotic take over.

Here we trace the best dystopian futures to have hit our screens.

A Clockwork Orange 1971, dir. Stanley Kubrik

It is impossible to discuss dystopian futures without looking at Stanley Kubrik’s A Clockwork Orange. Debuted in 1971, the film is set in a futuristic Britain ripe with gang violence and questionable criminal rehabilitation techniques.

When Anthony Burgess published his seminal novel A Clockwork Orange back in 1962 it was met with public outrage due to its candid depiction of violence. However this public outcry was nothing compared to the response to Kubrick’s 1972 film adaptation.The dystopian story of ultra-violence focuses on Alex, his dear droogs, and their day-to-day life in London, which includes opiate-enhanced nights at the milk bar, sprees of sexual and unprovoked violent crime, and other unsavoury activity.

Though there has been copious controversy surrounding the level of violence in the film there is no denying its success and resulting cult following. It is still near impossible to leave the house on Halloween and not see one of Alex’s droogs. Whilst the characters are undeniably creepy, it is the accuracy of the social commentary that makes this dystopian future the most terrifying. Touching on issues of free will and the power of choice, the social satire exposes the dangers of psychological conditioning in what is shown to be a totalitarian government.

Twelve Monkeys 1995, dir. Terry Gilliam 

Starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, Terry Gilliam’s iconic film Twelve Monkeys shows us not just a dystopian future but also a past and present. Set in 2035 in a compound beneath the ruins of Philadelphia, Gilliam’s dystopia houses only one per cent of the human race, the only survivors of a deadly virus that was released in 1969. James Cole, played by Willis is sent back in time to find the starter of the virus in the hopes of procuring its antidote.

Interestingly, whilst the majority of Gilliam’s films are written solo, Twelve Monkeys was co-written with none other than David Peoples, whose credits include Blade Runner.

Unlike the previously discussed films Twelve Monkeys is less social commentary on the nature of the human race, more fantastical and fast-paced. Though it can be argued that there are nods to animal cruelty and issues of mental health.

Logan’s Run 1976, dir. Michael Anderson 

Unlike the others, this dystopian future begins by masking itself as a utopian one. Set in a self-contained dome under the city of Washington (very similar to that of the Twelve Monkeys bunker) in 2274, this Truman Show-esque community begins to show its cracks as we learn that its members are ‘terminated’ as soon as they turn 30. The citizens of the dome live a hedonistic life, which is maintained by this termination known as the ritual of the “Carrousel”.

As all self-contained domes do, this dystopian setting contains an A. I. smart grid that can trace every movement and even the thoughts of all the citizens, so when Logan a “Sandman” whose job it is to make sure everyone who has reached 30 is terminated, meets Jessica 6, the two go in search of “Sanctuary, a mythical place where they will be safe to live out the rest of their lives

Here we have another example of a universe designed to tap in to our united fear of new technology, artificial intelligence and nanny state surveillance. Audiences are, to some extent, also faced with an acute awareness of our own mortality.

The Matrix 1999, dir. Lana and Larry wachowski

The discussion of the possibility of our existence being a mere simulation has grown in popularity in the last few years, with debates publicly pioneered by several big guns in the tech industry including Elon Musk himself. Way ahead of its time, it is exactly this hypothesis that is addressed in the Wachowski’s The Matrix. One of the most well known dystopian sci-fi’s of all time, the film is set in a simulated reality, “The Matrix”, which has been created by sentient machines to subdue the human population, while their bodies heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source.

In the film a computer programmer Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, learns the truth about this simulation and rebels against the machines to free himself from the “dream world”.

The film arguably has a greater effect watched today than when it was first released, with the possibility of simulation being discussed more than ever. It also boasts dramatic slow motion fight scenes and who doesn’t love a good floor-length leather coat?

Black Mirror 2011,  created by Charlie Brooker 

Up next are Charlie Brooker’s stand-alone episodes on Netflix which zero in on the most prescient modern technological fears, from mass surveillance and bio hacking to simulations and cyber bullying. Black Mirror, which has just announced a fourth season, has been highly commended for its accuracy.

Brooker’s dystopian settings comment on an aspect of new technology taking them to terrifying yet subtle conclusions that make you want to throw your phone out the window. One of the most uncannily accurate episodes being National Anthem in which a member of the Royal Family is kidnapped and will be killed unless the Prime Minister performs a sexual act with a pig on live television. Following the events of “Pig Gate” that came to light four years after National Anthem was aired Charlie Brooker said “I did genuinely for a moment wonder if reality was a simulation, whether it exists only to trick me. Which isn’t meant to sound narcissistic, it’s just a bit of a worry.” (via The Guardian) Need I say more?

Mad Max Fury Road 2015, dir. George Miller

Mad Max Fury Road, is the fourth instalment and reboot of the popular post-apocalyptic Mad Max Franchise and similarly to Blade Runner 2046, comes thirty years after the last film.

The action-packed film is set in Australia in a future desert wasteland where gasoline and water are scarce following a nuclear holocaust. It follows a classic dystopian narrative of a gang of rebels escaping a cult leader. Whilst the film can be described as one long chase scene, it has received huge praise for its creative chaos, its dramatic soundscape, those incredible desert locations and a certain jumpsuit-wearing, flame-throwing guitarist.

Designed to exhaust its audiences, Mad Max Fury Road also features an all-star cast including Tom Hardy – who took over the leading role from Mel Gibson – Charlize Theron, Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Nicholas Hault.

1984 (1984), dir. Michael Radford

Probably the most iconic dystopian future of all, George Orwell’s totalitarian society controlled by heavy surveillance lends for one of the most chilling films of all time. Directed by Michael Radford, 1984 tells a classic tale of forbidden love in London in a constant state of terror under permanent surveillance of “Big Brother” and the “Thought Police”.

Similar to the tale of Logan 5 and Jessica 6, Winston Smith who works in the Ministry of Truth, falls in love with Julia, a free-spirited woman and begin an illicit affair. The two start a life together in which they share their private subversive thoughts and procure contraband food and clothing from the black market secretly enjoying an idyllic life of relative freedom. The couple live in ignorance that their every move is being watched.

The film’s success can be seen in its lasting effect on today’s society, with “Big Brother” lending its name to one of Britain’s biggest reality television shows which is based on the novel’s concept of people being under constant surveillance.

Blade Runner 2049 is out in cinemas on 5th October.