Best Dystopian Movies Of All Time: 25+ Films That’ll Change Your World View

Best Dystopian Movies (Top Picks At A Glance)

A dystopia is a society in which conditions are extremely bad, often as a result of human error or government control. Dystopian movies can be thrilling to watch, as they offer a glimpse into worlds that may seem far-fetched but could one day become reality. These worlds can be extremely captivating on the big screen, and over the years there have been a number of excellent movies that depict them. This is why we have gone ahead and put together a list of the best of them.

From the classic Blade Runner to the more recent Hunger Games, these movies will take you on a journey through sci-fi dystopias that are both thrilling and thought-provoking. Each one offers unique insight into how societies can break down and reform in an ever-changing world. So, whether you’re looking for a classic or a more modern take on the genre, here are the best dystopian movies ever made. Enjoy! 

The Book Of Eli Movie Description

Eli (Denzel Washington), a lone warrior carrying hope for humanity’s redemption, walks across a ruined landscape.

He is determined to protect his precious cargo and restore mankind. Though he prefers peace, he will risk death to fulfill his destiny.

Children Of Men Movie Description

The world is on the brink of extinction due to infertility. The last child born has perished, leaving humanity with no hope for the future.

An apathetic bureaucrat unexpectedly becomes humanity’s last hope in the fight for Earth’s survival. He must overcome his own demons and protect the humanities final chance at survival from danger.

Snowpiercer Movie Description

The poorest residents of a luxury train that plows through snow and ice plan to take over the engine room in order to improve their life.

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Dark City Movie Description

John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) awakens in a strange hotel with no memory of who he is or what he has done. He soon realizes that he is wanted for a series of brutal murders, but he can’t remember whether he committed them or not.

As he struggles to unravel the mystery of his identity, Murdoch discovers a dark underworld controlled by the Strangers.

The Matrix Movie Description

Neo (Keanu Reeves) is curious if Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), a figure no one knows much about, can answer his question, What is the Matrix? Neo then meets Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), who leads him into an underworld to find Morpheus.

They battle against agents who are far more intelligent than they are and quickly realize the truth could cost Neo something far worse than his life.

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• How To Watch The Matrix Movies In Order

Blade Runner Movie Description

Rick Deckard, a blade runner, is called out of retirement to terminate a group of replicants who have escaped to Earth.

These replicants are seeking their creator in order to extend their short life spans.

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Dune Movie Description

Paul Atreides is a young man who is thrust into a great destiny that he does not understand. He must travel to a dangerous planet in order to protect his family and his people.

As he navigates the hostile world, he must overcome his fears in order to survive.

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Twelve Monkeys Movie Description

James Cole (Bruce Willis) is a time traveler who is sent back to the 1990s in order to gather information about a plague that is set to wipe out most of the world’s population.

However, he faces numerous challenges in accomplishing his task, including getting cooperation from people like Jeffrey (Brad Pitt) and Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe).

The Road Movie Description

The world is a bleak, dark place after a disaster. A father and his son through this post-apocalyptic land, trying to keep the dream of civilization alive.

They travel towards the sea, relying on scavenged resources to stay alive, and avoiding roving gangs of savage humans who will turn them into slaves or worse.

Mad Max: Fury Road Movie Description

In a world long after the collapse of civilization, the tyrannical Immortan Joe enslaves apocalypse survivors inside the desert fortress known as The Citadel. Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a skilled warrior leads the escape of the despot’s five wives.

Forming an alliance with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), who was once a captive himself, they travel in the War Rig; a large and heavily armored truck. The pair attempt to outrun the warlord and his followers in a high-speed chase across Wasteland.

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The Terminator Movie Description

A cyborg known as a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) travels from the future to the year 1984 in order to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). However, Sarah is protected by Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), who tells her about the coming of Skynet and how it will lead to a nuclear holocaust.

Sarah is a target of Skynet because they know that her unborn son will one day lead the fight against them. The Terminator stalking Sarah and Kyle is nearly impossible to stop, but they will do all that they can to try and defeat it regardless.

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Elysium Movie Description

In the year 2154, the gap between the rich and the poor is stark: The wealthy live in luxury on a space station called Elysium, while the rest of humanity struggles to survive on Earth.

When his life is in danger, Max (Matt Damon), a man who lives among the poor, agrees to do something that could change things for everyone, but Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster), the woman in charge of Elysium will stop at nothing to keep her privileged lifestyle.

The Hunger Games Movie Description

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a young girl from District 12 who has to compete in the Hunger Games. These games are nationally televised events in which she must fight to the death until only one person remains.

Katniss is a skilled hunter and relies on her instincts to survive in the arena. However, she also has to consider what is best for her loved ones.

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Alien Movie Description

The crew of the Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress call from an alien vessel. As they explore the alien ship, they find a nest of eggs inside.

An organism from one of the eggs leaps out and attaches itself to one of the crew, causing him to fall into a coma. This was the first of many events that will leave them all regretting the deadly decision they made to check out the distress signal.

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Ready Player One Movie Description

When Wade Watts enters the OASIS, he never expects to become the world’s savior. The virtual reality universe is on the brink of collapse, but Watts finds hope in the OASIS. When James Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person who can find a digital Easter egg hidden inside the OASIS.

Upon joining the contest, Watts immediately finds himself in the midst of a reality-bending treasure hunt through a fantastical world fraught with mystery, discovery, and danger.

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Interstellar Movie Description

In the future, due to a crop blight and severe drought, the Earth is becoming increasingly uninhabitable. In order to save humanity, NASA physicist Professor Brand plans on transporting Earth’s population to a new home via a wormhole.

But first, he has former NASA pilot Cooper and a team of researchers travel through the wormhole and across the galaxy to survey three possible planets that could serve as Mankind’s new home.

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The Darkest Minds Movie Description

When adolescents mysteriously acquire powerful new abilities, they are declared dangerous by the government and detained. Ruby, one of the most powerful young people, escapes from her camp and joins a group of runaways searching for a safe place.

The adults in power betrayed them, so this newfound family must use their powers together to resist and take back their future.

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Chappie Movie Description

In the future, lawbreakers are dealt with by a mechanized police force. However, the people have started fighting back. When one of the government’s droids is stolen and given new programming, it gains sentience.

While Chappie (the droid) attempts to make sense of human behavior, those in power see him as a threat to their way of life and begin hunting him down.

The Platform Movie Description

In the future, prisoners are kept in vertical cells where they watch inmates in the upper cells being fed while they themselves starve due to others’ greed.

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Total Recall Movie Description

Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a man who, in the year 2084, is bored with his life. He dreams of visiting the colonized planet of Mars, but he doesn’t want to actually travel there. He visits “Rekall,” a company that implants memories into people’s brains, in order to experience the thrill of Mars without having to leave Earth.

But things go wrong during the procedure; Quaid discovers that his whole life is actually a false memory and that the people who put it in his head now want him dead.

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Space Sweepers Movie Description

Space shuttle Victory’s recent find of a young girl robot has everyone on the ship curious.

She seems to be a humanlike machine that the UTS Space Guards have been searching for, so the crew decides to hold her for ransom.

The Girl With All The Gifts Movie Description

A young girl immune to a mutated fungal disease helps guide mankind’s survival in a world of cannibalistic zombies.

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V For Vendetta Movie Description

After global conflict, London has become a police state under a fascist government. To fight back against the harsh new regime, a vigilante known only as V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics.

When he saves a young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) from the secret police, he finally has an ally in his rebellion against England’s rulers.

The Purge Movie Description

In a crime-ridden America with overcrowded prisons, the government legalizes all criminal activity, including murder, for 12 hours every year.

When an intruder breaks into their home and brings the vicious outside world inside, James Sandin (Ethan Hawke), Mary (Lena Headey), and their two children must fight to survive the night without becoming monsters themselves.

RoboCop Movie Description

The evil Omni Consumer Products corporation lands a deal from the city of Detroit to privatize its police force. To test its new crime-fighting cyborgs, the company forces street cop Alex Murphy into an armed confrontation with crime lord Boddicker.

They plan to use his body parts for their RoboCop prototype, but when RoboCop learns about their nefarious plans, he turns against them.

WALL-E Movie Description

WALL-E is a lonely robot who falls in love with EVE, a sleek and shapely probe sent back to Earth on a scanning mission.

WALL-E embarks on his greatest adventure yet when he follows EVE across the galaxy.

The Lobster Movie Description

In a dystopian society, those who are not in a romantic relationship are forced to find one within a strict time limit of 45 days or be transformed into an animal of their choice.

Minority Report Movie Description

In the future, the police use psychic technology to arrest murderers before they commit their crimes.

When the head of the Precrime unit is accused of murder, he has to find out who is responsible for framing him before it’s too late.

Gattaca Movie Description

Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) has always dreamed of traveling to outer space, but his status as a genetically inferior “in-valid” has prevented him from fulfilling his dream. One day, Vincent comes up with a plan to purchase the genes of Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), a laboratory-engineered “valid.”

Jerome’s DNA allows Vincent to assume his identity and join the Gattaca space program, where he meets and falls in love with Irene (Uma Thurman). However, when an investigation into the death of a Gattaca officer begins to complicate Vincent’s plans, he must take drastic measures to protect his secret.

The Fifth Element Movie Description

Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) is a cabbie in the 23rd century who finds himself in the middle of an epic battle to save the world. Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), the fifth element, falls into his cab and he must race against time to save humanity from the Great Evil.

With Father Vito Cornelius (Ian Holm) and zany broadcaster Ruby Rhod (Chris Tucker) by his side, Dallas must combine the five elements to stop the evil Zorg (Gary Oldman).

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Looper Movie Description

In the future, time travel exists but is only available to those who can afford it through illegal black market channels. When someone needs to be eliminated, they are sent back in time where a hitman waits to kill them.

Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is one of these hired guns and does his job well, that is until his bosses decide it’s ‘his turn’ and send his future self (Bruce Willis) back in time for him to execute.

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Mortal Engines Movie Description

Hester Shaw is the only person hundreds of years after a cataclysmic event that can stop London, which has become a giant predator on wheels, from destroying everything.

Hester is feral and driven by the memory of her mother to join forces with Tom Natsworthy and Anna Fang.

District 9 Movie Description

Thirty years ago, aliens seeking refuge from their dying planet landed on Earth in the District 9 area of South Africa. They are managed by Multi-National United, which is unconcerned with the aliens’ welfare but interested in mastering their advanced technology.

When a company field agent contracts a mysterious virus that begins to alter his DNA, he only has one place to hide, District 9.

5 More Dystopian Movies (Honorable Mentions)

In addition to our top picks, there are many other dystopian films that are worth mentioning. While these movies may not have made it to the top of our list, they are still powerful and thought-provoking works of art that delve into the darker aspects of society.

Whether it’s through a focus on a totalitarian government, a post-apocalyptic world, or a technologically advanced future gone wrong, these honorable mention films offer unique perspectives on what it means to live in a dystopia. So, if you’re a fan of the genre and have watched through our top picks, be sure to check out the honorable mentions below for even more dystopian cinema to enjoy!

• Never Let Me Go (2010)
• Equilibrium (2002)
• High-Rise (2015)
• A Clockwork Orange (1971)
• Logan’s Run (1976)