Science fiction is dead! So says Ridley Scott. Sounds to me like he just hasn’t been paying attention. There’s been plenty of science fiction as good as, if not better than, 2001: A Space Odyssey in the nearly forty years since that film was made. Every time someone says this or that genre is dead, there are usually half a dozen easy examples to prove them wrong. The half dozen that spring to my mind of interesting, challenging, unique, enjoyable and, more importantly, recent science fiction? How about:
Gattaca
Primer
12 Monkeys
Solaris
Donnie Darko
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
And I can think of more. Is there a lot of terrible and derivative science fiction being produced? Of course there is. But when wasn’t there? When in the history of human culture has Sturgeon’s Law not applied?
Nice list, although I’d knock two off: Solaris (being a re-make) and Gattaca (which I’ve always found over-rated). These are easily replaced, however (Pitch Black, Cube).
Have you seen Sunshine?
Well obviously, any list like this is open to debate. I’d definitely include Cube (although maybe deduct a few points just because of the pretty dreadful sequel), but I’d argue that Pitch Black (while fun and smart) is basically an Alien clone.
Then again, 12 Monkeys is also a remake…and even both 2001 and Blade Runner are based on earlier stories (Arthur C. Clarke’s “The Sentinel” and Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, respectively).
So, really, there’s nothing new under the sun.
And I also don’t think there’s anything necessarily wrong with slightly derivative work. The Matrix isn’t terribly original science ficion, but I still think it’s great fun and a good film.
12 Monkeys is also a remake
Argh! I forgot, and I even have a copy of La Jette at home.
there’s nothing new under the sun
Yeah, really they’re all just A Trip to the Moon tarted up with some better effects.
😉
I liked Gattaca, but maybe it was just because I see about as well as Ethan Hawke’s character with my glasses off, too.