The Dystopian theme in the movies and even in TV shows have been trending for a while now as it has been liked by the fans.
The Divergent franchise, based on a novel of the same name, came out in 2014. The theme of the movie is a dystopian future in which society is divided into factions. When children reach 16, they have to decide what will be their occupation for the rest of their life.
Many of these dystopian movies have young adults in the spotlight, and the main character is always the one to remind us of what is at stake. Kate Winslet’s character Jeanine Matthews is the villain of the plot arc. She is a control freak and will give threats, mind control, and even intimidation to stay in full control.
It was a decent watch, and the Divergent movie franchise will keep you entertained. If you have already watched the franchise, then this list has movies like Divergent. The list is in no particular order. Search for your favorite movie, grab some popcorn, and go for it.
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Hunger Games
Just like Divergent, Hung Games is also adapted from a novel of the same name. It is one of the best movies that displays a dystopian theme.
The plot of the movie is based on children in a dystopian world. Panem, the place where they reside, is divided into 12 districts which are being punished as they revolted but failed. They have to pick one girl and a boy as a tribute, and they must be from 12 to 18 years of age.
The selected participants have to participate in The Hunger Games, it is a battle royal where the last one standing survives, and others are killed. You have to kill the other players in order to win the games.
The movie has high stakes and a full adrenaline rush. Jennifer Lawrence is the star of the movie, where she showed her acting skills and managed to portray a role of a brave but cautious girl.
All the other supporting casts also managed to keep the plot running and viewers hooked. The whole Hunger Games franchise is a good watch, and it has everything that one viewer needs in a movie.
- Released in: 2012
- Runtime: 2h 22m
- IMDB Score: 7.2
- Cast: Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Sam Claflin, Jennifer Lawrence, Jackie Evancho, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Tucker Gates, Jack Quaid, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, and many others
- Directed By: Gary Ross
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
The Maze Runner
Maze Runner is a very intriguing movie set in a post-apocalyptic premise. Usually, dystopian movies focus on science fiction, but not this one. It solely focuses on survival. The characters are always looking for survival to make it another day.
The plot is straightforward, and teenagers wake up in a cage that is carrying them up, surrounded by other people who explain to them what is going on.
He realizes that all of them have no memories, and some of them have been here before, and a new member comes each month with no memories. The main character remembers his own name, Thomas, played by Dylan O’ Brein.
He makes a plan and forms a group with them, and he helps them grow food, make shelter and survive along with them. The tale itself is compelling enough to keep you guessing, and the spectacular effects did not take away from the plot. Its superior plot writing, which is not one-dimensional like most films are prone to be, sets it apart from other genre films. Not very complex, yet not overly simple.
- Released in: 2014
- Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
- IMDB Score: 6.8
- Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, Blake Cooper, Jacob Lofland, Alexander Flores, Patricia Clarkson, Rosa Salazar, Aml Ameen, and many others
- Directed By: Wes Ball
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
In Time
In Time stars Justin Timberlake, and it is set in the distant year 2169. The movie is unique, and it plays with that in an exciting manner that keeps the viewers interested.
The is based on a dystopian future where each individual is genetically modified not to age after 25. They use time as currency everywhere, and they have a time of one year with each of them. Anyone who runs out of time dies.
Just like in our world, there are social differences in class and economic status. The rich people of society make it hard for people to earn time as currency. This manipulative system begins to shake when a man filled with revenge and rage for his dead mother tries to make the system the same for everyone.
The movie had a great concept, but unfortunately, it did not earn much at the box office and even lacked the appreciation it deserved. The viewers felt the story lacked action, and it was a bit complex for a normal viewer.
But the movie had a lot of potential, and it hooks the spectators, and it is an interesting thing to see how the movie explores the plot. It is a decent watch with a unique plot and gives viewers an idea to think about.
- Released in: 2011
- Runtime: 1h 49m
- IMDB Score: 6.7
- Cast: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Galecki, Matt Bomer, Vincent Kartheiser, Bella Heathcote, Ethan Peck, Yaya DaCosta, Shyloh Oostwald, and many others
- Directed By: Andrew Niccol
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Videos
The Giver
The Giver is a movie adapted from the novel of the same name that came out in 1993. In the movie, we see an aftermath of a calamity and what it does to society, “The Ruin.” All of the members of society get ingested with a chemical that wipes out their human emotions, the good and the bad ones.
In the case of a newborn baby, it is brought in by genetic methods, and even the sexual desires have also been wiped out.
To avoid any rebellion, the society leaders keep the memories of all the members under the protection of the Receiver of Memory. Only one person and his student is allowed to have memories and see things as they actually are, and all other lives a blatantly boring life.
The premise follows Jonas, played by Brenton Thwaites, who is in line to become the Receiver of Memory, but when he learns the logic behind it, he starts a quest to make sure that everyone should have a choice.
The movie was liked by the critics and the audience and did well in the halls. But somewhere, it can be seen that the movie was not as profound as the novel. For some, it did not provoke thoughts as it should.
The screenplay and direction were something that kept the whole movie fuelled and kept the emotions pumping. It is not easy to make an out-of-the-box dystopian movie, but The Giver gives us a unique idea and questions us if our emotions are taken away from us, will we even be human?
- Released in:
- Runtime: 1h 40 m
- IMDB Score: 6.4
- Cast: Jeff Bridges, Brenton Thwaites, Meryl Streep, Taylor Swift, Alexander Skarsgård, Odeya Rush, Katie Holmes, Cameron Monaghan, Jordan Nicholas Smal, Emma Tremblay, Kira Wilkinson, and many others
- Directed By:
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
Dune
The original Dune novel by Frank Herbert came out in 1965, and this is an adaptation of the novel. The movie shows the first part of the novel, and a second movie is also in the works and will be based on the second part of the novel.
The movie is set up in a fictional world where different houses are in charge and look out for different planets.
The House Atreides is taking control of the planet Arrakis under their emperor. The planet Arrakis has an element known as ‘Spice,’ which can help with the faster-than-light commute, but the emperor has to also look into the inter conflict that is rising in House Atreides.
Dune is a slow burner, but the story is building slowly. The action scenes in the movie are good, but most of the scenes and plots are left unexplained, and they are set for a second movie.
That said, the movie was one of the most anticipated movies of 2021 and even got many nominations for the Oscars. The movie’s most captivating thing is the videography, mass background setups, and the use of CGI. If you have not, you should definitely have a look, and the second movie is around the block.
- Released in: 2021
- Runtime: 2h 35m
- IMDB Score: 8.0
- Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Dave Bautista, Golda Rosheuvel and many others
- Directed By: Denis Villeneuve
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
The 5th Wave
The 5th wave was a highly anticipated flick back when it came out. It’s a science fiction action flick that revolves around the idea of an alien invasion from a unique view.
Of course, you have seen movies that will get predictable as the story moves forward, but still, we watch it because of the action, CGI, and animated performances.
The plot starts with an alien spaceship hovering around and beginning to attack our planet. The attacks are meticulously done in waves, and each wave does a different damage exact time.
The first wave makes all electronic devices useless; the second wave brings tsunamis and earthquake, which causes mass havoc; the third wave causes deadly disease. And the fourth wave pit humans against each other. As the movie’s name suggests, everyone is preparing for the fifth wave.
The MC of the movie is trying to protect her brother. The Fifth Wave did well in the cinemas and got mixed comments from the audience and critics. The movie is adapted from a novel, and interestingly novel has two more parts to explore, but unfortunately for the fans of the movie, there are no sequels planned because of the low earning of the movie.
- Released in: 2016
- Runtime: 1h 52m
- IMDB Score: 8.0
- Cast: Chloë Grace Moretz, Alex Roe, Nick Robinson, Maika Monroe, Zackary Arthur, Liev Schreiber, Ron Livingston, Maggie Siff, Maria Bello, Tony Revolori, Talitha Bateman, and many others
- Directed By: J Blakeson
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
The Matrix
Matrix is one of the most loved and talked about series from early 2000. It bothers your thoughts and questions reality. This science fiction cracker movie takes place in a dystopian setup where human life is trapped in a simulation.
The main character Neo played by Keanu Reeves, is well aware that there is something fishy. He gets an option to find out the truth or keep living the life of a lie. He chooses the red pill, which brings him back to the real world.
Now we see that machines have taken over humanity and are using humans as their energy source. You will ask, what about humans, well the memories of all humans are rendered from a system of computers that feels real to everyone. This is called a matrix.
At the time of release, it was a massive success as it was totally new for the audience back in 1999. Still today, it will feel fresh when you watch it for the first time. Keanu Reeves came into the spotlight after the success of this movie along with Carrie Anne Moss and Laurence Fishburne.
The huge success gave us two more movies (resurrection, too), but none of them were liked by the audience like the first one. The Matrix franchise was a big jump in movie-making culture because of the graphics, screenplay, action scenes, and cinematography. Overall it is an entertaining flick, and you will also see young Keanu in Matrix.
- Released in:
- Runtime: 2h 16m
- IMDB Score: 8.7
- Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, Gloria Foster, Marcus Chong, Joe Pantoliano, Matt Doran, Julian Arahanga, Anthony Ray Parker, Belinda McClory, and many others
- Directed By: Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
Ready Player One
Ready Player One by Steven Spielberg is a dystopian theme movie set in the year 2045. The movie displays each individual using a VR goggle to enter an entertainment universe known as the OASIS to get away from reality.
The main story begins when the founder of the OASIS dies and leaves a clue in the virtual world about control that will give them control of the virtual world. One who wins will get control of the OASIS.
This gets the attention of many players around the world and the current CEO of the company, who wants to keep it for himself.
The movie becomes very interesting because of the animation, the thought, and the taste it gives related to virtual reality and our future of existence. Overall Ready Player One is a very provoking story and is guaranteed to entertain you. A second movie is also in the works.
- Released in:
- Runtime: 2 hours 20 minutes
- IMDB Score: 7.4
- Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Mark Rylance, Ben Mendelsohn, T.J. Miller, Win Morisaki, Simon Pegg, Hannah John-Kamen, Lena Waithe, Philip Zhao, and many others
- Directed By: Steven Spielberg
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
The Host
The source of The Host is a novel of 2008 by Stephenie Meyer. If you can recall, she also has the famous book franchise Twilight. It is a romantic dystopian science fiction thriller.
The movie plot tells us about an alien invasion. They are known as “Souls,” and they are here to invade humans, which are the dominant species on planet Earth. Souls want to replace the human consciousness with theirs.
When they arrive on planet Earth, they conclude that humans are not worthy enough to have a planet, so they will take it from them. Some of the humans revolt and try to take control back. We see Maine, who is trying to find her uncle with her brother and her boyfriend.
Surprisingly the aliens cannot take control of her mind. The Host did not perform at the box office and was not even liked by the critics back when it was released. It is for fans who want to watch a blend of science fiction and romance.
- Released in: 2013
- Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes
- IMDB Score: 5.8
- Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Jake Abel, Max Irons, Diane Kruger, Emily Browning, William Hurt, Chandler Canterbury, Boyd Holbrook, Frances Fisher, Alex Russell, Stephen Rider, and many others
- Directed By: Andrew Niccol
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Videos
Ender’s Game
Ender’s Game is an adoption of the 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card. The movie has a military theme, and it takes in the distant future, where Formics, an alien species, once attacked the Earth.
The attack was successfully defended when the commander destroyed the queenship. In the process, he sacrificed himself. Now the military leaders are in search of a new commander who can end this war once and for all.
At this point, we have already been introduced to a boy named Ender, who is highly qualified in his problem-solving approach. We see him climbing the ranks in the military. Everyone around him believes that he is the chosen one to end this battle.
Ender’s game is a unique experience, and we see Ender’s choices and brilliance with maturity and twists. You will see that it was a high-budget movie, but it did not earn much and underperformed.
The readers of the original novel also did not like it much, but you can check it out as it has potential and good CGI and fighting sequences will keep you occupied.
- Released in:
- Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes
- IMDB Score: 6.6
- Cast: Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Gavin Hood, Ben Kingsley, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Viola Davis, Moises Arias, Aramis Knight, Jimmy Pinchak, Nonso Anozie, and many others
- Directed By: Gavin Hood
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
Alita: Battle Angel
Alita: Battle Angel is based on an anime movie which itself is an adaptation of Gunnm, a manga from Yukito Kishiro. The name of the world is ‘The Fall,’ which left the earth shattered.
A scientist discovers an old robot that has a human brain attached to it. He repairs the robot, gives it a new body, and names her Alita. Alita has lost all her memories about herself, and she finds it tricky to cope. Ido, a scientist, helps her to explore this new world and discover her path.
Alita: Battle Angle has a good fandom because of the manga it is based on. The movie has an extra layer of fun with animation and, battle scenes, screenplay, which takes it a notch above.
The movie was an absolute hit, and it gathered praise from all the critics and fans. So if you want to watch a dystopian theme animated movie, then definitely watch it.
- Released in: 2019
- Runtime: 2 hours 2 minutes
- IMDB Score: 7.3
- Cast: Rosa Salazaar, Keean Johnson, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Jackie Earle Haley, Ed Skrein, Mahershala Ali, Lana Condor, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Michelle Rodriguez, Eiza González and many others
- Directed By: Robert Rodriguez
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
Battle Royal
Based on the 1999 novel by Koushun Takami, the action-thriller Battle Royale is a Japanese production. The film centers on a group of high school teenagers from Japan who are coerced into fighting by the oppressive government.
The government selects the pupils and asks them to participate in the Battle Royale yearly event in light of the current recession. Only one pupil will survive out of all the others.
The teacher places an explosive collar around the kids’ necks if they choose to disobey. The conflict that the kids are forced to participate in causes complete anarchy.
Battle Royale is one of the most famous movies. The way people used to view films was altered by it. With its intense gore and frightening plot, this film received an R15+ rating, which is seldom used in Japan.
In addition, the film’s grim plot had a lasting effect on viewers’ minds, leading to its suspension in a number of nations. So, give Battle Royale a go if you want to watch a dystopian film with a frightening narrative like Divergent.
- Released in: 2000
- Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
- IMDB Score: 7.6
- Cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Chiaki Kuriyama, Ko Shibasaki, Masanobu Ando, Taro Yamamoto, Ai Maeda, Takashi Tsukamoto, Eri Ishikawa, Sousuke Takaoka, Takayo Mimura and many others
- Directed By: Kinji Fukasaku
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Edge of Tomorrow
Edge of Tomorrow is a classic Tom Cruise science fiction movie. It is a translation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s All You Need Is Kill, a Japanese book. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic Europe where an extraterrestrial species has taken over most of the planet.
Despite having little on-the-ground training, public relations officer Major William Cage played by Tom Cruise, is compelled to take part in the conflict. He is stuck in a time loop, though, and continues to live the same day forever.
Now, in order to be set free, he must figure out how to vanquish the adversary. It’s worth your time because the movie has award-winning performers in major roles. You also get to take in eye-catching visual effects and exciting alien battles.
The movie became well-liked because of its intriguing plot and excellent acting, and of course, you will see Tom Cruise in a sci-fi setup.
- Released in: 2014
- Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes
- IMDB Score: 7.9
- Cast: Emily Blunt, Rita Vrataski, Tom Cruise, Bill Paxton, Charlotte Riley, Brendan Gleeson, Tony Way, Lara Pulver, Franz Drameh, Beth Goddard, Noah Taylor, Sebastian Blunt, and many others
- Directed By: Doug Liman
- Streaming Platform: Apple TV
Snowpiercer
The whole plot of a movie that you may have seen may have taken place aboard a ship, train, bus, or airplane. Can you, however, picture spending your entire life on a train that is moving?
In order to address this query, Snowpiercer adopts a fresh perspective on the post-apocalyptic topic. The film is based on Jacques Lob’s Le Transperceneige, a French graphic book. The action of the film takes place aboard a train carrying the final human survivors after an unsuccessful attempt to alter the climate caused the globe to snowball.
We go in the direction of Curtis Everett (Evans), who is the driver of the last car, which stands for the lower socioeconomic strata of our society. To take control of the train and improve their lives, he launches a revolution.
The plot of Snowpiercer is interesting and contains a fresh concept. You get the impression that the entire movie is a journey because it was entirely shot in railway carriages.
The movie’s ability to present us with a fresh perspective on a man-made catastrophe was highly praised by critics. In addition, similar to earlier films like Divergent, the symbolism illustrating the higher and lower classes of society is difficult to ignore.
- Released in: 2013
- Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes
- IMDB Score: 7.1
- Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Alison Pill, Luke Pasqualino, Go Ah-sung, Marcanthonee Reis, and many others
- Directed By: Bong Joon-ho
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
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