Futuristic action movie fans are in for a treat. According to IMDB.com, Steven Spielberg is producing Halo (the major Xbox 360 video game franchise), and it will make the leap onto the big screen sometime in 2012. Until then, and barring the end of the world, here are the top ten futuristic action movies that everyone should see:
Alien (1979)
When an SOS signal is picked up by a mining spaceship, the crew decides to investigate. Three crew members discover an abandoned spaceship with hundreds of weird alien eggs inside. After being disturbed, one of the eggs hatches an attacks a crew member.
Alien is an original heart pounding futuristic action movie. At the core, Alien is a horror movie, however it deserves its place on this list of top ten action movies because it spawns one of the biggest futuristic action movie franchises.
Alien was directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett. Alien also won an Oscar and eleven other film awards.
Starship Troopers (1997)
A few hundred years from now Earth is on the brink of war with an alien race known as the Arachnids, or the “Bugs.” Shortly after high school friends John D. (Caspers Van Dien), Carmen (Denise Richards), and Carl (Neil Patrick Harris) decide to join the military so that they may become “citizens,” Buenos Aires is hit with an asteroid that originated from the Arachnid home world, and all war breaks out.
Starship Troopers is an over the top futuristic action movie that will have you laughing throughout the film.
Starship Troopers was based off the novel by Robert A. Heinlein, and directed by Paul Verhoeven. Starship Troopers was nominated for an Oscar, and won another three movie awards.
The Fifth Element (1997)
250 years into the future life will be threatened by a “Great Evil” that will destroy all life in the universe unless the power of the Fifth Element can be unleashed. Taxi Cab driver Korban Dallas (Bruce Willis) ends up helping “Leeloo” (Milla Jovovich) when she drops in on him.
The Fifth Element combines fast paced action with funny dialogue, and unforgettable characters.
Directed by Luc Besson, The Fifth Element was nominated for an Oscar and won seven awards.
Equilibrium (2000)
After World War 3, the world decided the only way for humanity to survive is to ban art and emotion. Inhabitants must take their daily “dose” of drugs that prohibit emotions. When John Preston (Christian Bale) drops his “dose,” he begins to feel for the first time.
Equilibrium was not a box office hit, however that has not stopped this futuristic action movie from being a cult favorite. That’s because in addition to Matrix style fight sequences, there is a very strong emotional storyline to accompany this futuristic action movie.
Equilibrium was written and directed by Kurt Wimmer.
Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
Set five years after the events of the movie Pitch Black (2000), escaped convict Riddick (Vin Diesel) is being hunted by two forces: Necromongers on a quest for universal domination being led by the Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), and bounty hunters after the price on his head.
The Chronicles of Riddick embraces the characters we were introduced to in Pitch Black, and develops them even further in this futuristic action movie.
Directed by David Twohy, and winner of three film awards, Chronicles of Riddick is a must see.
Total Recall (1990)
Doblas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) decides to take a virtual vacation of a trip to Mars. However things go wrong with his “vacation,” and he decides to head to Mars for real. Or does he?
Total Recall is a futuristic action movie filled with assassins, mutants, and a story that will make your brain explode trying to discern what is real, and what isn’t.
Total Recall was directed by Paul Verhoeven and based off the Philip K. Dick short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale.” Total Recall was nominated for two Oscars, and won five other awards.
28 Days Later (2002)
Set four weeks after an unstoppable virus called “Rage” is set lose in the UK, Jim wakes up alone in a hospital from a coma. Jim wonders throughout a desolate city until he decides to go into a church. There he is attacked by a priest, and chased by a hundred other people that he thought were dead.
28 Days Later is the most realistic “Zombie” movie to date, and delivers an intense adrenaline rush that is filled with both humor, and several very scary moments that will make you jump from your seat. After watching 28 Days Later, you may want to have a panic room in your home, just in case zombies attack.
Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, 28 Days Later won seven film awards, and had twenty one nominations.
Star Trek (2009)
It’s 2233, and the USS Kelvin is researching a space anomaly. George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) is left in charge of the ship when Nero (Eric Bana) orders Captain Richard Robau (Faran Tahir) to board his ship. When Robau tells Nero the star date, Nero kills Robau and attacks the USS Kelvin. When Kirk realizes that he cannot save the ship, he orders an evacuation or everyone else. His pregnant wife Winona (Jennifer Morrison) begins to give birth, and asks Kirk what he wants to name his son. Kirk decides to name his son Jim (Chris Pine), just before dies crashing the Kelvin into the other ship.
Star Trek completely reboots the popular franchise with an alternate sequence of events, opening the doorway for new storytelling. It combines all the right elements of comedy, action, and suspense, along with breath taking visual effects to deliver a movie that no one should miss.
Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Trek has had one win and has had eight nominations.
Minority Report (2002)
When police chief John Anderton (Tom Cruise) of the Washington DC “pre crime” unit discovers that he will murder someone within 36 hours, he must run, and find out the truth.
Minority Report is a must see futuristic action movie that is also one of The Top 10 Tom Cruise Movies.
Minority Report was nominated for an Oscar and won another sixteen film awards. Minority Report was directed by Steven Speilberg, and based off of the short story that was written by Philip K. Dick.
The Matrix (1999)
When Thomas A Anderson, aka Neo (Keanue Reeves), ends up on the run from the police, and in the same room as legendary fugitive Morpheus ( ), he must choose if he wants to discover the truth of the Matrix. He is given two options: 1) take the blue pill and “believe whatever you want to believe,” or 2) take the red pill where “you stay in wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hold goes.”
The Matrix is a futuristic action movie that broke from traditional action movies in its genre. It combined highly stylized shots that would normally appear in a comic book, and put them on the big screen with state of the art (at the time) special effects that leaves viewers wondering if they are living their life in the “real world” or are trapped in The Matrix.
The Matrix was written and directed by brothers Andy and Larry Wachowski. The Matrix won four Oscars and another twenty eight movie awards.
Recap
The top ten best futuristic action movies are: Alien, Starship Troopers, The Fifth Element, Equilibrium, Chronicles of Riddick, Total Recall, 28 Days Later, Star Trek, Minority Report, and The Matrix.
It does not matter if you are not into science fiction or not, each one of these futuristic action movies deserves to be seen by anyone who likes action movies, as well as those who do not.
Do you agree or disagree with these choices?
Comment below with your favorite futuristic action movies.
Sources
“Halo (2012).” IMDB.com. November 25, 2009 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464037/.
Reference:
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/2374766/a_guide_to_tom_cruise_films_the_top.html?ca
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/2337128/how_a_panic_room_can_help_you_survive.html?
