In most cases, science fiction films err on the side of fiction rather than reality. Sometimes a film, such as Star Wars, is a fantasy film disguised
In most cases, science fiction films err on the side of fiction rather than reality. Sometimes a film, such as Star Wars, is a fantasy film disguised as a sci-fi spectacle, or a film will deviate so far from genuine science that it is pure imagination. Occasionally, science movies will accurately incorporate genre tropes with elements of real-life physics, biology, quantum mechanics, etc. Science-related movies are often more enjoyable when they’re based on real science – not every sci-fi flick can pull it off.
Some artistic license is always necessary because strict scientific rigor and peer-reviewed research would undoubtedly make for a very dull movie. As a result, while these films may not be 100% scientifically correct, they get part or most of their science correct. In many cases, the most scientifically correct movies benefited from experts who weighed in or outright advised those on the set of some of the best and most artistic science-fiction films ever made.
20
‘Woman in the Moon’ (1929)
An almost 100-year-old film, Woman in the Moon was one of the oldest earnest science fiction pictures from almost a century ago, when the industry was still in its infancy. Greedy capitalists believe there are expansive riches hidden beneath the moon’s surface and dispatch a team of astronauts to find them. The team discovers a breathable environment on the lunar surface, but after various clashes, they realize they must leave one person behind on their return voyage to Earth.
Of course, there will be a lot of factual inaccuracies in a movie set decades before NASA was even established. However, director Fritz Lang meticulously incorporated much of the contemporary understanding of engineering and astronomy. The biggest moment it gets right is the employ of a giant rocket to blast off from Earth and reach the moon.
19
‘Ant-Man’ (2015)
Ant-Man is one of the MCU’s most underrated films and stars funnyman Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, who burglarizes scientist Hank Pym’s (Michael Douglas) home and steals an incredible shrinking suit. Pym had secretly planned the entire operation to fool Lang into becoming Ant-Man, a superhero with the ability to grow or shrink in size. Hank then gets Scott to recover another prototype suit known as Yellowjacket from the devious Darren Cross (Corey Stoll).
Spyridon Michalakis, a quantum scientist at the California Institute of Technology, was a science advisor for Ant-Man. His most significant contributions were to the Quantum Realm, where the superhero shrinks so petite that almost all known laws of physics are void. This is because of Quantum Entanglement, which occurs when a set of generated particles are so close together that they cannot be described separately. It’s a shaky concept on film, but the level of accuracy can be conveniently ignored or forgotten once the action starts.
18
‘Alien’ (1979)
“In space, no one can hear you scream,” is the notable tagline to Ridley Scott’s Alien, one of the best sci-fi horror films of all time. The sentiment holds true as Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the rest of the crew of the Nostromo come into contact with a hostile alien species. It becomes a race against time, as Ripley must try to avoid or fight the alien while attempting to flee the doomed ship in an escape pod.
Unlike most depictions of sleek, stylish, and roomy spaceships, the Nostromo from Alien is a bulky, ugly, tight blue-collar rig. In a future where space travel is commonplace, spaceships will probably take on a more practical look, especially on a commercial towing vehicle. Putting the crew in suspended animation is also a practical and more scientifically workable practice for long-distance travel than faster-than-light.
17
‘Deep Impact’ (1998)
With an ambitious storyline following humanity’s efforts to prevent a comet designated as Wolf-Biedermann from colliding with Earth and unleashing chaos all around the globe, Deep Impact sees various characters and depicts their struggles to deal with the disaster.
The disaster movie is perfect for anyone keen on the exhilarating blend of these two genres definitely took some dramatic liberties to make the plot more gripping. However, Deep Impact is still a compelling movie that was praised for its special effects when it was released, with the depiction of the comet being a standout. It also features some scientific plausibility, especially in how it accurately portrays potential devastation and its atmospheric effects. To this day, the Morgan Freeman movie is still lauded by scientists: according to planetary scientist Dr. Chapman, it has “the best combination of reasonably correct science, good special effects, a dramatic story, and a look at what a comet strike would mean.” – Daniela Gama
16
‘Blade Runner 2049’ (2017)
Taking off 30 years after the events of the original film, this Denis Villeneuve contemporary classic sci-fi film starring Ryan Gosling has won over many, whether for its stunning world-building and visuals or the utterly engaging narrative. It follows a replicant blade runner who uncovers a secret that could plunge society into chaos.
When it comes to Blade Runner 2049‘s scientific accuracy, the portrayal of highly advanced AI stands out, as well as the film’s illustration of environmental degradation concerning the (almost) irreversible effects of climate change. This is not to say that the precise future will be as pictured in the film — which clearly takes some liberties for dramatic purposes — but rather that it does provide audiences with a believable depiction of what it could potentially look like. —Daniela Gama
15
‘Primer’ (2004)
Shane Carruth’s incredible low-budget time-traveling movie has captured the attention of many ever since its release. Primer focuses on four friends who wrestle over their recent invention, which is being built in one of their garages. The invention? By accident, they construct a time machine that can loop time and allow objects to travel backward.
Although there is technically no way to tell what an correct depiction of time traveling is, Primer manages to do so in a believable way. The way it uses principles of physics and engineering to construct the time machine — and elaborately explains it — makes it a realistic science fiction film, even if with its own limitations. This convoluted Carruth movie is an engaging watch throughout, perfect for anyone who is keen on the subject of time travel. —Daniela Gama
14
‘Moon’ (2009)
Sam Rockwell delivers an astounding performance as Sam Bell in this Duncan Jones picture. Moon focuses on the nearing 3-year solitary journey of an astronaut who is sent to space to mine helium-3 on the far side of the moon for Lunar Industries, with his only companion being an AI named GERTY.
Incredibly written and thought-provoking, essentially for the way it sheds airy on the psychological effects of isolation in space and its impressive technical execution, Moon is definitely an underrated gem worth checking in the genre. It is based on plausible science, with its premise inspired by real scientific proposals. Furthermore, Moon also portrays a plausible evolution of current AI tech, with GERTY being a great example. —Daniela Gama
13
‘Minority Report’ (2002)
Based on the 1956 low story of the same name by acclaimed sci-fi writer Phillip K. DIck, Minority Report has been prescient about the direction up-to-date society is moving towards. The plot centers on “precogs,” or humans who have the psychic ability to anticipate murders before they occur, and the Precrime unit, which uses this information to arrest people. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is the chief of the Precrime unit until the precogs foresee that he would murder someone and he must go on the run to prove his innocence.
While clairvoyant children may not exist, much of the future predictions Minority Report has made have come to pass as time marches forward. Tom Cruise must hop across rows of driverless cars in one intense action scene, a technology that is continuously growing these days. Another example of predictive science was the existence of fully automated homes controlled by the sound of one’s voice, which many people now have. Of course, and more disturbingly, the biggest thing Minority Report gets right is the extreme surveillance society now predominantly possible thanks to the internet, smartphones, cameras, and more.
12
‘Project Hail Mary’ (2026)
It’s barely a few months elderly, yet Project Hail Mary is already one of the highest-rated science fiction movies of all time on Letterboxd. Based on a 2021 tough sci-fi novel by Peter Weir, the story follows Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship and slowly remembers that he’s on a mission to stop a mysterious substance from killing the Sun. The key to his mission happens to lie in an unexpected friendship.
Both Grace and the alien Rocky are among the greatest movie characters of the 2020s so far, but what really sets Project Hail Mary apart is how scientifically correct of a space opera it is. At the end of the day, it’s still very much based on concepts of speculative sci-fi when it comes to everything alien-related; but the elements of astrophysics and laboratory work of its narrative are all top-notch accuracy-wise. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
11
‘Her’ (2013)
Director Spike Jonze‘s Her follows the (now eerily correct) experiences of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely yet introspective man who makes a living by composing heartfelt letters on behalf of others. When he gets a recent operating system, he meets “Samantha” (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), whose human-like personality soon leads to genuine love on Theodore’s part.
Aside from its dubious ending, Her hits all the right scientific notes with its narrative. Praised by computer scientists like Ray Kurzweil for the way it “compellingly presents the core idea that a software program (an AI) can – will – be believably human and lovable,” Her is turning into a reality right before audiences’ eyes. With recent developments in artificial intelligence and the way users are interacting with tools like ChatGPT as if they were actual partners, it won’t be long before something (or someone) like Samantha could exist.
COMMENTS