Praising the science fiction genre

From Aliens to Mad Max, we briefly explore why Science Fiction is still so prolific in 2021 and for years to come.

Science fiction works as establishing a set world or universe. Usually these worlds are so large and expansive, that future installments exist to tell more stories. It has the most amount of depth compared to any other genre. Here’s why.

The genre has withstood the test of time and continues to amaze audiences today. We will be focusing on three key areas that help illustrate these points. 

• 1) Visual construct
• 2) Establishing our characters
• 3) Understanding the level of threat
• 4) Verdict

Whilst we wait for the upcoming Avatar sequels, lets take a look at previous examples of world building and its ongoing appeal.

Although Star Wars is the best example of a science fiction film that has continuously expanded for generations, we can look at other fine examples such as Ridley Scott’s
Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Both are examples of expanding a well-established Science Fiction world. These films act as prequels and explain the events leading to the first Alien.

As a result, there has been further expansion into the planets and creatures, which now co-exist into a longer and more developed timeline. It could be said that the two recent films are diverting from the main narrative of the terror of the Xenomorph, which was integral to the plot of the first two films, now we are seeing a narrative that’s exploring the world a bit more and offering a new approach and take on this character and delving into deeper themes such as the origins of mankind.

Both of these films are centered on a specific genre of Horror Sci-Fi, one that makes it limited to appeal for all age and audience types.

The narratives for these films have always been based around the theme of exploration.
Where a team have to explore an enchanted territory or planet and come across an
unidentified creature.

This element to the plot brings suspense and horror. However, the narrative for Prometheus was considered an unfamiliar approach amongst fans because of its deeper themes and therefore received a mixed reaction.

This shows that this franchise has not been entirely flexible and adaptable to industry practices and market trends. We can see 20th century franchises that are aiming for longevity in today’s industry, whereas Star Wars has excelled in for reasons such as its narratives and stories, as all of these expanded stories contain very solidified and familiar themes of good vs evil.

Science fiction cinema is an exaggerated form of our own reality. From spaceships, planets, laser swords and a lot more. Yet, we find ourselves understanding and even relating to these various concepts that get established on screen. 

I believe that getting these three points right is a decent formula for making a memorable science fiction film.

If we take Avatar as an example. The world is created and established first for the audience, then we learn more about the characters. But the visual construct is shown to us first and it needs to stick with us, somehow. It needs to amaze us, either due to its unparalleled connection with reality or its awe and sometimes it’s both factors.

The visual construct needs to convince the audience that this world can exist, otherwise, the narrative that unfolds may lack depth. For the purpose of this discussion, I would like to show images from these science fiction universes as a case study. This leads me to my first point. 

1) Visual construct

Let’s look at some marvelous examples of planets. This can be seen by the work of James Cameron. When it comes to science fiction, James Cameron is definitely not a forgotten name and his work has proved to be very successful, more with the box office performances. Take a look below.

Avatar may not have been a hit with the critics, but there is a special quality to the world of pandora. It’s appeal exists in our imagination. Perhaps, we dream of visiting places that don’t exist and James Cameron’s awesome production team has tapped into this dream-like fantasy, which then leads to creating a proper fictionalized world, where real characters can exist in. 

The hook of this universe is completely based on its visuals. Yes, there is a sense of reality because we see forest work,  but it’s the visuals that stick with you. 

What connections can we make from this image to our own reality? There are quite a few. The tall buildings and city life, sparks a visual resemblance to city life. This is different to the world of Avatar because it is set deeper in reality. Avatar’s purpose is to take the audience on a journey. Blade Runner deals with deeper and more layered themes that gets the audience to think. 

Both of these images are an established universe. When we move onto more darker pieces of science fiction, we can see pieces such as Alien. Consider the image below. 

This gives off a vastly different effect than the other two images. It’s because the filmmakers had a much different intent with the production design of the film. In this case, it is Ridley Scott’s Alien. The darker psychological themes that run throughout this film is a lot different to the positive approach James Cameron has to storytelling. 

Terminator 2 and even Aliens had a slightly more heroic quality to them. However, in my opinion, Alien’s visual construct is vastly different to our own reality. It’s so out there, that without a proper set of characters, we can never emotionally relate to the world, but it sticks with us which is one of the most important factors. However, what other areas can get us emotionally connected with the universe?

This is when we move onto our heroes. 

2) Establishing our characters

We can’t properly connect to anything without relating to characters. Let’s take a look at the crew of Alien. If you have seen the film I wonder which character resonates with you? Usually audiences connect with Ripley the most. 

Upon first viewing, we need to understand the psychology of this crew. What decisions are they forced to make under the most stressful of circumstances and how they interact with each other.

It’s in these situations where we learn the most from these characters and find ourselves relating to them, more significantly.  In order to learn the most from ourselves, we often need to test our abilities. The extent of the extreme situation you put yourself into is like asking ourselves how long a piece of string is because everyone is completely different. But, in the case of Alien, you can’t get more extreme. 

It’s perhaps the most daunting scenario any human being could ever be in. The character of Ripley played by Sigourney Weaver is a solid example. 

Her ability to withstand mental pain is constantly being thrown at her, yet she overcomes these obstacles, one step at a time, which makes you admire her.

Ripley, is a female hero that is forced to take matters into her own hands in the final act. Other heroes could be Arnold’s character from Predator, where he is also forced to take matters into his own hands, but Predator has a more popcorn fun appeal to it. This is because Arnold is far different performer than Sigourney is.

Other than the fact that both are male and female, these are actually very different heroes. Sigourney may be more accessible to audiences, but we still love Arnold because he has so much charisma.

When it comes to male performers, we can think of Mel Gibson from Mad Max, which is a lot more darker representation. Mad Max is more interested in existentialism and social anarchy.

3) Understanding the level of threat

 

The audience needs to understand the level of threat at play. The greater the threat, the more intense the situation is. With every good science fiction film, there is always a consistently good villain. Whether its Loki, a clone army or an alien race, but it needs to be convincing.

In most cases, the threat is a foothold to the narrative. Without some sort of threat, there is never really a compelling narrative. A visually striking world isn’t enough. 

When it comes to a threat that is terrorizing, Alien and Predator are both fine examples. You would just never want to mess with any of those creatures, ever. 

Science fiction to some extent has crossed paths into the superhero genre. There is a sci fi element to The Avengers, in which the threat is measured by the sheer scale rather than the enemies appearance.

Science fiction allows the director to create a very specific tone and style. Science fiction doesn’t have to be one style. It is one of the most flexible genres, often combining it with horror.

Upcoming science fiction releases include, Dune, Venom 2, The Tomorrow War, Jurassic World: Dominion and Infinite. I’m sure these films will contain strains of what makes a good science fiction work

Final recommendation

The greatest book on science fiction film making thus far is called James Cameron’s story of science fiction. It features interviews from the worlds best directors including George Lucas, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and more.

You can also read an article on George Lucas’s sci fi classic THX-1138 here.

What do you think makes a good science fiction film? and What’s your favorite science fiction film? comment below and let me know.

In recent years, the best science fiction that I have seen is Blade Runner:2049, a perfect example of how to make a sequel that elegantly expands on the original, whilst staying loyal to the source material.

Author Bio

Sam is a content writer. He loves all elements connected with film and writes with passion, always. You can find him on his Linkedin, where you will be able to read more articles. When he is not writing, you can find him practicing football.