Haden A.

Duran

ENGL1113, Due Date 11/15/2020

Instructor: Mr. Eric Riddle

Duran 1

What’s the Science Behind Sci-Fi Films?

Sci-Fi films have become incredibly central to modern western culture. Not only

do they hold a significant place in the market share of entertainment media, but they

reflect our society as a whole. They commonly present humanity’s best idea of what life

would be like under alternative circumstances, such as futuristic or alternate-universe

stories. Determining the greatest Sci-Fi film franchise may seem an unapproachable

task due to the sheer number of films, but there are important criteria that will aid in this

determination. A science fiction film has countless elements, but this essay will examine

a specific few for the purpose of analysis. Some key factors to Sci-Fi films include:

Advanced science, evocation of curiosity, visual effects, exploration of real-world issues,

and subgenre. Through the analysis of these factors, it is possible to more fully

understand what makes a Sci-Fi franchise great. It will even be possible to determine

what the greatest Sci-Fi film is through this set of criteria.

Advanced scientific development is an incredibly crucial factor in building a Sci-Fi

story, with some film critics even considering this factor to be all that is necessary in

determining the genre of a film. Without advanced science or alternative science of

some kind, the Sci-Fi genre is left feeling hollow. All of the listed franchises show a

proper level of futurism to be considered proficient, though several sources (“Sci-Fi

Movies That Are Actually Scientifically Accurate” by Nick Steinburg, “Star Trek is Right
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About Almost Everything” by Jeremy Burlin) claim that they do not have this trait in

equal quality. Star Trek’s cosmology and astronomy seem to be incredibly accurate.

This series’ portrayal of typical engineers and scientists holding positions that we would

currently consider extraordinary is also important to mention, as other franchises focus

far less on the scientific reality of their respective fictional worlds. Star Trek has likely

even influenced real-life inventions with its fictional advancements, such as the

invention of voice recognition or touchscreen devices.

Blade Runner is considered by many to be the other “popular” franchise that

presents an accurate vision of advanced science to the public. Many of the original

film's predictions about the future came about in some way or another, but much of this

praise centers around a plot point in the sequel. Blade Runner 2049 takes special note

of the deterioration of the environment between the first film and the second, showing

the extreme consequences of climate change. This has been considered to be very

accurate, while also extremely accelerated, when compared to how the real

environment will degrade over time due to climate change. When compared to films with

a less positive record in this criterion, it becomes apparent why the advanced science of

a film is an important factor. Star Wars, for example, is fantastical and makes no real

attempt to explain the majority of science taking place within its universe. The Matrix is

another popular example of a series which fails to explain the science that allows the

story to take place at all. Given that there are many other factors in a film, however, a

decision cannot be made based on this criterion alone.

Perhaps the most iconic emotion associated with Science Fiction is curiosity, and

this is rightly so. A film claiming to be Sci-Fi must evoke a feeling of powerful curiosity;
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The quality of the film only increases if a feeling of wonder is left with viewers even after

they cease to watch. The feeling of an ordinary person witnessing extraordinary events

or circumstances for the first time is unable to be fully quantified, as it is such an

unfamiliar emotion to most. This very unfamiliarity, however, is what makes the emotion

transfixing. Many filmgoers have created lifelong memories simply by seeing films that

tested the limits of the imagination and encouraged them to think of the distant future.

The most clear examples of this phenomenon within the pool of film franchises are Star

Wars and Star Trek, though Blade Runner also commonly evokes such a feeling. These

series put a firm focus on establishing the backstory and background lore of their

respective universe, giving the audience quite a lot to wonder about.

Star Trek’s close analysis of alien culture is likely a source of this curiosity, as

this is unique among the other films mentioned. Star Wars, however, may draw its

wonder out of the audience in a very different way. Star Wars uses objects that are

almost familiar in fiction, such as laser blades or telekinesis, to introduce us to incredibly

abnormal situations. Star Wars' reliance on familiar symbolism is very intriguing when

contrasted to its utterly foreign universe. This may be a strategy to garner interest from

the audience in the more niche aspects of the universe, by introducing them slowly. In

the world of Blade Runner, the close comparison to the future of the real world is a clear

point of interest. The audience quickly becomes curious what could’ve led a world like

ours to degenerate in such a way as in the film. Obviously excluding extremes, the more

slowly the rules of the Sci-Fi world are revealed the longer the audience will think about

such a world. The rules of this world must be interesting to evoke curiosity, but they do

not necessarily have to follow sound reasoning.

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One of the most under-recognized aspects of any film, particularly Science

Fiction, are the visual effects. Visual effects contribute to the immersion, otherwise

known as a “suspension of disbelief,” of a film. Visual effects are incredibly crucial to the

immersion of a film, but in the case of Science Fiction, the need for these effects is

exponential. Among the most well-supported arguments against Science Fiction is the

genre’s propensity towards silly or distracting effects, as opposed to the more careful

usage of them. A ridiculously bad-looking alien creature would quickly impact a viewer’s

opinion of the overall film. Despite the negative side that some members of the public

associate with Sci-Fi effects, they are still crucial to the genre.

These special effects can be a huge benefit to the quality of a film as long as

they are implemented in nuanced and interesting ways. The movie-going public has a

generally positive outlook on several iconic special effects. Such examples include the

slowed “Bullet-Time” effect in the Matrix films, or the incredibly well-known “Lightsaber”

from Star Wars. This positive implementation of visual effects also paved the way for

future films outside the Sci-Fi genre to use them. Visual effects then became more

popular for use in mainstream film, eventually leading to an increase in their quality.

There are several examples of occasions when Sci-Fi effects led to a wider benefit for

film technology, such as in Terminator 2: Judgement Day (“10 Sci-Fi Visual Effects That

Changed Movies Forever” by Greg Kondrak). Terminator 2 was among the first

examples of computer generated effects, or CGI, being employed in a widely popular

way. The implementation of CGI as a method for creating effects that would be
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impossible via practical means was a huge step forward for all of film. Director James

Cameron even won an Academy Award for the special effects.

This positive example of the technique would lead to many more mainstream

films accepting digital effects as the future of film. Jurassic Park’s contribution to the

area of visual effects is undoubtable, despite the series’ somewhat loose connection to

the Sci-Fi genre. After the popularity of digital effects in Terminator 2, Jurassic Park’s

massive digital monstrosities were a massive hit with the public. The incredible success

of the film among both children and adults would help to spread CGI technology even

further in Hollywood. This was to the benefit of many films and franchises. The later

success of the rebooted Planet of the Apes series likely owed much of its success to

earlier pioneers in CGI techniques. The incredible performances of digitally captured

actors was the definite cornerstone for the success of the films. The franchises that

seemed to be at the forefront of visual effects technology at the time of their release

were Terminator, Jurassic Park, and Planet of the Apes. The visual effects of Star Wars,

while not as technically advanced, always remained another popular topic of discussion.

This is likely due to the popularity of the lightsaber, and the controversial use of visual

effects in the prequel films.

Science fiction, as well as film in general, has always had a wide range of

purpose. There are many that argue the purpose of a piece of art is solely to entertain

the audience. Many creative forces behind Science Fiction believe that a film can only

be truly great if it has an underlying message about the real world. Exploration of

interesting themes through futuristic or alternate worlds can help us understand the real

world. Themes such as the power of individuality and resisting conformity that are
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present in the Matrix film series can be easily transferred to everyday life, despite the

fanciful nature of the series’ plot. The dangers of climate change are made all-too-real in

the futuristic society of the Blade Runner films, where nature itself has degraded to the

point of humanity needing technology to keep it in balance. Even the soft-horror

franchise of Alien has an important lesson to teach: Science makes a poor replacement

for God. Sci-Fi always has a lesson to be discovered for those who are willing to learn.

Star Trek is a common example of social commentary (“Learning from Mr.

Spock...” University of Tennessee at Knoxville); Much of the movie-going public has

always been quick to realize that the aliens within the franchise are meant to represent

people of different cultures in the real world. Through the cooperation of humans and

alien species, Star Trek serves as a positive example of cultural mixing and the

progress that can be achieved by doing so. This can encourage bigoted movie-goers to

change their beliefs, through immersing them in a story disconnected from our world.

Star Wars, another example, had strong anti-authoritarian and anti-imperialist

ideals from its inception. Very clear parallels may be drawn between the Empire and the

symbology of the German Nazi forces during WWII. The Empire drawing on such

symbology makes the viewer immediately dislike Imperial forces. This was done to not

only reinforce the knowledge of how cruel authoritarian regimes can be, but also to

show viewers the extreme places to which international imperialism can lead. Creator

George Lucas has stated in interviews (“James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction”)

that he created Star Wars as a metaphor for the Vietnam War, which was ongoing at

the time. The purpose of this metaphor within the series was the condemnation of

international imperialism, colonialism, and corrupt regimes. In its exploration of real

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world issues, Star Wars is a shining example of how social commentary can be cleverly

disguised by entertainment (“Star Wars Is More Political Than You Think” by Lonnie

Nadler). Overall, among the finest examples of social commentary or real-world issues

in science fiction includes: Star Trek, Star Wars, and The Matrix franchise.

The categorization of Science Fiction into subgenres can help to identify the

purpose of each film or franchise. Science Fiction has historically been divided into two

categories: “Hard” or “soft.” Hard Science Fiction frequently involves references to real-

life technology or research, as well as a tendency toward the science being grounded in

reality. Hard Sci-Fi spends much of the time explaining how things are supposed to

work in the universe of the story. This is in sharp contrast to soft Sci-Fi, which works

primarily as a medium of popcorn entertainment. This is not to say that these movies do

not have artistic merit or a deeper meaning however, as outside factors can influence

them in that direction regardless.

One of the foremost factors in the prevalence of soft Sci-Fi in film franchises is

simply their overwhelmingly more positive reception by the movie-going public. Movies

such as Gattaca that attempt to paint a more “hard” edge to the genre with realistic

technology are more easily disregarded by the public. A very easy example of soft

science fiction would be the popular Back to the Future franchise. In Back to the Future,

the technology that drove the story was frequently skipped over in favor of more

common attributes of the films. This was likely due to the fact that the franchise’s

creators believed more focus on the technological elements would lead to reduced

viewership. Star Wars is another very easy example of a “soft” component of the genre.

Star Wars has a very minor technical component, particularly given how advanced the
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technology is in the universe of the franchise. Despite this, the films continue to center

around individual characters and fantastical elements such as “The Force.” This leads

the audience to be very captivated by the story, but not as intellectually stimulated as in

more complex works. In the end, the categorization of a series between hard or soft Sci-

Fi is important, but does not directly affect the quality of the franchise.

Franchises may also be categorized by subgenre under the wider umbrella of

Science Fiction. There are many subgenres that fall underneath this umbrella, and

many films may fall under multiple categories. The Aliens franchise, for example, falls

under both “First Contact” and “Space Exploration” due to the content of the films. It is,

however, primarily a “First Contact” Sci-Fi series. For the purpose of determining

quality, it is important to understand the primary subgenre of all considered franchises.

Star Wars is widely considered to be a “Space Opera,” a feel-good genre that draws

heavily on traditional fantasy writing. The Matrix has a strikingly less positive overall

message being a part of the “Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi” genre, which it shares with the

Planet of the Apes and Terminator franchises. Terminator also has strong time-travel

themes that may affect consideration of its subgenre.

Similar to the themes found in apocalyptic series is the dystopian world of Blade

Runner, which fits firmly into the “Cyber Punk” category. Jurassic Park was a prime

example of “Near Future” Sci-Fi. In fact, modern science is not far displaced from the

concepts that the Jurassic Park films present. Star Trek, surprising given its popularity,

is very difficult to quantify into a subgenre. It can be considered either “Military Science

Fiction” with a firm policy of pacifism, or simply “Space Sci-Fi.” While the preferred
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subgenre of Sci-Fi can vary from audience to audience, it is always a crucial element to

analyze.

Given the analysis of several key attributes of Science Fiction, it is possible to

determine the best individual Sci-Fi film or franchise. For the purpose of narrowing the

analysis, the criteria that have been discussed were chosen specifically to apply to

series of films. The criteria included in this analysis include: Advanced science,

evocation of curiosity, visual effects, exploration of real-world issues, and subgenre.

Through the careful consideration of all of these aspects, it is clear that any of the above

franchises could be considered a candidate for the “Best” Sci-Fi franchise.

The clear frontrunner of the included Sci-Fi series in this analysis is Star Wars.

Star Wars is surely the most popular Science Fiction series and this does have an effect

on its status within this analysis. Popularity is not itself a criterion, but rather influences

all criteria the popular object is analysed under. The franchise fits all listed criteria very

well, making it a well rounded and popular choice for the “best” Sci-Fi. Not only does

Star Wars have incredible advanced technology such as interspace travel, but even the

more fantastical elements of the story serve a very clear purpose. These elements,

such as “The Force,” work well to create the feeling of curiosity that is crucial to entries

into the genre. Audiences are captured by their interest in such elements, and are

smoothly introduced into a world that would normally be very shocking to them. The

visual effects present in the series are also significant contributors to the overall quality,

such as the iconic “Lightsaber” that has remained in the mind of so many audience

members. The symbology present in the Star Wars franchise brings to mind the

extensive connection between the series and real-life events such as the Vietnam War.
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Not only did George Lucas manage to create a satisfying piece of popcorn

entertainment, but he communicated his negative opinion of the effects of imperialism,

colonialism, and authoritarian regimes. The films in this series contain a surprising

amount of social commentary. This ability to sandwich real-world issues into what

should be by all rights, a cheesy and fun “Space Opera,” is incredible. It is a lasting

testament to the quality of the Star Wars franchise, and to the glory of Science Fiction

overall.
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Works Cited

Wired.com Editors, “Why Science Fiction is the Most Important Genre,” 2018,
https://www.wired.com/2018/09/geeks-guide-yuval-noah-harari/.
Steinburg, Nick, “Sci-Fi Movies that Are Actually Scientifically Accurate,”
https://www.goliath.com/movies/sci-fi-movies-that-are-actually-scientifically-accurate/.
The AV Club Editors, “The 50 Best Visual Effects of All Time,” https://film.avclub.com/the-50-
greatest-special-effects-movies-of-all-time-1827830379.
Kondrak, Greg, “10 Sci-Fi Visual Effects That Changed Movies Forever,” 2020,
https://film.avclub.com/the-50-greatest-special-effects-movies-of-all-time-1827830379.
Wikipedia Contributors, “Political Ideas in Sci-Fi,”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_ideas_in_science_fiction.
Wikipedia Contributors, “Outline of Science Fiction,” Genres and Subgenres section,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_science_fiction#Genres_of_science_fiction
Khurana, Sukant, “Science and the Impossible: Influence of Science-fiction on Science,” 2018,
https://medium.com/@sukantkhurana/science-and-the-impossible-influence-of-science-fiction-
on-science-4a517752bbbd
Berlin, Jeremy, ““Star Trek” is Right About Almost Everything,” 2016,
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/06/star-trek-science-space-astronomy-
technology-fazekas/
Nadler, Lonnie, “Star Wars is More Political Than You Think,” 2017,
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/star-wars-is-more-political-than-you-
think_b_590b663de4b056aa2363d298
University of Tennessee at Knoxville, “Learning From Mr. Spock: Researcher examines sci-fi as
social commentary,” 2017, https://phys.org/news/2017-12-spock-sci-fi-social-commentary.html
Cameron, James and Lucas, George, “James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction,” 2018,
Produced by AMC, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv9Jq_mCJEo, excerpt.