Science Fiction: 316

The American epic post-apocalyptic adventure film, The Postman (1997), was produced and directed by Kevin Costner in which he also plays the lead role. Set in a post-apocalyptic world in 2013, an unidentified nomad roams the scattered communities of the Utah flatlands, trading performances of long-forgotten Shakespearean plays for food and water. After being held at gunpoint by the Holnists, a neo-feudalist militia, the nomad is forcefully recruited into their ranks and marked with their emblem, a figure 8, on his shoulder. Led by General Bethlehem, the Holnists hold control over the region and demand tribute and new ...

Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007) is a military sci-fi adventure show that is part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Stargate franchise. Created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, the series is based on the 1994 film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich. Filmed in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the show continues the story of the original movie one year after its events. The show follows SG-1, a present-day military team from Earth, as they embark on ...

The American sci-fi action comedy film, Men in Black (1997), is based on Lowell Cunningham’s comic book series and a popular conspiracy theory. At the Mexico–United States border, two men dressed in black suits known as Agent K and Agent D, intervene in a border patrol operation. They apprehend an extraterrestrial disguised as a human named Mikey who was attempting to cross the border. When Mikey attacks one of the patrol officers, K is forced to shoot him and use their memory-erasing device to cover up the incident as an underground gas pipeline explosion. With D choosing retirement due to his age, he asks K to ...

The miniseries Invasion (1997), adapted from Robin Cook’s novel, featured Luke Perry, Kim Cattrall, and Rebecca Gayheart. Touching small rocks that fall from the sky activates a hidden virus within humans, transforming them into aliens. With their collective mindset, these beings are fiercely committed to converting every human on the planet at a rapid pace. However, there is a limited group of individuals with medical expertise who can create antibodies to counteract ...

Open Your Eyes (1997) is a Spanish film directed and co-scored by Alejandro Amenábar, written by Amenábar and Mateo Gil. A handsome young man awakens to the sound of a female voice urging him to open his eyes. He drives through an empty city, before waking up once again, this time to find a woman in his bed. He instructs her not to leave him any messages on his alarm clock. From a Madrid prison cell, 25-year-old César recounts his tale to psychiatrist Antonio while wearing a prosthetic mask. Through flashbacks, we see that ...

The American science fiction action film, The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), takes place four years after the events on Isla Nublar. A British family unknowingly anchors their yacht near the nearby Isla Sorna, which is home to genetically engineered dinosaurs. During their visit, their daughter wanders off and is attacked by a pack of Compsognathus. Dr. John Hammond, who created the dinosaurs through his company InGen, invites mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm to his residence to discuss the incident. However, following the incident, Hammond’s nephew Peter Ludlow takes over control of InGen from him. Ian discovers that besides Isla Nublar, InGen also had a ...

Independence Day (1996) is a sci-fi action film directed by Roland Emmerich. On July 2, an alien mothership enters Earth’s orbit and deploys saucers over major cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. U.S. Marine Captain Steven Hiller and his unit, known as the Black Knights fighter squadron based in MCAS El Toro, are called back to defend Los Angeles. His girlfriend Jasmine Dubrow decides to flee with her son Dylan. Meanwhile, retired combat pilot Russell Casse sees this as vindication for the alien abduction he claimed ten years ago. In New York City, technician David Levinson discovers ...

Star Trek VIII: First Contact (1996), an American science fiction film, marked Jonathan Frakes’ debut as a feature film director. In the distant future, Captain Jean-Luc Picard is plagued by memories of his previous encounter with the Borg – in which he was assimilated by them. When Starfleet warns him of a new Borg threat to Earth, Picard’s orders are to monitor the Neutral Zone for any signs of Romulan aggression. Starfleet fears that Picard’s past experiences may cloud his judgment in the upcoming battle. As the battle rages on and Starfleet suffers heavy losses, the Enterprise crew disregards ...

The Outer Limits (1995–2002), a revival of the classic television series that originally aired from 1963 to 1965, returned to viewers’ screens between 1995 and 2002. Like its predecessor, The Outer Limits presents an anthology of unique episodes, often with unexpected plot twists. While maintaining the anthology format, the remake also incorporated occasional recurring story arcs, which were then brought together in season-finale clip shows. This modern revival of the science fiction horror show explores aliens and frequently includes twist endings. In some cases, a storyline introduced in one episode will continue in a later installment.

Virtuosity (1995), an American sci-fi action flick helmed by Brett Leonard, follows Parker Barnes, an ex-cop imprisoned for taking the life of political terrorist Matthew Grimes. Grimes was responsible for the deaths of Parker’s wife and daughter. Despite also accidentally shooting two journalists during the altercation, Barnes received a severe sentence of 17 years to life. In 1999, Barnes and his colleague John Donovan are testing a virtual reality system designed to train police officers. While pursuing serial killer SID 6.7 in a simulated restaurant setting, Donovan falls into shock and dies at the hands of ...

Waterworld (1995) is an American post-apocalyptic action film directed by Kevin Reynolds and co-written by Peter Rader and David Twohy. In the year 2500, rising sea levels have submerged every continent on Earth, leaving only rugged, floating communities known as atolls for human civilization to survive on. Many believe in the existence of a mythical ‘Dryland’ somewhere in the vast ocean, but others dismiss it as mere legend. The Mariner, a lone wanderer, arrives at an atoll on his trimaran with a valuable ...

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) marks the directorial debut of Robert Longo. The film is set in a future where society is heavily reliant on a virtual Internet, leading to a condition known as ‘nerve attenuation syndrome’ (NAS). With megacorporations dominating the world and exacerbating class tensions caused by NAS, Johnny works as a ‘mnemonic courier’. His job involves implanting sensitive data into his brain for discreet delivery to corporations. Currently, he is tasked with transporting data for a group of scientists in Beijing. Initially hesitant due to the data’s size exceeding his memory ...

Directed by Terry Gilliam, 12 Monkeys (1995) is an American science fiction thriller film that depicts a world devastated by a deadly virus. The survivors are forced to live underground while rumors circulate about the Army of the Twelve Monkeys being responsible for the outbreak. In 2035, James Cole is chosen from among the prisoners living in an underground compound beneath Philadelphia to travel back in time and locate the original virus. He agrees to do so in exchange for a reduced sentence. However, he is troubled by recurring dreams involving a foot chase and shooting at an airport. When he finally arrives in ...

Judge Dredd (1995) is a US sci-fi action movie based on the eponymous character from 2000 AD comics. It is helmed by director Danny Cannon. In the future, Earth is mostly a wasteland and surviving humans are divided between the desolate ‘Cursed Earth’ and the overcrowded Mega-Cities with huge populations. To maintain order, a team of Judges, who serve as law enforcers, judges, juries and executioners all in one, have replaced traditional justice systems. In the year 2139, during a block war in Mega-City One, veteran ‘Street Judge’ Joseph Dredd aids rookie Judge Barbara Hershey. Amidst the chaos, ...

Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001), an American science fiction television series, was brought to life by the minds of Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor. Originally airing on UPN from 1995 to 2001, it ran for seven seasons with a total of 172 episodes. As the franchise’s fifth installment, this show is set in the 24th century and follows the journey of the USS Voyager, a Starfleet vessel trying to return home to the Alpha Quadrant. Stranded in the Delta Quadrant at the far edge of the Milky Way galaxy, Voyager ...

Stargate (1994), a sci-fi action-adventure film, was directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich. In 1928, at Giza in Egypt, archaeologist Professor Paul Langford unearthed cover stones engraved with Egyptian hieroglyphs and other markings. Underneath these stones, he found a large metallic ring that served an unknown purpose. Sixty-six years later, Professor Langford’s daughter Catherine invites Egyptologist and linguist Dr. Daniel Jackson to translate the hieroglyphs. The stones are now part of a classified project overseen by Special Operations Colonel Jack O’Neil of the U.S. Air Force. With Dr. ...

Star Trek VII: Generations (1994) is the seventh installment in the popular American science fiction film franchise. The movie follows retired Starfleet officers James T. Kirk, Montgomery Scott, and Pavel Chekov as they attend the maiden voyage of the USS Enterprise-B. During this mission, the starship is unexpectedly called upon to rescue two El-Aurian refugee ships caught in a massive energy ribbon. Although they are able to save some refugees, the Enterprise becomes ensnared in the ribbon as well. In a desperate attempt to free their ship, Kirk sacrifices himself and is presumed dead after being thrown into space by the ribbon’s trailing end. Fast forward to ...

The American science fiction drama television series, The X-Files (1993–2018), was created by Chris Carter and originally aired on Fox from September 1993 to May 2002. It ran for nine seasons with a total of 202 episodes. In January 2016, a short tenth season of six episodes was released, followed by an eleventh season of ten episodes in January 2018. The show was a hit for the Fox network and received mostly positive reviews, although some criticized its long-term story arc towards the end. Despite initially being considered a cult series, it quickly became a part of popular culture, tapping into public mistrust and ...

Demolition Man (1993) is a gripping American sci-fi action flick, marking director Marco Brambilla’s debut. Three years later, notorious criminal Simon Phoenix takes control of a bus and barricades himself in an abandoned building. LAPD Sergeant John Spartan, known as ‘The Demolition Man’, charges in to take down Phoenix, disregarding orders and causing extensive destruction. However, when a thermal scan reveals no sign of hostages, Spartan still enters the building where he finds Phoenix setting off explosives. Following the devastation, bodies are discovered in the wreckage and Phoenix accuses ...

The American science fiction action film, Jurassic Park (1993), directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald R. Molen, tells the story of industrialist John Hammond creating a theme park on a tropical island called Isla Nublar. The park is filled with cloned dinosaurs and attracts the attention of lawyer Donald Gennaro, who represents the investors. In response to a Velociraptor attack on one of the handlers, the investors demand a safety certification. Chaotician Ian Malcolm is invited by ...