Science Fiction: 316

The Hunger Games (2012) is anAmerican dystopian action film, directed by Gary Ross and co-written by Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray. It is based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Collins. The story takes place in a dystopian nation called Panem, which is divided into twelve districts and ruled by the Capitol. As punishment for a previous rebellion, each district must send two tributes – one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen – to ...

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012) is an American science fantasy action-adventure film directed by Brad Peyton. Four years have passed since Sean Anderson’s previous adventure in the center of the earth. Now 17 years old, Sean gets into trouble with the police after attempting to access a satellite control center. He believes that his missing grandfather, Alexander Anderson, may have sent a coded signal and he wants to investigate further. Seeking to connect with Sean, his stepfather Hank Parsons helps decipher the code using three books: Treasure Island, Gulliver’s Travels, and Jules Verne’s ...

A film Escape from Planet Earth (2012), created by Rainmaker Entertainment and distributed by The Weinstein Company in the US and Entertainment One in Canada, follows the story of two brothers on Planet Baab. Scorch Supernova, a daring astronaut seeking glory, works at BASA with his brother Gary who supports him on their missions. When BASA’s head, Lena, sends a message that Scorch must go to the ‘Dark Planet’ (known as Earth to the Baabians) due to an SOS call, Gary strongly disagrees because no alien has ever returned from Earth. Despite this, Scorch agrees to go without Gary’s permission causing a heated argument between them. In ...

A movie John Carter (2012) tells the story of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ uncle who passed away unexpectedly. The film was directed and written by Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, and Michael Chabon respectively, and is based on the Barsoom novel series. At the time of his uncle’s death in 1881, Burroughs learned that John had requested to be buried in a tomb that only he could open from inside. He was also given John’s personal journal to read by his lawyer. The plot then rewinds back to 1868 when Carter ...

Cloud Atlas (2012) is an epic science fiction film helmed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. Adapted from David Mitchell’s 2004 novel, it tells a complex story with multiple plots taking place across six different time periods. As the narrative jumps between these eras, spanning centuries, each storyline gradually reaches a resolution. Interestingly, we see characters from previous eras appear in future ones through their writings. These recurring characters often have changed relationships with one another, with ...

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome (2012) is the newest addition to the Battlestar Galactica franchise, serving as a prequel to the reimagined series. Originally created as a web-series, it later transformed into a pilot for potential continuation of William Adama’s early experiences. Taking place during the tenth year of the First Cylon War, we witness Adama’s first assignment after graduating from Academy: joining the crew of Galactica, one of the battlestars in the Colonial fleet. This installment offers important context for events that occurred between Caprica and Battlestar Galactica.

Men in Black 3 (2012) is a sci-fi action comedy film based on the popular Marvel Comics series. After escaping from a top-security prison on the Moon, alien criminal Boris the Animal sets out to seek revenge on Agent K for past incidents involving his capture and the removal of his left arm. Despite being warned by Boris that he is already ‘dead’, K refuses to reveal any further details about their encounter from over four decades ago. Meanwhile, J discovers evidence that implicates K not only in Boris’s capture but also in preventing a deadly invasion by deploying an interplanetary shield known as the ‘ArcNet’. In a desperate attempt to ...

Tron: Uprising (2012–2013) is an American animated science fiction television series set in the Tron fictional universe. It takes place between the events of the films Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010) and aired a total of 19 episodes on Disney XD in the United States from May 18, 2012, to January 28, 2013. The show was primarily directed by Charlie Bean, with Justin Springer, Edward Kitsis, and Adam Horowitz serving as consulting producers.

Dredd (2012) is a sci-fi action flick helmed by director Pete Travis and written/produced by Alex Garland. Set in future America, the country has become an irradiated wasteland. The East Coast, stretching from Boston to Washington DC, is home to Mega City One – a sprawling and violent metropolis controlled by criminals. The only law and order comes from the ‘Judges’, urban cops with the authority of judge, jury, and executioner. Dredd, known and feared throughout the city, serves as the top Judge and faces his biggest challenge yet – eradicating a ...

Prometheus (2012) is a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and co-written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. Serving as the fifth installment in the Alien franchise, the movie follows a group of astronauts on a mission to investigate a distant planet. As they depart, they witness a humanoid alien consuming a liquid that causes its body to disintegrate. Meanwhile, archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway uncover a star map that matches those from various ancient cultures. They believe it ...

Battleship (2012) is an American military science fiction action film, adapted from the popular board game. Directed by Peter Berg from a script by brothers Jon and Erich Hoeber, the film takes place in 2005 on ‘Planet G’, a possibly habitable world. During this time, a communications array is constructed in Oahu to connect with any extraterrestrial life. It is here where Alex Hopper crosses paths with Samantha Shane, daughter of Admiral Terrance Shane, while trying to impress her. After getting arrested, ...

Looper (2012) is an American sci-fi action-thriller film written and directed by Rian Johnson, with production by Ram Bergman and James D. Stern. In 2044, 25-year-old Joe works as a ‘looper’ for a Kansas City crime syndicate, assassinating their enemies who are sent back in time from the future of 2074. This is due to tracking systems that make disposing of bodies undetected nearly impossible. Abe, a man from the future, manages the loopers who kill and dispose of victims with concealed faces in exchange for ...

Mars Needs Moms (2011) is an American animated sci-fi movie co-written and directed by Simon Wells, produced by ImageMovers Digital and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Unbeknownst to humans, there exists a highly advanced society of Martians living beneath the surface of the Red Planet. The Martians’ Supervisor, while observing Earth, witnesses a mother encouraging her son, Milo, to complete his household duties. The Martians decide to bring her to Mars to extract her “mom-ness” and implant it into their next-generation nanny-bots. Meanwhile, Milo, who has been sent to his room for disobeying rules ...

Black Mirror (2011–2024) is a thought-provoking British anthology series, created by Charlie Brooker, that delves into the consequences of technology on society. Originally airing on Channel 4, the show has since found a home on Netflix and has produced six series since its debut in 2011. With a total of 27 episodes and one interactive film called Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, each installment ranges from 40 to 89 minutes and can be viewed in any desired order. While the episodes cover a diverse range of genres, they all share a common theme of the potential future impact of technology, drawing inspiration from ...

Director Steven Soderbergh released the American thriller film Contagion (2011). After a business trip to Hong Kong, PR executive Beth Emhoff had an encounter with a former lover during her layover in Chicago. She initially chalked up her slight illness to jet lag. However, just two days later, upon returning to Minneapolis, Beth’s husband Mitch rushed her to the hospital after she suffered a seizure. Despite her treatment, she tragically passed away from an unknown disease. Meanwhile, Mitch’s stepson Clark also succumbed to the illness. Thankfully, Mitch was found to be naturally immune but chose to keep ...

Source Code (2011), the U.S. science fiction action thriller film directed by Duncan Jones and written by Ben Ripley, follows the story of U.S. Army pilot Captain Colter Stevens as he wakes up on a Metra commuter train headed to Chicago. Confused and disoriented, his last memory was of flying a mission in Afghanistan. However, to those around him, including his friend Christina Warren, he appears to be Sean Fentress, a school teacher. As he shares his confusion with Christina, the train suddenly explodes while passing another train, resulting in the death of all ...

The Adjustment Bureau (2011) is a captivating American sci-fi romantic thriller, marking George Nolfi’s directorial debut. In 2006, Brooklyn congressman David Norris misses out on a seat in the US Senate. As he rehearses his concession speech, he crosses paths with Elise Sellas and shares a passionate kiss. Unfortunately, they are separated before he can learn her name. Despite this, David finds himself inspired by their encounter and delivers an unusually honest speech, making him a top contender for the next election. A month later, Harry Mitchell receives an assignment from Richardson at Madison Square Park ...

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), an American science fiction action film, follows pharmaceutical chemist Will Rodman in San Francisco as he tests the virus-based drug ALZ-112 on chimpanzees at biotechnology company Gen-Sys. His goal is to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Their test subject, a chimp named Bright Eyes, shows remarkable intelligence after being given the drug. Her newfound intelligence leads her to escape her cage during Will’s presentation and ultimately be killed. Will’s boss, Steven Jacobs, ends the project and orders all chimps to be euthanized. However, Robert Franklin, Will’s assistant, reveals that Bright Eyes had ...

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) is an American science fiction action film inspired by Hasbro’s popular toy line. Decades earlier, a Cybertronian spaceship known as the Ark crashes on the dark side of the Moon and is discovered by NASA. In order to investigate, President John F. Kennedy approves a mission to land on the Moon, which takes place in 1969 with Apollo 11. Unbeknownst to the public, the astronauts also explore the crashed spaceship before returning to Earth. In present day, the Autobots work alongside humans to prevent major conflicts. During a mission to investigate possible alien technology at Chernobyl, they are attacked by Decepticon ...

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman and written by Chris Bertolini, Battle: Los Angeles (2011) is an American military science-fiction action film set in a world where hostile alien spacecraft suddenly make landings off the coasts of major cities. As Los Angeles is evacuated, a group of Marines from Camp Pendleton, led by Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz, are called in. Despite his plans to retire, Nantz is assigned to the 1st Platoon, Echo Company, of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines under the command of 2nd Lieutenant William Martinez. The platoon sets up a forward operating base ...