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Why does it always have to be aliens?
One of cinema’s many abilities is to show us things that may come to fruition. At least, if we’re not careful. Sometimes this comes in the form of a horror movie that comments on tech, e.g. the 2019 remake of Child’s Play. Other times, it comes in the form of a full-on conflict in a sci-fi war movie.
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The choices for good futuristic war films of the world are, surprisingly enough, fairly limited. But there are diamonds in the rough. Just don’t expect any Luke Skywalker adventures here, because he was operating a long time ago. These are the best war movies that demonstrably take place in the future.
10 Starship Troopers (1997)
Starship Troopers
Release Date: November 7, 1997
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Clancy Brown, Michael Ironside
Rating: R
Main Genre: Action
Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers is about as different from the source material as a movie can get. Robert A. Heinlein’s book was all about that “Ra Ra” mentality. Verhoeven’s film…is not. The plot still shows a war between man and bug, but the thought processes surrounding that war are quite different.
What Makes It Great
Starship Troopers works both as a satire, not unlike the director’s RoboCop, as well as a bombastic action film. And, make no mistake, Starship Troopers easily has some of the best action sequences of the 1990s.
Stream it on AMC+ Amazon Channel and DIRECTV
9 The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
The Matrix Revolutions
Release Date: November 5, 2003
Director: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Cast: Mary Alice, Tanveer K. Atwal, Helmut Bakaitis, Kate Beahan, Francine Bell, Monica Bellucci
Main Genre: Action
The first two Matrix sequels disappointed a lot of fans back in 2003, but they found themselves slighted more by The Matrix Revolutionsthan The Matrix Reloaded. But, even the film’s heaviest detractors would have to give some credit to the third film’s Battle of Zion. At the very least, it’s a more entertaining sequence than a blinded Neo taking on a literal Deus Ex Machina.
What Makes It Great
The Battle of Zion makes for a pretty intense sequence, with the people of Zion scrambling hopelessly for safety, and their last few remaining warriors getting torn to bits. Why? Because a massive horde of eviscerating machines are breaking through the dirt above, hoping to eliminate one of the last pockets of humanity.
Stream it on Max
Avatar
Release Date: December 18, 2009
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel David Moore, Giovanni Ribisi
Rating:PG-13
Main Genre: Action
James Cameron’s special effects extravaganza Avatar takes place on the lush planet of Pandora, home of the blue cat-like Na’vi. Enter Jake Sully, a wheelchair-using former Marine who has been put in his deceased twin brother’s place as a spy of sorts, hoping to gain insight into this alien planet.
What Makes It Great
The war aspect of Avatar comes into play once the mining company gets involved. And, like with many movies, it all becomes about greed versus ethics (via some impressively staged battle sequences). For the most part, ethics wins out.
Stream it on Max and Disney+
7 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay − Part 2 (2015)
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Release Date: November 19, 2014
Director: Francis Lawrence
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore
Main Genre: Action
Set in Panem (formerly North America), The Hunger Games saga tells the tale of a corrupt government’s forced enlisting of tributes from governed districts for a sadistic, bloody game. It’s all for entertainment, but that’s not how the players see it, at least as far as Katniss Everdeen goes. And, after she’s won the games, she’s shown the people of Panem that it’s time to rise up, and rise up they do in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay − Part 2.
What Makes It Great
Jennifer Lawrence was already somewhat of a star before The Hunger Games, but that project (and its sequels) put her over the line. Yet, even if it wasn’t her as Katniss, the films would work, because they’re well-written, well-produced, and well-cast across the board. This grew even more true over time, with names like Julianne Moore, Natalie Dormer, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman populating the two Mockingjay films’ cast lists.
Stream it on Peacock Premium and DIRECTV
6 Ender’s Game (2013)
Ender’s Game
Release DateOctober 24, 2013DirectorGavin HoodCastAsa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley, Viola DavisRatingPG-13Main GenreSci-Fi
Gavin Hood’s adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s beloved Ender’s Gamedidn’t make as much of an impression at the box office as one might guess, but it’s a solid piece of entertainment nonetheless. The narrative follows humanity’s attempt to launch a revenge attack on the home world of the alien race that slaughtered them.
What Makes It Great
Ender’s Game is the type of future war movie that should be appealing to viewers of all ages. It’s a compelling narrative about loss that never fails to be either uplifting or laser-beam-fueled fun. The action sequences can be a little jumbled, but that’s not a deal-breaker.
Stream it on Peacock and Peacock Premium
5 Pacific Rim (2013)
Pacific Rim
Release DateJuly 11, 2013DirectorGuillermo del ToroCastCharlie Hunnam, Diego Klattenhoff, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Burn GormanRatingPG-13Main GenreAction
Pacific Rim‘s near future setting, 2025, isn’t far off from now, but while AI is a concern, at least humanity isn’t facing kaiju. And that is the case in this film, where humans are fighting for their last few scrapes of survival via giant mechanized Jaegers.
What Makes It Great
Guillermo del Toro’s film is really just a Rock Em Sock Em Robots game brought to life, with one robot swapped out for a giant reptilian creature. And, thanks to some amazing special effects and a handful of solid performances (Rinko Kikuchi, Idris Elba), and Pacific Rim is a great time.
Stream it on Hulu and DIRECTV
4 Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Edge of Tomorrow
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Director: Doug Liman
Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Paxton, Jonas Armstrong, Tony Way
Main Genre: Action
Edge of Tomorrow puts Tom Cruise in a different position than the one he’s accustomed to. Here, his hero, Major William Cage, isn’t so much willing as dragged. And, unfortunately for Cage, he’s facing adversaries who are going to need his full combative capability…what little of it he has.
What Makes It Great
The against-type casting is a major (no pun intended) asset to Edge of Tomorrow. But it wouldn’t be that way if Cruise didn’t give it his all, and he certainly does. The movie also benefits from enthralling action sequences and one of the best performances of Emily Blunt’s career.
Stream it on Max, Hulu, and DIRECTV
3 X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Release DateMay 15, 2014DirectorBryan SingerCastHugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Nicholas HoultRatingPG-13Main GenreSuperhero
Bryan Singer returned to the superhero movie world with X-Men: Days of Future Past, his first time with the property since 2003’s X2. The plot follows the heroic mutants as they go to the past (specifically 1973) to change the future. Why? Because the future is littered with Sentinels, AKA massive powers-replicating mutant-killing robots.
What Makes It Great
The future segments of the film aren’t as thought-provoking as the stuff with Bolivar Trask back in 1973, but it does have a certain advantage. If ever the X-Men movies have done a good job of showing the mutants’ powers in fluid action sequences, it’s Days of Future Past.
Stream it on Max and DIRECTV
2 The Tomorrow War (2021)
The Tomorrow War
Release Date: July 2, 2021
Director: Chris McKay
Cast: Chris Pratt2, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Jasmine Mathews
Main Genre: Sci-Fi
The Tomorrow War drags ordinary civilians onto the frontline of battle with some highly-advanced and very deadly aliens. Why? Because they’ve been given a message by a time traveler and that message is that just the Earth’s soldiers won’t be enough. It’s going to have to be everyone if they want to win.
What Makes It Great
While it isn’t the best film on this list, The Tomorrow War certainly does have its merits. For one, the supporting cast is filled with underappreciated acting rock stars like Mary Lynn Rajskub and J. K. Simmons.
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video
1 The Creator (2023)
The Creator
Release Date: September 29, 2023
Director: Gareth Edwards
Cast: Allison Janney, Gemma Chan, John David Washington, Ralph Ineson, Ken Watanabe
Genre: Action
The Creator: takes place in a future where a lot of faith has been put into AI, only to have that faith go to the dumpster. Why? An explosion has taken out Los Angeles, and according to humans, AI is to blame.
What Makes It Great
It’s not surprising The Creator struggled at the box office. It has action sequences, but it’s more of a cerebral piece than anything else. It’s one of those movies that has more ambition than it has ability to pull the ambition off, but it’s impressive nonetheless.
