In a year where artificial intelligence surged into the spotlight and demonstrated its ability to transform the world, numerous film directors explored the consequences of pioneering technologies and the forces behind them through science fiction. Traditionally, this genre has served as an ideal platform for such social commentary. While science fiction has forecasted various innovations, the most impactful narratives resonate with the period during which they were created, as seen in “Frankenstein’s” critique of the First Industrial Revolution and “Star Trek’s” examination of the Cold War.
As we approach 2025, a year where political, economic, and social frameworks struggle to keep up with technology reshaping them, science fiction serves as a potent medium for dissecting the implications of this so-called advancement. Given the contrasting optimistic and pessimistic perspectives showcased in this year’s films, it is vital to recall how the esteemed sci-fi screenwriter Ray Bradbury characterized the genre’s function in a 2010 interview with The Paris Review: “Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn’t exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again.”
However, this genre did not achieve the same success it had in prior years, when blockbusters like “Dune” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” reigned in both box office and awards. The sole notable sci-fi financial success of 2025 is the widely criticized “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” the third installment in the series. Despite the absence of financial triumphs, 2025 nonetheless birthed several exceptional sci-fi films.
5. Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro’s eagerly awaited adaptation of Mary Shelley’s celebrated novel “Frankenstein” is a visual feast, and likely a contender for Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars. Featuring stark polar landscapes, gothic lairs, and an outstanding cast in their Victorian finery, “Frankenstein” revives one of literature’s most iconic narratives with the director’s unmistakable aesthetic elegance.
Starring Oscar Isaac as the twisted Victor Frankenstein, the Netflix film has garnered acclaim since its November premiere, receiving high praise and being nominated in at least six categories at the 2026 Oscars. Such recognition is typical for the cherished del Toro, whose works like “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Cronos,” and “The Shape of Water” are classics within the monster genre. Jacob Elordi’s haunting depiction of the not-so-dreaded creature has also won critical acclaim, providing a fresh interpretation of one of literature’s most fascinating figures.
Regrettably, “Frankenstein” does not quite achieve the brilliance of either its original material or its director’s past creations. Like its titular character, “Frankenstein” suffers from its own aspirations, losing narrative coherence while wrestling with a fundamental question of the era: How do we address the negative repercussions of technological advancement? Yet, despite its failure to capture the sharp subtleties of Shelley’s novel, it stands as a beautifully crafted critique that premiered amidst a news cycle focused on the triumphs, failures, and repercussions of revolutionary technologies. In doing so, del Toro engages with some of sci-fi’s most timeless themes, urging viewers to contemplate the same query posed in the ancient Greek story referenced in the subtitle, “A Modern Prometheus.” Specifically, the key scientific inquiry is not whether one can achieve something, but whether one ought to. If only the tech moguls of the world were as clear-cut in their responses as the beloved director, who refuses to incorporate generative AI in his films.
4. Predator: Badlands
Like the finest sci-fi reboots, “Predator: Badlands” takes a familiar franchise and turns it upside down. An exhilarating adventure through a world of man-eating plants and creatures, Dan Trachtenberg’s third “Predator” offering features the iconic galactic hunter as the lead. While some audience members may hesitate at joining yet another backstory in the series, “Badlands” emerges as a refreshing coming-of-age narrative that wraps itself in an intergalactic buddy-cop format reminiscent of Disney’s popular series, “The Mandalorian.” This time around, however, the villain-turned-hero is accompanied by a crew of furry companions and a talkative android zoologist, portrayed by Elle Fanning. This injects a lighter tone often lacking in the franchise, as Fanning and the ensemble cultivate a cheerful, dare I say family-friendly ambiance that aligns with the franchise’s new Mickey Mouse-wearing proprietors.
That isn’t to suggest that “Badlands” lacks intensity, as Trachtenberg meets all the criteria for an excellent “Predator” film, delivering dreadlocked assassins, advanced weaponry, gravity-defying finishing maneuvers, and even an improvisation sequence with weaponry that would earn Arnold Schwarzenegger’s approval. The outcome is a thrilling adventure filled with
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