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The Best Dystopian Movies

Futures gone wrong: the dystopian and post-apocalyptic canon ranked by our composite score across 20+ lists, awards and polls.

The dystopian film is the genre where design does the arguing: Lang's Metropolis built the first machine-city in 1927 and its skyline still underwrites the form; Godard's Alphaville shot the future in present-day Paris; Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and Gilliam's Brazil made the state the monster. The post-apocalyptic wing runs from La Jetée's time-loop to Blade Runner's acid rain to Fury Road — cinema's recurring stress test of where the present is headed.

A Clockwork Orange (1971) leads with a composite score of 3.06.

Masters of the genre

  1. 1
    A Clockwork Orange1971 · Stanley Kubrick · United Kingdom / United States · drama, crime, thriller
    3.06

    Oscar Best Picture nominee 1971 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1972 #4 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #243

  2. 2
    Mad Max: Fury Road2015 · George Miller · Australia / United States · action, adventure, sci-fi
    2.96

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2015 #1 · Film Comment year-end poll 2015 #3 · Rolling Stone 100 Best of the 21st Century #7

  3. 3
    Blade Runner1982 · Ridley Scott · United States / Hong Kong, China · thriller, film-noir, sci-fi
    2.51

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #54 · Sight & Sound 2022 directors' poll #62 · Empire 500 (2008) #20

  4. 4
    Metropolis1927 · Fritz Lang · Weimar Republic · silent, drama, sci-fi
    2.18

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #67 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1929 #4 · TIME All-TIME 100

  5. 5
    Weekend1967 · Jean-Luc Godard · France / Italy · comedy, drama
    1.96

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1967 #3 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1969 #4 · Ebert's annual top 10 1969 #3

  6. 6
    A.I. Artificial Intelligence2001 · Steven Spielberg · United States · sci-fi, drama
    1.74

    Sarris's annual top 10 2001 #1 · Film Comment year-end poll 2001 #5 · Rolling Stone 100 Best of the 21st Century #61

  7. 7
    Alphaville1965 · Jean-Luc Godard · France / Italy · sci-fi, drama, crime
    1.66

    Berlin Golden Bear winner 1965 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1965 #5 · Criterion Collection spine #25

  8. 8
    WALL-E2008 · Andrew Stanton · United States · comedy, romance, sci-fi
    1.55

    Film Comment year-end poll 2008 #5 · Rolling Stone 100 Best of the 21st Century #47 · National Film Registry (inducted 2021)

  9. 9
    Brazil1985 · Terry Gilliam · United Kingdom / Australia · film-noir, sci-fi, fantasy
    1.51

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1986 #8 · TIME All-TIME 100 · BFI Top 100 British films #54

  10. 10
    The Matrix1999 · Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski · United States / Australia · thriller, action, sci-fi
    1.41

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #122 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1999 #6 · Empire 500 (2008) #39

  11. 11
    Children of Men2006 · Alfonso Cuarón · United Kingdom / United States / Japan · thriller, sci-fi, drama
    1.28

    Rolling Stone 100 Best of the 21st Century #27 · Ebert's annual top 10 2006 #3 · Film Comment year-end poll 2006 #19

  12. 12
    District 92009 · Neill Blomkamp · South Africa / United States / New Zealand · thriller, sci-fi, action
    1.25

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2010 #3 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2009 · Film Comment year-end poll 2009 #41

  13. 13
    La Jetée1962 · Chris Marker · France · sci-fi
    1.18

    Sight & Sound 2022 directors' poll #35 · Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #67 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  14. 14
    Terminator 2: Judgment Day1991 · James Cameron · United States · action, thriller, sci-fi
    1.14

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1991 #8 · Empire 500 (2008) #35 · National Film Registry (inducted 2023)

  15. 15
    The Truman Show1998 · Peter Weir · United States · sci-fi, comedy, drama
    1.10

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1998 #3 · National Film Registry (inducted 2025) · Siskel's annual top 10 1998 #5

  16. 16
    Interstellar2014 · Christopher Nolan · United States / United Kingdom · sci-fi, adventure, drama
    0.95

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2014 #6 · Letterboxd Top 250 #34 · Film Comment year-end poll 2014 #41

  17. 17
    The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover1989 · Peter Greenaway · France / United Kingdom / Netherlands · drama, romance, crime
    0.83

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1990 #6 · Sarris's annual top 10 1990 #4 · Ebert's annual top 10 1990 #9

  18. 18
    Minority Report2002 · Steven Spielberg · United States · sci-fi, action, thriller
    0.78

    Ebert's annual top 10 2002 #1 · Film Comment year-end poll 2002 #11

  19. 19
    Bye Bye Monkey1978 · Marco Ferreri · France / Italy · comedy, sci-fi, drama
    0.75

    Cannes Grand Prix winner 1978

  20. 20
    Dawn of the Dead1978 · George A. Romero · United States / Italy · horror, sci-fi, action
    0.70

    Kehr's annual top 10 1979 #3 · Empire 500 (2008) #415 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  21. 21
    Battle Royale2000 · Kinji Fukasaku · Japan · action, thriller, drama
    0.69

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2000 #5 · Empire 500 (2008) #235 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  22. 22
    Hard to Be a God2013 · Aleksei Yuryevich German · Russia · sci-fi, drama
    0.64

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2015 #6 · Film Comment year-end poll 2015 #11

  23. 23
    Dark City1998 · Alex Proyas · Australia / United States · film-noir, sci-fi, thriller
    0.63

    Ebert's annual top 10 1998 #1 · Roger Ebert's Great Movies

  24. 24
    Existenz1999 · David Cronenberg · Canada / United Kingdom / France · horror, sci-fi, thriller
    0.62

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1999 #4 · Hoberman's annual top 10 1999 #5

  25. 25
    28 Days Later2002 · Danny Boyle · United Kingdom · horror, sci-fi, action
    0.62

    Rolling Stone 100 Best of the 21st Century #53 · Film Comment year-end poll 2003 #35 · Empire 500 (2008) #456

  26. 26
    RoboCop1987 · Paul Verhoeven · United States · action, sci-fi, thriller
    0.61

    Empire 500 (2008) #404 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Criterion Collection spine #23

  27. 27
    The Trial1962 · Orson Welles · France / West Germany / Italy
    0.61

    Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 1962 #7 · Criterion Collection spine #1191 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  28. 28
    Pleasantville1998 · Gary Ross · United States · comedy, drama, fantasy
    0.57

    Ebert's annual top 10 1998 #2 · Siskel's annual top 10 1998 #3

  29. 29
    Born in Flames1983 · Lizzie Borden · United States · sci-fi
    0.54

    Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll #243 · Criterion Collection spine #1277

  30. 30
    The Terminator1984 · James Cameron · United States / United Kingdom · action, sci-fi, thriller
    0.52

    National Film Registry (inducted 2008) · Empire 500 (2008) #308 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  31. 31
    Dr. Mabuse the Gambler1922 · Fritz Lang · Germany · silent, thriller, crime
    0.52

    Scorsese's 39 essential foreign films · Kurosawa's 100 favorite films · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  32. 32
    Planet of the Apes1968 · Franklin J. Schaffner · United States · sci-fi
    0.51

    National Film Registry (inducted 2001) · Empire 500 (2008) #350 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  33. 33
    The Wicker Man1973 · Robin Hardy · United Kingdom · horror, mystery, drama
    0.51

    BFI Top 100 British films #96 · Empire 500 (2008) #485 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  34. 34
    Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith2005 · George Lucas · United States · sci-fi, action, adventure
    0.49

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2005 #8 · Empire 500 (2008) #330

  35. 35
    A Scanner Darkly2006 · Richard Linklater · United States · sci-fi, drama
    0.49

    Film Comment year-end poll 2006 #12 · Hoberman's annual top 10 2006 #4

  36. 36
    Akira1988 · Katsuhiro Otomo · Japan · sci-fi, action, animation
    0.48

    Letterboxd Top 250 #190 · Empire 500 (2008) #440 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  37. 37
    Mad Max1979 · George Miller · Australia · action, thriller
    0.43

    NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Kehr's annual top 10 1980 #9 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  38. 38
    Land of the Dead2005 · George A. Romero · United States / France / Canada · horror, sci-fi, action
    0.41

    Film Comment year-end poll 2005 #14 · Kehr's annual top 10 2005 #9

  39. 39
    Day of the Dead1985 · George A. Romero · United States · horror, sci-fi, action
    0.40

    Kehr's annual top 10 1985 #6 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  40. 40
    The Lobster2015 · Yorgos Lanthimos · Greece / United Kingdom / France · sci-fi, comedy, romance
    0.39

    Film Comment year-end poll 2016 #11 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  41. 41
    The Beast2023 · Bertrand Bonello · France / Canada · sci-fi, drama, romance
    0.39

    Film Comment year-end poll 2024 #5

  42. 42
    Snowpiercer2013 · Bong Joon-ho · South Korea / Czech Republic / United States · thriller, sci-fi, action
    0.34

    Film Comment year-end poll 2014 #20 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  43. 43
    Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind1983 · Hayao Miyazaki · Japan · sci-fi, animation, fantasy
    0.33

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 1984 #7

  44. 44
    Civil War2024 · Alex Garland · United States / United Kingdom · action, drama
    0.33

    Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2024 #7

  45. 45
    Testament1983 · Lynne Littman · United States · drama
    0.33

    Ebert's annual top 10 1983 #7 · Criterion Collection spine #1303

  46. 46
    On the Beach1959 · Stanley Kramer · United States / Australia · sci-fi, drama
    0.32

    NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Sarris's annual top 10 1959 #8

  47. 47
    Gattaca1997 · Andrew Niccol · United States · sci-fi, drama
    0.32

    Sarris's annual top 10 1997 #2

  48. 48
    Sirāt2025 · Óliver Laxe · Spain / France · drama
    0.32

    Film Comment year-end poll 2025 #8

  49. 49
    Looper2012 · Rian Johnson · United States / China · sci-fi, thriller, crime
    0.32

    Film Comment year-end poll 2012 #29 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  50. 50
    The End of Evangelion1997 · Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hideaki Anno · Japan · sci-fi, action, animation
    0.31

    Letterboxd Top 250 #27

  51. 51
    Delicatessen1991 · Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet · France · fantasy, comedy
    0.30

    Empire 500 (2008) #237 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  52. 52
    Mad Max 21981 · George Miller · Australia · action, adventure, thriller
    0.30

    Empire 500 (2008) #280 · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  53. 53
    Sleeper1973 · Woody Allen · United States · sci-fi, comedy
    0.28

    NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  54. 54
    Nineteen Eighty-Four1984 · Michael Radford · United Kingdom · drama, sci-fi, thriller
    0.27

    Criterion Collection spine #984 · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  55. 55
    The Bed Sitting Room1969 · Richard Lester · United Kingdom · drama
    0.22

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies · Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

  56. 56
    Rise of the Planet of the Apes2011 · Rupert Wyatt · United States · sci-fi, action, drama
    0.18

    Film Comment year-end poll 2011 #46

  57. 57
    Serenity2005 · Joss Whedon · United States · action, sci-fi, western
    0.17

    Empire 500 (2008) #383

  58. 58
    V for Vendetta2005 · James McTeigue · United States / United Kingdom / Germany · thriller, action, drama
    0.17

    Empire 500 (2008) #418

  59. 59
    12 Monkeys1995 · Terry Gilliam · United States · film-noir
    0.17

    Empire 500 (2008) #465

  60. 60
    Back to the Future Part II1989 · Robert Zemeckis · United States · sci-fi, comedy
    0.17

    Empire 500 (2008) #498

  61. 61
    Total Recall1990 · Paul Verhoeven · United States / Mexico · action, adventure, sci-fi
    0.17

    NYT Best 1,000 Movies

  62. 62
    Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome1985 · George Miller, George Ogilvie · Australia · action, adventure, sci-fi
    0.17

    Ebert's annual top 10 1985 #7

  63. 63
    Things to Come1936 · William Cameron Menzies · United Kingdom · sci-fi, drama
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #660

  64. 64
    Lord of the Flies1963 · Peter Brook · United Kingdom · thriller, drama, adventure
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #43

  65. 65
    Until the End of the World1991 · Wim Wenders · France / Germany / Australia · drama, sci-fi
    0.16

    Criterion Collection spine #1007

  66. 66
    Strange Days1995 · Kathryn Bigelow · United States · sci-fi, thriller, action
    0.16

    Kehr's annual top 10 1995 #8

  67. 67
    Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence2004 · Mamoru Oshii · Japan · sci-fi, animation
    0.15

    Hoberman's annual top 10 2004 #9

  68. 68
    Fahrenheit 4511966 · François Truffaut · France / United Kingdom · sci-fi, drama
    0.14

    Sarris's annual top 10 1966 #10

  69. 69
    Tetsuo: The Iron Man1989 · Shinya Tsukamoto · Japan · horror, sci-fi, drama
    0.14

    Hoberman's annual top 10 1992 #10

  70. 70
    Richard III1995 · Richard Loncraine · United Kingdom · drama
    0.13

    Roger Ebert's Great Movies

  71. 71
    The Day the Earth Caught Fire1961 · Val Guest · United Kingdom · sci-fi
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  72. 72
    The 10th Victim1965 · Elio Petri · France / Italy · sci-fi, action, comedy
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  73. 73
    THX 11381971 · George Lucas · United States · sci-fi, drama
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  74. 74
    Silent Running1972 · Douglas Trumbull · United States · sci-fi, adventure, drama
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  75. 75
    Westworld1973 · Michael Crichton · United States · action, thriller, sci-fi
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  76. 76
    The Stepford Wives1975 · Bryan Forbes · United States · sci-fi, horror, mystery
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  77. 77
    Invasion of the Body Snatchers1978 · Philip Kaufman · United States · sci-fi, horror, thriller
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  78. 78
    Escape from New York1981 · John Carpenter · United States · action, thriller, sci-fi
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  79. 79
    Threads1984 · Mick Jackson · United Kingdom · drama
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  80. 80
    Riki-oh: The Story of Ricky1991 · Lam Nai-Choi · Hong Kong, China · action
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  81. 81
    Starship Troopers1997 · Paul Verhoeven · United States · action, thriller, sci-fi
    0.11

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

  82. 82
    New Rose Hotel1998 · Abel Ferrara · United States · sci-fi, thriller
    0.11

    Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema

Dystopia is science fiction with the hope drained out. Wikipedia files the form as "a subgenre of science fiction and political films" about oppression, control and instability, and that parentage is the whole problem: nearly every title below could sit as comfortably on a science-fiction page as on this one. What sorts them here is a matter of temperature — the future is not merely imagined but indicted, and the indictment is usually built straight into the set.

The overlap that never resolves

Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) is, in Wikipedia's phrase, "widely regarded as the seminal dystopian film" — and at the same time a founding monument of screen science fiction; the machine-city it drew has underwritten both genres for a century. The 1980s and 1990s split the difference into cyberpunk, the acid-rain future of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982), Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985) and RoboCop (1987), where the state or the corporation is the monster. A second wing goes the other way entirely: the post-apocalyptic film swaps the surveillance city for the ruined one, which is how George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002) end up sharing the page.

How the page is built

Membership here is not an editorial call. A film joins when its Wikidata genre tags carry a dystopian, post-apocalyptic or cyberpunk label — the same offline rule that assembles every sub-genre page on the site — after which our composite score, never any outside list, sets the order. That mechanism is why WALL-E (2008) and Jean-Luc Godard's Weekend (1967) turn up alongside The Matrix (1999): the tag decides, not the mood.

How to read our list

Rank by seniority and Metropolis would lead; rank by accumulated canon weight and it falls to the middle of the field (#314, score 2.18), behind a clutch of younger films. The composite score instead favours Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971) (#147, 3.06), with George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) — the newest major entry — just behind (#164, 2.96), Scott's Blade Runner next (#236, 2.51) and Godard's Alphaville (1965) far back (#521, 1.66). The distance between the film that invented the imagery and the films the culture keeps quoting is exactly what a score exposes and reputation smooths over.