Much to our relief,sci-fimovieshave done wonders in augmenting our understanding of the genre and refining our imagination over decades. The classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still and 2001: A Space Odyssey still spark wonder in us with their incredible scenes and revolutionary visual effects. Then you have modern masterpieces like Avatar and Interstellar that further push the boundaries of what can be achieved using technological advancements.
But one thing remains common in these cinematic beauties – they all feature male protagonists leading the charge into the great unknown. However, there are a host of sci-fi gemsspearheaded by strong female charactersthat are just as exhilarating, thought-provoking, and visionary. From jaw-dropping space adventures and dystopian sagas fronted by intelligent women not only offer a new perspective to classic tropes but also empower through representation.
Flashy visuals and mind-blowing concepts do entertain but let’s face it; it’s the compelling female characters that really elevate a fresh and diverse sci-fi storytelling for the masses. The sci-fi heroines we meet in this list battle futuristic robots and defeat aliens, negotiate political outbursts, and bring revolution to a society, all with humor and a fiery will to survive, leaving us with nothing to do but gape at them with fascination.
20A Wrinkle In Time (2018)
Part science fiction, part fantasy,A Wrinkle In TimeisDisney’s less appreciated projectsfrom recent years. Based on the YA novel written by Madeleine L’Engle back in 1962, the movie follows Meg Murry’s adventure through space and time to rescue her scientist father who goes missing while on a major quest. Filled with imagination and wonder, this colorful, girl-powered story comes to life through Storm Reid’s lovely presence. She brings her introverted spirit and we watch as she transforms into a self-confident girl after traveling across dazzling realms with her gifted brother Charles and their classmate Calvin. Reid translates L’Engle’s beloved character to the big screen with a pluck that perfectly suits the vision director Ava DuVernay had for this coming-of-age tale.
19Lucy (2014)
There is a claim that humans only use 10% of their brain capacity at any given moment in time. But in Luc Besson’s sci-fi thriller, a reluctant drug mule is accidentally exposed to a secret substance that unlocks her brain’s full potential, i.e. a hundred percent functionality. The result? An action-fueled fast-paced ride like no other.Lucyfeatures the phenomenal Scarlett Johansson as the titular heroine. Her transformation from victim to superhuman hits like a force. She embodies a commanding grace and subtlety. As Lucy’s abilities expand exponentially, Johansson brings an emotional depth and truth to the absurdity of the premise. Seemingly unrelated sci-fi concepts about evolutionary leap and the human consciousness are shown in a different light through her riveting portrayal.
18Melancholia (2011)
Kicking off the 2010s with a hauntingly beautiful, metaphorical, and thought-provoking apocalyptic drama, the story ofMelancholiagoes like this – two sisters Justine and Claire cope with trauma and isolation, and impending doom on the eve of a planet collision. Apparently, the titular planet represents eternal sadness and destruction in both an obvious and subtle way. Kristen Dunst imbues her terminally depressed character of Justine with fragility, but there are hidden traces of strength too. Very few movies manage to portray character struggles with honesty, and through Dunst,Melancholiaunfolds the complexity of clinical depression, the process of healing, depths of sorrows and the resilience it takes to reach the great beyond.
1710 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
10 Cloverfield Laneis Dan Trachtenberg’s directorial debut and suffice it to say, there are enough heady science fiction concepts and edge-of-your-seat suspense in this horror thriller to make it memorable. When a car crash leaves Michelle confined in an underground bunker with Howard, a strange man who claims an apocalypse has struck above ground, she realizes something is wrong and decides to escape. Mary Elizabeth Winstead portrays Michelle and her escalating desperation and doubts in the claustrophobic atmosphere with a shocking authenticity. As exhilarating reveals occur every few minutes, we get to witness Michelle’s true circumstances and fate. Winstead goes through several terrifying obstacles andeventually ignites hope in the heartsof the audience.
16Contact (1997)
With Jodie Foster as the leading lady, this cerebral sci-fi adventure film of the ‘90s charts around the events that take place when Dr. Ellie, a radio astronomer, searches for extraterrestrial life after deciphering signals sent by them. As Dr. Ellie, Jodie Foster captures the passion, drive and occasional frustrations of a scientist’s true calling with humor and heart as she scans the skies for signs of intelligence beyond Earth. When an intriguing signal from Vega turns out to be a threat that could upend scientific convention, Dr, Ellie gets to work, transforming her research of an avant-garde radio telescope to the depths of an alien machine. It is because of Foster’s scientist that the movie is able to answer life’s hardest questions and make new discoveries at breakneck speed.
Related:Highest Grossing Sci-Fi Movie From Each Year of the ‘90s
15Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
For years, Star Wars centered around male leads, with Luke Skywalker and Han Solobeing the only important characters. But 2017’sRogue One: A Star Wars Storypainted a different picture by featuring Felicity Jones as the protagonist. And the trend only continued withStar Wars: The Last Jedi, in which, as the last remaining Jedi Master, we see Luke Skywalker’s reluctance to train a new generation framing the saga’s moral and spiritual journey. Daisy Ridley’s poised, plucky Red crowns the film by beginning as an awe-struck follower and becoming a wise warrior in her own right. Rey is a character whose powers and independence is only now flourishing, she is uncovering devastating secrets and weighing difficult choices that will shape the fate of the Resistance, all of which is perfectly brought to the screen by Ridley’s optimistic leader.
14Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
Adapted from Yukito Kishiro’s manga series Gunnm,Alita: Battle Angelis an incredibly stunning futuristic cyberpunk action film that stars Rosa Salazar as the main heroine. Needless to say, the star brings an insane, jaw-dropping physicality to her role as a cyborg rediscovering her humanity. The premise is simple – after being revived by a compassionate doctor in Iron City, Alita wakes up with no memory whatsoever, but soon realizes that she has the soul of a teenager and sets out to learn more about her mysterious past while rehashing painful memories. Salazar utterly morphs into the CGI-enhanced Alita, adding grace, wide-eyed wonder, and lethal fighting skills through subtle facial expressions and fluid movements. While Alita, Salazar has created an iconic feminine heroine forthe coming-of-age sci-fi genre.
13Resident Evil (2002)
Featuring an actress who cemented herself as the queen of all sci-fi queens,Resident Evilchronicled the mayhem occuring at an underground genetics laboratory run by Umbrella Corporation after a virus transforms virus turns hundreds of humans and animals into flesh-eating combies. In a world overrun by the undead, Milla Jovovoich and Michelle Rodriguez are the two powerful yet vulnerable heroines tasked with entering “the hive” and fighting to survive. Jovovich, who plays Alice portrays her evolution from an amnesiac victim to lethal zombie fighter with steely resolve and quiet moments of vulnerability. She is seen struggling and fighting back against systematized oppression using martial arts sequences to acrobatic stunts.
12Underwater (2020)
We have seen herhold her own in several leading roles. Whether it’s Bella Swan inThe Twilight Sagaor Princess Diana inSpencer, Kristen Stewart has showcased her range impeccably. But perhaps her role as a robotic engineer striving to survive and discern truths from lies after a deep-sea drilling stationis destroyed by a mysterious entitythat really elevates her status in the industry.Underwateris a claustrophobic sci-fi thriller that traverses the unknown through the knowing eyes of Norah and her team stuck at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Stewart shows Norah’s escalating panic, trauma and desperation with a heartbreaking nuance as she travels through flooding tunnels in search of other survivors. Her layered performance presents on screen a woman rediscovering her strength and will to live.
11The Shape Of Water (2017)
Guillermo del Toro’s Best Picture winner is a graceful, innocent, and fiercely compassionate film that follows Elisa, a lonely, mute janitor who works at a high-security laboratory in 1960s Baltimore. Set against the backdrop of Cold War era America, the premise places Elisa in a compromising situation when she stumbles upon a giant amphibious creature in a secret part of the laboratory. Quietly, she forms an unlikely connection with this new friend, paving the way for a fantasy romance like no other. Helmed by Sally Hawkins, Elisa’s unconventional love story packs an emotional wallop. And thanks to Hawkins’ depiction of a woman who finds her voice and discovers freedom through embracing something unusual, we are met with a whole new perception of love and longing inThe Shape Of Water.
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