As I am scrolling through Netflix looking for my next great watch, I feel like I’ve already seen everything, and all I want is a captivating dystopian movie, but of course, all that comes up is Divergent. I’m sure everyone has felt this feeling before, and the disappointment that follows. Lucky for you, there are plenty of amazing dystopian movies, undiscovered gems.
The first amazing dystopian movie is The 5th Wave. This movie is a rollercoaster ride in all the right ways. This movie is fast-paced and perfect for a movie night, lasting 1 hour and 52 minutes. The ending makes you want more. This movie is available on Netflix. It features likable actors like Alex Roe (Evan Walker), Nick Robinson (Ben Perish), and Chloë Grace Moretz (Cassie Sullivan).
Rick Yancey wrote the novel The Fifth Wave, which was adapted into the movie. In an interview with Lightspeed magazine, Yancey said that the idea for The 5th Wave came from a 3 a.m. conversation with his wife, who admitted her greatest fear was alien abduction. This movie has been seen among movie critics as unoriginal and boring, but many viewers disagree with that.
The main character, Cassie, is a teenager based in Ohio who struggles to survive as an alien race takes over her planet, causing earthquakes, tsunamis, and disease to wipe out the human race. With her brother being taken from her, Cassie has to fight to reunite with him. Along the way, she makes friends and foes. Can she make it to her brother in time? What will the 5th wave be? This movie is a great story with a strong cast and director. It is narrated by Cassie, who spends the movie looking back on what made her the way she is in the present day. This movie is an absolute must-watch, and I highly recommend it. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves
The next amazing dystopian movie is Don’t Look Up. This movie might be more popular than the last, but I still think it is a great movie. Made in 2021, it has a stacked cast with extremely notable names like Jennifer Lawrence (Kate Dibioski), Meryl Streep (President Orline), Leonardo DiCaprio (Dr. Randall Mindy), and a noteworthy cameo by Ariana Grande. This movie was a great success.
The movie is about Kate Dibioski, an astronomy grad student, discovering a comet, which is a massive deal in the astronomy world, and then finding out that it is going to hit planet Earth in approximately 6 months. She and her supervisor, Dr. Randall Mindy, go to the president with the news, but she doesn’t seem to care.
They decided to go straight to the reporters with this information, but they don’t seem to care either. No one cares. Which is ridiculous because: Everyone. Is. Going. To. Die. One news station decides to pick up the story, and again, no one pays attention.
This movie illustrates how politics can influence even the most straightforward decisions and alter their outcomes. It also shows how ignorance causes harm. It encapsulates the fight-or-flight reflex that most people experience. It is an amazing piece of cinematography. If you are one of the few who have not seen it, I would strongly recommend checking it out. Or if you already have, you should rewatch it.
In the end, both The 5th Wave and Don’t Look Up are more than just movies. They make you think about society’s survival and struggle, and how it might relate to our own lives. Next time you’re scrolling and feel stuck, try out one of these hidden gems; you won’t be disappointed.
