There is Simply No Decade Like the 2000s For Sci-Fi Movies

Science fiction has long been a genre that has long been an interesting one when it comes to movies. Almost since the very beginning of motion pictures, science fiction has given audiences fascinating and engaging stories, many of which have become culturally significant even decades after their release. Yet, when it comes to an era of truly incredible contributions to sci-fi movies, there really is no time like the 2000s. The decade saw not only a huge resurgence of the genre on the big screen but offered audiences one of the widest ranges of movies under the umbrella. Sci-fi movies of the 2000s covered just about every imaginable topic and theme, making it truly a time with something for everyone, all enhanced by major advancements in special effects and other technology.

In the years since, sci-fi has shown no signs of slowing down. The 2010s also delivered plenty of strong sci-fi offerings and while we’re only halfway through the 2020s, this decade, too, has proven to have some strong films within the genre. But between the wide range of options, the technological advancements, and even an unprecedented willingness to take real risks in storytelling, there’s just nothing like sci-fi movies of the 2000s — and there may not be anything like the decade ever again in terms of how it’s shaped movies forever.

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The 2000s Were a Time of Optimism and Concern And it Was Reflected On Screen

The 2000s were an interesting time, both culturally and in terms of entertainment. Culturally, we were undergoing a massive shift: the beginning of a new millennium. This came with a lot of emotional weight. There was a great deal of optimism and future-looking as the 20th century ended and we were now actually living in the “future” that older sci-fi stories had promised — remember, many older sci-fi stories, when set in the future, looked ahead to the 2000s like they were a far-flung time and now, that time was the present. There was also a great deal of uncertainty as well. The turn of the century (and millennium) came with fears that society could grind to a halt thanks to “Y2K” concerns.

The Year 2000 problem, Y2K for short, was a concern over potential widespread computer failure that was anticipated when the year rolled over from 1999 to 2000 as computers had operated on a two-digit year coding system. The concern was that computers would read the new year as 1900 rather than 2000 and bring about a computer-created apocalypse. Fortunately, when the calendar rolled over, nothing happened. Programmers got ahead of the problem in advance of the issue, upgrading systems. There were minimal issues when the day actually came.  But the concern was real and between the anticipation of living in the future and fears about what the future might actually bring, the 2000s were a very interesting time for sci-fi content. This, in turn, resulted in an incredible mix of films that tapped into fresh, original ideas and also content with nostalgic ties. Movies like District 9 and Wall-E both are beautifully original films that use sci-fi as a frame for larger societal concerns — the former being apartheid and the latter being consumerism and ecological collapse — while beloved franchises got new installments. 2005 saw Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, arguably the best of the prequel trilogy while 2004 gave us Alien vs. Predator.

There’s also some campier sci-fi gems that the 2000s delivered as well. Roland Emmerich’s 2012 is a sci-fi disaster flick that goes all-in on the Mayan end of the world prophecy (you know, the prediction that the world would end in 2012.) A few years past Y2K and a few years ahead of the actual year 2012, people were really into that particular prediction and this campy, often absurd movie was a perfect moment. Earlier in the decade, 2003’s The Core was another downright silly yet delightful sci-fi offering that capitalized on the blockbuster success of ‘90s offerings like Armageddon and just flipped things around — literally, this time deciding to head into the Earth’s core in order to save the planet. It doesn’t necessarily make sense, but it’s a great example of the delightful range that 2000s sci-fi had, something that honestly remains completely unmatched.

Sci-Fi in the 2000s Was a Major Leap Forward — And Set the Stage for Future Success

In addition to the wide range of sci-fi offerings that reflected the mix of feelings and experiences that people were going through in the 2000s, the decade also saw some major leaps forward that the decade’s sci-fi movies really got to work through that have gone on to have huge impact on the movies that are massive successes today. The 2000s in particular were a major leap forward when it comes to computer-generated imagery (CGI). While the late ‘90s did see some innovation in CGI, it’s the 2000s that really saw things massively improve. A huge example of this is James Cameron’s Avatar. The film absolutely pushed the limits of computer graphics and even created new motion capture filming techniques — techniques that are used regularly for films now. The films of the 2000s really got to dig into work with technology and advancements to improve filmmaking. It’s also worth noting that the use of technology is also reflected in some of the actual content of the films, as many films in the 2000s mirror the very technological advancements the movie are using — robots, AI, and more are all common in the sci-fi of the 2000s.

The incorporation of technology — both behind the camera as well as in terms of part of the story — also gave way to the start of what would go on to be some big future successes. While fans might not necessarily think of Iron Man as being a sci-fi movie because it’s a superhero movie based on Marvel Comics, it actually falls nicely into the “sci-fi movie of the 2000s” category. At the time it was released, the superhero genre wasn’t really much of a genre, but even if it was, Iron Man really checks all of the boxes that reflect how great 2000s sci-fi really was. It leans heavily into technology, the story leans on themes that play into issues and concerns of the time, it is also a little nostalgic (thanks to the comics angle) and it is still wildly original. The film was a massive success and completely changed movies forever in launching one of the biggest franchise in film history: the Marvel Cinematic Universe, It is a prime example, along with the continued success of the Avatar franchise, that the sci-fi movies of the 2000s continue to be driving forces in entertainment, decades later.

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