5. Freejack (Geoff Murphy, 1992)
Many of the films on this list depict both time traveling technology and virtual reality, but another common theme used in sci-fi films that the others do not portray is the quest for immortality.
A race car driver in 1991 is quickly transported to the year 2009 just before his car crashes. It is a dystopian future where the population’s health is very poor due to the effects of drug use and pollution, making their bodies unsuitable for the rich people who need another body to continue living.
This is why they hire “bonejackers” to capture people from the past using time travel, so the rich can inhabit their bodies. Virtual reality-like technology is used to transfer the rich person’s mind into the healthy person’s mind and body.
Besides the fact the real 2009 was never like the 2009 depicted in “Freejack”, neither time travel technology, advanced virtual reality technology, nor mind-transferring technology like this exists in reality.
4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (James Cameron, 1991)
The first “Terminator” film foretold how cyborgs called Terminators would enslave mankind and take over the world. But it was the sequel that went into more detail of how and when this prophecy would happen.
The fateful day called Judgment Day was supposed to happen on August 29, 1997, where nuclear bombs would destroy major cities and kill billions of people all over the world. The Terminators would then take over the world and try to exterminate the human race. This did not happen; August 29, 1997, was just a regular day, which is a good thing.
Aside from the doomsday factor, the other technological matters brought up in “Terminator 2” did not happen. The world does not have anything as advanced as the Terminators or other robots that Cyberdyne was creating.
3. 2010: The Year We Make Contact (Peter Hyams, 1984)
Although this film’s predecessor “2001: A Space Odyssey” is far more famous and acclaimed, that movie was made in the 1960s, so it cannot be included on this list. Its sequel, however, can be.
The film’s plot depicts astronauts, who are still exploring both outer space and Jupiter. The film predicted that there would be advanced spaceships and regular space travel in 2010, where people can travel to the moon, Mars, and Jupiter any time. In reality, this is still not the case, and humans have not made contact with alien lifeforms either.
Any HAL- like technology does not exist (which is a good thing if it were to malfunction and try to kill people), and the Soviet Union did not exist in the real 2010, but it is still around in the fictional 2010, as it was made during the latter years of the space race where the US and Russia were competing against each other.
2. Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982)
“Blade Runner” is rightfully called one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made, and its special effects and philosophies on humanity have aged well for a movie made back in 1982. However, its predictions about how far the world will come with technology is completely wrong. Although the film is set in 2019, which is still a few years away, it is fairly safe to say technology will not progress this much in the next three years.
At the moment, Los Angeles is still the sunny, green, and beachy city of movie dreams, whereas in “Blade Runner”, the city is very urban and it rains all the time. Aside from the impossible geographical and weather changes that “Blade Runner” predicts, it would also be impossible for the abstract architecture that has buildings built on angles to be built by 2019, even if such buildings were to start being built today.
On the technological front, there are still no flying cars and other planets have not been colonized, nor are people moving there for work. But most importantly, there are no replicants or robotic servants of any kind that exist at all, let alone ones that become sentient and feel human emotions.
1. Back To The Future: Part II (Robert Zemeckis, 1989)
Even though the film was made in 1989, this was one of the most talked about films in 2015. The sequel to “Back To The Future” predicted that by 2015, the technology that would be available would be nothing short of amazing. Unfortunately, it was just designed to look great for the sake of having a movie look futuristic.
There are still no hoverboards, flying cars, robotic dog leashes, ovens that can cook a small pizza and become a big hot pizza in seconds, self-tying Nike shoes, and auto-fitting and drying clothes. However, it should be noted that the film got certain technological predictions right, such as hands-free video games, flat-screen TVs on walls, and video conferencing technology.
Despite not coming into fruition, “Back To The Future Part II” has been so popular and influential that companies have purposely started designing products like hoverboards and self-tying Nike shoes and auto-fitting clothes based on what is seen in the film. Not many other films can claim that distinction; this is definitely a case of life imitating art.
Author Bio: Matt Wilson is a professional writer from Melbourne, Australia. His passion for cinema has always been a part of him and he aspires to be a screenwriter or a novelist. He particularly enjoys the films of Michael Cimino, Oliver Stone, Stanley Kubrick, Paul Verhoeven, David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino.