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Dystopian films have grown increasingly popular over the past decade, especially since The Hunger Games release. The Hunger Games is a popular trilogy based on books written by Suzanne Collins, and it follows the protagonist Katniss Everdeen as she competes in a recurring life or death competition.
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This is one of many traditional YA series set in dystopian societies, popularizing the genre for years to come. While it is not the first popular dystopian film, it definitely set a trend for movies to come. Not all films are entirely faithful to their original material, and sometimes that can be a good thing.
A Totalitarian Society: 1984
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1984 is set in a dystopian society where people are surveilled by an obscure figure known as Big Brother. It follows the story of Winston Smith who works to rewrite history as the government sees it. Those who oppose the government, even a little, are tortured and brainwashed.
1984 is based off George Orwell’s novel by the same name, published in 1949, thirty years before the story takes place. It was written more or less as a cautionary tale, meant to frighten readers. Although old, 1984’s concept, Big Brother, has influenced films today.
A Deadly Maze: The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner is a dystopian film about a teenager named Thomas who wakes up in the middle of The Glade. As he wakes, he discovers that—like the other youth around him—he has no memory and there are no adults around. What makes it worse is that they have to venture out into the ever-changing maze, riddled with dangerous creatures.
The Maze Runner, written by James Dashner, had an interesting take on dystopian films, centering his story around youth. Although the plot is the same, there are subtle differences in the film, such as the characters.
Shrouded Creatures: The Mist
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One underrated dystopian film is The Mist. Taking place after a huge storm hits Maine, a father, David, takes his son to a nearby town store to purchase supplies. Not too long after, an ominous mist surrounds the town. The townspeople learn that there are deadly creatures hiding inside.
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The Mist is one of Stephen King’s dystopian stories, a novella, which also renewed as a show. The movie is a seemingly close adaption, with one exception: the ending. Unlike the devastating conclusion of the movie, the novella is quite different, providing a glimpse of hope for the future.
Fear of the Unknown: Bird Box
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Bird Box is about those who die after seeing a mysterious force. It follows the main character Malorie who tries to survive with a group of people, but one by one, each face their own end.
The novel, by Josh Malerman, is different. Like most adaptions, the plot remains relatively the same. However, characters, plot devices, and the ending are different. In the film, Malorie and her children reach the sanctuary, which is a school for the blind. However, in the book, the sanctuary is not for the blind, but rather those who gouged out their eyes to avoid seeing the creature. A much darker end than the film.
Dangerous Outside World: Ready Player One
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Ready Player One is a film based in a virtual reality world because the outside world is hardly livable. It follows the character of Wade who is obsessed with '80s culture, which becomes key to the plot of obtaining a hidden fortune.
The film is based on the book of the same name by Ernest Cline. One thing the film does differently is that it doesn’t delve deep into the background of the world. Some challenges to finding the keys in the film are also different from the book. Still, the film remains mostly faithful, keeping the same 1980s aesthetics.
Restoring Humanity: The Giver
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The Giver follows Jonas, a protagonist who stands apart in his society as the only one who retains his memories. It takes place after a calamity known as The Ruin, and basic humanity has been removed from people. Jonas and the man known as The Giver decide to return the memories to the community.
The film stays accurate to the novel on which it's based, written by Lois Lowry, with some minor differences. In the book, the character of Jonas is younger. In the film, some characters play larger roles, one noticeably being the Elder Chief. One important change is that the book’s ending leaves the audience wondering whether Jonas was successful in his attempts.
Alien Infiltration: The 5th Wave
The film, The 5th Wave, is a story based on alien infiltration, and they bring about waves of calamity which slowly eradicates humanity through natural disasters and disease. The story follows Cassie, and she meets with an Other—an alien—named Evan, and together, they try to survive while searching for her brother.
The 5th Wave remains faithful to the novel in terms of plot, but like other adaptions, not every detail is cemented in accuracy. Some characters such as Crisco do not exist in its film counterpart. There are also some scenes that differ.
Fungi Mutants: The Girl with All the Gifts
The Girl with All the Gifts is a new take on the zombie genre. The world is overrun by zombie mutants, and children with the virus are restrained in a secluded military base. However, when the base falls, Melanie, a hybrid zombie, helps some of the last survivors in saving humanity.
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Written by Mike Carey, this dystopian story is a little slow-paced compared to other ones, but both the film and novel carry a sense of hopelessness. While the general plot is the same, there are minor differences to the film’s counterpart: different backstories, casting, and ending.
Zombie Pandemic: World War Z
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World War Z had an interesting take on the zombie genre. The world suddenly shifts into a dystopian nightmare where people are infected with a deadly virus and turn into zombies. This film centers on the main character, Gerry, who goes on to investigate the virus.
The original story is called World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, written by Max Brooks, and it’s different from the film. The character Gerry does not exist in the book, and it instead focuses on the stories that an interviewer copies. It also focuses on multiple stories pertaining to the zombie outbreak.