I, Robot (2004)
In a future where humanoid robots serve humans under strict laws, Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) investigates the apparent suicide of a robotics pioneer. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a conspiracy that suggests one robot may have developed free will. Loosely inspired by Isaac Asimov’s stories, the film blends action with philosophical questions about consciousness, autonomy, and trust in technology. Its sleek design and exploration of AI ethics made it a commercial success and a gateway film for younger sci-fi audiences.
Immortal (2004)
In a dystopian New York City of 2095, Jill (Linda Hardy), a mysterious blue-haired woman with no memory, becomes central to a plot involving Egyptian gods, mutated humans, and a genetically engineered society. Nikopol (Thomas Kretschmann), a rebel political prisoner, is possessed by the god Horus, who seeks to use Jill to reproduce. Directed by Enki Bilal and based on his own comic trilogy, Immortal stands out for its early hybrid of live-action and CGI characters, creating a surreal, uncanny atmosphere. Despite mixed reviews, it remains a visually striking and conceptually ambitious entry in the genre.
Impostor (2002)
Spencer Olham (Gary Sinise), a weapons scientist in a future at war with alien forces, is accused of being a replicant — a perfect biological copy designed to carry a bomb. As he escapes government agents to prove his identity, he begins to question whether he’s really human. Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, the film explores paranoia, authoritarianism, and the fragility of personal identity. Though originally filmed as a short, it was expanded into a feature-length thriller that retains a tense, claustrophobic tone true to Dick’s themes of self-doubt and false realities.
In Time (2011)
In a future where time is the universal currency, people stop aging at 25 and must earn, steal, or inherit more time to stay alive. Will Salas (Justin Timberlake), a factory worker from the ghetto, acquires a fortune in time and becomes a target of the system. Directed by Andrew Niccol, the film offers a sleek allegory of class struggle and economic disparity, substituting time for money. Its visual language and themes of inequality, technological control, and rebellion echo cyberpunk sensibilities, despite its clean and minimalist setting.