Ever since John Carpenter’s 1981 film Escape from New York, the cyberpunk aesthetic has supercharged the imaginations of filmmakers trying to visualize the future. Plenty of fictional utopian futures exist — as do dystopian futures — but the cyberpunk style is a deeper combination of factors, weaving together the idea of “high-tech, low-life” stories with uniquely desolate urban settings. Many authors and filmmakers in the 1980s laid the foundation for what would become the cyberpunk genre, and today, those visions have evolved to create several visually stunning works of fiction.
Today, there are plenty of films in the cyberpunk style that miss the mark or fail to stand out among the rest, but the genre is saturated enough that some truly outstanding films are available to watch. Here are the best cyberpunk movies, ranked.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Tron: Legacy
Walt Disney Pictures
Tron: Legacy is a sequel to the original 1982 Tron, which featured a computer programmer entering and interacting with a virtual world. Like its predecessor, this film follows a cast of characters who enter into a virtual world called The Grid, where they must stop a sentient program from invading the real world. Although its plot leaves a lot to be desired, both Tron films are notable for their incredibly animated visual imagery and exciting science fiction adventure aspects. Tron: Legacy is now something of a cult film, with a dedicated following that has allowed its memory to remain strong years and years later. Additionally, a third Tron film is said to hopefully enter production soon.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Alita: Battle Angel
20th Century Fox
Fans of science fiction action films will find a lot to love in Alita: Battle Angel, even if some aspects of its screenplay seem rote and predictable. With dazzling visual effects and a star-studded cast, the film is a triumph of the cyberpunk genre and manages to explore many of the body transformation themes associated with the genre. Adapted from a Manga by Yukito Kishiro, Alita: Battle Angel has much in common with Japanese anime adaptations as well as western animated films.
7 Escape from New York
AVCO Embassy Pictures
John Carpenter’s 1981 film became the inspiration for William Gibson’s novel Neuromancer, and both creators are considered fathers of the cyberpunk genre. Ex-soldier Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell, is asked to infiltrate a dystopian Manhattan that has been converted into a prison to rescue the president. Frequently hailed as one of the best escapist movies ever made, Escape from New York is a wild thrill ride of a film that entertains at every turn, and its vision of a dystopian hellscape would become the foundation for countless cyberpunk films in the future.
6 A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Warner Bros. Pictures
This 2001 film began as a short story by Brian Aldiss, which became a screenplay helmed by Stanley Kubrick. After the director’s untimely death, it was ultimately turned into a film by the legendary Steven Spielberg. Focusing on a child robot programmed with the ability to love, A.I. Artificial Intelligence questions the concept of synthetic consciousness and the place of artificial intelligence in society. Set in a post-climate change world, it’s a frequently horrifying and heartbreaking look at a destitute future struggling to recreate the essentially human elements of emotion and love.
5 The Matrix
The Wachowski sisters’ 1999 hit film suggests that humanity is trapped inside a simulated reality and used as power sources for evil robot beings. Bearing an iconic mono-green aesthetic, incredible special effects, and visceral fight scenes, The Matrix has achieved legendary status as a story for good reason. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss’ story of uniting in the force of overwhelming odds in this horrifying bastardization of reality is a parable that remains relevant decades later.
4 Blade Runner 2049
The sequel to the most legendary cyberpunk film of all time is a worthy successor, modernizing its stunning visuals and thematic depth under the direction of acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve. Blade Runner 2049 follows K, a Blade Runner played by Ryan Gosling that uncovers a secret about the nature of replicants that threatens to undo the balance of civilization. It retains the slow, meditative approach that characterized Ridley Scott’s original film, while elevating its cyberpunk elements to rich new heights, thanks to some inspired CGI and haunting sound design.
3 Ghost in the Shell
Bandai Visual
The conversation about this genre would be incomplete without mentioning the Japanese tradition of cyberpunk stories, which has its own rich history. Based on a Manga of the same name, the 1995 Ghost in the Shell film follows Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg security agent following a mysterious hacker called the Puppet Master. The film explores themes of body transformation and identity in a world where cybernetic enhancements of one’s person are considered normal. Called one of the best anime films of all time, Ghost in the Shell would be a foundational inspiration for The Matrix and countless other cyberpunk stories.
2 Akira
Toho Co.
Another Japanese film that made waves in the worlds of animation and cyberpunk, Akira is a story set in 2019 in a futuristic version of Tokyo that was built following the third world war. The leader of a biker gang becomes invigorated towards a full-scale rebellion after his friend receives telekinetic powers following a motorcycle crash. Its visceral action scenes and stylish aesthetic became iconic in the years following its release, and today, Akira is remembered as a foundational film to the cyberpunk genre.
1 Blade Runner
In 1982, Ridley Scott adapted a story by the prolific science fiction author Phillip K. Dick. The adaptation, called Blade Runner, would become one of the most beloved and acclaimed films ever made. The film follows Deckard, a cop tasked with hunting down a rogue group of replicants, synthetic human beings manufactured for menial labor on space colonies. Initially criticized for its slow pace and seemingly pedantic structure, these elements would later be re-evaluated by critics as the film’s greatest strengths. Blade Runner is a carefully built meditation on what makes us human in a world that has come to contest the nature of humanity after the rampant misuse of technology and scientific advancement.
