It’s a timeless cinematic combo — in addition to simply embracing iconic science fiction novels, Hollywood continues to churn out fresh stories in this genre and set them against military backdrops. When genres are combined, sometimes the end result is showered in awards. Here’s our closer look at a particularly exciting blend of blockbuster material.
You’ll see Tom Cruise on our top-five list below not once, but twice. Will Smith has also made his presence known in Hollywood’s unique subgenre of sci-fi war films. Take a closer look at some of its finest films from over the years.
5 Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Village Roadshow Pictures
At the surface, Edge of Tomorrow may seem like just another Tom Cruise action flick. But it’s much more than that. For starters, the English setting featuring American actors is a refreshing change of pace for such a massive Hollywood movie, and gives a real sense of this being a genuinely global battle for the planet. This is the biggest-budget, action-packed, energetic retelling of the “one-day time-loop” scenario put to film so far. Fans have advocated for an Edge of Tomorrow sequel over the years. With surprising wit and amazing special effects, the film combines Groundhog Day with Starship Troopers to create one of the most unique sci-fi war films of the decade.
4 Starship Troopers (1997)
TriStar Pictures
Starship Troopers is a 1997 science-fiction action film from RoboCop director Paul Verhoeven, at least that is how it would appear on the surface. The story follows a young soldier named Johnny Rico and his exploits in the Mobile Infantry, a futuristic military unit in a war with an alien force known as the Arachnids, and follows Rico’s career from recruit, to finally officer. Starship Troopers is a satire in so many ways, starting with the movie’s casting of “beautiful people” playing the heroic roles in an effort to sell this fictional universe’s military propaganda. It was a satire that went over many people’s heads, but that might mean the filmmakers did the job too well. Plus, who can forget the iconic one-liners that made this such a gem? “They sucked his brains out” perhaps takes the cake.
3 War of the Worlds (2005)
Paramount Pictures
Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman’s bookend narrations in Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film War of the Worlds are just the icing on the cake for this visually gritty treat. From the aliens’ first attack on a doomed New Jersey town to the harvesting of human bodies, it’s a journey as visually arresting as it is disturbing. Cruise commands the screen as a loving father torn between his children and morality. Plus, Oscar-winner Tim Robbins steals his scenes as a neurotic survivor wielding an axe. And then, there’s a young Dakota Fanning as Cruise’s daughter in distress.
2 Independence Day (1996)
Centropolis Entertainment
“Didn’t I promise you fireworks?” Centering on a diverse group of people who assemble in the Nevada desert in the aftermath of a worldwide attack by destructive aliens, 1996’s blockbuster sci-fi action flick Independence Day stars Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum as mankind’s last hope. Smith memorably portrays family-man Captain Steven Hiller, a Marine pilot who rises to action to protect his beloved planet from the menacing extraterrestrials. Independence Day went on to become the second highest-grossing film in history at the time and was an unexpected star-making role for Smith, certifying him as a prime box office draw and cementing his movie star status.
And don’t forget Pullman’s “today, we celebrate” speech in the third act. “I got chills,” Smith once told ET, as he had first marveled at that on-screen magic when he was in the middle of doing ADR work during post-production. “That was the first time that I really felt that we had something special."
1 Dune (2021)
Legendary Pictures
Frank Herbert captivated his readers with expansive stories and larger than life heroes. The most recent film adaptation of his writing, directed by Denis Villeneuve, encapsulates the grandeur of the novel through epic cinematography and massive scales. Dune won six Academy Awards for its production, but the story and characters at the film’s heart are the real reason audiences stay glued to their seats for the whole two hours and 35 minutes. And we simply can’t wait for the highly anticipated sequel.
Dune follows the royal family in house Atreides, a growing power in the galaxy, as they navigate political and physical attacks on their dukedom. Heir to the kingdom, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), must grow into his royal role and use his unique powers to survive the conflict and protect his people. “Dune was written 60 years ago, but its themes hold up today,” Chalamet once told Time. “A warning against the exploitation of the environment, a warning against colonialism, a warning against technology.”
