Not Only Interstellar: 4 Most Scientifically Accurate Sci-Fi Movies
These are movies that try to speak to the viewer in the language of science, and succeed.
In cinema, it is common to work with conventions and assumptions. But there are scriptwriters and directors who value the authenticity of history from a scientific point of view.
To this end, they try, independently or with the help of consultants, to thoroughly work out this or that theory that needs to be placed within the framework of the screen.
1. Gattaca, 1997
Vincent is eager to reach for the stars, but in the dystopian world of Gattaca, only "valid" candidates can become astronauts. "Valid" refers to genetically perfect people born in a lab.
Those who were unlucky in genome editing are considered second-class citizens: the path to prestigious work and social respect is closed to them.
Everything that concerns the reliability of genetic experiments to create "flawless" people is depicted in the movie with extraordinary accuracy. As a result, Gattaca transforms from a film about the zeal for freedom into a frightening warning.
2. Contact, 1997
Contact is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by astrophysicist Carl Sagan, one of the creators of the SETI project, dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life.
While working in one of the SETI laboratories, Ellie receives a signal of clearly artificial origin, coming from the star Vega. After deciphering it, specialists understand that the received message is an instruction to assemble a certain device that can accommodate only one person.
Not without some speculation for the sake of the impressive plot, Contact nevertheless depicts the work on the search for extraterrestrial life and the translation of an extraterrestrial language very accurately.
3. Arrival, 2016
Huge unidentified flying objects appear in various parts of the planet. Government leaders decide to try to establish communication with the guests. To this end, linguist Louise and physicist Ian are sent to one of the objects to decipher the alien language and find out what they need.
Arrival is rightly considered one of Denis Villeneuve's best films. In terms of scientific authenticity, the movie has few equals when it comes to linguistics and the portrayal of guests from outer space.
The artificial gravity of the alien ship, the appearance of its inhabitants, and the fact that the composition of the air inside is different from what Earthlings need, embody quite realistic hypotheses.
4. Minority Report, 2002
Minority Report is a science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on a novella by Philip K. Dick. In the future, the number of murders is reduced to zero thanks to an innovative crime prevention system.
Officer John is happy with the invention until he himself comes under suspicion. Hiding from his colleagues, he tries to find confirmation that the crime prevention system can also fail.
In order to make the world of the future as accurate as possible, the director consulted a large number of experts. As a result, many of the technologies shown in the movie are either on the verge of becoming reality or have already entered our lives.