MovieChat Forums > Autómata (2014) Discussion > Sick of the same old depressing distopia...

Sick of the same old depressing distopian setting

posted 10 years ago by Capt_Jeffrey_T_Spaulding
20 replies | jump to latest

How many times is Hollywood going to repeat the worn-out Blade-runner future: A world with no color. Everyone living in dreary little boxes, eating scarce and bad food. A world of pale miserable folks with bad haircuts mumbling and scowling all the time. Stay out of the acid rain! Yeah, yeah, yeah...

In 1982, when Blade-runner came out, movies set in dark depressing futures were already old-hat (Clockwork Orange, Road Warrior, Soylent Green, Metropolis...) But Ridley Scott gave his setting some fresh twists that enhanced both the story and themes.

More than thirty years later, in less creative movies like this one, film-makers are still recycling that same worn-out formula. The depressing setting of Automata just gets in the way. There might have been some interesting ideas, but for me, it just wasn't worth one more miserable trip through that same old dreary future.

Then again, maybe I'm just tired of science fiction writers who seem to take for granted that the future of humanity will look like a steaming bowl of s***.

[–] grey_outlaw 10 years ago

Then again, maybe I'm just tired of science fiction writers who seem to take for granted that the future of humanity will look like a steaming bowl of s***.

Have you watched the news lately? It kinda does already :'D

-'Human intelligence' is an oxymoron-

[–] GoodRed 10 years ago

Sci-fi always reflects the insecurities of the era it's created in.

[–] leand18 10 years ago

I,e this Will be a Classic in 2060?

[–] GoodRed 10 years ago

I don't think so. All it really does is rip off Asimov, which everyone seems to be doing these days.

[–] Johnny_Wrong 9 years ago

Being inspired by something is not the same thing as ripping it off. That's a very childish mentality.

[–] Arlith 9 years ago

He doesn't own everything dystopian. Sick of people comparing every single dystopian/post-apoc story to asimov.

"Everything could've been anything else, and it would have just as much meaning."

[–] HuGoL1101 9 years ago

Hey that's my comment!! Who you think you are for ripping me off?

[–] delicatebeginnings 8 years ago

Such a neat way of expressing the evolution of sci-fi across decades.

[–] Zombi_Cupcake 10 years ago

Better this than another zombie film.

[–] JackMillion 9 years ago

HEAR HEAR!!!!

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[–] calwilson1 10 years ago

Dystopian fiction, in whatever genre is pretty much characteristic of 'depressing' environments, and similar 'world without hope' kind of themes. Not sure what you were expecting ???

Human beings define their lives by their suffering, what adversity we've overcome, what trials & tribulations, I could go with these aphorisms for days, no matter how contrived they might sound. Hence, why would would pen to paper.

If you want more variety, there is a plethora of Science-fiction novels out there with interesting & thought-provoking themes. Maybe expand your knowledge by reading a book or two instead of waiting for the Hollywood machine to pump out a movie for you.

P.S. If you read something with a Utopian setting, you'll probably find it ultimately questioning its very idea and ambiguity. Le Guin's 'Dispossessd' for example.

[–] PearlyOne 9 years ago

I agree and where are the creative writers? It seems the writers are taking the easy way out which is failure as a writer but why would they care if they get a payday? This genre is wide open since all the writers are blind, lazy, and rather stupid.
Perhaps they should let robots write Sci-Fi since they would do no worse. The movie itself is rather silly..ie: when in the desert the two cops come to rescue Antonio and then he shoots one, to save himself and then lets the other get away with the car?? How is that..it's a no brainer, a child would stop the other cop like the first one..shoot him..lol what a silly part.. The whole movie is more of an awkward slow motion of mistakes and impossible situations. It's one thing to let "artistic license prevail" and quite another to let artistic license run amok... It just isn't a coherent movie or story...sorry I couldn't finish it, the insurance executives are brain dead..the law is non existent, and the audience is sleeping or has left the building. Just another futuristic movie like the last one and the one before it, etc, etc, etc...

[–] Henderson75 9 years ago

"The movie itself is rather silly..ie: when in the desert the two cops come to rescue Antonio and then he shoots one, to save himself and then lets the other get away with the car?? How is that..it's a no brainer, a child would stop the other cop like the first one..shoot him..lol what a silly part.."

It's hard to shoot twice with a flare gun...

[–] halbian 9 years ago

Personally I love this setting. Please make more movies set in a distopian future!

If you don't like the setting, then don't watch the movie. Simple.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] 9 years ago

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