Movies - TV
The 15 Best Cyberpunk Movies Ranked
By LIAM GAUGHAN
15. Elysium
Neill Blomkamp’s 2013 science fiction action thriller “Elysium” examines a central theme in the cyberpunk genre: economic disparity. When construction worker Max Da Costa (Matt Damon) is poisoned by a lethal chemical, he must break into the highly advanced space station called Elysium, home of the wealthy elite, for a cure.
14. Dredd
Based on the comic strip “2000 AD,” Judge Dredd became one of the first cyberpunk anti-heroes, a futuristic law enforcer serving as judge, jury, and executioner in a dystopian society. The 2012 film “Dredd” gave the character the proper adaptation that reflected the more nuanced moral dilemmas the character faces than 1995’s “Judge Dredd.”
13. Code 46
Romances are often doomed in cyberpunk stories; such is the case in the underrated “Code 46,” where relationships are predetermined by government-approved DNA pairings, making it illegal to fall in love naturally. While on an investigation, William Geld, an insurance fraud agent, violates the title code when he begins an unapproved relationship.
12. Tron
The 1982 film “Tron” imagined what would happen if someone was transported into the reality of a cyberpunk game. While the visual effects in "Tron" may seem dated now, the themes are still relevant.
11. Upgrade
A rare occurrence in cyberpunk films, “Upgrade” centers on an unusual friendship between man and machine after a tragedy befalls mechanic Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green). Despite his distrust of machines, Trace must merge his body with the artificial intelligence program STEM (Simon Maiden) and discovers his enhanced ability to seek revenge.