sub-genres of sci-fi films

1. SUB-GENRES OF SCI-FI

2. TIME TRAVEL
• TIME TRAVEL IS A POPULAR SUB-GENRE OF SCI-FI AND
HAS BEEN USED IN MANY FILMS SUCH AS BACK TO THE
FUTURE, DONNIE DARKO, LOOPER AND 12 MONKEYS.
TIME TRAVEL STORIES DATE BACK TO THE 18TH AND
19TH CENTURIES. THE MOST FAMOUS NOVEL IS H. G.
WELLS’ 1895 NOVEL CALLED THE TIME MACHINE,
WHICH INVOLVES A VEHICLE WHICH ALLOWS AN
OPERATOR TO TRAVEL THROUGH TIME. TIME TRAVEL IS
STILL A VERY POPULAR SUBJECT IN MODERN SCIENCE
MOVIES, PRINT AND TELEVISION.

3. ALTERNATIVE HISTORY
• ALTERNATIVE HISTORY SCI-FI STORIES ARE BASED ON MAJOR
HISTORICAL EVENTS WHICH MAY HAVE TURNED OUT
DIFFERENTLY. THESE STORIES MAY ALSO INVOLVE SCI-FI TO
CHANGE THE PAST OR IT MAY BE SET IN A DIFFERENT TIME
PERIOD FROM OUR OWN. SOME CLASSICS IN THIS SUB-
GENRE INCLUDE BRING THE JUBILEE (WHICH IS ABOUT THE
SOUTH WINNING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR) AND THE MAN
IN THE HIGH CASTLE (WHICH IS ABOUT GERMANY AND
JAPAN WINNING THE SECOND WORLD WAR).

4. SUPERHUMAN
• SUPERHUMAN SCI-FI MOVIES INVOLVE HUMANS
WHO HAVE ABILITIES BEYOND THE NORM. THIS
COULD BE BECAUSE OF NATURAL CAUSES OR DUE
TO THE RESULTS OF SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES. THESE
STORIES USUALLY FOCUS ON HOW THE HUMAN
FEELS ALIENATED BY SOCIETY AND IT FOCUSES ON
SOCIETY’S REACTIONS TO THESE SUPERHUMANS.
SOME VERY WELL-KNOWN SUPERHUMAN SCI-FI
MOVIES INCLUDE CHRONICLE, THE AVENGERS,
SPIDER-MAN AND X-MEN.

5. APOCALYPTIC
• APOCALYPTIC FICTION NORMALLY INVOLVES
THE END OF CIVILIZATION THROUGH MANY
DIFFERENT DISASTERS SUCH AS WAR,
PANDEMIC (INFECTIOUS DISEASES THAT
SPREAD THROUGH HUMAN POPULATIONS),
ASTRONOMIC IMPACT, ECOLOGICAL DISASTER
OR ANOTHER GENERAL DISASTER THAT COULD
AFFECT THE WORLD. THERE ARE MANY
APOCALYPTIC SCI-FI MOVIES SUCH AS MAD
MAX, THE MATRIX, TERMINATOR AND
EQUILIBRIUM.

6. SPACE OPERA
• SPACE OPERA IS AN ADVENTUROUS SCIENCE
FICTION FILM WHICH IS USUALLY SET IN OUTER
SPACE OR ON OTHER PLANETS. THE CONFLICT IS
HEROIC AND IS USUALLY LARGE SCALE.
MODERN SPACE OPERAS MAY ATTEMPT TO
CAPTURE A SENSE OF WONDER OF THE GOLDEN
AGE OF SCIENCE FICTION. SOME FAMOUS SPACE
OPERA INCLUDES THE MASSIVE FRANCHISE,
STAR WARS AND OTHER FILMS SUCH AS
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA AND BATTLEFIELD
EARTH.