The Best SCIENCE FICTION Movies of 2022

"Prey"

I admit that I did not believe in this project. This movie did surprisingly well, especially in the overall reckoning of the series, which is Predator. I have long been a supporter of the view that this is one of those SF series that has not been able to squeeze its full potential. Prey’s announcements indicated that it would be a re-creative ripping of the benefits, with the one change that this time the legendary alien would be confronting a woman, in a different time period, in a different location. This swap of testosterone for estrogen and jungles for North American forests, however, came out surprisingly fresh. The main character is flesh and blood and has a specific motivation. It looks credible. The scenes are memorable (the bear!), while the whole development of the action is no less engaging, with one disappointing moment in the form of the finale, which was clearly written without reflection. Nevertheless, I’m happy with the return of Predator. I hope that the announced return of Alien, also with the premiere directly on Hulu, will be equally successful.

"Spiderhead"

The film, which was a disappointment for many, was one of the biggest film surprises of the year for me. Great fun with an interesting plot idea. The action reminded me a bit of Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, but it’s definitely less bloated. Here we have a futuristic prison of some pseudo-scientist, modern Dr. Mengele, who conducts an ethically dubious experiment on people. Of course, all for the sake of science and development, but as you know, it has its dark side. I was very surprised by the development of the plot, I found it surprisingly painless, and to be honest, I did not expect heights from this film. Chris Hemsworth was finally able to take off his Thor armor, put on a looser jacket and play with his image a bit. The whole movie fell out a bit like this jacket – it’s just right, and it’s also a little serious, but generally casual.

"Nope!"

Here’s a movie that has a big advantage over the rest of the titles on this list in terms of originality. Jordan Peele likes to make films in his own way. So this time he gave something special, which is the result of his childhood fascination with the science fiction genre and all the sleepless nights after the screenings of the original Twilight Zone. But this film is not only about paying homage to great predecessors (including, I believe, Spielberg), but also about building an atmosphere of danger, growing tension and all-encompassing secrecy. After the screening, I sensed that the creator wanted to metaphorically refer to the dark side of show business, but it is possible that this is only one of several layers of this film. Because styles and genres intertwine here, horror meets science fiction, and black comedy rides on the back of the western. An interesting mix, unusual, addictive, suspenseful and, last but not least, very successfully played.

"Yang"

The wet dream of all pro-progressors with a multi-cultural face. At first glance, it praises diversity, constructing a family in a maximally colorful way. A white man is involved with a black woman here, and I have no idea how, but they have an Asian daughter. To spice it up just in time, this triangle is joined by a boy who is an android. Only the dog is missing, although there are fish, so the animal aspect of the family member has been ticked off. However, I am of the opinion that this slightly provocative formula and starting idea presented by Kogonada defends itself when you consider that this science fiction film is a pamphlet on the family, commenting on its current crisis at the same time. It turns out that regardless of the colors of the skin and what flows in our veins, nothing in our lives can replace intimacy, which you just have to cherish like the tea prepared by the hero. There is something terribly disturbing about the fact that Yang, following in the footsteps of Her, puts synthetics in the role of those who are supposed to fill the void in our lives. Kogonada provokes thought, gives space for one’s own reflection, assessment of the situation experienced by the protagonist. Such SF is valuable, but you need to have an appropriate, open approach to it.

"Avatar: The Way of Water"

I can’t say that Cameron satisfied me fully. But the more time passes since the screening, the more I wonder what I really expected from this film, and it’s getting harder and harder to find an answer to this question. It was naive to hope that an Avatar sequel would somehow have a better, more complex script. Regardless, the film has depth. There is a surprising amount of it in the content, because the film is one great metaphor of today’s world, which is about to collapse. It’s not just about a dry, pro-ecological message, but about the affirmation of nature. But the greatest depth is the formal one, because the film took the theme of water as the foreground, treating this element as a key to pondering about human nature. This metaphor probably works best in the film, because it is supported by an absolutely phenomenal visual layer. But the fact that this film can delight is evidenced by simple pragmatics. You watch it for over three hours, and the armchair does not hurt during this time, the screening is painless, and you can even experience a lot of emotions. And most importantly, you want to come back to this adventure. I hope we won’t have to wait so long for the third part.

BONUS: "Black Crab"

It’s not your typical sci-fi movie, so I’ve decided to put it one foot out of the regular lineup. Swedish Black Crab is more of an action cinema with a distinctly warlike undertone. From science fiction, he took only the starting point for the plot, because the sides of the barricade are not specified, and the action takes place in an unspecified future, when the world is consumed by a mysterious war. Stylistically, it is close to post-apocalyptic cinema, but the realism of the film makes us wonder if we are dealing with something that was supposed to resemble our times and modern wars. Black Krab only grows to hyperbole towards the end, but it starts with a low C. The title of the film is the code name of the mission that a group of daredevils are to carry out to save the world. They have deadly weapons hidden in a backpack and ice skates on their feet. Not everyone will reach their destination, because the winter is harsh, but what is not done for the sake of film action. Geena Davis from The Long Kiss Goodnight already has a competitor – Noomi Rapace, not only does she skate well, but she shoots even better.

Jakub Piwoński

Cultural expert, passionate about popular culture, in particular films, series, computer games and comics. He likes to fly away to unknown, fantastic regions, thanks to his fascination with science fiction. Professionally, however, he looks back more often, thanks to his work as a museum promotion specialist, investigating the mysteries of the beginnings of cinematography. His favorite film is "The Matrix", because it combines two areas close to his heart - religion and martial arts.

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