From Metropolis to Avengers: Age of Ultron, robots are such a staple of movie-going that it's easy to forget they haven't always been around. The idea of automated machines doing work for us has existed for as long as civilization, but it wasn't until 1920 that Czech playwright Karel Čapek coined the word "robot" to describe a humanoid machine in a play called R.U.R.

Robots have been part of science fiction since even before the word was coined, but as powerful as literary explorations of the technology can be, there's nothing like seeing it on-screen. Maybe it's because, through the power of visual effects and production design, movies can give even the most futuristic robot an existence viewers can actually see. Or maybe it's that watching real people react to robots allows audiences to explore the relationship between humanity and technology by watching actual human bodies and faces.

Updated by David Giatras March 4, 2024: As society drifts more and more towards the "future" that has been featured in many past robot movies, there has been a shift in storytelling based on today's technology. The rise of AI has gone hand in hand with anything concerning robots, and this has been reflected in some contemporary robot movies that viewers have seen over the years.

25 Robots Could Have A Director's Cut Someday

Poster for the 2005 film Robots
Robots
PG
Adventure
Comedy

In a robot world, a young idealistic inventor travels to the big city to join his inspiration's company, only to find himself opposing its sinister new management.

Release Date
March 6, 2005
Director
Chris Wedge
Cast
Ewan McGregor , Robin Williams , Halle Berry , Mel Brooks
Runtime
1 hour 31 minutes
Main Genre
Animation
Writers
David Lindsay-Abaire , Lowell Ganz , Babaloo Mandel
Production Company
Twentieth Century Fox Animation, Blue Sky Studios

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

64%

6.4

64

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Robots takes place in Robot City, a city in a world that is populated by robots. Rodney (Ewan McGregor), an idealistic inventor, moves to Robot City to showcase his latest invention to Bigweld Industries, a company that specializes in inventions with spare robot parts. Rodney slowly discovers that something sinister is happening within the company.

Robots did not enjoy the same kind of success as other animated films at the time but has since gained a cult following. In the DVD commentary of the film, director Chris Wedge alluded to many things being cut out, leaving some hopeful that a director’s cut could be released someday.

24 Westworld Debuted Much Earlier Than The Hit HBO Show

Westworld
Westworld
PG
Drama
Sci-Fi
Thriller

A robot malfunction creates havoc and terror for unsuspecting vacationers at a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park.

Release Date
November 21, 1973
Director
Michael Crichton
Cast
Yul Brynner , Richard Benjamin , James Brolin
Runtime
1 Hour 28 Minutes
Main Genre
Action
Writers
Michael Crichton
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

84%

6.9

77

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HBO's Westworld may have been a hit upon release, but the concept made its debut in a much earlier age of visual effects. Written and directed by Michael Crichton, Westworld still managed to channel the novelist/filmmaker's amusement park-based fears into a forward-thinking thriller that fuses together future tech and America's Old West. While mostly sharing a premise with the show, the original Westworld actually features not just one, but three "world"-simulated parks, each populated by robots that facilitate visitors' fantasies.

Its stroke of genius, however, is casting. In West World, a main attraction is The Gunslinger, programmed to duel guests, so picking the original The Magnificent Seven lead Yul Brynner lends a layer of genre commentary. This is especially true once things go wrong and the robots start attacking humans. Westworld was the first movie to use digital image processing to create the pixilated, first-person point of view now standard in depicting the world through robots' eyes.

23 Pacific Rim Was Meant To Be A Sprawling Franchise

Multiple Jeagers on the poster for Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim

As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse.

Created by
Guillermo del Toro , Travis Beacham
First Film
Pacific Rim
Latest Film
Pacific Rim: Uprising
Cast
Rinko Kikuchi , Idris Elba , Charlie Hunnam , John Boyega

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

72%

6.9

65

Pacific Rim was the first film in the short-lived Pacific Rim franchise. The film depicts a war between humanity and sea monster creatures in the near future. To fight the monsters, humans have developed the Jaegers, giant robotic suits that even the odds. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film stars Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day, and Ron Perlman.

The film was intended to start a franchise but was largely unsuccessful. It did get a sequel, Pacific Rim: Uprising, but not much else. It still stands as del Toro's most commercially successful film. There was talk of having the franchise cross over with the MonsterVerse to have the Jaegers fight Godzilla, Kong, and other movie monsters, but this plan never came to fruition.

22 The Transformers: The Movie Is The Best Transformers Movie To Date

The Transformers The Movie theatrical poster 1986
The Transformers: The Movie
PG
Action
Adventure

The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who goes after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. At the same time, they must defend themselves against an all-out attack from the Decepticons.

Release Date
August 8, 1986
Director
Nelson Shin
Cast
Eric Idle , Judd Nelson , Leonard Nimoy , Orson Welles , Robert Stack , Lionel Stander
Runtime
1 Hour 24 Minutes
Main Genre
Animation
Studio
Toei Animation
Writers
Ron Friedman , Flint Dille , Douglas Booth
Production Company
Sunbow Productions, Marvel Productions, Hasbro

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

62%

7.2

43

Forget Michael Bay — the greatest Transformers movie is from 1986. While it may not be quite as awe-inspiring as an adult to watch a movie effectively open with the deaths of both sides' leaders, Optimus Prime and Megatron, there's plenty that will leave viewers at least surprised in a way they would not have been as a kid. The Transformers: The Movie features Monty Python member Eric Idle as the leader of a group of scavenging robots from a junk planet, who learned English by intercepting human TV signals.

The film also stars Leonard Nimoy in his second-most robotic role as Megatron's upgraded form, Galvatron. In addition to Nimoy, The Transformers: The Movie features the greatest Transformers villain ever, the planet-devouring Unicron. Unicron is voiced by none other than Hollywood legend Orson Welles, in the final role of his career.

21 The Stepford Wives Has A Far More Sinister Plot At Play

The Stepford Wives
The Stepford Wives (1975)
PG
Mystery
Sci-Fi

Joanna Eberhart has come to the quaint little town of Stepford, Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers there lies a sinister truth in the all too perfect behavior of the female residents.

Release Date
February 12, 1975
Director
Bryan Forbes
Cast
Katharine Ross , Tina Louise , William Prince
Runtime
1 Hour 55 Minutes
Main Genre
Horror
Writers
Ira Levin , William Goldman
Production Company
Palomar Pictures International, Fadsin Cinema Associates.

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

68%

6.9

54

Not many movies can spawn a whole new phrase out of their title, but the original, 1975 sci-fi horror thriller The Stepford Wives certainly did. Adapted by The Princess Bride screenwriter William Goldman from Ira Levin's book of the same name, the film dives into the seemingly perfect Connecticut suburb of Stepford, where the Berhart family has just moved. But the wives of the town are suspiciously well-mannered and vacuous, and given that there are robots involved, there is something far more sinister at play.

While director Bryan Forbes faced criticism of the film's depiction of women, the filmmakers maintained that the movie was really about the dangers of a male chauvinism-dominated world. Either way, the most praise should be due to the actresses playing the wives themselves, who manage to perfectly pitch their performances in a way that can be both frightening and darkly funny at the same time.

20 Her Explores A Unique Love Between Human And AI

Joaquin Phoenix in Her 2013
Her (2013)
R
Drama
Romance
Science Fiction

In a near future, a lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system designed to meet his every need.

Director
Spike Jonze
Release Date
January 10, 2014
Cast
Joaquin Phoenix , Amy Adams , Scarlett Johansson , Rooney Mara
Runtime
2 hours 6 minutes

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

94%

8.0

91

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Her stars Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore, a lonely writer who is about to divorce his childhood sweetheart Caroline. Theodore buys an operating system upgrade that includes an AI that is designed to adapt and evolve to his needs. The AI names itself Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and Theodore begins to fall in love with her.

As AI becomes more and more prevalent in society’s everyday life, the film’s themes of love and loneliness with artificial intelligence made for one of the unique films of the 21st century. Despite having one of its leads only be a voice, it proved to be one of the most poignant love stories ever captured on film.

19 Real Steel Has Robots, But Its A Father-Son Movie At Heart

Real Steel
Real Steel
PG-13
Drama
Sci-Fi

In the near future, robot boxing is a top sport. A struggling ex-boxer feels he's found a champion in a discarded robot.

Release Date
October 7, 2011
Director
Shawn Levy
Cast
Hugh Jackman , Evangeline Lilly , Dakota Goyo
Runtime
2 Hours 7 Minutes
Main Genre
Action
Writers
John Gatins , Dan Gilroy , Jeremy Leven
Production Company
Dreamworks Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Reliance Entertainment.

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

60%

7.1

56

Real Steel stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up boxer who has turned to robot boxing to make money. He is reunited with his estranged son Max, and they train a robot, dubbed Atom, to go after the global boxing title held by the undefeated champion Zeus. The film also provides commentary about robots taking over many facets of society, something many viewers can relate to in today's world.

A modest success upon release, the film has been a hit as of late due to streaming services. It has been compared to a Rocky robot movie, but many viewers fell in love with the personal family story that goes along with it. Due to recent interest, a sequel series is being developed for Disney+ and a sequel starring Jackman has been discussed.

18 Bumblebee Is The Highest-Rated Film Of The Transformers Franchise

Bumblebee
Bumblebee
PG-13
Adventure
Sci-Fi

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. On the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, Charlie Watson discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.

Release Date
December 21, 2018
Director
Travis Knight
Cast
Hailee Steinfeld , Jorge Lendeborg Jr. , John Cena
Runtime
1 Hour 54 Minutes
Main Genre
Action
Writers
Christina Hodson
Producer
Michael Bay, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Don Murphy, Mark Vahradian
Production Company
Hasbro, Tencent Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films, Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production, Allspark Pictures, Laika Entertainment, Paramount Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

91%

6.7

66

Bumblebee, a prequel to the Transformers film series, brings the story back to 1987. Bumblebee is on the run from the Decepticons and lands on Earth in a California beach town with his memory lost. He is discovered by 18-year-old Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld), who works with Bumblebee to figure out why he is on Earth and later helps fight the Decepticons.

As the previous films in the Transformers series were not well-received, expectations were low for Bumblebee. It actually received positive reviews, particularly for its story and Steinfeld's performance, which breathed new life into the franchise. The film remains the highest-rated movie of the franchise to date by a sizable margin.

17 M3GAN Infuses AI With Child's Play's Formula

M3GAN watches a young girl talking on the M3GAN movie poster
M3GAN
PG-13
Sci-Fi
Thriller

A robotics engineer at a toy company builds a life-like doll that begins to take on a life of its own.

Release Date
January 6, 2023
Director
Gerald Johnstone
Cast
Amie Donald , Kimberley Crossman , Allison Williams , Ronny Chieng , Violet McGraw , Brian Jordan Alvarez
Runtime
1 Hour 42 Minutes
Main Genre
Horror
Writers
Akela Cooper , James Wan
Producer
Jason Blum, James Wan, Michael Clear, Couper Samuelson
Production Company
Blumhouse Productions, Atomic Monster Productions, Divide/Conquer

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

93%

6.4

72

M3GAN follows Gemma (Alison Williams), a robotics engineer, who builds a life-like doll, dubbed M3GAN. Things go from revolutionary to sinister when the doll takes on a life of her own, especially when Gemma’s 8-year-old niece Cady (Violet McGraw) becomes attached to it.

M3GAN was a surprise horror movie hit, delivering a modern spin on a story similar to Child’s Play and the infamous Chucky doll. The film’s success led to a sequel entering development, entitled M3GAN 2.0. The sequel is dated for January 17th, 2025 with Williams and McGraw planning to return.

16 Forbidden Planet Was A Trailblazer For Robot Movies

Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet
G
Adventure

A starship crew in the 23rd century goes to investigate the silence of a distant planet's colony, only to find just two survivors, a powerful robot, and the deadly secret of a lost civilization.

Release Date
June 13, 1958
Director
Fred M. Wilcox
Cast
Walter Pidgeon , Anne Francis , Leslie Nielsen
Runtime
1 Hour 38 Minutes
Main Genre
Science Fiction
Writers
Cyril Hume , Irving Block , Allen Adler
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

96%

7.5

80

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This 1956 MGM classic isn't just considered one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time, but one of the most boundary-pushing. Directed by Fred M. Wilcox, Forbidden Planet follows the crew of C-57D, a 23rd-century starship sent to the distant planet Altair IV to investigate the mysterious silence of a planetary colony.

The film used distinctive sets, the first-ever all-electronic musical score, and beautiful, cosmic matte paintings to put humanity's space-traveling future onscreen like never before. As one of the planet's few survivors, Robby the Robot blazed the film trails as one of the first robots to be a true, distinctive character, complete with trademark dry wit. Robby actually went on to appear in over two dozen more movies and TV shows following the film's release.

15 The World's End Is A Surprisingly Thematic Film

The World's End
The World's End
R
Sci-Fi
Comedy

Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from twenty years earlier unwittingly become humanity's only hope for survival.

Release Date
August 23, 2013
Director
Edgar Wright
Cast
Simon Pegg , Nick Frost , Martin Freeman
Runtime
1 Hour 49 Minutes
Main Genre
Action
Writers
Simon Pegg , Edgar Wright
Production Company
Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Relativity Media.

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

89%

6.9

81

It's no surprise that Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World director Edgar Wright and Star Trek Beyond co-writer Simon Pegg could come up with one of the best sci-fi comedies of the 21st century. When middle-aged alcoholic Gary King drags his reluctant high school friends back to their hometown in order to complete their 1990 pub crawl, it sets in motion a hilarious, but surprisingly poignant set of character conflicts, as King bemoans how the town has changed.

Only, the town hasn't just changed, it's been taken over by robot replacements of many of its people, known as "blanks." It helps that, for the first 15 minutes, the movie is a perfectly executed, darkly funny character drama. The relationship between these blanks and the dreams and disappointments of King and his friends are as thematically deep as Blade Runner.

14 Ghost In The Shell Influenced Many Films Like The Matrix

Ghost In The Shell original anime film poster
Ghost in the Shell
TV-MA
Sci-Fi
Action
Crime

A cyborg policewoman and her partner hunt a mysterious and powerful hacker called the Puppet Master.

Release Date
November 19, 1995
Director
Mamoru Oshii
Cast
Atsuko Tanaka , Akio Otsuka , Iemasa Kayumi
Runtime
1 Hour 23 Minutes
Main Genre
Animation
Writers
Masamune Shirow , Kazunori Itô
Production Company
Kôdansha, Bandai Visual Company, Manga Entertainment.

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

95%

7.9

76

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Mamoru Oshii's animated feature adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga fused the wild animated action you can only find in the highest-budgeted anime movies with real philosophical introspection. Taking place in 2029, the story follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a police detective and "full-body prosthesis augmented-cybernetic human" tasked with capturing a hacker, which quickly pulls her into a web of intrigues both political and existential.

With its Akira-esque cityscapes, explorations of artificial intelligence, identity, and the nature of life in a technology-saturated world, and wild soundtrack from Kenji Kawai, Ghost in the Shell stands on its own as one of the last great cyberpunk works. But perhaps the greatest endorsement of this cyborg-starring saga is that when The Wachowskis were pitching The Matrix, they showed the film to producer Joel Silver and said they would do it for real.

13 I, Robot Finds Will Smith Uncovering A Conspiracy

I, Robot
I, Robot
PG-13
Mystery
Sci-Fi

In 2035, a technophobic cop investigates a crime that may have been perpetrated by a robot, which leads to a larger threat to humanity.

Release Date
July 16, 2004
Director
Alex Proyas
Cast
Will Smith , Bridget Moynahan , Bruce Greenwood
Runtime
1 Hour 55 Minutes
Main Genre
Action
Writers
Jeff Vintar , Akiva Goldsman , Isaac Asimov
Production Company
Twentieth Century Fox, Mediastream Vierte Film GmbH & Co. Vermarktungs KG, Davis Entertainment.

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

56%

7.1

59

I, Robot stars Will Smith as Del Spooner, a detective for the Chicago police department who investigates the alleged suicide of U.S. Robotics founder Alfred Lanning in 2035. Deeply mistrusting of robots, Spooner's investigation leads to a surprising discovery that maybe a robot could have been involved.

This robot movie also begs whether robots should be trusted to make their own decisions. Part of Spooner's hatred for robots is that one saved him from drowning after a car crash but did not save a 12-year-old girl simply based on logic. The film was certainly ahead of its time as today's society grapples with the rise of AI and the moral questions that come with it.

Baymax on Big Hero 6 Poster
Big Hero 6
PG
Action
Adventure
Superhero

A special bond develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who together team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.

Release Date
November 7, 2014
Director
Don Hall , Chris Williams
Cast
Ryan Potter , Scott Adsit , Jamie Chung , T.J. Miller , Daniel Henney , Damon Wayans Jr. , Genesis Rodriguez , James Cromwell , Alan Tudyk , Maya Rudolph
Runtime
1 hour 42 minutes
Main Genre
Animation
Writers
Jordan Roberts , Robert L. Baird , Daniel Gerson
Production Company
Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

90%

7.8

74

Big Hero 6 follows the young Hiro Hamada, a robotics prodigy, who teams up with Baymax, his late brother’s healthcare provider robot, to become superheroes. The pair look to bring the perpetrators responsible for Hiro’s brother’s death to justice.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2015, and it has been a smash hit for Disney beyond the film. Big Hero 6: The Television Series, ran for 3 seasons and continued the story from the film. A second series, Baymax!, was released on Disney+ in 2022 and the characters have become mainstays that Disney theme parks.

11 The Day The Earth Stood Still Is A Landmark Robot Movie

The Day The Earth Stood Still
The Day The Earth Stood Still
G
Drama
Action

An alien lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

Release Date
September 20, 1951
Director
Robert Wise
Cast
Michael Rennie , Patricia Neal , Hugh Marlowe
Runtime
1 Hour 32 Minutes
Main Genre
Science Fiction
Writers
Edmund H. North
Production Company
Twentieth Century Fox

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

95%

7.8

83

Reverberating through film history with the alien phrase "Klaatu barada nikto," The Day the Earth Stood Still stands the test of time, and its robot is no exception. Robert Wise created this particular black-and-white sci-fi tale based on Harry Bates' 1940 novel, in which a flying saucer lands in Washington, D.C. Klaatu, a humanoid alien and a massive, strikingly designed robot called Gort emerge, setting in motion an early precursor to movies like Arrival.

Like many of these robot greats, the movie uses its sci-fi trappings to tell a story about humanity, but more uniquely, in this case, its scope encompasses literally all of humanity. As the world tries to manage its response, the key to it all is the strong, silent Gort, who was portrayed so ably by seven-foot-seven actor Lock Martin in a rubber suit.

10 Wall-E Is Among Pixar's Greatest Movies

Disney's Wall-E poster
WALL-E
G
Adventure
Family

In the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.

Release Date
June 27, 2008
Director
Andrew Stanton
Cast
Ben Burtt , Elissa Knight
Runtime
1 Hour 38 Minutes
Main Genre
Animation
Writers
Andrew Stanton , Jim Reardon
Production Company
FortyFour Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

95%

8.4

95

Andrew Stanton's masterpiece takes advantage of the unique possibilities of 3D animation to turn its two mechanical leads into universally recognizable characters. In a world that's been covered in garbage and abandoned, WALL-E is the only trash-cleaning robot left, living alone until he discovers the space probe EVE, and the two connect. However, returning humanity to Earth threatens to separate them.

It's almost hard to believe that as one of Pixar's most beloved movies, Wall-E spends almost 40 minutes without any dialogue and that it centers around a love story between two robots, but Wall-E isn't really a normal movie. The junky robot WALL-E is someone viewers can relate to even though he doesn't quite speak in words. But through his smaller tale, Wall-E pulls back to tell a larger story about humanity, both future and present.

9 The Matrix Is One Of The Most Influential Modern Movies

The Matrix Film Poster
The Matrix
R
Sci-Fi

When a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.

Director
Lana Wachowski , Lilly Wachowski
Release Date
March 31, 1999
Cast
Keanu Reeves , Laurence Fishburne , Carrie-Anne Moss , Hugo Weaving , Gloria Foster , Joe Pantoliano
Writers
Lilly Wachowski , Lana Wachowski
Runtime
2 hours 16 minutes
Main Genre
Action
Production Company
Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, Groucho Film Partnership, Silver Pictures, 3 Arts Entertainment

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

83%

8.7

73

The Matrix stars Keanu Reeves as Thomas Anderson, who is a computer programmer by day and a hacker by night, going by the name of Neo. Neo is confronted by Morpheus, who tells him of the reality that he is living in. A simulation called the Matrix is controlled by machines and humans who have rebelled are at war with them.

The Matrix took robots to a new level upon release, perfectly weaving them into the plot of the reality of the Matrix itself. Neo would continue his war against the machines for three sequels, as a franchise was born out of the film. It is widely considered one of the best films of the modern age.

8 The Terminator Is Synonymous With Robot Movies

Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator 1984 Film Poster
The Terminator (1984)
R
Sci-Fi
Thriller

A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.

Release Date
October 26, 1984
Director
James Cameron
Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger , Linda Hamilton , Michael Biehn , Paul Winfield
Runtime
1 hour 47 minutes
Main Genre
Action
Writers
James Cameron , Gale Anne Hurd , William Wisher
Production Company
Cinema '84, Euro Film Funding, Hemdale, Pacific Western Productions

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

100%

8.1

84

The Terminator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular killer robot, sent back in time by Skynet to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Sarah will give birth to the eventual leader of the human race, John Connor, and John sends soldier Kyle Reese back to protect his mother.

The film was a massive success, establishing Schwarzenegger and writer/director James Cameron as forces to be reckoned with in Hollywood. It has been synonymous with robot movies ever since its release and led to a long-running franchise that spanned over 30 years.

7 Ex Machina Leaves Viewers Thinking Long After The Credits Roll

Ex Machina
R
Sci-Fi
Thriller

A young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I.

Release Date
April 24, 2015
Director
Alex Garland
Cast
Alicia Vikander , Domhnall Gleeson , Oscar Isaac
Runtime
1 Hour 48 Minutes
Main Genre
Drama
Writers
Alex Garland
Production Company
A24, Universal Pictures, Film4

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

92%

7.7

78

Anyone who saw the Alex Garland-written Sunshine or 28 Days Later knew he had sci-fi skills, but his directorial debut is still something to behold. Set almost entirely in one location, Ex Machina, follows programmer Caleb as he wins the chance to stay at tech CEO/genius Nathan Bateman's secluded retreat, where he meets Ava, an artificial intelligence experiment Nathan has placed in a human female-shaped body.

Nathan wants Caleb to run a Turing test, by having a series of conversations with Ava. But once Ava starts attempting to enlist the cyber-love struck Caleb's aid in escaping the basement lab she's trapped in, Ex Machina gets crazy. Real-world allusions like these, coupled with the spectacular CG effects and the amazingly layered performances from Isaac and Vikander, make this a great movie. But what makes it a great robot movie is how victory completely goes to the machine.

6 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Is One Of The Greatest Sequels Ever Made

Terminator 2 Judgment Day Film Poster
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
R
Sci-Fi
Thriller

A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.

Release Date
July 3, 1991
Director
James Cameron
Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger , Linda Hamilton , Edward Furlong , Robert Patrick , Joe Morton
Runtime
2 Hours 17 Minutes
Studio
TriStar Pictures
Main Genre
Action
Writers
James Cameron , William Wisher
Production Company
Carolco Pictures, Pacific Western, Lightstorm Entertainment.

Rotten Tomatoes

IMDb

Metacritic

91%

8.6

75

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Terminator 2: Judgment Day took James Cameron's robot menace to the next level. Where the first film was essentially a great horror movie that effortlessly looped in time travel, androids, and other classic sci-fi material, the sequel expanded things to a much more epic scale. Bringing back Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800, Cameron made a key decision in having him portray an old Terminator reprogrammed to protect young John Connor instead of killing him.

But, as great as The Terminator is, the real hero of this movie is Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. In the first movie, she's already capable enough of trying to escape the Terminator, but in this film, she has been training for another attack and can truly hold her own. With Cameron's unbeatable action, and the old Terminator up against the crazy, pioneering CG of the liquid-metal T-1000, T2 is some of the best robot-based cinema audiences will ever see.