"It's the Same Train But Different": Self-awareness of the Virtual in Modern Science Fiction Films

Abstract

This thesis explores the changing perceptions of modern technology in Science Fiction films. Typically, this film genre is closely associated with the spectacle, where futuristic technologies often appear as visually-stunning images on screen. However, recent films such as Cloverfield (2008), District 9 (2009), Inception (2010) and Source Code (2011) seem to do the opposite where they present `modern technology? as ordinary and commonplace. The question is whether this portrayal reflects a comfortable acceptance of `modern technology? as an indivisible part of human existence. Ultimately, this thesis concludes that an anxiety about the perceived impact of modern technology on `reality? is present, which the films attempt to alleviate by emphasising the politically-correct values of heterosexual romance and familial love. Paradoxically, this feeble attempt to reaffirm the centrality of the human and the unsatisfactory engagement with the issue of modern technology, only serves to underline the existence of this anxiety.