Today, on the eve of 2010, I’m here to share a startling truth with you — movies and television shows have been lying to us about the future for years.
There have been many movies and shows set in “the future,” but that future is here, and it’s incredibly disappointing. We’re living in 2010, people! We should have flying cars, jetpacks, cities in the clouds, ray guns, machine sentience, etc.
But what do we have? The internet. Which is great, but basically just a repository for pictures of peoples’ cats. Here are the most egregious offenders:
Mad Max
This is supposed to take place “a few years from now.” Of course, “now” was 1979, and while a world economic collapse due to oil shortages doesn’t sound horribly far-fetched at this point, I have not realized my dream of becoming a post apocalyptic warlord and building cool automotive death machines. But if anyone wants to hang out in the desert with a bunch of half-naked yahoos, there’s always Burning Man.
2001: A Space Odyssey
Well, 2001 was nine years ago, and yet we still have no manned space travel beyond our own moon, let alone to “beyond the infinite.” Also no murderous robot ships. Lame.
Back to the Future
This is the one that angers me the most. You’re on notice, Hollywood: if you don’t get me a working hoverboard in the next five years, I will complain about it on the internet incessantly. Don’t think I won’t!
Blade Runner
You’re telling me that in nine years we’ll have sexy cyborg ladies, flying cars, and off-world colonies? I’m not buying it.
The Terminator
So 1997 has come and gone without any global defense systems becoming self aware. I can’t help but think that isn’t a good sign for time travel by the year 2029.
The Jetsons
Generations of kids grew up expecting flying cars, robot maids, and giant apartment complexes in the sky. The good news is that we still have a little time on this one. While the show never mentioned exactly when it was set, it’s supposed to be one hundred years in the future. Since it originally aired in 1962, we still have 52 years. Sure, I’ll be in my early 80s, but I’ll be an 80-year-old rocking a sweet flying car.
For more movies that have let us all down regarding the future, check out this list.
