10 Sci-Fi Movies Where Evil Won
When the bad guys are too tough to beat.
Though movies are largely concerned with the triumph of good over evil, that of course isn't always the case, as much as mainstream audiences might loathe it.
The sci-fi genre is thoroughly rooted in the notion of good vs. evil, of the smart, resourceful heroes facing off against either a monstrous or bureaucratic enemy force which threatens the world's survival.
And while the good guys typically do prevail, sometimes they're not quite so lucky, because as we all know, happy endings aren't quite so common in real life.
As a genre, sci-fi has a habit of holding its mirror up to society despite its oft-heightened nature, and so in turn, movies which see an oppressive malevolent force dominate and destroy the heroes can strike an uncommonly strong chord with audiences.
And so, these 10 bold genre visions dared to hand a victory to the card-carrying villains who fought to enslave and flat-out annihilate humanity, whether for glory, monetary gain, biological impulse, or the sheer simple fun of it...
10. Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines
Though the third Terminator film was a sure step down from its masterful predecessors, even its ardent detractors were surely left blindsided by the ballsiness of its surprisingly bleak ending, which remains one of the most depressing ever tacked onto the end of a $200 million blockbuster.
After the T-X (Kristanna Loken) is destroyed in the film's climax, John Connor (Nick Stahl) and Katherine Brewster (Claire Danes) arrive at what they believe to be Skynet's core with the purpose of destroying it and stopping Judgment Day.
However, they soon realise that the location is in fact simply a fallout shelter, and because Skynet has already propagated itself throughout the Internet, Judgment Day is inevitable.
In a colossal bummer ending, John and Kate get to hole up in safety as Skynet launches a nuclear holocaust which wipes out billions of people.
Though it entirely contradicts T2's thematic that "the future is not set," it's nevertheless an impressively courageous ending for such a commercial juggernaut of a movie.
John Connor survived, for sure, but when so many were killed regardless, it's tough to consider it a win for anyone but the murderous robotic overlords.