The Dilution of A Genre: Defining Science Fiction

I recently read a list of "the worst sci fi movies 2016" which is hilarious because I doubt there were ten sci fi movies in 2016. Good examples that the article touts are of course "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" and (this one got me triggered) "Captain America: Civil War."

Okay, time out! Someone has absolutely no idea what the genre "science fiction" actually is. So, in the interest of helping educate those less than nerdy than myself on this topic, I have some nice, easy guidelines for determining if a movie or book is science fiction, science fantasy or space opera. These three divisions fall under the broader family of "futuristic fiction".

First, what is "Futuristic fiction?"

Futuristic fiction is any story that involves a future world, usually a more technologically advanced one (though not always) or a fantasy world that is more advanced than our actual one. This is really the only way superheros movies might possibly be considered as part of the genre but I think we should just keep those stories in their own category.

The three divisions under the auspice of "futuristic fiction":

1. Space Opera

This is the easiest because the most prominent example is Star Wars. Space opera is a romantic (classic use of the term) adventure story set in space (I'm including all planets and bodies that are not earth under the term space) or a similarly exotic world (e.g. an undersea kingdom, a future society). It rarely concerns itself with scientific laws or principles expect when they are handy for plot twists.

This genre is the grandchild of Edgar Rice Burroughs who popularized "Sword and Planet" stories like the "Barsoom Books" about Mars.

A good comparison is the western, which was once called "horse opera". Calling a Space Opera "science fiction" is equivilant to calling a western "historical fiction". Sure, it uses history in some sense but its not the same as historical fiction.

Examples:

- Star Wars (duh)

- Battlestar Galactica 1978

- Flash Gordon

- Buck Rogers

- Everything besides Tarzaan that Burroughs wrote

- Pretty much every serial made in the 30s, 40s and 50s about space.

2. Science Fantasy

This is the genre that catches people by surprise. While the differences between Star Wars and The Martian are easily noted, most people are likely to miss the differences between The Martian and Independence Day. But there is a difference and not just story wise.

Science fantasy takes scientific knowledge and combines it with the fantastical and the unexplained. As indicated, Independence Day is a science fantasy. You have real elements like satellite signal disturbances and nuclear weapons (science) combined with not so real elements like aliens (fantasy). Most "sci fi" is actually "sci fan" as is obvious by a brief look at the average "sci fi" film.

Science fantasy is the grandchild of H.G. Wells who wrote "Scientific Romances". First Men in the Moon is a perfect example, as we have an attempt to tell a plausible tale of a moon voyage but Wells employs hand-wavium to explain how "cavorite" is anti-gravitational. It just is anti-gravitational. On this suspension of disbelief, he builds a plausible narrative (introducing another suspension of disbelief when the heroes encounter the Selenites on the moon).

Examples:

- Anything written by H.G. Wells

- Independence Day

- E.T.

- Lost in Space

- Star Trek

- Antman (this qualifies because the story revolves around a suit which allows the wearer to shrink or grow, so it's more sci fan than super hero).

3. Science Fiction

Alright, the one we've been waiting for: Science fiction. You might be wandering if anything qualifies as science fiction since we've just eliminated almost everything else. Well, yes there is plenty left so let's look at what is the essence of science fiction.

It's right there in the etymology of the title. "Science" (knowledge) "Fiction" (story). Science Fiction is a genre with stories about the march of science (both positively and negatively), whether on a global or personal scale. Most members will fall under either survivalist (The Martian) and exploration (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea). We see the progress of scientific achievement in both cases, whether in science as a means for surviving or science as a means for overcoming nature.

Dystopian futures can exists as well, where the progress of science is not inherently a positive thing (Metropolis).

Science fiction is the child of Jules Verne, "the father of science fiction". His extraordinary voyages are classic examples that demonstrate the genre. But far from being "here's how we could go to the moon" narratives, good science fiction is also a look into the relationship between humans and science or "man vs the machine". Verne explores the affects of technological on society and individuals throughout his body of work, though more so in his later writings.

A bad example of an attempt at science fiction is the 1950 movie Destination Moon from producer George Pal. While one the most accurate moon voyage films made before the real deal (probably the only accurate attempt, now that I think of it) it has a snooze worthy story (especially in light of great story it was inspired from, Rocketship Galileo). Nothing grabs the audience into the story of the men who makes the journey and nothing makes us think about the innovation we see. The message is "here's how man can go to the moon" not "here's how man goes to the moon and how it changed our world" or "how it changed our heroes".

Examples:

- Almost anything by Jules Verne

- Destination Moon (and Rocketship Galileo, the inspiration for many elements; in fact, a number of Robert A. Heinlein's works fall under the category)

- The Martian

- Intersteller

- Venture to the Moon (Arthur C. Clarke)

- Passengers (I haven't seen this movie nor do I particularly endorse it but from what I've seen it falls under "science fiction".)

So there you have it. The three categories of "futuristic fiction." I hope you found this educational or at least helpful in some way. Of course, there are books and movies out there that blur the lines between these categories but I have found this to be the best way to differentiate.