Once a science-fiction concept and the stuff of fantasy, digital technology has advanced to such an impressive level that digital world films are mirroring the developments we’re experiencing – especially in the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technological sensations. Technology has impacted so many sectors that it’s impossible to think of the world without it. Shopping, finance, banking, food, travel, and online gambling all operate through the prism of the digital world.
Casino games, and gambling in general, have transformed into an entirely new dimension of gaming. Live table games, for example, have transitioned from land-based casino floors to the Royal Panda online platform within the space of a couple of decades. However, casino gaming is just one small element of how the digital world constantly changes and adjusts to our behavior. All of the digital world films we will touch on in this article have one thing in common – they were innovative and predicted a world that few people envisaged, but they now look more like prophecies than works of fiction.
#1 – Terminator 1 and 2 – (1984 & 1991)
Often billed as two of the greatest science fiction films ever made, the original 1980s classic put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map as a Hollywood A-lister. Operating from a dystopian future and the modern-day setting of 1980s America, the film follows the Terminator on his quest to murder the future leader of the resistance, John Connor, before he’s even born.
Many believe the second film is better than the first, combining with the first into a thrilling sequel. The second film is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most innovative science fiction films ever made. As AI becomes far more intelligent, doomsayers believe we grow closer to a Terminator-like scenario every day – although this is unlikely, for now.
#2 – 2001 A Space Odyssey – (1968)
Venturing into classic cinema, it’s hard to believe that Kubrick’s iconic digital world classic is over half a century old. For many, it is the magnum opus of one of cinema’s most outstanding directors.
Although polarizing at first – with some people even walking out of the original screening – it is one of the most innovative films of all time. It transcends the concept of science fiction and the digital world, featuring a soundtrack and storyline that has stood the test of time.
#3 – The Matrix – (1999)
Set during the angsty, uncertain backdrop of the late 1990s, The Matrix channels multiple concepts and has fostered many fan theories about its true meaning. Although the action shots and cinematography were widely praised for their innovation, it is a film that has taken on deeper meaning as more of us become perennially fixated online. The concept of a digital world, bolstered by AI and Virtual Reality (VR), becomes even more of a possibility.
Back in the late 1990s, computers, programming, and the idea of the internet becoming the driving factor in global society were all theories and hot topics for debate. Now, billions of people continue to channel almost every aspect of their existence through social media, the internet, and mobile phones. The Matrix is more relevant now than when it was released a quarter of a century ago, yet despite several recent installments to the franchise falling short of the mark, the original film’s legacy remains untouched.
#4 – The Social Network – (2010)
While The Social Network might not initially jump out as a digital world film, it details the rise of a monolithic figure in social media – Mark Zuckerberg. The pioneering, New York-based tech billionaire owns Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, and has forked the company’s rebranding into the world of VR.
It is a real-life example and a fantastic depiction of how the internet can be a force for good but also a force for evil, and one man’s unquenchable thirst for power and respect. As Instagram dominates modern-day advertising, with many people seemingly living their whole existence through it, the digital world is now the modern world. There’s arguably no other figure who has influenced this transition more than Zuckerberg himself.
However, from a critical perspective, the film has a fantastic soundtrack and excellent performances from Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield. Also, it is Quentin Tarantino’s favorite film of the entire decade; not a bad quote to have attached to your film.
The film won multiple Academy Awards, and as the dangers of social media and its unmeasurable impact on society continue to drive conversation, The Social Network shows us how and where it all truly started to explode into a global juggernaut, with Zuckerberg at the helm.
