10 of the Best Sci-Fi Movies of the 21st Century

2. Mad Max: Fury Road (2016)

For sheer world-building, it doesn’t get much better than Mad Max: Fury Road, the fourth entry in George Miller’s always kick ass Road Warrior saga. This time around, Charlize Theron jumps onboard (and steals the show) as lady warrior Furiosa, a woman who is dead set in delivering her female charges to a better world. From the moment the story begins, the action ratchets up and up to unbelievable heights without wasting time for needless exposition. Instead, Miller sends his characters through a fully realized world that lends weight to these people and allows them ample opportunity to show the audience what they’re made of. Using brief snatches of dialogue and more than a little bit of the “show, don’t tell” mentality, the veteran director creates his most pulse-pounding and narratively inventive entry into the iconic series. Who said they needed Mel Gibson?