The Top 5 Cyberpunk Movies Need To See!

With the modern emergence of AI, self-driving cars, and implant technologies like Neuralink on the horizon, it’s no wonder why there’s been a renaissance of Cyberpunk media, but with copious amounts of content produced each day, there’s bound to be gems that slip through the cracks. Here are 5 outstanding Cyberpunk films that likely flew under your radar!

1. Sleep Dealer (2008)

From director Alex Rivera, Sleep Dealer is a radical Spanish film that delves into the dire ramifications of resource exploitation, both human and natural. Remote work has gone disastrously awry, with international workers forced to export their labor around the world at bargain prices through Networked Factories, jacking in and controlling a robotic workforce from afar. Memories are sold as commodities on an open market, and attack drones broadcast deadly strikes on live television to a fixated audience. When a young man’s family is devastated by a drone attack, he’ll do anything to make ends meet. (Available on VOD/Digital)

2. Strange Days (1995)

Strange Days is a dark noir from the '90s that doesn’t pull any punches. In a hedonistic hellscape where people live for ever-increasing dopamine spikes, all manners of evil can be experienced firsthand via headsets that jack you right into recorded memories, sensory experience and all. When a psychopathic murderer starts using the technology to record his horrific crimes, ex-cop Lenny (Ralph Fiennes) will have to act fast if he wants to save the woman he loves. (Not available to stream)

3. Cypher (2002)

Corporate espionage reaches a whole new level in the 2002 techno-thriller Cypher. When Morgan Sullivan (Jeremy Northam) decides to spice up his life by taking on a new identity as a corporate spy, he has no idea just how deep the rabbit hole goes. It’s a film filled with twists, turns, and an unhealthy dose of mind control that will keep you guessing all the way up to the dramatic conclusion. (Available on VOD/Digital)

4. Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

Based on the original short story by William Gibson, Johnny Mnemonic stars Keanu Reeves as Johnny, a data courier who downloads sensitive info directly into his brain. When he’s overloaded with information that could revolutionize the world, he’s up against the clock, the Yakuza, and a medley of colorful characters all desperate to get their hands on the goods. It’s campy Keanu at his best, and a fun film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. (Available on VOD/Digital)

5. Anon (2018)

Crime has been nearly eradicated at the steep cost of anonymity in the crime drama Anon. When your every detail is known by the state, and your entire life is recorded from infancy, it has become impossible to get away with anything. Almost impossible. When a serial killer manages to hack the human mind, they begin a series of troubling murders, scrubbing themselves from all memory. As detective Sal Frieland (Clive Owen) starts closing in, his own mind and memories are open to the will of the murderer, and he’ll have to race against time to put an end to the killings before it’s too late. (Stream on Netflix)