The Top 10 Best Movie Androids
The Good, The Bad, and The Terrifying of the Movie Androids.
Nothing reminds us all how wonderous and terrifying the world of tomorrow will be quite like movie androids. Over the years, they’ve become one of the most popular tropes in sci-fi and prove to be the perfect subject for this week’s Stars & Popcorn’s Top 10 List. At least that’s what I thought before diving into my extensive research. It turns out there have been a ton of amazing movie androids and it wasn’t easy to narrow it down to just 10. So, for the sake of this list, I’ve decided to focus on “human passing android,” which unfortunately means you won’t see C-3PO, Futra or Sonny on here. Even without them though, this list contains the best movie androids of all time. So, sit back and let the potential terror of the future wash over you, because this list just became self-aware.
10. Gunslinger- Westworld
HBO has gained some serious acclaim with its sci-fi series Westworld. Before it was a show though, it was a twisted movie warning against the downside of advancements in technology. When it comes to movie androids, few are as menacing as the Gunslinger who was played by yesteryear tough guy extraordinaire Yul Brynner. The film takes place in a theme park filled with androids replicating famous periods of time (like a less creepy Hall of Presidents). While the robots working the park add authenticity to the experience, a virus forces them to take their roles a little too seriously, and soon the guests are being gunned down like rabid dogs. The Gunslinger makes this list because he was the original movie android hunting people down long before the Terminator.
9. Data- Star Trek Franchise
Star Trek might have started on the small screen, but thanks to a few mediocre films, Data has managed to earn a spot on this list of movie androids. I’ve always been more of a Star Wars fan myself, but even I’ve managed to find this aloof robot charming on more than one occasion. No matter what “side” you might be on when it comes to Trek versus Wars there’s no arguing that he’s one of the most iconic androids of all time. Still, I always found something troubling about Brent Spiner’s character as he grew over the years. At the rate he was going he might one day pass the Turing Test and nothing good ever comes of that in movies. Luckily, Data never becomes one of those terrifying movie androids we see so often on the big screen.
8. Vision- The MCU
Marvel had a ton of characters that made an appearance among some of the best movie cyborgs, but even they paled compared to The Vision. Paul Bettany started in the MCU as the voice of the A.I. Tony Stark relied on to help him save the world. However, when the evil robot Ultron threatened the world, JARVIS came to the rescue when he got his very own robotic body. Since then he’s appeared in a number of Marvel movies but has yet to live up to the incredible potential of his character from the comics. Even still, he’s probably the most powerful of the movie androids to make this list. Some might argue that he’s not exactly passing with his purple skin, but he also has a more natural form he takes when he’s making smoochy time with his bae, Scarlet Witch.
7. Bishop- Aliens and Alien 3
There are plenty of evil movie androids on this list, but Bishop is definitely not one of them. He first appeared in James Cameron’s sequel to the sci-fi gothic horror film Alien (you’ll see more of Cameron’s work further down this list) as a “synthetic” assigned to assist a team of Space Marines taking one some of the scariest aliens ever to appear on the big screen. While Bishop might just be an android, he represents the best qualities in mankind. He’s helpful, selfless, humble, and self-sacrificing, which makes him a welcomed addition among the other entries. Even in the face of mind-numbing terror Bishop lays down his life to protect those that matter most. Whether he was just programmed to do all that or picked it up watching those around him, Bishop is a real damn hero.
6. Ash- Alien
While Bishop might have been a hero, Ash was a nightmare (spoiler alert for those of you who haven’t seen Alien, but come on, it’s been almost 40 years). When the crew of the ill-fated Nostromo discovered a highly aggressive alien species on LV-426, they’ve got their work cut out for them in order to survive the encounter. Things go from bad to worse when it turns out that one of them is actually an android who only has the interest of their employers (the Weyland-Yutani Corporation) at heart. That means he quickly turns on his expendable comrades in order to bring the specimen back. Ash is such a creepy character and the scene revealing that he’s an android is still one of the best movie twists of all time.