The Lobster (2015) & High-Rise (2015): Love, Luxury & Madness | EP21

In this episode of Journey Through Sci-Fi, we explore two unusual dystopian films from the 2010s that take a more surreal and satirical approach to imagining the future.

Rather than depicting traditional authoritarian regimes or post-apocalyptic worlds, these films exaggerate aspects of modern society to reveal how strange and fragile our social systems can be.

Because here on Journey Through Sci-Fi, we explore the history of science-fiction cinema one subgenre at a time.

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What We Discuss In This Episode

In this episode we talk about:

• Social satire in modern dystopian sci-fi

• Relationships and social pressure in speculative fiction

• Class divides and social hierarchy

• The influence of J. G. Ballard on dystopian storytelling

• Why modern dystopian films often feel closer to reality than classic sci-fi futures

  
  

The Lobster (2015) – A World Where Being Single Is Illegal

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster presents one of the strangest dystopian premises in modern cinema.

Set in a bizarre near-future society, single people are sent to a hotel where they must find a romantic partner within 45 days. If they fail, they are transformed into an animal of their choosing and released into the wild.

The film follows David, played by Colin Farrell, who arrives at the hotel after his wife leaves him. As he navigates the strange rituals designed to force people into relationships, the film gradually reveals the absurd logic of this dystopian society.

Through its dark humour and deadpan tone, The Lobster satirises social expectations surrounding romance, conformity and the pressure to find a partner.

High-Rise (2015) – Class Warfare in a Tower Block

While The Lobster focuses on relationships, High-Rise explores the theme of class hierarchy.

Directed by Ben Wheatley and based on the novel by J. G. Ballard, the film is set inside a luxurious futuristic tower block designed to contain everything its residents need.

The building is divided into strict social levels, with the wealthiest residents living on the upper floors while the lower levels house poorer tenants.

As tensions grow between these groups, the tower gradually descends into chaos, revealing how quickly social order can collapse when inequality becomes extreme.

Through its surreal imagery and dark humour, High-Rise becomes a disturbing exploration of class division and social fragmentation.

Satire and the Modern Dystopia

Both of these films represent a different kind of dystopian storytelling.

Instead of depicting distant futuristic worlds, they exaggerate aspects of contemporary life:

• the pressure to conform to social norms

• the influence of class structures

• the fragility of modern social systems.

In doing so, they show how dystopian stories can be just as effective when they feel uncomfortably close to reality.

Continuing Our Journey Through Dystopia

This episode forms part of our Journey Through Dystopia series.

Across the series we explore how science-fiction cinema imagines societies shaped by authoritarian control, technological change and social inequality.

From classic dystopian films to strange modern satires like The Lobster and High-Rise, these stories reveal how science fiction reflects humanity’s fears about the future.

Start Your Journey Through Sci-Fi

Journey Through Sci-Fi is a podcast exploring the strange, visionary and world-changing history of science-fiction cinema.

Each series focuses on a different sci-fi theme — from space exploration and artificial intelligence to time travel, virtual reality, cyberpunk and dystopian futures.

Join us as we explore the films and ideas that shaped science fiction.