Have Your Say: In Science Fiction, Do You Prefer Science Or Fiction?

Now that James Bond has had his big premiere this year, the single biggest remaining event is, of course, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Hopefully it will mean a glorious return of the franchise which made science fiction films a box-office force (haha) to be reckoned with.

Though technically speaking, Star Wars has never had anything to do with science fiction. When the first film was released back in 1977, people chided it for being a romantic fantasy, or a western at best, no matter how many spaceships and glowing blobs (or stripes) of light whoosh by.

"Science Fiction" as a genre started in literature, and typically dealt with inventions and their impact on society.
So a story about a pill which makes people live twice as long, causing huge changes in the long-term for countries which allow its use, is clearly and definitely science fiction.
But a story about a day-dreaming teenager who travels to faraway countries, joins a sacred ninja-cult, saves a princess and blows up his enemy's battleship? Ehm...

Not that there is anything wrong with unbridled fantasy, of course. The last couple of years has seen quite a number of so-called "intelligent" serious science fiction films, and while some of those were very entertaining, I cannot fault people thinking them to be perhaps a bit dry. Mind, some films are in the middle, providing an outlandish science concept but anchoring it for the audience with emotion, titillation, or sheer action entertainment.

Which brings me to our ScreenAnarchy question of the week: how do you like your science fiction? Do you prefer the science, or the fiction? Is it intriguing concepts you hope to see dealt with, or fancy entertainment?

Chime in, in the comments below, and HAVE YOUR SAY!