The Great Flood: A Sci-Fi Masterpiece Blending Blade Runner And Inception Themes

Sci-fi films live and die by the strength of their worldbuilding, and with movies like Inception and Blade Runner inspiring this #1 worldwide trending film on Netflix, the genre is headed in the right direction. No matter how high-concept the premise of a sci-fi film may be, audiences need to understand the rules of a world for the movie to translate.

With an environment that feels lived-in and emotional stakes that ground the overall spectacle of a sci-fi story, movie magic can happen on screen. The most successful sci-fi stories take enormous care in constructing their universes, making sure that every visual choice and narrative turn reinforces the logic of the world as it’s being presented. Netflix’s newest hit has been able to fire on all cylinders in that regard.

Movies like Blade Runner and Inception have established visual languages and thematic frameworks that continue to influence filmmakers exploring questions of memory, reality, and human identity within the sci-fi realm. Referencing those influences doesn’t mean copying them outright, but rather using them as a foundation to build something new. Netflix’s trending film, The Great Flood, fits perfectly into that mold.

What Is The Great Flood About?

A sci-fi disaster film that focuses on a near-future world facing catastrophic environmental collapse, The Great Flood is a Korean film starring Kim Da-mi and Park Hae-so. The story of the film unfolds as rising waters overwhelm infrastructure and force the characters into impossible moral and emotional decisions. Rather than focusing on large-scale destruction, the film limits its scope to more personal stakes, following individuals rather than society.

The Great Flood’s narrative blends intimate character drama with high-concept sci-fi elements, gradually revealing how human intervention and technological misjudgment contributed to the disaster. As the floodwaters rise, secrets come to light, and the characters are forced to confront not only the physical danger around them, but also the long-term consequences of their actions. This balance is a major reason the film has resonated with viewers.

The Great Flood Is Not An Ordinary Disaster Movie

Although The Great Flood has hallmarks of the disaster genre, it avoids becoming a survival thriller, instead focusing on the psychological elements of the catastrophe. The flooding functions as a catalyst, pushing characters to confront choices they made long before the crisis began. Instead of relying on constant visual destruction, the movie uses tension, atmosphere, and quiet moments to explore how people react when systems fail.

The Great Flood Has Similar Themes To Blade Runner And Inception

Comparisons to classic films stem less from surface similarities and more from shared themes. Like Blade Runner, The Great Flood presents a future shaped by human ambition and consequences, using its setting to question how progress can move past responsibility. At the same time, the movie’s layered storytelling and focus on memory, regret, and perception allow for comparisons to Inception. The Great Flood is a genuine sci-fi experience.