he 1980s represented one of the most dramatic tonal shifts in science fiction storytelling that the genre has ever seen. The ‘80s moved sci-fi away from the optimism of previous eras toward more pessimistic and nihilistic attitudes that echoed the uncertainty of the time. The effects of this shift are still seen and felt today, both within science fiction and in our daily lives. Through an analysis of the three most pivotal science fiction films of the 1980s - Blade Runner, The Terminator, and Robocop - as well as a look at the literature of the time, this research explores how these films and the genre as a whole served as a reflectionary tool for a tumultuous time in society, particularly corporate influence, as well as a surprisingly accurate prediction of the technological and social worlds we live in today.