Timeless, exceedingly influential and a slice of one of the greatest film trilogies ever produced, Back to the Future II sure had some good technology.
Great Scott! Has it been October 21st 2015 already?! Just over 25 years ago, Marty McFly and Doc. Brown embarked upon an historic (and sadly fictional) four-dimensional adventure, travelling from 1985 all the way to 2015. Famously saying, full of wit and a hint of pride, “where we’re going, we don’t need roads”, Doc. imbued viewers with a fresh hope for their future lives; full of ‘Pac-Fax’, food hydrators and even self-tying shoes. However, how accurate was Robert Zemeckis’ portrayal of life this far into the 21st century?
First of all, for those unfortunate few who have not yet seen ‘Back to the Future Part II’… What are you waiting for? Nevertheless, to fill you in, the following is a brief summary of the film:
After a restoration of his future life and parents’ relationship in 1955, Marty (Michael J. Fox) and his girlfriend Jennifer (Elisabeth Shue) are confronted by a passionate and intense Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd), urging them to join him in returning “back to the future”. Arriving in 2015, the trio are bombarded with never-before-seen or even imagined opportunities, lifestyles and technology. The journey was intended to merely be a swift mending of Marty’s children’s lives, however such an idea suffers a maim. Biff (Thomas F. Wilson), the antagonist of the original ‘Back to the Future’, takes a book containing all the sports outcomes up to the year 2000 back to 1955 with him in the time-travelling DeLorean, and with the help of the unerring almanac, bets his way to power and glory.
When Marty and Jennifer arrive back to their own time, they find themselves in a nightmarish scene with Biff the mogul residing in “Biff-World”, a Vegas-styled pleasure palace with him in complete control of everything. Thus, Marty must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent the disastrous changes in 1985, yet without interfering with his first expedition.
Now, looking back to the short time spent in the future, were the creators able to envision the true 2015; the year of ‘Netflix’ and the ‘iPhone 6 Plus’? Let’s find out. Here are my top five technologies Back to the Future Part II’s 2015.
Nike Air-Mag Power-Lacing Sneakers
Wouldn’t this just be a dream? Slide your foot in and bam! Your feet are feeling snug and secure in your fresh looking kicks. Let’s acknowledge the fact that the Air-Mags have been available for several years now, but those wearing them have been restricted to the primitive and exhaustively strenuous task of tying their own laces. Rumor has it however that in spring 2016, genuine Power-Lacing sneakers will be reaching consumers! Even cooler, they light up – now you’ll be even easier to identify in a dark, crowded environment. Sadly, for the rumored price of several thousands of dollars a pair, you may be better off spending the 20 seconds it takes to lace up a pair of sneakers.
Self-Drying, Auto-Adjusting Jacket
Sorry, but no. Clothes are not yet smart enough to dry off once splashed or rained on, nor can they alter their size. It would be extremely handy for winter days, and Marty’s jacket is rather fashionable, however this is something the creators were too far-fetched about. Maybe in 2025 I’ll be wearing ‘smart’ clothes?
Video Glasses
Ever heard of Google Glass? Samsung VR? Oculus Rift? Well, Zemeckis created what may be considered as the first prototype of these glasses, as we see Marty’s troublesome kids wearing high-tech goggles at the dinner table, able to receive incoming calls on their spectacles. Seems to be rather banal for 2015 though, right?
Automation
In the film, we witness robots and automated machines of all sorts; robots that walk one’s dog, waiters replaced by screens and even remote-control litter bins. However, saddening the lazy-factor in all of us, we still are forced to throw out our rubbish in the bin, walk our dogs, and have contrived, ‘friendly’ conversations with our waiters.
Hover Boards
Yes please! Living in 2015, the closest product that is on the market for consumers is a two-wheel, self-balancing personal transporter. For their hefty price, it is a shame that by 2015 we weren’t able to achieve a society in which children and their friends commute around on ‘Mattel Hover Boards’, accessible to all, ranging in fashionable colours and designs.
Image taken from blastr.com
Unfortunately, ‘Part II’ does not stand equally with the first instalment, a true powerhouse and classic in the history books of film. Regardless, we are treated to a fun exercise in goofiness, an excursion into various models of different eras that even the characters are in a constant state of awe. A film I highly recommend for the whole family to watch and enjoy together in each other’s company, especially for a cross-generational experience.
