Disaster movies are intense. They’re anxiety-inducing. A comet can hurdle towards Earth at any moment. Earthquakes, volcanoes, and floods might usher in a biblical apocalypse. Sometimes, disaster unfolds with a single iceberg hitting a boat or damaging a space shuttle. Thebest disaster movies must balancethese traits with a pace comfortable for viewers.
What makes this genre particularly challenging is that the formula can get overdone and veer into familiarity. While there have been many entries in this genre in recent decades, some prove to be more captivating than others. FromGravitytoThe Day After Tomorrow,these disaster movies set themselves apart from the restby keeping audiences captivated from start to finish.
10’The Wave' (2015)
Directed by Roar Uthaug
Oftentimes, disaster movies equate to natural disasters. This is the case for the 2015 Norwegian film,The Wave. In the remote village of Geiranger,residents must flee from the recent avalanche and the imminent massive tsunami that is soon coming. Can Geologist Kristian Eikjord (Kristoffer Joner) reunite with his family before it’s too late?
The Waveoffers a careful balance of logic and emotion as viewers, like the characters themselves, brace for the 260ft wave quickly approaching.The entire movie takes place over a single day– with the majority playing out in the ten minutes before the wave. Despite the urgency, the plot doesn’t feel forced and the pacing is easy to follow along.The Waveis a great example ofa foreign disaster moviedone well.
9’Gravity' (2013)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Gravity’spremise is simple: After disaster strikes Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalsky’s (George Clooney) shuttle on a routine trip to space,they are left drifting in the abyss of space with little hope of returning home. As the title sequence explains, “At 372 miles above the Earth, there is nothing to carry sound. No air pressure. No oxygen. Life in space is impossible.”
Between stunning visuals of desolate space and an anxiety-inducing countdown to Dr. Stone and Matt’s fate,Gravityis a difficult yet powerful watch.Much of the action takes place at the start of the film, and the rest of it explores human nature through dialogue and stillness. The silence is haunting, like an omen of death that’s yet to come. Oftentimes, disaster movies suggest cheap thrills. ButGravityis different; the film won seven awards that year at the Oscars, including Best Director forAlfonso Cuarón.
Two astronauts work together to survive after an accident leaves them stranded in space.
8’Cloverfield' (2008)
Directed by Matt Reeves
When a friend group’s going-away party is interrupted by sounds of destruction outside their window,they must battle whatever creature is attacking New York City. And it’s all documented on one camera passed through survivors of the friend group.Cloverfieldpresents a genre-blending story containing elements that make disaster movies so compelling: monsters, relationships torn apart, and pseudo-science.
It followed in the steps ofThe Blair Witch Projectas the nextfound footage horror movie, making audiences feel as though they themselves are in the destruction (along witha clever marketing campaignto promote the movie). Over the next decade, aCloverfieldfranchise spawned each following new characters and disasters, but the thrilling themes remain the same.
Cloverfield
A group of friends venture deep into the streets of New York on a rescue mission during a rampaging monster attack.
7’Contagion' (2011)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Contagionbegins with a case of a mystery illness and rapidly spreads. Returning home from a business trip to Hong Kong, Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) presents life-threatening symptoms that can’t be attributed to any known disease. Others quickly exhibit similar ailments,eventually resulting in a pandemic that would shut down the world. What follows is a race to find the origin and cure to prevent societal collapse. Sound familiar?
Contagionwas well-received by critics and viewers when it was released in 2011.It wasn’t until the coronavirus pandemic that the medical thrillergained popularity as viewership spikedin those first few months. AsContagionscreenwriterScott Burns told NPR, “We were trying to tell a story that was credible within the boundaries of scientific understanding, but also illuminate how our world might respond.“Contagionpresents a scenario that could (and did) unfold, making it a captivating and relatable watch from start to finish.
Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.
6'2012' (2009)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
2012is asci-fi epic in every way. Heeding the warnings of geologist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the movie follows a star-studded ensemble of characters asthey attempt to survive the literal end of the world on a biblical level. Of these characters is writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), whose quick thinking might just save his blended family from the imminent cataclysm.
Jackson serves as the movie’s central hero as he navigates societal and political disruption and the destruction of the surrounding land. In addition to this intense action,2012includes moments of heartfelt dialogue and shifting relationships between characters that balance each other out. Earthquakes. Volcanos. And eventually, a flood.2012is the ultimate “end of the world” movie.
5'28 Days Later' (2002)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle’s 2002 zombie movie was an innovative entry into the horror/sci-fi genre. As the title suggests,28 Days Laterfollows Jim (Cillian Murphy) as he wakes up from surgery in a changed world one month after a “Rage” virus took over England. What follows is a journey through cities and the countrysidewhere he meets not just victims of the Rage, but the horrors of human nature as a reaction. It’s similar tozombie stories likeThe Last of UsandThe Walking Deadin many ways.
28 Days Laterwas Murphy’s first major feature film– he had a lot to prove – and did. Murphy’s portrayal of Jim is one of fear and survival as he interacts with his surroundings and those he encounters along the way. Along with this, the movie’s soundtrack and theme song offer a haunting backdrop to the visuals on screen.28 Years Lateris set to release in the summer of 2025, expanding on the apocalyptic world. Hopefully, it’s just as perfect!
28 Days Later
Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.
4’Titanic' (1997)
Directed by James Cameron
Titanicis a disaster movie. But also a love story. It can also be considered a coming-of-age story, of sorts.James Cameron’s award-winning, record-breaking movie tells the story of Rose (Kate Winslet) and Jack’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) unlikely relationship asthey fall in love aboard the ill-fated Titanic. Although audiences already know how the story will end, the use of framing Rose’s flashbacks provides another, more personal layer.
Titanicis based on a real event, and inspired by one woman’s true story. Of course, creative liberties were taken to propel the drama and love story between Jack and Rose.But it’s this realism and fascination with the historical eventitself that captivates audiences for the entire 3-hour runtime.
A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.
3’Greenland' (2020)
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh
What begins as a normal day turns into panic whenit’s revealed to the public that a massive comet is expected to impact Earth. When the Garrity family is chosen to board a plane that sends them to a bunker, they must fight to get there against all odds.Greenlandis a classic example of racing against time; battling a global apocalypse while also narrowing in on the trials of just a few characters.
There are moments of hope and the promise of survival, but those are taken away.How do we choose who gets to live?To face imminent death? Or the third option – abandon humanity altogether and cheat their way to safety. Although it was one of the many films released straight to streaming when it was released early in the pandemic,Greenlandfound successdespite no theatrical release(both financially and ratings). This is proof enough that the movie made an impact.
2’The Impossible' (2012)
Directed by J. A. Bayona
The Impossibleis based on the true story of the 2004 earthquake, which triggered a deadly tsunami throughout Thailand and the Indian Ocean, often called the “Boxing Day Tsunami.”The deadly event resulted in more than 200,000 deaths and nearly $13 billion in damage. The movie follows one family’s relentless attempt to reunite.
DirectorJ. A. Bayonaplaces audiences at the heart of the disaster: the first wave washes away the Bennett family’s idyllic vacation and the action continues from there. Some moments can be difficult to watch, like Lucas (Tom Holland) chasing his mother through the rough waters and Maria (Naomi Watts) fighting for her life. And others that provide hope in dire circumstances, like Lucas searching through patients at the hospital and the brothers reuniting.The Impossiblesucceeds as a disaster movie by incorporating danger with moving moments. Additionally,we get to see a youngTom Holland’s first performanceon the big screen.
The Impossible
The story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
1’The Day After Tomorrow' (2004)
Global warming is rapidly altering weather patterns around the world, but nobody will listen to climatologist Jack Hall’s (Dennis Quaid) warnings. But when catastrophe strikes in Antarctica, it sends floods and ice storms around the world. Now,Jack must find a way to save his son(Jake Gyllenhaal) from a frozen New York City – a feat that seems nearly impossible.
Likemany blockbuster disaster movies,The Day After Tomorrowisn’t entirely accurate. The world can’t freeze over that quickly. But the threat is escalated for plot, and for keeping audiences engaged. The movie explores themes that viewers anticipate might soon happen. What if disaster strikes today? What will come tomorrow? It’s a clever title, and you know what to expect going into it.
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow examines the consequences of abrupt climate change as a series of extreme weather events ravage the planet. A climatologist must navigate the frozen landscape to save his son in New York, highlighting the urgency of addressing environmental challenges and the resilience of human bonds amidst adversity.
