8 High-Impact Disaster Movies

Don’t mess with mother nature. - 8 years ago by

Whether read on books or seen on the big screen, the appetite for disaster stories is as old as time. Although early Hollywood cinema has produced many disaster stories, however, in 1970s, the genre evolved and on-screen devastation plots became true phenomena. Today, films like The Poseidon Adventure, Airport , The Towering Inferno and Earthquake still remain ultimate disaster classics. Of course, unlimited budgets, special effects and appearance of big movie stars contributed a lot to causing the box-office craze.

What such awe-inspiring films have in common, is they raise important subjects on global matter such as rising sea levels or increase of the greenhouse gases as a result of human actions. In some poor regions of the world, crops fail year after year. Subsequently this has brought devastating famine and floods. Again, these natural disasters appear to be man-made. This fact carries one reasoning: by disturbing the ecological balance and causing end-of-the-world catastrophes, humans have tuned into the root of all evil.

San Andreas, which recently hit theaters, inspired us to take a look at the disaster film genre and mark the movies which had high impact on audience.

Twister (1996)

Released in the late 1990s Twister turned into a great hit. Unlike traditional disaster films, this one had considerably small cast, featuring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. They play a couple of tornado hunters who are not afraid to face dangers. Director Jan De Bont delights the audience by taking them on edge-of-the-seat journey offering the amazing view of deadly storms approaching. With mind-blowing modern visual effects (for the time) and thrilling Van Halen soundtrack, the film is undeniably superior, leaving the audience deeply excited. Twister became a box office hit and eventually received two Oscar nominations, which helped De Bont’s Hollywood profile grew popular. He totally deserves it, because his work did set tornado filmmaking standards very high. That is why, eight years later, Steven Quale’s  Into the Storm movie could not meet them, regardless of its star cast, featuring Hobbit‘s star Richard Armitage and Prison Break ‘s Sarah Wayne Callies.

Dante’s Peak (1997)

In 1997 Pierce Brosnan took off for a while the James Bond suit to play a vulcanologist ready to sacrifice his own life to protect a countryside town, named Dante's Peak from a sever natural disaster. His character is sent to the so-called town to examine a dormant volcano, which eventually erupts and puts the lives of the local people on grave danger. Linda Hamilton has the female leading role. The star duo, along with the some brutal and deeply intense edge-of-the seat moments, succeeds to touch the audience and win high critics acclaim. 

Armageddon/ Deep Impact  (1998)

In 1998 two remarkably-made disaster movies hit theaters: Michael Bay’s Armageddon and Mimi Ledger's Deep Impact. They both featured special effects, stellar casts and high-impact world-ending asteroid storylines, which made the competition as fierce as fire. Interestingly, it is considered that back then, these two blockbusters took the disaster film-making to the next level. 

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

When it comes to making high profitable disaster movies,  Roland Emmerich became Hollywood's #1 director for blockbusters like Independence Day, Godzilla and 2012. In  The Day After Tomorrow America is about to be destroyed. Despite the storyline is widely accused of scientific inaccuracies, the movie gained huge international success. The plot centers on the global problem of rising a new ice age in the aftermath of several cataclysmic storms. The success of the film proves that admirably talented Emmerich has done really good job tackling major environment-related issues. Evidently, there is huge appetite for plots like this.

2012

Released in 2009 Roland Emmerich’ s epic masterwork delivers another dramatic end-of-the world story. In 2012 John Cusack and his family are facing catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis, predicted by the Maya people. Three large arks appear to be the last resort for human population to survive the upcoming apocalypse. Funny thing is that only government officials and millionaires are allowed to get in these arks.

Perfect Sense (2011)

We have seen innumerable stories about pandemics, which wipe out almost entire human population and leads to the world’s end. However, David Mackenzie's Perfect Sense, featuring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green, tells one more apocalypse story, seen from a different perspective. The film centers on a blossoming love story between a doctor and a chief in times of epidemic spreading around. But this is not the traditional flick chick. The new deadly illness causes people to lose one by one their five senses: taste, smell, touch, hearing, sight. What distinguishes this story from the rest of on-screen devastation plots is that it turns out to be far more emotional and intimate. The two leading actors deliver incredibly powerful performances. Perfect Sense is unique, engaging, partly erotic and somewhat depressing drama with thought-provocative plot, for which it definitely deserves credit.

The Impossible (2012)

An excellent-made film which is definitely worth the watch. Directed by J.A. Bayona (The Orphanage ) The Impossible is inspired by a true story of a family who goes on a vacation in 2004, which turns into a nightmare. Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts play a married couple with three children who get separated by a huge tsunami that hits the coast. The Impossible tells the deeply moving story of this family’s survival. Ewan McGregor delivers one of his best performances ever. There are a few scenes where his acting is so heart-felt that it bring tear to viewers’ eyes. Naomi Watts is also highly impressive playing the mother who suffers so many injuries. More importantly, the three kinds get quite an amount of screen time. Their characters show a lot of emotions in many intense moments.

San Andreas (2015)

San Andreas is filled with earthquakes, explosions, buildings fall down, a lot of rescue scenes and great CGI effects. Only by watching the trailer you can get the general idea and see where things are going to get. Nonetheless, the movie offers jaw-dropping intense scenes and Dwayne Johnson a.k.a. The Rock plays his part pretty good. Paul Giamatti 's acting is excellent and his character is truly sympathetic. He plays a scientist who tries to find a solution - a way to predict the earthquakes. Perhaps, this movie doesn't stand on the top of the disaster movie scale, but it certainly has its merits and thrill-seekers and disaster movie lovers (and The Rock's fans as well) will totally approve it.