Every year we see some kind of a big movie hit that focuses on a natural disaster that washes away all life from the planet Earth and only a few people survive to save humanity. But the truth is, we are so technologically advanced, that we could predict if such a storm would hit, a hurricane, a meteor or whatever else it is. There isn’t going to be a natural disaster on such a wide scale that will consume the entire planet anytime soon. At least, not yet.
The idea of something like that happening to mankind truly is a very scary idea, but that does not stop our curiosity from exploring that same idea. A disaster might destroy us, but the sight of it will certainly be beautiful. Fortunately, instead of having to live through that in real life, we are blessed with hundreds of movies that depict such natural disasters very realistically.
Thanks to our knowledge and skills in VFX (virtual effects), movies have had the ability to show us what would happen after a freak accident ever since the 1920s. One of the first has to be Noah’s Ark directed by Michael Curtiz who depicted the biblical story about the flood that would take over the entire world. A few years later, we see a lot of advancement of VFX in movies which gives the ability for directors to realize their idea much easier.
Here are some of those best movies about natural disasters.
1. Twister
This 1996 epic film that was directed by Jan de Bont was one of the highest-grossing films at the time. Its accuracy of what a tornado could do to people and their homes and its power is why it deserves a place on this list. The great acting by Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton contributes a lot to the film’s ability to send you chills down your spine and forcing you to think about what you would do if you find yourself in such a situation.
It got a few nominations on the Academy Awards. One of them being for Best Visual Effects, but came up as runner-up to Independence Day which also deserves praise, but we are focusing on the more natural aspect of disasters in this article.
It follows the story of a family that has been torn apart (not literally) by an F5 tornado. The child from this family grows to become a storm chaser and a meteorologist that is faced again after 27 years with an even more powerful tornado than that one that she faced as a child. Definitely a must-watch.
2. 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0BDfOMP5rw
If you are reading this then you probably have lived through the panic and craze that occurred during 2012. The 21st December in 2012 was a date that either marked the end of the world as we know it, a sudden change in our lives that would completely alter the way we understand things or that humans would go through some kind of a spiritual or physical transformation.
The idea of something like this happening was a great opportunity for Hollywood which is why Roland Emmerich got the idea of directing and writing the scenario for this movie. The plots start with the discovery of Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is a geologist. The geologist claims that an unfortunate alignment of the planets and the sun has caused the crust of planet Earth to become completely unstable which would cause all kinds of extreme disasters that might destroy the entire humanity. The plot then starts to shift and focus on Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) who is a novelist and tries to save his family from the imminent doom. He goes through all kinds of challenges and hoops just to save his ex-wife and his child.
The plot of this movie might not be the most interesting, but the visual effects are simply so good that you cannot miss out on watching it. If you are looking for a movie that has visual effects as good as 2012, check out TheVore.com.
3. Armageddon
Directed by the legendary Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, this film’s VFX is out of this world considering that it was released in 1998. The plot follows the discovery of an asteroid that would potentially destroy the entire world with its impact. The discovery is too late and leaves no room for people to hide or save themselves in any way possible. The damage would be too much for anyone to survive, no matter how deep their bunkers would be.
Fortunately, a team of astronauts takes on a mission to detonate a nuclear bomb in the heart of the asteroid which would split it in two in the middle and miss the Earth. The acting star is Bruce Willis, supported by multiple famous actors such as Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thornton, Owen Wilson, and Ben Affleck.
If you want to see how this story ends then you should definitely give this film a watch.
5. Contagion
A medical thriller film focusing on the idea of a virus that can be transmitted even through inanimate objects. Once that object becomes contaminated, it could transfer the virus to anyone that comes into contact with it. Contagion and its cast of Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow depict this idea perfectly.
6. The Day After Tomorrow
This 2004 movie has to be one of the most popular disaster movie every writer. It was directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich and it stars actors such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian Holm, Emmy Rossum, and Dennis Quaid.
The circulation of the North Atlantic Ocean becomes disrupted which leads to events with extreme weather and finally to a new age. Everything is frozen and only a number of people are able to find shelter and survive the unbearable cold. Seeing the New York City frozen and covered in snow is a scary and a beautiful sight at the same time. The use of special effects in The Day After Tomorrow is awesome.
