10 Best Disaster Movies to Watch. (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Twisters has landed in theaters and is off to a flying start at the box office. The film, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, follows a group of storm chasers who have to fight for their lives after being stuck between tornados.
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the movie is being appreciated for its spectacular visuals and thrilling narrative. If you are fascinated by disaster films, here are 10 movies you should watch after Twisters.
1. The Impossible (2012)
Based on a true story, The Impossible depicts a family’s survival during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The film follows Maria (Naomi Watts), Henry (Ewan McGregor), and their three sons, who are on a holiday in Thailand when the devastating tsunami strikes. The massive wave sweeps through their resort, separating the family members. Maria and her eldest son, Lucas (Tom Holland), struggle to stay alive and find each other amid the chaos, while Henry searches for their other sons. The film was praised for the compelling direction of J. A. Bayona and the heart-wrenching performances of the cast.
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Gina Rodriguez, and Kurt Russell, Deepwater Horizon is based on the true events of the 2010 oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The story centers around the crew of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, particularly chief electronics technician Mike Williams (Wahlberg) and rig supervisor Jimmy Harrell (Russell). When a catastrophic blowout occurs due to a series of safety failures, it leads to a massive explosion and fire. The crew then faces a harrowing struggle for survival as they attempt to escape the inferno.
3. Armageddon (1998)
The highest-grossing film of the year 1998, Armageddon is a thrilling sci-fi disaster movie about a giant asteroid heading toward Earth. When NASA finds out about the asteroid, they come up with a risky plan to save the planet. They recruit Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), the best deep-core driller, and his team of roughnecks to go into space. Their job is to drill into the asteroid and place a nuclear bomb to blow it up. The team faces tough challenges and has to make big sacrifices for their mission.
4. Volcano (1997)
Volcano is an action-packed disaster film set in Los Angeles that follows Mike Roark (Tommy Lee Jones), the head of the city’s Office of Emergency Management, who discovers unusual seismic activity. Soon, a volcano erupts beneath the city, spewing lava and causing widespread destruction. Roark teams up with geologist Dr. Amy Barnes (Anne Heche) to make a plan to divert the lava flow and save the city’s residents. As the situation worsens, they face numerous challenges and risks.
5. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Featuring an impressive ensemble of Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sela Ward, Emmy Rossum, and Ian Holm, The Day After Tomorrow depicts a catastrophic climate shift caused by global warming. Climatologist Jack Hall discovers that a massive storm system is triggering worldwide superstorms and rapid temperature drops, initiating a new ice age. As extreme weather events destroy the planet, Jack’s son, Sam, is trapped in New York City. Determined to save him, Jack heads on a dangerous journey northward.
6. The Perfect Storm (2000)
Based on Sebastian Junger’s non-fiction book of the same name, The Perfect Storm follows the crew of the fishing boat Andrea Gail, led by Captain Billy Tyne, who go out to sea to catch fish but get caught in a massive storm, formed by the collision of three powerful weather systems. The storm creates enormous waves and hurricane-force winds, putting the crew in a dire situation. Due to its captivating visuals, the film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
7. Greenland (2020)
Greenland is an apocalyptic disaster film about a comet that’s on a collision course with Earth. The story follows John Garrity (Gerard Butler), a structural engineer, and his family as they receive a government alert about the impending disaster. As the comet breaks apart and causes major destruction around the world, John must find a way to get his family to a safe shelter in Greenland. The movie shows their tough journey through a world falling apart, focusing on their struggle to stay together and survive.
8. Dante’s Peak (1997)
Dante’s Peak is a disaster film about a volcano that suddenly becomes active. The movie follows Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan), a volcanologist, who comes to the small town of Dante’s Peak to check out a strange seismic activity. Even though the townspeople and officials are skeptical at first, Harry realizes the volcano is about to erupt. When it does, he and the town’s mayor, Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton), work together to save her family and the town’s population.
9. Deep Impact (1998)
Another film with the theme of a comet hitting the Earth, Deep Impact follows the efforts of scientists to prevent disaster, including a mission to space to divert the comet using a nuclear bomb. Meanwhile, people on Earth struggle to cope with the impending catastrophe. Starring Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood, Morgan Freeman, and Téa Leoni, the film focuses on the lives of several characters, including a young journalist who discovers the comet and a team of astronauts who undertake the dangerous mission.
10. 2012 (2009)
Based on the legend of the world meeting with its end in 2012, the eponymous film follows Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a writer who discovers that the world’s governments have been secretly preparing for a massive, planet-wide disaster. As earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis wreak havoc across the globe, Jackson races to save his family and secure spots on giant arks built to ensure humanity’s survival. The film highlights the chaos and destruction caused by natural disasters, as well as the resilience and determination of people fighting to stay alive.
