Apocalyptic movies aren’t exactly manuals for survival, but they can be thought-provoking and inspiring. A very good mental practice for survival is to think what you would do in certain situations, so movies like this can really help you embrace the mindset of extreme survival and help imagine what it might be like post-apocalypse. Plus, they’re fun to watch! Here is a list of a few of the best, in no particular order:
The Day After Tomorrow
This movie depicts the effect of a massive storm on North America, as well as the harrowing struggle for survival following. Much of it follows a group of survivors in New York City, a location most will imagine being the hardest hit in any huge disaster due to its high population density and complex urban architecture.
The Book of Eli
In a post-nuclear world, this movie follows a blind man on a mission to bring a very important book to the West Coast. He fights off road gangsters, wiley cannibals, and mafia-style small-town government.
The Mad Max Movies
Films that need no introduction. Young Mel Gibson in a post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland ruled by gangs and every man-and woman-for themselves. Need I say more?
Deep Impact
This movie shows the reaction on earth as citizens prepare for a massive meteor is expected to collide with our planet. It has a particular focus on how the government prepares and doles out safety, so its very interesting in that regard.
I Am Legend
This Will Smith film had very mixed reviews, but its worth watching the story of a man living alone in New York city over run by weird grey zombies (not your average zombie film, not sure what they were going for here), so the psychological aspect of survival alone is pretty compelling, and Will Smith gives one of his better performances.
Red Dawn
A sort of alternative history flick, this is a pretty inspiring and entertaining story of Colorado teenagers who hole up in the woods following a Russian invasion of the US. A really fun and thought-provoking movie to imagine what life would be like if we were to be invaded.
The Road
Most likely the most realistic post-apocalyptic flick on this list, the realism makes it not-so-fun, but it’s still worth watching. A father and son traverse a treacherous post-apocalyptic world fighting off cannibals in search of food and fuel.
Children of Men
Another very realistic film, this shows a frightening not-too-distant future in which children are no longer being born. More pre- than post-apocalyptic, still worth watching. Only in the last few years is its intense portrayal of a Europe crippled with slews of immigrants and militarized borders so very relevant. Definitely the most pertinent to current events on this list, it will give you chills.
Zombieland
This movie probably won’t give you much insight into anything realistic, but it’s still very fun and funny. A rag tag group of people travel across a post-zombie apocalypse to visit an abandoned amusement park. A world where the power is still on, the gas is still plentiful and the zombies seem relatively easy to evade, it’s still good for lots of laughs and good old fashioned zombie fun.
Soylent Green
More of a dystopia than post-apocalyptic movie (dystopia is a whole other awesome genre of films, honorable mentions include 1984, The Matrix, Logan’s Run, Gattaca, Blade Runner, Metropolis, Clockwork Orange, Brazil, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, The Hunger Games, The Running Man and Farenheight 451, to name some of the best). Anyway, Soylent Green deserves a mention here because it shows another not-too-distant future in which resources have run out and food is strictly regulated and synthesized. Soylent Green, the most popular food is….well, I won’t ruin it.
These are some of our favorite post-apocalyptic movies for a fun night in, what are your favorites?
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Interstellar was a very good “dystopian”. Both serious and inspiring.
I like “On The Beach” a movie about Earth post- nuclear war. It involves a submarine looking for survivors who are found in Australia until a nuclear cloud hits.
The best post apocalyptic training I ever received was 10 years with the 160th SOAR (A), RASP, and 6 years with the 3rd Rangers (MOS 18D SF Medical Sergeant SOCM). Fuck cross-training. My path is probably not for everyone, but I’m ready for zombies, Russian troops trying to take over the stoners in Colorado, mutant virus infected subhumans, and CHUDs. Bring it.
Sua Sponte
RLTW
Night Stalkers Don’t Quit
I’d like to add “Tomorrow, When The War Began”. It’s basically an Aussie version of “Red Dawn”.
Don’t forget “Damnation Alley (1977)” with George Peppard and Jan Michael Vincent. Very Campy but fun to watch.
Thank you, I have seen all but Zombieland and not sure of the Scanner darkly, but yes most do give you something to think about. I also liked (one of the few) the earth movie Will smith did with his son for the changes in animals, plants and locations of habitation, after we are totally driven from our planet. Maybe giving you a reason to stop it from happening in the first place. Yes its more futuristic than our planets destiny now, but just like survival you do it because you want hope of a future for you and yours. Thanks again
One of the best movies in the post-apocalyptic genre that I’ve seen is based on a book, “Tomorrow When The War Began”, out of Australia. There’s a sequel to the movie and apparently a TV series based on the movie as well, but I believe it’s only in Australia (on ABC3, whatever that is). Here’s a trailer for the original movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KaX0F8GojI
I am also a fan of Children of Men, it was excellent. Can’t stand I Am Legend, though. The book is great, and the movie changed the very reason that the protagonist was a legend. They really dumbed it down, and that was a very poor decision. The hero of the book was a much deeper and meaningful legend by a huge measure.
@speedknob: The original 1954 novel, which “I Am Legend” is based on, was great and was the genesis of multiple movies: (Wiki) I Am Legend is a 1954 horror fiction novel by American writer Richard Matheson. It was influential in the development of the zombie genre of fiction, and in popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. The novel was a success and was adapted to film as The Last Man on Earth in 1964, as The Omega Man in 1971, and as I Am Legend in 2007, along with a direct-to-video 2007 production capitalizing on that film, I Am Omega. The novel was also the inspiration behind the 1968 film Night of the Living Dead.
How about 1983’s The Day After with Jason Robards and Steve Guttenberg. This Nuclear Holocaust movie scared the crap out of me when I was a kid, but I couldn’t get enough of it. I think I wore our video tape out. I’m sure it was the beginning of my love of disaster and apocalyptic movies.