The mere thought of the world ending because of a disastrous incident is enough to send shivers down our spine. However, funnily enough, some people quite enjoy the genre of post-apocalyptic films. These films explore the idea of the world ending due to a natural calamity, a scientific breakthrough that went wrong, etc.
Even though they sound scary, movies of this genre are the perfect blend of action, and thrill, and give one a sense of hope. If this sounds like your cup of tea, let’s take a quick look at some great post-apocalyptic movies you should watch.
Snowpiercer (2013)
It is the year 2031, 17 years after the world decided to confront the climate catastrophe head-on with a scientific attempt to put an end to global warming. However, to their dismay, theefforts to stop global warming and engineer the ideal environment have backfired and resulted in the globe entering the ice age becoming a barren wasteland.
The only remaining inhabitants of the planet currently reside on Snowpiercer, a fast train stranded in an endless orbit over the Earth. The train is split into lower-class and upper-class sections in a classic dystopian twist, and as a mysterious message makes its way to the back of the train, it appears like a revolt is about to break out.
9 (2009)
What will be left behind after the Earth ends? To find the solution, Tim Burton’s ‘9’ follows a tiny group of sentient rag dolls attempting to elude the machines relentlessly searching for them.
Based on the same-named short story, 9 is one of the most thought-provoking and innovative post-apocalyptic films on our list. It does it by tackling important, existential topics via the unsuspecting guise of an animated film, blending gorgeous visuals with some deep and scary storyline twists.
Zombieland (2009)
A great cast, including the legendary Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, and Emma Stone, battle their way across post-apocalyptic America in the zombie comedy Zombieland.
To accomplish their destination—whether it be falling in love, getting to a spooky amusement park, or in one instance, seeking the last Twinkie in the world—the movie’s characters must fight off swarms of zombies (caused by a horrible strain of mad cow disease).
Planet of the Apes (1968)
A lone astronaut crashes and lands on an unknown planet, hoping to find survivors from a previous surface exploration mission. Still, instead, he finds himself captured by a horrifying race of intelligent beings. The astronaut learns that a civilization of intelligent apes has subjugated humanity in one of the most renowned tales ever told in a post-apocalyptic film and that returning home may be more difficult than he had anticipated.
The franchise is still alive because The Planet of the Apes’ remarkable success spawned many reboots and sequels. Most recently, the 2011 film Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its 2014 sequel addressed the history of the movie’s super-intelligent apes.
Doomsday (2008)
From the construction of Hadrian’s Wall to the creation of the deep-fried Mars bar, Scotland has experienced its fair share of conflict. Unfortunately, The Reaper Virus reduces both incidents to insignificance, resulting in Scotland’s total separation from the rest of mainland Britain.
About 27 years after the quarantine, there was an outbreak of the virus in England. The government dispatches an investigation team over the border, but they are held captive in a medieval castle minutes after they arrive.
Children of Men (2006)
Children of Men approach the end of the world differently. A sudden, unforeseen, and irreversible instance of infertility befalls humanity instead of a flood of asteroids, a strange viral breakout, or a revolt of sentient monkeys, bringing about a far more subdued end to society. The few remaining children on Earth are admired and even battled over as humanity’s future is doubtless, and the world’s aging population stagnates.
This movie adaptation of PD James’s famous book The Children of Men packs an unexpected amount of drama and action, making it a must-see for anyone who likes post-apocalyptic drama.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
‘ The Day After Tomorrow’ is a feast of climate-induced post-apocalyptic horror. The narrative follows paleo-climatologist and general doomsayer Jack Hall as he tries to persuade the world’s governments to prepare for a weather catastrophe that will change the climate. After a few hurricanes, snowstorms, and tsunamis, a new Ice Age is on the verge of engulfing the Earth and Jack’s son.
Damnation Alley (1977)
In Damnation Alley, based on the same-titled book, by Roger Zelazny, the US, and Russia deal blows at the height of the Cold War, causing the world to succumb to the effects of nuclear war.
As a result, the Earth is tilted off its axis, resulting in massive sandstorms, extremely high radiation levels, and a few gigantic, mutant scorpions for good measure.
The movie follows Lieutenant Jake Tanner and Major Sam Denton as they attempt to cross the hazardous “Damnation Alley” in search of the source of a puzzling radio message against this post-apocalyptic landscape.
Oblivion (2013)
The planet of Oblivion has seen better days; following an intergalactic conflict, Earth is now a shattered wasteland inhabited only by a few rogue aliens and the drones assigned to eradicate them.
Tom Cruise’s character Jack Harper is tasked with maintaining these drones after being sent down from the orbiting platform that houses most of the world’s population. However, after having a fortuitous encounter with a scavenger (Morgan Freeman), Jack learns that not everything is as it seems.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead, the first installment in Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s revered “Cornetto Trilogy,” is a weird and funny mashup of romance, comedy, and zombies (yeah, it’s a rom-zom-com).
Shaun, the protagonist of the movie, is having difficulty juggling his relationship with his closest buddy, his family, and his profession as a more significant zombie-related issue starts to loom in the distance. In true British fashion, he seeks safety at the only place he knows to be safe—the pub. By the next morning, a zombie apocalypse has taken over London.
This Is the End (2013)
You and your billionaire celebrity friends are hanging out at your house when you realize you have run out of cigarettes. The rapture occurs on the way to the convenience store, transforming your entire neighborhood into an end-of-the-world conflict between the forces of good and evil.
This movie answers a question that we did not ask but are amused by, what would happen to a group of funny performers (and Emma Watson) in the event of the end of the world? It does it in an incredibly rewarding way: murder, cannibalism, exorcism, and a lot of laughter.
Is Your Internet Streaming Ready?
You will not be able to enjoy these movies to the fullest if you have a slow internet connection. For this reason, we recommend looking for an internet service provider like Wave Broadband that offers decent internet speeds and a reliable internet connection. Wave offers multiple speed tiers to meet different customer requirements. Their download speeds range from 100 Mbps to 1.2 Gbps. To learn more about Wave internet plans, click here.
Final Thoughts
Post-apocalyptic movies are some of the most thrilling films that you can watch. Make sure you have an internet connection that does justice to the incredible visuals of these movies. Get in touch with Wave Broadband customer service to enjoy up to 1.2 Gbps speeds that can be perfect for HD streaming. Happy watching!