Top Ten Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic Films
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Civilization is hanging by a thread...
 | Dawn of the Dead (1979) |
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| Here's the deal with Zombies: They almost always win. You can keep them at the gates for awhile, but eventually they'll get their zombie-stomp on and overrun you and your friends. It's the natural order of the food chain. No one does zombie food buffets better than George Romero (he pretty much created the zombie genre as we know it), and he never did it better than with Dawn of the Dead, a film as hilarious as it is gross. It's also a film saturated with messages about consumerism. The world may be ending, but that doesn't mean you have to stop shopping, even after you're dead. Chance of Apocalypse via Zombie infestation: 45% | |
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 | Children of Men (2007) |
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| First of all, apocalypse genre or not, Children of Men is one of the best sci-fi films of the last 30 years. Director Alfonso Cuarón packs the script and screen with metaphor in almost every corner he can, all without wielding a cumbersome heavy hand. The story pivots around an ingenious idea for croaking the entire human race: Women can't get pregnant. The youngest person on the planet is around 20 years old. Humans know the species is circling the drain and this propels a fascinating examination of a civilization under distress. If that doesn't interest you, Children of Men also delivers some of the most jaw dropping action sequences in recent memory. Chance of Apocalypse via Failure to Knock Up Females: 20% | |
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 | Dr. Strangelove (1964) |
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| Leave it to a brilliant eccentric like Stanley Kubrick to find the humor in nuclear holocaust. There's nothing I can really say about Dr. Strangelove that hasn't already been said. It's one of the great satires of the 20th century. And frankly, I'm shocked life didn't follow art when George W. Bush was in office. Well, I guess the world can have another shot at blowing itself up if Sarah Palin ever finds herself in the war room. Chance of Apocalypse via Moronic Politicians and Military Brass Who Went a Little Funny in the Head: 90% | |
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 | Road Warrior (1981) |
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| I never bought into George Miller's post-apocalyptic world of the first Mad Max film. It seemed too normal, as if the bombs dropped, but were duds, and everyone went on riding their motorcycles. However, in the better funded sequel, Miller set the benchmark for what all future post-apocalyptic films set in a nuclear wasteland would look like: Mean, gritty, barren, and full of welded metal. For the last the last 28 years, filmmakers have borrowed and flat-out ripped off the punky visuals of The Road Warrior. Its dominating influence over the genre is enough to secure the number 1 spot. However, Miller also delivered one of the most kinetic, badass action films to ever roar across the screen. The film has a rewatch factor of 10. Chance of Apocalypse via Nukes, No Gas, and Plenty of Assless Chaps: 85% | |
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There were several films that just barely missed the cut due to whatever mood I was in when I composed this list. But now it's your turn to tell me how where I screwed the pooch and where I hit the sweet spot.
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Interesting list, but I'm confused as to which "The Rapture" you're talking about — that trailer is for a bargain-basement British production yet to be released.
@Guy Lodge: That's my fault on that one… I have never seen "The Rapture" and when I was editing together David's piece that was the only trailer I found and wrongly assumed it was the right one. He's talking about Michael Tolkin's '91 film.
Where is Matrix??
Dude the matrix is exactly a post apocalyptic movie, I mean it is, but thats not the point of it, an example of post apocalyptic is book of eli, the road, and mad max. The matrix is more of a sci-fi thriller.
Great seeing Network in there… one of my favourite films of all time. A decidedly more typical apocalyptic film by Sidney Lumet, though, is Fail-Safe, which by my estimation is a terrific film. The serious version of Dr. Strangelove, if you will. The Bedford Incident is also terrific… Moby Dick during the Cold War.
Does if have to be about Earth? Neverending Story?
I love that movie :D!
how can 12 Monkeys be there but no La Jetee?!!!! 12M was BASED entirely ON La Jetee. Thats like putting the Mark Wahlberg version of Apes over the Heston one.
kudos on the Network selection. Ned Beatty's Oscar nominated boardroom soliloquy is more apocalyptic than 50,000 mushroom clouds.
@Zeus: You are absolutely right; how can any post-apocalyptic films list not include "The Matrix." For me, the best example of doom-and-gloom in film never got any better than "Dr. Strangelove."
Here's a few other films:
(1953) The War of the Worlds
(1996) Independence Day
(2002) 28 Days Later
(2007) I Am Legend
And even though it only addresses an "almost-apocalypse," I really think M. Night Shymalan's "Signs" belongs on this list.
2007 I Am Legend?
Seriously?
Vincent Price – Last Man on Earth
Charleton Heston – The Omega Man
Much better, and still based off Richard Matheson's novel…
Independence Day and I Am Legend? You're kidding, right?
Let me add a TV mini-series, the first two hours of "The Stand".
Children of Men = OVERRATED
Decent list but how can you not have The Day After in there?
On The Beach
The Omega Man.
where's George A. Romero's The Crazies and Don DcKellar's Last Night?
Great List!! I'd put Children of Men at one, Road Warrior a close second. I was afraid that Road Warrior wouldn't make it, since I didn't think it would be number one. But that was a pleasant surprise. It also contains one of my favorite death scenes of its main villain"s".
I think you missed "When Worlds Collide", "Armageddon", and "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". You see I too don't believe in the "no win scenario." "Millennium" has the benefit of Cheryl Ladd dressed only in a man’s shirt.
How about a little humour with your devastation? A Boy and His Dog? Tank Girl? Cherry 2000?
On the Beach. Absolutely one of the best. No question it belongs on the list.
Good list. I still have not watched Children of Men. Now I have too.
Heres MY list-
http://blog.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/2009/05/28/chuck-curry%e2%80%99s-top-ten-post-apocolyptic-films/
what about "The Postman"? that movie was excellent.
@Zeus: I Know!
@Ross:
You know what, I agree! I'm honestly the only person I know (I have a ton of movie-watching friends/family) who didn't fall in love with that film. It felt like it was pandering to it's audience the whole time with this message about "hope" and "being a faith-filled savior" and whatever. Everything about the film was excellent except its moral, which it bashed into your head every 10 seconds, just in case you forgot about what movie you were watching.
The Last Wave
Time of The Wolf
where's 28 Days Later?
The Happening
Hell no
worst movie list!!!
would The Seventh Seal count?
You left far too many goodies off of your "list".
re: 2
Can't you liberal Euro-trash types ever knock it off with the Bush-bashing or the Palin-hate?
Quit kissing Obama's ass.
"The Noah".
John Carpenter's The Thing.
Half the films you guys are suggesting have nothing to do with the destruction of the world, mankind or anything else for that matter….. and matrix!!!! please go watch a proper movie! good list i agree with most if not all!
The first half of DEF-CON 4. The concept is good.
Whooa, what about "The Road". I can imagine trying to survive zombies, killer robots (Skynet), Murderous Angels, etc. but if I had to live thru this I would have wondered off into the cold night with Charlize.
tv series "Jericho" was as good as they come.
"The Road" – pretty good – 3 1/2 out of 5
"Lord of the Flies" – gotta be on there
"Southland Tales" – strange and interesting
no way is "Children of Men" in top ten – 3 out of 5
"The Book of Eli" is another new movie which was as good as "children of Men"
I agree with Ross… Children of Men is probably one of the most overrated films in movie history. Complete Rubbish! The rest of the list…spot on!
I think the new movie "The Book of Eli should be added on this list, top 5 at least. Don't care if your atheist or not. One damn good movie
Apparently it's just me but I don't understand the attraction that (admittedly) many people seem to have to Children of Men. I thought the theme had been explored before, the story a bit dull, and a few too many plot holes. In short – BLAH.
Children of men wasn't really anything special. But then again some of the other suggestions here like The Road and Book of Eli weren't really anything special either. Where's A Boy and His Dog? That's my #1
Three from the UK that might not qualify for the list on grounds of not precisely being movies, but will almost certainly be right up the alley of anyone reading this list.
The War Game (1965) – Banned for many years a dramatised documentary highlighting the ridiculous nature of plans for the UK under a nuclear attack. Manages to be both quaint and frightening. (No games of tic-tac-toe in this one folks).
Threads (1984)- Half documentary, half drama this pulls no punches and makes "The Day After" look like a Disney movie.
Have a stiff drink to hand and be glad we lived through the eighties. The most disturbing thing I watched as a teen.
When The Wind Blows (1986) – Genuinely creepy this cartoon by Raymond Briggs follows an old couple preparing for and dealing with a nuclear blast by following the instructions in the governments informational booklets. Horribly bleak.
Bit Torrent 'em today – quiver watching 'em tomorrow.
just to correct you,
the FIRST MAD MAX movie is NOT a POST APOCALYPTIC movie.
It's a future dystopian, disastrous and "living in the middle of the apocalypse" movie.
It's based ont the future Australia. the Aussies have gone mad and it's almost the end of the world… NOT YET!
BUT
the movie has too many flaws and it wasn't very exciting as the second.
loved Road Warrior
now THAT'S what I call an epic sci fi adventure PA movie!
The Road was a good book and an ok movie
Book of Eli isn't as great as I thought
LOTF was terrible. the book is so much better.
I liked RW the best.
holy shit! THE MATRIX!!!
I have been looking for the name of a Japanese post-apocalyptic drama film which was their version of "On the Beach". It was made I believe in the 1960's but maybe earlier or later than then. I saw it one time and would like to see it again but it was 20 years ago and I can't remember the name. If anyone knows this film's name please let me know.
The Japanese film was called Virus, good film. From wikipedia
1980 post-apocalyptic science fiction movie directed by Kinji Fukasaku and based on a novel written by Sakyo Komatsu. The movie starred Masao Kusakari, George Kennedy, Robert Vaughn, Chuck Connors, Olivia Hussey, Edward James Olmos, Ken Ogata, Glenn Ford and Sonny Chiba. The film is notable for being the most expensive Japanese film ever made at the time.
Hey all just wanted to offer and update to this well put together list of movies and tv shows that are of value one or both the apocalyptic post apocalyptic nature,
Reguarding Tv Shows that i have followed and more than likely downloaded. I would like to submit,
1. The walking Dead,
2. Falling Skies,
3. Survivors
4. The colony, Though this is less fictional and more reality.
5. jerhico,
6. Tera Nova, Which is a poor excuse for an end of the world type of show but is still in the mix.
Reguarding updates to movies,
1. The Road,
2, The Book Of Eli
3, Carriers,
4. I am Legend,
5. The Road,
6. The Book Of Eli,
7. The Day after Tommorrow,
8. Knowing,
9. 2012
10. Children Of Men
11. Sunshine
12.A Boy And His Dog, Which many want to see remade with todays special effects,
13. 28 Days Later
14. 28 Weekds Later,
15. Dawn Of the dead
16. day of the dead,
17. The Post man
18. Water World
19. Blindness, though the ending has far too much happy for me.
20. The happening,
21. Armageddon,
22. Deep Impact
23. The Day the earth Stood still.
24. Zombie land, Humorous look at the end of the world zombie movies
25. All the resident evil movies,
26. The core
27. and ive been told vanishing on 7th street was good but have yet to check it out.
Any other suggestions are aprecieated and im open to more ideas on tv series that i have missed.