Do you notice that apocalyptic movies have their own brand of power? They just mix the creeping dread that horror movies give up with the adrenaline rush that disaster movies bring. That is why most of us will definitely feel a pulse-racing suspense one time or another while watching these sort of films. While videos are considered to be our little break from reality, sometimes we just want to watch some movie where everything comes crumbling down. Whether it is an outbreak of the plague, a zombie invasion, or a nuclear war. That is why in this article, we are going to list down the 20 most notable post-apocalyptic films for you to binge-watch.
The Road (2009)
This film was based on the novel of the same name that was written by Cormac McCarthy. We have to admit, it’s kind of hard to find a post-apocalyptic film that is bleaker, darker, and more horrifying than this movie. The Roads stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee, who plays a father and son duo that were going through the deserted and gray destroyed world. They had already gone through several heartbreaks when the world collapsed, but they are in for a whole lot of sadness and terror as they walk their way through the road of survival.
A Boy and His Dog
This post-apocalyptic film shows the story of a young boy named Don Johnson who was on the journey with his telepathic dog while they are searching for food and women in a world that is inhabited by raiders and underground societies.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
This movie follows the story of Dodge Petersen, who was played by Steve Carell when he was divorced by his wife at the same time they heard the news that an asteroid was heading towards the Earth. He then sets off to find a new someone he could spend the rest of the days that the Earth had left. Just before he started his journey, his neighbor, who was played by Keira Knightley, decided to join him. Then who knew a person can find his one true love even if the world is ending?
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road depicted a colorful and exciting apocalypse. Tom Hardy played the role of Max, who was working hand in hand with a rebellious woman named Furiosa, who was played by Charlize Theron. Mad Max: Fury Road is a post-apocalypse film that is filled with nitro and grit.
Daybreakers
This film is a science-fiction action horror film that was directed by Peter and Michael Spierig. It happens after a plague that was caused by an infected bat transforms almost all of the world’s population into immortal vampires. Ethan Hawke plays the role of a hematologist who is trying to make substitute blood with two hidden humans.
28 Days Later
This film follows the story of Cillian Murphy, who woke up in London 28 days later after a zombie outbreak took over the world. However, the zombies were no ordinary zombies because they can turn a healthy person into a zombie in just one second with only one bite. This film is fast and intense. Plus, it is set in a fantastically, frightening atmosphere.
Children of Men
This film is a stylishly shot version of a depressing future. The film is set in the future where no babies were born in eighteen years, and the world has gone mad. It follows the story of a civil servant, who was played by Clive Owen, who discovered that there’s a pregnant woman among them.
10 Cloverfield Lane
10 Cloverfield Lane tells the story of a post-apocalypse world where giant monsters lurk. It shows how paranoia slowly grows while three strangers stay in an underground bunker while hiding from the giant monsters that lurk outside.
These Final Hours
This film is set a few hours before the end of the world in Australia. It follows the story of how James is conflicted about his girlfriend being pregnant, but he wants to go back to her and hold her one last time before the world ends. While he was on his way to go back, he encounters several problems along the way.
Dawn of the Dead
This film tells the story of a group of people that is in a house and ends up in a mall while holding off zombies with store gates and everything they can find in a mall. This is an exhilarating movie that has an amazing commentary on consumerism as the zombies make their way into the mall.
The World’s End
The World’s End tells the story of a group of friends, which was portrayed by Nick Frost, Simon Pegg, Simon Freeman, and Paddy Considine, who decided to embark on an epic pub crawl in their hometown just for them to relieve their youth before the world ends. For a post-apocalyptic film, this offers some laugh and deep social commentary.
This is the End
This film is another comedy take on the post-apocalyptic genre, and it stars James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jonah Hill, where they play fictionalized versions of themselves as they survive their way through the biblical apocalypse. This movie will get you soughing out loud while you’re watching it.
Left Behind
This film was based on the novel of the same title that was written by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. Left Behind stars Chad Michael Murray and Nicholas Cage as survivors who were left behind when half of humanity suddenly vanish, which cause destruction and chaos to the world.
How it Ends
This movie is about two men who do not get along but eventually found their common ground when an unexplainable disaster happened, and they must work together in order to find their way back home. It stars Forest Whitaker and Theo James.
Day of the Dead
This film is also a part of George A. Romero’s Dead series, which also includes the movie Dawn of the Dead. This film took the fight for survival to an underground bunker and featured a more gore take on the nature of zombies. This is one of the classic zombie films, so don’t forget to include this on your list.
Twelve Monkeys
12 Monkeys were directed by Terry Gilliam, and it stars Bruce Willis living in the post-apocalyptic world and trying to prevent it as well because he was tasked to time travel by an underground society. He was asked to travel back to time to stop the plague from happening.
Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
This movie is considered to be one of the most satirical and quotable takes on nuclear war. How could anyone forget because it was delivered by amazing actors. This movie also featured one of the most iconic juxtaposition in an end-of-the-world film by playing “We’ll Meet Again.” At the same time, there’s footage of mushroom clouds.
Zombieland
In this movie, Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson teach you everything you need to know on how to survive in a world full of zombies. Aside from that, they also have some awesome girls with them to help them try and save humanity. This is an excellent post-apocalyptic film that should belong to your binge-watch list.
Snowpiercer
This movie is about the Earth turning into a frozen wasteland, and the last people on Earth are living on a train that is going on perpetual motion. Snowpiercer stars Chris Evans who leads the people from the weaker back car of the train caste system to rebel against the elites that were living towards the front of the train.
The Darkest Dawn
The Darkest Dawn is a British science fiction film that is about two teenage sisters who are trying to survive in a country that is falling into an alien apocalypse. They are forced to choose between brutality and humanity as they are trying to escape the apocalypse.