For decades, Hollywood has derived blockbuster drama from natural disasters both real and
imagined.
From the all-star disaster movie classics of the '70s through the effects-driven spectacles
of more recent decades, there's nothing quite like the thrill of watching things go horribly
awry from the comfort of your couch or local cineplex.
In the interest of saving you some time — since, as these films remind us, the clock is indeed
ticking for us all — here's a look at some disaster films that simply can't be missed.
The Poseidon Adventure
2006's Poseidon was a regrettable remake of 1972's The Poseidon Adventure and should be
ignored at all costs.
However, the original, about a group of luxury liner passengers trapped in an upside-down
vessel that's slowly but surely sinking, is well worth wading through.
Anchored by Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters, the film presents a gripping look at what
might happen to a group of well-off vacationers when a tidal wave capsizes their ship and
leaves them scrambling for escape from a watery grave.
Special effects have obviously evolved since then, but the patient pace and fully realized
characters are increasingly rare among the modern crop of blockbuster action movies.
"I started to believe in your promises, that we had a chance."
The Towering Inferno
Starring Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, and Fred Astaire, The Towering Inferno
was star-studded to say the least.
The film centers on the blazing drama that spreads after the world's tallest building
— the Glass Tower — goes up in flames after an electrical circuit goes haywire during
the Tower's dedication ceremony.
The blaze leaves entire families trapped dozens of stories above the ground.
And beneath the obvious appeal of The Towering Inferno's survival story is a cutting commentary
on corporate greed and the true cost of the bottom line.
Alive
Inspired by a real-life Uruguayan rugby team who were stranded in the snow-capped Andes
mountains after their small plane crashed, Alive is a chillingly raw depiction of the
group's efforts to survive the accident — and the cruel climate where they were stranded.
Based on Piers Paul Read's written account, the movie spares no bitter details about what
these athletes had to do to crawl through each day until rescue arrived.
From the drawn-out suffering of gangrene and frostbite to their desperate decision to nourish
themselves on the flesh of the fallen, the fact that it's based on a true story makes
the cinematic experience that much more unsettling.
Outbreak
At a time when the spread of communicable diseases was a growing social concern, thanks
in large part to the uncertainty surrounding AIDS, Wolfgang Petersen's Outbreak capitalized
on those fears spectacularly.
"Dammit, Sam I wanna save these people same as you."
Thanks to its deadly virus going airborne and remaining undetectable until symptoms
started presenting in infected patients, Outbreak made everyone a potential threat — and showcased
the societal collapse and militaristic governmental oppression that could so easily unfold in
the wake of such a threat.
It wasn't the first or last film to explore such a viral phenomenon, but the climate of
the film's release, combined with the breadth of its fictional disease's impact, made it
a must-see.
Daylight
The brawny action prowess of Sylvester Stallone in his prime in Rob Cohen's Daylight offered
a spectacular foundation for Sly the Savior at his best.
Stallone starred as a former EMS medic who puts himself in harm's way to help those who
became trapped in New York's Holland Tunnel after a group of diamond thieves crash into
a chemical waste truck, triggering an explosion.
It all adds up to an action-packed race against time — and the Hudson River — set in an
eerie darkness.
Twister
This pic might be best remembered for its giant storms and special effects, but Twister's
superior acting and emotional subplots are what made the movie such a standout.
Sure, the dialogue can get a little silly …
"Cow!"
"I gotta go, Julia, we got cows!"
But for the most part, Twister does a terrific job of balancing human drama — like a dissolving
marriage and a character's childhood trauma — against the effects-driven chaos audiences
demand from a film about tornado chasers.
It's still very easy to be swept up in, even decades later.
Dante's Peak
Audiences had their pick of magma-movies in 1997, with Dante's Peak and Volcano both erupting
in quick succession at theaters.
But whereas Volcano threatened the entire metropolitan area of Los Angeles, Dante's
Peak benefited from a narrower focus, zooming in on a small town and letting viewers get
to know and care about its characters.
Additionally, Peak's hero relied on his scientific expertise, rather than sheer bravado.
And while Volcano leans heavily on ordinary action movie conventions to carry the plot
along, Dante's Peak offers some upsettingly creative scenes of chaos that still hold up
even now.
Deep Impact
Mimi Leder's Deep Impact was miles above Michael Bay's Armageddon.
Rather than relying on a ridiculous action thriller fantasy of sending cowboy oil drillers
into space — y'know, instead of actual astronauts — Deep Impact actually relied on the expertise
of scientists, and it shows.
More importantly, the movie wasn't just about showcasing the heroism of a few astronauts,
but focused on the scattered impact and personal sacrifices that could result from impending
doom in various parts of the world.
There are still some efforts to thwart the rock from colliding with Earth, of course,
but the most memorable moments are grounded in the smaller-scale drama that holds the
sci-fi action together.
The Wave
Plenty of disaster movies have used avalanches or tsunamis to fuel the action, but Roar Uthaug's
The Wave stands out due to its stunning cinematography and its main characters' intensely affecting
arc.
Nothing about the movie is particularly groundbreaking, but its obedience to formula is easy to forgive
thanks to Uthaug's visual style and a screenplay that's driven as much by its relatable characters
as it is by the titular catastrophe.
The Impossible
The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 cost hundreds of thousands of human lives and leveled coastlines
in over a dozen countries.
Any movie that dared to dramatize this real-life disaster would have to deal with the story
sensitively — and J.A. Bayona's The Impossible did just that.
The film waded through the endless misery of the story to find a glimmering, albeit
somewhat controversial, piece of hope in the Belon family, who defied the odds and managed
to survive the storm.
As with all the best disaster movies, the viewing experience can be grueling, but it
pays inspiring dividends.
And as a bonus?
Check out the young Spider-Man!
*screaming*
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