Catastrophic movies that show what would happen if nature rebelled against people have a special kind of charm. For one, they often introduce concepts that have their base, in reality, threats that might easily become true under different circumstances.
And they also include a lot of action and heroes that have to fight for their lives and lives of their loved ones, if not the entire planet, which makes it fascinating to watch. The 2015 film San Andreas is one such movie since its main hero, played by Dwayne Johnson, goes to save his daughter from an earthquake. He's not alone as other movie characters have had to fight cataclysmic events caused by nature in order to survive.
Earthquake (1974)
Films about dangerous earthquakes are not an invention of the 21st century. This movie called accurately Earthquake came out at a time when natural disaster movies were going through a boom. It offers a look at what happens when a devastating earthquake hits Los Angeles. The film is not only decent when it comes to special effects but also has a cast filled with superstars of the time - Charlton Heston and Ava Gardner, to name just two.
2012 (2009)
Roland Emmerich is an uncrowned king of catastrophic movies so it won't come as a surprise that his name will appear on this list more than once. The 2009 film 2012 focuses on a world in which solar flares from the Sun heat up the Earth's core which causes a series of catastrophic seismic and meteorological events. The film focuses on the destruction as a whole but still gives space to some of the actors, most notably Chiwetel Ejiofor and Woody Harrelson.
Deep Impact (1998)
The 1998 film became a classic of sorts. It might not be the best film ever made but it's still impressive enough and offers destruction on a large scale. A comet is approaching the planet, and no matter what the scientists and other officials do to try and stop the comet from colliding with Earth, there's no easy solution. Unlike other catastrophic films, Deep Impact not only presents the catastrophe but also how it influences people and their families.
The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961)
Even back in the early 1960s, society realized that the planet is going through more than just weather changes and unless they're very careful, it won't necessarily be a change for the better.
This grim British film tells a story of nuclear tests that sent the Earth off its axis which means that the planet is being pulled in by the Sun. The special effects have aged a little but the atmosphere of the film is still strong even though some viewers may consider the film too chatty.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Roland Emmerich returns and he destroys the Earth once again. One almost has to ask what the poor planet did to him... In this epic catastrophic film, the Earth plunges into a new Ice Age which means a lot of danger for anybody caught in nature's crossfire. What makes this film very similar to San Andreas is the fact that its main hero, played by Dennis Quaid, is trying to save his child as well, even though his son (Jake Gyllenhaal) is stranded in Manhattan, not Los Angeles.
Crawl (2019)
It might seem that it's always parents who are trying to save their kids... but sometimes it's the other way around. Crawl focuses on Haley (Kaya Scodelario) who goes home to Florida to help her dad since the place is about to be hit by one of the biggest hurricanes of the last few decades. But she will have to face not only a flooded basement but also hungry alligators. Crawl is more confined than other movies on this list in the sense that it orients primarily on Haley and her dad, but that doesn't make it any less intense.
Pompeii (2014)
Ready for some historical catastrophe? The fate of the Pompeii is one of the most iconic and well-known natural tragedies noted in the history of mankind.
In this case, the film tells a story of a young gladiator (Kit Harington) who falls in love with a girl way out of his league without realizing what's about to happen to their home. It's fast-paced and even though the critics mostly tore the film down, it might still be of interest to all fans of catastrophic movies.
The Perfect Storm (2000)
One has to love films whose titles immediately tell what the story will be about, no? The Perfect Storm is... surprise, surprise... about a large storm. Wolfgang Petersen directs this film about a fishing boat that encounters the storm while out in the sea. The effects look great even today and the tension the crew of the ship is going through is almost palpable.
The Wave (2015)
Most films on this list were made in the USA so let's give proof that European filmmakers can also make a good catastrophic film. This Norwegian film is inspired by real events and it captures what happens when an entire mountain collapses into a fjord which then creates a tsunami. Needless to say, the consequences aren't pretty for the film's heroes but fascinating for the audience to watch.
The Towering Inferno (1974)
This list started with a film from 1974 so it's only poetic it should also end with one. The Towering Inferno is even more of an undeniable classic than Earthquake - and not only because it stars Steve McQueen and Paul Newman in one of their best life roles. The film was nominated for an Oscar and it tells the story of a San Francisco skyscraper that catches fire, and of all the people who happen to be in the skyscraper and/or are trying to solve the crisis.