Top 10: Best Post Apocalyptic Movies
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What will cause the inevitable Apocalypse? Historians, scientists, religious leaders and movie makers have pondered this question for years. Here are our 10 favorite post apocalytic sci-fi movies.
In regards to film making, science fiction is loaded with post-apocalyptic films with theories of viruses, natural disasters and war as cause of the Apocalypse.
The Stand
After the government unleashes an illness that destroys the majority of the earth’s inhabitants, the remaining survivors must choose whether or not to follow the efforts of a mysterious stranger who wants to dominate the new world order.
Director Mick Garris’ adaptation of Stephen King’s apocalyptic novel is applauded as one of the best adaptations of his work and adheres closely to the novel’s vision. Though made as a TV series, there were no doubt we had to include The Stand. It us simply haunting, features strong character performances, and is well-paced.
28 Days Later
Director Danny Boyle’s highly praised take on zombie horror opens with a patient awakening from a coma. The London hospital is eerily empty, and the city itself has been reduced to a dismal wasteland.
A powerful blood-born virus passes from one victim to another via a single bite, resulting in a constant state of rage and a desire to murder. Soon, the city is overrun by zombies. The film reaches terrifying heights as a handful of people struggle to survive.
Dawn of The Dead
Dawn of the Dead is a 1978 apocalyptic zombie horror film, written and directed by George A. Romero. In this classic film, a mysterious plague causes the reanimated of the dead to feed on human flesh. Survivors seek safety inside a suburban shopping mall.
Zack Snyder’s 2004 action-packed remake is characterized by the same frenetic pace and gore that thrilled fans of Romero’s graphic zombie story. The famous tagline, “When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth,” is delivered in both films.
Mad Max (Mad Max 2, Beyond Thunderdome)
A ruthless motorcycle gang rules the road in this intense futuristic work directed by George Miller. While terrorizing innocent civilians, the bikers brutalize Officer Max Rockatansky’s best friend and family. But the bikers underestimate the power of one man’s revenge.
Much of the movie focuses on Max’s rage and retaliation. Mad Max differs from many films set in the future by depicting a world that is somewhere between a modern civilization and a more barbaric world that conjures up images of medieval times.
In the sequel films, Max continues his journey as lonely hero. Both Mad Max 2 and Beyond Thunderdome are personal favorites in their way of picturing the future as an outlandish and mid evil desert wasteland.
Children of Men
In this brilliant adaptation of the futuristic novel by British mystery writer P.D. James, human beings have become infertile. In fact, in the year 2027, eighteen years have elapsed since the last baby was born. A somber and disillusioned young bureaucrat, Theo becomes an unlikely hero of the human race when his former lover asks him to escort a young pregnant woman out of the country where she can safely deliver her child.
In a thrilling race against time and obstacles, Theo takes incredible risks to reach the Human Project where the young pregnant woman will be safe. Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men is a riveting and provocative tale of a hopeless future no one would want to imagine.
Resident Evil (Apocalypse, Extinction)
Inspired by the highly successful videogame franchise, the Resident Evil series of films have always tethered between the obscene to the frankly ridiculous. Starring the wonderfully gifted, Milla Jovovich as the movie’s protagonist, Alice, the success of the first movie, which grossed $102,441,078 worldwide spurned two sequels, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Resident Evil: Extinction, with plans
for a possible fourth in the works. A CGI movie entitled Resident Evil: Degeneration was released with mixed reviews in 2008.
Wall-E
As the last robot left on earth, Wall-E is responsible for the future of earth and mankind. He’s outlived all the “Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class” robots that were assigned the task hundreds of years ago to clean up the mess that man made of the earth.
During the course of the film, Wall-E becomes smitten with EVE, the robotic probe sent to earth. He tries to impress his love interest with his collection of human memorabilia. The brilliance of this Pixar film, directed by Andrew Stanton, is the range of emotion expressed by a robot.
The Matrix Trilogy
The Matrix Trilogy presents the complete adventures of machine fighting truth-seekers Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus. The series began with 1999 release The Matrix, which won the Academy Award for Visual Effects. One groundbreaking technique is “bullet-time” photography, in which the action slows down or freezes as the camera appers to circle the characters.
The two sequels-The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions– tell a continuous story rather than being stand-alone features. The Wachowskis’ work is considered ground-breaking both in terms of visual effects and philosophical elements.
The Terminator (Judgement Day, Rise of The Machines and Salvation)
The Terminator is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron. With its only mission to annihilate humanity, the computer Skynet develops cyborg assassins– or Terminators– that appear as humans.
Judgment Day is the sequel to the original Terminator film. After the machines fail to prevent John Connor’s birth, they try to kill him as a child with a more advanced terminator.
Rise of the Machines is the 2003 sequel to Terminator 2, directed by Jonathan Mostow. A new terminator, the T-X, is sent back to kill as many of John Connor’s future lieutenants as possible.
Terminator Salvation is the fourth installment and was directed by McG. After Skynet has destroyed much of mankind, John struggles to become the leader. The Terminator series is fast-paced and action-driven science fiction at its best.
Twelve Monkeys
Inspired by Chris Marker’s short film La Jetée, Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys opens in the 2035 wasteland where a plague has forced humans to live in a squalid underground. Bruce Willis plays an outcast who is given the chance to eliminate his criminal record by agreeing to time-travel into the past to obtain a sample of the virus that may enable scientists to develop a cure.
Caught between the threats of the past and the destruction of the future, he encounters a psychiatrist who initially believes he’s insane and an odd mental patient with connections to a radical group that may have unleashed the virus. 12 Monkeys is an accomplished blend of psychological thriller and apocalyptic tragedy.
haha..you make a solid point, however saw Planet Terror and there is no way in hell that movie makes it to this list. Resident Evil Extinction was awesome and though Water World is too much of a sci-fi movie, how can I not include a movie where Kevin Costner has geels (typo?)?