Only A Movie Buff Can Name These Disaster Movies
- by Jessica Rae
- – on
- in Movies and TV
What is it about disaster movies that makes them so much fun to watch? Are we all just sickos who like to imagine what such chaos and destruction would look like? Are we all, deep down, just nasty pessimists, wishing for the worst possible outcome while we scoff down tubs of popcorn? Well, maybe some of us are!
Or maybe, we love disaster movies because these type of films almost always have survivors; those brave enough to tough it out against whatever life throws at them. From earthquakes to tornados, from fighting off zombies to surviving the force of a tsunami wave; most disaster movies are really stories of courage, dressed up with special effects to look like action movies.
In these movies, a disaster of some kind is the basis for the plot. These can range from natural disasters like floods, volcanos, earthquakes, or tsunamis, to accidents like explosions, shipwrecks, or worldwide pandemics. Disaster movies can sometimes have a sci-fi theme too, such as an alien invasion, or a horror theme, like a zombie apocalypse.
Whatever type of disasters you like, you'll agree that these movies always keep you on the edge of your seat. If you think you're a fan, why not see if you can get 100% on this quiz?
Can you name this movie?
Do you recognize this group of debate club students? They went on an out of state trip right in the middle of an epic storm and became trapped in a library, forced to burn books for warmth while they waited for someone to rescue them. This disaster film showed just what could happen if the Earth suddenly started to cool down It received high praise although some critics were quick to point out the numerous scientific inaccuracies. Can you name this 2004 disaster flick?
Can you name this movie?
In this 2007 disaster/apocalypse film, Will Smith plays the lead role of Robert Neville, a brilliant scientist and one of the last survivors of a plague that transforms humans into bloodthirsty zombie-like mutants. Besides from these monsters and his faithful dog, Robert is all alone in New York City working on finding a cure for the disease (by using his own immune blood) and trying his best to survive, and not go mad from isolation. Can you name this movie?
Can you name this movie?
Disaster paired with a romance story seems to be a winning combination - at least in the case of this 1997 movie. Until the release of Avatar (also by James Cameron) in 2010, this film was the highest-grossing movie of all time and with incredible performances from Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading roles, it's not surprising at all. Admit it; every time you hear 'My Heart Will Go On' by Celine Dion, you still think of this movie, don't you?
Can you name this movie?
Here's something you might not know about this epic 2005 alien invasion movie: it was based on a book written by legendary author H.G Wells in 1897 (more than 100 years ago!) and it's considered to be one of the very first pieces of alien invasion literature ever produced. The book has never been out of print and spawned dozens of feature films, radio dramas, a record album, various comic book adaptations, and a television series. At the start of the new millennium, the story enjoyed another revival, this time with Tom Cruise in the lead role.
Can you name this movie?
This Micheal Bay directed science fiction disaster film was the highest grossing film of 1996 even though it received heavy criticism for not being scientifically accurate. In this story, a group of blue-collar deep-core drillers is sent into space by NASA to try and stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course with Earth. The ensemble cast included Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, William Fichtner, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Steve Buscemi. Can you name the movie?
Can you name this movie?
Remember how people got so worked up over the ending of the Mayan calendar a couple of years ago? There were people who genuinely thought it meant the end of the world! Well, this movie capitalized on those fears with a plot set against the backdrop of total global collapse. In this story, a writer (John Cusack) has to try and save his family by getting onto a special ark. The only problem is, they don't have tickets. Remember this one?
Can you name this movie?
The zombies are coming and they are hungry for brains! And in this 2013 sci-fi film, the only man who might be able to save everyone on the planet from these mindless monsters is former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane (played by Brad Pitt). Lane and his family are stuck in gridlock traffic when the city around them suddenly descends into chaos. As the pandemic threatens to consume humanity Lane must search the world on behalf of the U.N to find a cure.
Can you name this movie?
If you need a man to save the day, look no further than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson! In this film, he takes the lead as a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter-rescue pilot amidst a spectacular natural disaster. He's one of the few people able to rise above the situation (literally) and it's up to him to save his family. If you like epic disaster films with great special effects and lots of action, this 2015 movie should be one of your favorites.
Can you name this movie?
The heroine in this movie finds herself in a bizarre situation. After she leaves her boyfriend she has a car accident and loses consciousness but when she awakens she finds herself in a strange man's basement. This man claims that he saved her and says that something terrible has happened outside. He's not sure exactly what but by the looks of things he's been preparing for this day for some time. But is he telling the truth? You'll only find out by watching to the end...
Can you name this movie?
If you can't get this one right then you have no business calling yourself a disaster movie fan! In this epic adventure film, terror quickly spreads across the globe as hundreds of massive alien spaceships begin to appear in the skies. Soon it becomes clear that the invaders have one intention alone and that is to destroy humanity. This film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing. A sequel to the film was released in 2016.
Can you name this movie?
This is a recent disaster film, just released in 2017. It stars a few big name actors including Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Richard Schiff, Abbie Cornish, Alexandra Maria Lara, Robert Sheehan, Daniel Wu, and Andy García. In this movie, Gerard Butler plays the role of a satellite designer who heads up the creation of climate-controlling system using satellites after the Earth is pummeled by a series of epic storms. But someone decides that these satellites could also be used as weapons and that's when things start to go wrong.
Can you name this movie?
If you like your disaster movies with a touch of dark comedy then you will instantly recognize this movie. Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, this disaster black comedy horror film featured real-life actors, like James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, and Michael Cera playing fictionalized versions of themselves in the aftermath of a global apocalypse of biblical proportions. Could this be the end? It might be if you can't name this funny disaster movie!
Can you name this movie?
Kit Harington rose to prominence playing the role of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones and he's also started to branch out into films. In 2012 he appeared in his first film Silent Hill: Revelation and in 2014 he starred in this romantic historical disaster film. The storyline for the film was inspired by a real-life natural disaster that occurred during the time of the Roman Empire. Harington pulled out all the stops for this role with a grueling training regimen in order to bulk up.
Can you name this movie?
In this 1996 natural disaster movie, a storm hunter named Jo Thornton (played by Helen Hunt) is determined to find a new way to track and monitor tornados. Her passion stems from an incident as a child when she barely survived F5 tornado. The storm season is set to begin when her estranged husband Bill "The Extreme" Harding (played by Bill Paxton) shows up with divorce papers that he wants Jo to sign, something that she is reluctant to do. Can you name the movie?
Can you name this movie?
This biographical disaster film was based on a non-fiction book written in 1997. The movie tells the tragic real-life story of a group of fisherman abroad the Andrea Gail, a fishing vessel that was lost at sea during a massive storm in 1991, with no survivors. The film starred George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, William Fichtner, and John C. Reilly, and was released on June 30, 2000. It was a sad story but also uplifting in a way, definitely worth a watch if you've never seen it.
Can you name this movie?
This film was based on the incredible true story of Maria Belon, a woman who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Belon and her family were on holiday in Thailand when the massive wave hit and despite being severely injured she and her family managed to make it to safety. Belon provided her story as the basis for this disaster film and even chose Naomi Watts to portray her in the movie. Watts went on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for this role.
Can you name this movie?
If a comet was speeding towards the world on a collision course which would cause billions of deaths, do you think the government would tell people about it? In this movie, the people of Earth are facing just such a crisis and the president is trying to keep the truth from getting out and causing mass panic. Instead, he's pinning his hopes on a team of astronauts who are trying to land on the comet and destroy it with explosives.
Can you name this movie?
In this 1997 summer film, Tommy Lee Jones plays the role of Mike Roark, an Emergency Management department head who is forced to return from his vacation when a massive earthquake devastates the city of Los Angeles. He's soon joined by geologist Dr. Amy Barnes (played by Anne Heche) who warns that a volcano may be forming in sewer tunnels. And it's long before the molten lava starts flowing down the street! It's up to the two lead characters to think of a solution.
Can you name this movie?
The premise of this film was quite simple: scientists discover that a sharks brain might contain a cure for Alzheimer's so they decide to use genetic experimentation to breed bigger sharks with larger brains. This doesn't sound like a problem, right? Well, it turned out to be a big mistake, especially for the people trapped on the remote sea base with these mankillers. The sharks manage to break free and begin to stalk the research staff. Do you remember this one?
Can you name this movie?
Is there anything more terrifying than the thought of being onboard a sinking ocean liner? Knowing that even if you somehow manage to escape, you're still in the middle of the open ocean? That's the predicament the characters in this movie faced when a massive rogue wave struck the luxury liner they were traveling in. Those who survived the initial impact have only one choice; to survive they must get to the bottom of the overturned boat and escape before it fills with water and sinks.
Can you name this movie?
Have you ever had a nightmare where you found yourself alone in the world? As if everyone else had just disappeared? Well, that was exactly what the main character in this movie experienced, only for him it wasn't just a dream. Following a bicycle accident, Jim, a courier, is admitted to hospital. He falls into a coma and when he finally awakens he finds the hospital completely deserted. Do you remember the name of this 2002 British post-apocalyptic disaster/horror film?
Can you name this movie?
Are you ready for the invasion of the zombies? Because everyone seems to think it's coming soon. Maybe that has something to do with popular zombie movies like this 2004 film. It was actually based on a film of the same name made way back in 1978 but with better special effects it was much scarier! It's the ultimate survival/disaster story plot, with a group of survivors trapped inside a mall, while a horde of hungry zombies surrounds the place.
Can you name this movie?
In this 2000 film Peter Garrett (played by Chris O'Donnell) decides to quit climbing after his father dies during one of their expeditions. He feels responsible for his father's death but his sister (Robin Tunney) goes on to become of the world's best climbers. She is hired by a wealthy businessman to lead an expedition but a severe storm causes them to become trapped on a steep mountain. It's then up to Peter to assemble and lead a rescue crew, racing against the clock to get to them before it's too late.
Can you name this movie?
Yes, that's Pierce Brosnan but this was no James Bond movie! In this 1997 disaster flick, Brosnan plays the role of a United States Geological Survey volcanologist sent to investigate a site located in a small American town. He believes that the volcano that towers over the town is dormant but that soon changes when he finds a few hikers boiled to death in the hot springs. Things heat up quickly and Brosnan needs to act fast in order to save the town residents.
Can you name this movie?
Movies based on real-life events are sometimes even more shocking than those that are pure fiction. And this movie was one of them. This film showed just what can happen when corporate greed is allowed to run rampant and unchecked - people die. Starring among others Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, and Dylan O'Brien this 2016 disaster film recreated the real-life tragedy that unfolded in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010. Do you recall the name of this one?