6 Must-Watch Disaster Films

An undertaking so massive, that it required two studios—Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox—to join forces, setting aside competition to create ‘The Towering Inferno’. Instead of duelling over the rights to two novels, ‘The Tower’ and ‘The Glass Inferno’, the studios combined their resources under John Guillermin's direction. The film, featuring Hollywood legends like Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, depicts the catastrophic fire in the world's tallest skyscraper, setting a new standard for disaster movies.

 

"Hell, Upside Down" perfectly sums up ‘The Poseidon Adventure’, where a capsized cruise ship forces a group of passengers, led by Reverend Scott (Gene Hackman), to battle their way out. As they navigate through floodwaters and fires, the film delves into themes like divine intervention versus self-motivation, and the struggle between faith and survival. With a cast including Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters, and Red Buttons, the movie explores more than just survival—it's a profound test of faith and human resilience.

 

No list anticipating ‘Twisters’ would be complete without the original ‘Twister’. Directed by Jan de Bont, fresh off the success of Speed, the film delivers high-adrenaline action and thrives on the chemistry between its stars, Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. As storm chasers test a tornado alert system amidst a violent storm, the film emphasizes character relationships over exposition. Supported by a strong cast, including Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cary Elwes, ‘Twister’ is an ode to filmmaking, where the tornados serve as a powerful unifying force in a story about dedication and teamwork.

 

The summer of asteroids saw ‘Deep Impact’ and ‘Armageddon’ dominate the box office, but Michael Bay's ‘Armageddon’ ultimately captured audiences with its flag-waving triumph and ode to blue-collar heroes. The film’s simple yet gripping plot, featuring NASA hiring deep core drillers to destroy a Texas-sized asteroid, combined with familial tension and an all-star cast including Bruce Willis, Liv Tyler, and Ben Affleck, made it a standout disaster movie. Aerosmith’s iconic power ballad “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” further cemented ‘Armageddon’ as a classic summer blockbuster.

 

Mimi Leder’s ‘Deep Impact’ often gets overshadowed by the other asteroid film of 1998, but it stands strong on its own merits. The film follows teenager Leo Biederman (Elijah Wood) and journalist Jenny Lerner (Téa Leoni) as they uncover an impending asteroid threat to Earth. With a team of astronauts led by Spurgeon Tanner (Robert Duvall) racing to save humanity, ‘Deep Impact’ delivers an emotional, empathetic look at humanity’s response to impending disaster, highlighting the importance of human connection, forgiveness, and love amidst global catastrophe.

 

Adam McKay’s ‘Don’t Look Up’ stands out as a satirical take on disaster movies, packed with an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Meryl Streep. Unlike traditional disaster films that showcase global unity in the face of catastrophe, ‘Don’t Look Up’ imagines a world too distracted by celebrity culture, memes, and greed to take action against an impending asteroid. The film highlights the grim reality of a society ignoring disaster until it’s too late, offering a sobering reflection on our current political and cultural landscape.