Top 10 Movies That Prove Mother Nature Shouldn’t Be Underestimated

Natural disasters are no joke. They can tear through buildings with ease, destroy entire towns like they’re nothing, and ruin the lives of millions in one fell swoop – all in the space of as little as a few minutes. Sometimes it can be tough to imagine, but time and time again, the mighty mother nature has proven its unforgiving power.

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At this point, we know not to underestimate the force of nature, but that doesn’t stop it from leaving behind heartache, despair, and all-around destruction in its path for us to pick up the pieces. And while the real thing is incredibly daunting, movies like the true story The Perfect Storm and the dramatized San Andreas have done a brilliant job of capturing the brutality and devastation that natural disasters can leave behind in their wake.

‘2012’ (2009)

2009’s 2012 dramatizes the cataclysmic events that could have occurred in the 2012 phenomenon that was supposed to bring on the end of the world. From earthquakes, megatsunamis, volcanic eruptions, including the catastrophic events that would happen if the Yellowstone Super Volcano blew, and even global floods.

The movie gets its name from the destruction that never was when the world was predicted to end on December 21st, 2012. Despite its box office success and even becoming the highest-grossing movie of 2009, it wasn’t very well received among critics. However, it does show that if an apocalyptic threat ever were to happen, we’d be pretty defenseless in stopping it.

‘Into The Storm’ (2014)

While often compared to its 1996 predecessor Twister, 2014’s Into The Storm stands out for one reason – the found footage meteorological disaster film is told mostly through the eyes of a camera lens. It’s an almost first-hand look as to what it could be like to experience one of the earth’s most destructive natural disasters up close and personal.

With special effects that almost make you feel as though you’re experiencing the storm in real life, Into The Storm may have been poorly received among critics, but its visuals are phenomenal. If you’re a fan of found footage and natural disaster movies, then this Steven Quale-directed feature will be right up your alley.

‘Only The Brave’ (2017)

2017’s Only The Brave tells the heartbreaking true story of a group of firefighters specially trained in tackling wildfires. Behind the film are the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of twenty firefighters certified specifically in wildfire management. Of those twenty, only one survived the devastating dry lightning-caused Yarnell Hill Fire on July 1st, 2013.

A box office bomb but critically acclaimed, the movie was praised and considered a touching tribute to the Hotshots and their families. Not only does the film serve as a moving memorial to those fallen, but it gave many a new insight into the level of destruction that wildfires can leave in their wake.

‘The Perfect Storm’ (2000)

Like most natural disaster movies, 2000’s The Perfect Storm doesn’t have a happy ending. When a devastating storm catches a swordfishing boat in its clutches, things take a disastrous turn for the worse. Making this even more heartbreaking? It’s based on the true story of the “1991 Perfect Storm.”

Starring Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, William Fichtner, John C. Reilly, and more, the film tells the tale of The Andrea Gail shipping vessel, and its story and its crew are sad, to say the least. A box office success, The Perfect Storm is a terrifying depiction of just how brutally unforgiving and relentless mother nature can be.

‘The Poseidon Adventure’ (1972)

American disaster film The Poseidon Adventure is a 1972 feature that includes an ensemble cast of five Oscar winners including Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Albertson, Shelley Winters, and Red Buttons. When an underwater earthquake causes a tsunami, the people aboard the fictional SS Poseidon are in for a world of trouble when the giant wave capsizes the vessel.

A major box office success, it became the highest-grossing movie of 1972. With Academy Award-winning special effects and chillingly accurate tidal wave depictions, it’s not hard to see why the disaster movie was so successful. And it just goes to show that if you’re caught in the middle of the ocean when a tsunami hits, there isn’t much chance of survival.

‘San Andreas’ (2015)

Earthquakes have the potential to wipe out entire buildings, city streets, and even small towns, and the devastation they can inflict can bring us to our knees. Thousands can die in a very short amount of time. Even just thinking about that can send a chill down your spine.

While 2015’s San Andreas is a dramatized depiction of the carnage they can leave behind, the images of little to no warning are read loud and clear. The movie may be slightly exaggerated, but it has critically acclaimed special effects that really hold it together. Whatever your thoughts on the action-disaster film, the San Andreas fault is very much real.

‘Twister’ (1996)

1996’s second-highest-grossing movie primarily follows a group of storm chasers as they attempt to deploy a tornado research device during Oklahoma’s severe weather outbreak. The twister-centered disaster movie focuses on the disastrous events that occur when these cyclones of wind rip through an area, leaving nothing but destruction in their paths.

Buildings, homes, streets, and fields wiped out in seconds. Twister showcases the decimation that these unforgiving natural disasters can wreak. The film received critical acclaim for its life-like storm visuals, praised for its special effects. Its ability to transport the viewer into the eye of the storm is terrifyingly accurate.

‘The Day After Tomorrow’ (2004)

2004’s The Day After Tomorrow sees the world plunged into the next ice age when a superstorm fast approaches, freezing everything in its path. Starring a young Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Sela Ward, Emmy Rossum, and Ian Holm, the film is based on the 1999 book The Coming Global Superstorm, delivering a morbid warning that we might one day fall victim to global warming.

The looming threat of a potential ice age in this BAFTA-winning feature from Roland Emmerich takes viewers through epic visuals of destruction, widespread panic, and frantic scenes. It’s daunting to watch, but even more so when you take into consideration that if this ever were to happen for real, there wouldn’t be much we could do about it.

‘Everest’ (2015)

2015’s true story survival biopic, Everest, tells the harrowing story of two expedition groups as they attempt to ascend and descend from the tallest mountain in the world. But treacherous weather conditions make for a daring and hazardous attempt at reaching the bottom unharmed.

The film was a visual success among critics, praised for its phenomenal cinematography. With breathtaking imagery of the brutal force of freezing temperatures, it’s a chillingly accurate representation of just how unforgiving the bitter cold can be and how much of a negative toll it can have on the human body.

‘The Impossible’ (2012)

Starring a young Tom Holland in his first film role, Ewan McGreggor, and Naomi Watts, 2012’s The Impossible (Lo Imposible in Spanish) tells the unbelievable true story of one family during the 2004 Boxing Day Indian Ocean tsunami that killed thousands. The subsequent tsunami was caused by what’s known as an undersea megathrust earthquake, and these earthquakes can have a detrimental effect on the surrounding ocean and nearby land should a tsunami result.

Factual images of devastation alongside downright tough-to-watch scenes made this movie stand out in the eyes of critics and audiences. Earthquakes and tsunamis are two of the most destructive forces of nature that can bring the world to its knees in a matter of minutes, and The Impossible did a fantastic yet spine-chilling job of showcasing the damage they can inflict.

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