There are many theories about how the world will end, and every war or major world event will lead to people wondering whether the apocalypse is on its way. It’s no wonder that the end of the world is such a popular subject for movies, from documentaries to big budget blockbusters. If you love watching action packed films about humanity trying to survive, then here are some thrillers that will have you on the edge of your seat.
1. 2012
A beautifully shot, epic movie about the apocalypse; 2012 is a big budget film that ponders how changes in the environment could kill off mankind. Some of the stars of the movie 2012 include Chiwetel Ejiofor and John Cusak, as well as many other big names, making it a star studded extravaganza.
Another subject that this movie explores is the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar – AKA the Mayan calendar. When the film was released in 2009, many people believed that the Mayans had predicted that the world would end in 2012. Therefore, it’s a fascinating movie for those interested in prophecies and predictions.
2. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
For those who love their comedies black, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a classic apocalypse movie. Comedian Peter Sellers plays multiple roles, including the US president, and the movie centers around the threat from a Soviet leader to annihilate the world with nuclear weapons. Despite it being a serious issue, with commentators like David Icke amongst others speaking about nuclear threat, the movie presents it in an entertaining, humorous way. There aren’t many funny films about the end of the world, so this classic is definitely worth a watch.
3. The Day After Tomorrow
Focusing again on how climate change could eventually lead us to our doom; The Day After Tomorrow is an impressive movie. Director Roland Emmerich wanted to raise awareness of climate issues, and nothing is scarier than seeing the effect that a new ice age would have on places such as New York City. Watching The Day After Tomorrow is a sobering experience, as it feels so true to life and focuses on the experience of individuals during an apocalypse situation.
4. The Terminator
If you’ve ever been terrified by the speed that they are developing artificial intelligence, then The Terminator and its sequels will give you hope for humanity. This series of films focus on a future robot uprising where the human race is being killed by intelligent, super-strong robots. The titular character, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in his career defining role, has been sent back to assassinate the future saviour of humanity. The film became an instant classic and taught us all to be wary of artificial intelligence.
The end of the world could come in many forms, and it’s certainly an interesting subject to think about. That’s why movies about the apocalypse are always terrifying, but fun, and might even teach you to survive in one of these situations.
