Who's Up for Apocalypse?

Apocalypse movies have always been my favourite genre of film — despite the fact that I’m a very anxious person, I find comfort in action-packed movies about the end of the world where commonplace people survive against all odds. The thrill of omniscient knowledge of impending danger while the main characters remain oblivious. The hairs on your arm standing at attention and racing heart beating in your chest as you watch the main characters fight to survive. Defiantly rooting for them to survive despite the low chances of survival and thinking of all the possible ways you would try to survive in those situations. Full disclaimer, I would never want to be in a situation like that, but for some reason I find comfort in imagining myself surviving those possible scenarios. And maybe it’s my anxiety that’s the culprit for me re-watching the same apocalypse movies — I know how they’ll end, and I already know I won’t be set for disappointment.

It’s for this reason two of my favourite movies are 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow. 2012 is an action-packed movie about a discontented writer (I can relate to the protagonist already) that somehow beats all the odds stacked against him to save his family from a series of apocalyptic calamities that decimate the planet. It’s got action, suspense, amazing CGI, and the familial bond prevailing against all odds. Who could resist?

The Day After Tomorrow plunges the entire planet into a new ice age while following a paleo-climatologist that treks through the frigid cold to save his son trapped in the heart of New York City. Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal master the father-son relationship beautifully while fighting to survive the freezing cold that slices through most of the planet.

I’m compelled to give an honourable mention to the newly released Greenland with Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin. The movie follows an estranged couple who embark on a perilous journey with their young diabetic son to find sanctuary as a world-ending comet comes hurtling towards Earth. Marrying the love for one’s family with the dire need to survive seems to be the general theme of some of the best apocalypse movies.

If you love those movies, and any other apocalypse films, you are going to love The Wandering Earth and #Alive. The Wandering Earth is truly out of this world — the Chinese sci-fi film follows the people of Earth, who banded together to build giant thrusters to move the planet out of orbit and into a new star system. With the impending decimation of the sun threatening to engulf the Earth’s orbit within 100 years, the world governments put aside their differences and agree to build 10,000 enormous planetary thrusters scattered around the world to propel Earth to the Alpha Centauri system, preserving human civilization.

After 2,500 years we follow Liu Peiqiang, the rebellious son of a prominent astronaut and his younger sister. As Earth passes by Jupiter, devastating earthquakes destroy many of Earth’s engines worldwide and pull them dangerously close to the gaseous planet. The two siblings are caught in the crossfire, crossing paths and eventually travelling with an emergency mission team tasked with transporting a Lighter Core to repair one of the engines. After encountering numerous cataclysmic obstacles, Liu is one of Earth’s last hope to repair the engine and calls on the humanity of Earth’s people to help him.

#Alive is a South Korean zombie film— I know, not another zombie movie, but this one is really good! The movie follows a video game live streamer’s struggle to survive in his apartment complex as an infectious disease quickly spreads. Causing people to attack and eat other humans, the disease quickly spreads through the tightly packed metropolitan areas. With little food and no company, Joon-woo has to ration his sustenance and energy to survive without being seen. With several close encounters with the infected zombies, he flirts more and more with suicide — until a survivor from across the building saves him from death and himself. They band together to survive while growing more hopeless with each passing day. Not only is this a great testament to humanity and what we’ll do when threatened with a horrifying death, but it’s a suspenseful zombie thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

These movies are made for mature audiences that won’t have nightmares for weeks on end (that excludes me but that’s beside the point). A blanket to hide under is strongly advised. Now, who’s up for Apocalypse?