Top 10 Underrated Disaster Movies

Disaster movies, by design, usually require at least some suspension of disbelief. This is to achieve the proper mood for all of the cinematic chaos that’s likely to get thrown our way. Actively behaving in this fashion is the best way to view 2003’s “The Core,” at least in our opinion. The film’s premise of actually drilling to the earth’s core, to kickstart our planet into rotating again is pretty heavy-duty. As a result, one simply has to be on board with this level of ridiculousness to roll with “The Core.” And you know what? The film delivers, thanks largely to an ensemble cast that lends “The Core” an air of legitimacy that warrants a revisit.

The 1970s was unequivocally a halcyon decade for the disaster film. It's here where the genre’s most well-known tropes and cinematic tendencies were codified for a popular audience. That said, there’s still some underrated gold to be mined from this period, such as 1979’s “Meteor.” If you think that the idea of an asteroid on a collision course with Earth originated with “Armageddon” in 1998, then think again. “Meteor” brought this plot point to the silver screen twenty years earlier, and added to it the political complexities of the Cold War. Tensions and secrets between world superpowers rise to the forefront as the entire world teeters on the brink, and this excitement immensely helps “Meteor.” It's an underseen, late-cycle romp.

A good disaster movie doesn’t necessarily require an outlandish plot to get its point across. Director Wolfgang Petersen helmed “The Perfect Storm” in 2000, and did so in a way that made the film feel simultaneously grounded and dangerous. Setting “The Perfect Storm” out on the open water (and basing it on true events) raises the stakes, and makes us want to see the protagonists through their ordeal. This isn’t just a calamity out of our control, it’s the unpredictability of Mother Nature herself. “The Perfect Storm” also boasts strong, memorable performances from its cast and special effects that truly take us to the middle of a disaster. Critics may have felt mixed, but we defend this perfectly satisfying flick.

It isn’t an asteroid, but a comet that threatens the earth in 1998’s “Deep Impact.” This traditional disaster movie plot might’ve fallen into self-parody under less-steady hands (and truthfully, it almost does), but “Deep Impact” holds on tight. Of course, it helps that the film is anchored by strong actors like Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Morgan Freeman, and Elijah Wood, all of which help elevate the script. The special effects are also solid for the time, assisted by a Spielbergian budget of eighty million dollars. “Deep Impact” may be an also-ran from the late-nineties disaster cycle, but we feel that it bears up better than most with repeat viewings.

Hard sci-fi collides with disaster movie drama in 1971's “The Andromeda Strain.” The film is based on a novel by “Jurassic Park” author Michael Crichton and brings with it an intelligent take on an invasive alien species. The special effects by Douglas Trumbull (of “2001: A Space Odyssey” fame) work hand in hand with a creepy, minimalistic score by jazzman Gil Mellé. Mellé’s work in particular utilizes an electronic pulse to underline the growing threat that lurks under the surface of “The Andromeda Strain.” It’s a bit unconventional, but thoroughly engaging and unique.

The humor that’s often found within disaster flicks doesn’t always have to be unintentional. Tim Burton’s work on 1996’s “Mars Attacks!” projects a self-aware sensibility without a hint of condescension. It's also something of an under-mentioned entry in Burton's filmography. “Mars Attacks!” celebrates the macabre Topps trading card sets from the 1960s with a sly wink. Additionally, the violence often feels sudden, but also exaggerated and funny. Humanity is pretty much FUBAR from the get-go, as a Martian invasion goes south for nearly everyone involved… with hilarious results.

Timing was everything when it came to the theatrical success of 1979’s “The China Syndrome.” The film was removed from that year’s infamous Three Mile Island nuclear disaster by less than two weeks, echoing its own plot about an atomic cover-up. “The China Syndrome” boasts some serious star power in the form of Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, and Jack Lemmon, while also straddling the line between political thriller and disaster flick. As a result, there’s less cheese here and more tension, as the truth behind the Ventana Nuclear Power Plant threatens to bubble up to a complete meltdown. “The China Syndrome” stands out from other disaster flicks for exactly this reason.

Disaster movies never really go away, they just wait for a new cycle to begin. 2016’s “Deepwater Horizon” was something of an outlier, however, since it riffs upon a very specific, real-life event. The film dramatizes the 2010 Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion and was something of a box office bomb during its initial release. Yet, lead Mark Wahlberg feels game for the task of recreating the biggest environmental disaster in the history of the United States. It’s a big job, and “Deepwater Horizon” boasts big special effects to express the disastrous ramifications of the explosion. The critics seemed to like this one at the time, and we tend to agree.

What would you do if you knew the world was going to end? Director Steve De Jarnatt asks this question and more with his imaginatively unique film from 1988, “Miracle Mile.” The results are a tale of new love and heartbreak, told in real-time as nuclear armageddon looms over the world. There’s a serious darkness that looms over “Miracle Mile,” a fatalistic story with some tragic deaths along the way. Yet, hope still springs within the relationship between Harry and Julie, despite the threat of mutually assured destruction. The soundtrack of Tangerine Dream serves as the perfect backdrop to the dreamlike weirdness of “Miracle Mile,” tying together threads for a disaster film that’s truly unlike any other.

Real-life heroes are at the center of 2017’s “Only the Brave.” The film bombed at the box office, but critics were largely more kind to this adaptation of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. This group of Arizona-based firefighters lost nearly all of their numbers staving off the Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013, and “Only the Brave” details their tragic tale. The release timing may have initially been off with “Only the Brave.” Yet, we celebrate how “Only the Brave” lauds those everyday superheroes who live and work in towns all across the world. Don't sleep on this one.