50 Best Disaster Movies of All Time, Ranked

Over the years, disaster movies have had major hits and massive popularity due to the intensity and suspense which are craftily incorporated in them. However, they have a way of bringing us closer to danger without us facing it. You feel the shivers running down your spine and the cold sweat trickling down your face. Nevertheless, the best disaster movies of all time portray the ugly side of life and prepare you for any danger you might encounter in reality. Today we bring you our pick for best disaster movies!

So, whether you’re new to disaster movies or a die-hard fan of them, you’ll always find yourself sticking very close to your loved one whenever you’re watching any disaster movie. 

Plus, the movies are fun, exciting, spark up curiosity, and make you want to watch more. So, without further delay, let’s dive right into the list of best disaster movies to discover incredible movies.  

50. 127 Hours 

• Director: Danny Boyle
• Starring: James Franco 
• Year released: 2010 

127 hours is a fantastic movie that follows the adventures of a mountaineer and adventurer, Aron Ralston. He finds himself trapped and isolated when a vast boulder descends on his arm. 

He is stuck between a rock and a hard place and has to make a difficult decision to save himself in his current situation. Therefore, he decides to cut off his arm and journey back to civilization before it gets too late for him. 

This movie depicts survival and perseverance in a difficult situation. 

49. Alive 

• Director: Frank Marshall
• Starring: Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton
• Year released: 1993 

This movie depicts the lives of a few members of Uruguay’s rugby team. It tells a story about how a plane crash in the Andes Mountains leaves them as the only survivors.

Nando, who happens to be the leader of the group, tries his best to lift their spirits and restore their lost hope.

However, as time flies by and all the foodstuffs at their disposal run out, they begin to lose their composure. As a result, they start feeding on the dead bodies of their teammates. It’s either they eat what is available or die of hunger.

This is one movie that keeps me up at night, wondering what I’d do if I found myself in that situation. It is the quest for ultimate survival in a deserted place. 

48. The Day the Earth Stood Still 

• Director: Scott Derrickson 
• Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jaden Smith 
• Year released: 2008 

This exciting movie centers on humans and aliens. The world comes to a standstill when an unidentified flying object makes its way to Washington D.C. This UFO in question brings a message for Earth’s leaders.

Notwithstanding, an alien representative named Klaatu arrives on Earth with his Robot, which poses a more significant threat to humanity. Well, if you’re all about alien movies, you can also enjoy this movie and trust me, you won’t regret it. 

47. 28 Weeks Later 

• Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
• Starring: Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner 
• Year released: 2007 

What happens if you ever come across a virus that threatens to annihilate the whole country? Well, this is the case in this movie. It follows the relentless efforts of NATO military forces to eliminate a deadly virus known as the”rage virus.” 

This is due to two siblings breaking the law and rescuing their mother, who is infected with the virus. Unfortunately, this act leads to the reintroduction of the virus, and it spreads widely, claiming the lives of innocent civilians. 

Nevertheless, NATO finds a way to move the surviving civilians to a safe zone, where they are treated, and resources are made available. 

46. End of Days

• Director: Peter Hyams 
• Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Robin Tunney 
• Year released: 1999 

End of days depicts the story of a former Detective Jericho Cane, who used to work at the New York City Police Department. He finds himself in an unfortunate situation after he saves a banker from a life-threatening situation. 

He is forced to protect an innocent young woman chosen from birth by evil forces. This is due to the mark she bears, which associates her with the devil, and she is forced to conceive the Antichrist with him. This movie shows selflessness and sacrifice, and it is a must-watch. 

45. Earthquake

• Director: Mark Robson
• Starring: Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy 
• Year released: 1974 

Earthquake incorporates both disaster and romance and still focuses on the main idea. The movie follows the residents of Los Angeles, California, and their goal to survive when a disastrous earthquake hits the city.

However, it still unfolds the drama between a successful architect Stewart Gratf and his ungrateful wife. Also, it talks about the moment when he begins a love affair with his long-time friend Denise Marshall. Nevertheless, the city is still at greater risk of receiving another massive earthquake, and the affair continues between the two. 

Earthquake is one movie that depicts one of the natural disasters that happens in reality. Also, the suspenseful nature of this movie will keep you on your toes until the end.

44. Arachnophobia

• Director: Frank Marshall
• Starring: Jeff Daniels, Julians Sands, Harley Jane Kozak
• Year released: 1990

Arachnophobia centers on arachnophobe Dr. Ross Jennings, who recently relocated to California with his wife, Molly. However, after a few days, many town residents turn up dead from an unknown source. Dr. Jennings begins to suspect the infestation of poisonous spiders.

But after much investigation, it is discovered that a dangerous spider is responsible for the death of many innocent residents. Therefore, Dr. Jennings teams up with Delbert McClintock, who is a no-nonsense exterminator, to put an end to the infestation. Arachnophobia brings us closer to our fear and shows us ways of overcoming it. 

43. Skyfire 

• Director: Simon West 
• Starring: Wang Xueqi, Hannah Quinlivan, Shawn Dou 
• Year released: 2019 

Skyfire follows the life of a young scientist who invents a volcano warning system and heads back to her tropical island. 

Unfortunately, her mother was tragically killed on the island by a volcano, and she hopes to end further volcanic deaths. 

After a few years, the island is turned into the world’s only volcano theme park and resort, but this is short-lived. Eventually, chaos is unleashed on the island when the volcano begins to rumble and erupt again.

The residents are in peril, and it becomes a fight against nature as the volcanic eruptions increase. This movie is once again highlighting the natural disasters that many human beings face in foreign countries. 

• Director: Tony Mitchell 
• Starring: Robert Carlyle, Tom Courtenay, David Suchet 
• Year released: 2007 

42. Flood

Flood follows the lives of Londoners who are faced with an overwhelming storm that collides with the high seas. However, as this collision occurs, a great flood sweeps through the entire city, causing colossal damage and destruction.

 It is now up to top marine engineers and barrier experts Robert Morrison, Samantha Morrison, and Professor Leonard Morrison to save the city. A flood is one natural disaster that affects millions of people worldwide.

41. Ashfall 

• Director: Lee Hae Jun, Kim Byung Seo
• Starring: Lee Byung-Hun, Ha Jung-Woo, Bae Suzy 
• Year released: 2019 

Ashfall is another exhilarating and action-packed movie that attracts the attention of many fans. And it centers on Baekdu Mountain, which is located on the Chinese-North Korean border. 

The volcano in the mountain has been dormant for years, but this changes. Now, all of a sudden, the volcano begins to release eruptions and cause chaos.

However, a group of talented professionals teams up to stop the disaster and restore peace and order. If you’re one person who is into Korean disaster movies, then Ashfall has got you covered. 

40. When Worlds Collide 

• Director: Rudolph Maté 
• Starring: Richard Derr, Barbara Rush, Peter Hansen 
• Year released: 1951

This movie follows the life of Dr. Bronson, an astronomer that discovers a new planet named Zyra. However, his colleague, Dr. Hendron, goes ahead to search his files and concludes that a star named Bellus in Zyra’s orbit will destroy the Earth in a few months.

Subsequently, the astronomers join forces and decide to build a rocket that will take them to another planet with high chances of survival. Additionally, this space movie shows the characters’ unwavering resilience and struggle for survival. 

39. Dante’s Peak

• Director: Roger Donaldson
• Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton, Charles Hallahan
• Year released: 1997 

It depicts the story of Harry Dalton, who is a volcanologist, and Mayor Rachael Wando. They have been trying to convince the people in their town about the deadly volcanic eruptions, but all to no avail.

Fortunately, they successfully convince the people, and they all immediately gather up their things ready for evacuation. But, when everywhere becomes chaotic, Rachael is unable to find her two kids. 

After a proper search, she traces them to the mountain, which happens to be the source of the volcanic eruptions. 

With time and nature against them, they move in haste to rescue the kids and whoever is left on the mountain. Nevertheless, Dante’s peak reminds us to always tread with caution and be observant of our kids. 

38. Daylight 

• Director: Rob Cohen 
• Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Amy Brenneman, Viggo Mortensen 
• Year released: 1996 

Daylight follows the lives of a group of runaway armed robbers who are hiding from the police. Unfortunately, on their way to the New Jersey Tunnel, they run into trucks conveying tons of explosives. 

This massive explosion claims the lives of some of them and destroys the tunnel, which would soon collapse. Only a few of them survive, and they all find themselves trapped in the tunnel. 

However, their hope is restored when a man named Kit Latura is determined to get them all out of the tunnel before it finally crumbles and kills them. So if you’re looking for some wild and exciting survival movies, you know where to look. 

37. Shock Wave 

• Director: Herman Yau
• Starring: Andy Lau, Wu Jiang, Jia Song
• Year released: 2017 

Shock wave follows the life of JS Cheung, a superintendent at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau(EOD). JS Cheung was sent on a mission as an undercover agent to expose the criminal activities of the country’s most wanted gang.

However, He successfully infiltrates the gang and becomes a member, he also meets their leader Hong, who is a notorious criminal. With time, Cheung finally apprehends the criminals, including Hong’s younger brother but fails to get their boss Hong. 

After seven years of peace and order, Hong returns to the country with only one goal in mind: revenge. However, chaos looms amongst the citizens when they experience bomb blasts and are held hostage by Hong.

At this point, Cheung vows to finish what he started, and he is ready to sacrifice his life to restore peace and order in the country. 

Well, if you’re looking for a disaster movie to spice up your weekend, you can do well to watch shock wave. 

• Director: Wolfgang Peterson
• Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman
• Year released: 1995 

36. Outbreak 

The outbreak is an intriguing movie that centers on the residents’  ordeal. An African monkey that carries a deadly virus is illicitly brought into the United States. This leads to a catastrophic disaster as the virus spreads widely, and many citizens either turn up dead or infected.

Notwithstanding, a team of professional doctors joins forces along with the army to control the situation. 

The outbreak remains the best movie to watch as there are many lessons to be learned. 

35. Unstoppable

• Director: Tony Scott 
• Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson
• Year released: 2010 

This exciting movie takes us on a journey inside a train and the disaster that occurs on the way. It all begins when the passengers become worried and start panicking after the large train begins to move controllably.

This is because the train contains many harmful chemicals that can end the lives of hundreds of passengers on board.

Their hope of survival is restored when an expert engineer and a young conductor put their lives at risk to save them all. Unstoppable is a movie that was inspired based on the events that took place in reality. 

34. The Towering Inferno 

• Director: John Guillerman 
• Starring: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden 
• Year released: 1974 

The towering inferno is a classic movie that follows the life of a fire chief. However, all hell breaks loose when a fire breaks out in a high-rise building located in San Francisco. 

This happens during the opening ceremony of an event which high-class businessmen and women attend. 

Well, the situation is calmed by a fire chief and a brilliant architect. However, no one seems to know the cause of the incident. Finally, after proper research, it is revealed that the contractor who was placed in charge of the building is responsible for the fire outbreak. 

This movie is once again highlighting the need to be careful about essential facts. 

33. Airport 75 

• Director: Jack Smight 
• Starring: Charlton Heston, Karen Black, George Kennedy 
• Year released: 1974 

Airport 75, also known as airport 1975, is a movie that follows the life of stewardess Nancy Pryor. After an in-flight collision takes place, the pilots decide to leave for Los Angeles. But unfortunately, the plane is left in peril, and the passengers start freaking out and complaining. 

The situation gets out of control when a fussy nun and a cranky older man keep adding fuel to the fire. Annoyed and angry, Nancy is left with no other option but to take control and help them land at all costs. 

Airport 75 is one movie that would push you to exhibit calmness and stability when faced with a life-threatening occurrence. 

32. Krakatoa, East of Java 

• Director: Bernard L. Kowalski 
• Starring: Maximilian Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith 
• Year released: 1968 

Ready for some wild adventure and catastrophic disaster? Well, this movie has got it all. It follows the lives of a captain and his crew, who are all treasure seekers. So they set sail for the Dutch of the East Indies in search of treasure. Little do they know that an enormous volcanic eruption is about to annihilate the island in Krakatoa. 

This is one of the best adventure and disaster movies I’ve ever watched. Well, if you’re interested, then you can download the movie on reliable sites. 

31. The Day the Earth Caught Fire 

• Director: Val Guest 
• Starring: Janet Munro, Leo McKern, Edward Judd 
• Year released: 1961

This movie features the life of British reporter Peter Stenning, who is often depressed. Although his friends Bill Maguire, a professional Journalist, and Jeanie Craig, a weather forecaster, help him out of his depression.

However, things turn for the worst when Peter and Bill discover that Russian nuclear explosions have changed the Earth’s rotation.

As a result of this disastrous change, fires, earthquakes, and sickness are unleashed upon cities all over the world. Nonetheless, a few survivors try their very best to restore the planet to its normal axis. This movie shows the importance of friendship. 

30. The Wandering Earth 

• Director: Frank Gwor 
• Starring: Qu Chuxiao, Li Guangjie, Ng Man-tat 
• Year released: 2019 

The wandering Earth is a movie that follows the lives of a group of astronauts and rescue workers. After discovering that the sun is increasingly expanding, they work together to guide the Earth away from the sun. 

Also, they attempt to avoid a massive collision between the sun and Jupiter. Well, when the sun dies out, they decide to build large thrusters that will safely move the planet to another star system.

Have you ever wondered what it’d be like if you moved the Earth to another star system? Well, this movie can make your imagination come true. 

29. Asteroid

• Director: Bradford May
• Starring: Michael Biehn, Anabella Sciorra, Michael Weatherly 
• Year released: 1997 

Asteroid centers on the lives of residents in the U.S. It talks about how the residents begin to panic when they discover that an asteroid is heading towards Earth. 

As a result, the U.S. government makes all the necessary plans to destroy it before it lands. But, unfortunately, all the plans put in place to avoid this catastrophe fail to produce results. And all they can do now is hope that a miracle happens to evade the asteroid. 

28. The 12 Disasters of Christmas

• Director: Steven R. Monroe
• Starring: Ed Quinn, Magda Apanowice, Andrew Airlie 
• Year released: 2012

This movie shows the events that took place on Christmas eve. It explains how during the celebrations, a large dark star strangely appears in the sky.

Although most of the residents ignore it at first; eventually, some natural disasters begin to occur, which destroys their houses and many more. 

Fortunately, a small team of residents decides to join their resources and save their town before all is lost. 

27. The Hindenburg

• Director: Robert Wise 
• Starring: George C. Scott, Anne Bancroft, William Atherton 
• Year released: 1975 

The Hindenburg is Nazi Germany’s prized possession, enabling flights from Frankfurt to Lakehurst, New Jersey. However, the Germans receive a report stating that Hindenburg will soon be destroyed by a bomb when it flies to New York City.

 They decide to send Colonel Ritter to the airship as its security officer in case of any emergency. However, Ritter soon discovers that his job is not as easy as he thought, as there are many passengers aboard whom he suspects.

 There is the German countess Ursula Von Reuben, the pilot Captain Pruss and many more. But, as Ritter digs deeper into the matter, he discovers that not all is as it seems. 

26. War of the Worlds

• Director: Steven Spielberg 
• Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto 
• Year released: 2005 

“War of the worlds” centers on the life of Dockworker Ray Ferrier. He finds it challenging to build a strong relationship with his two kids Rachael and Robbie. So it is just another uncomfortable weekend when his ex-wife brings them over. 

Unfortunately, electromagnetic pulses of a lightning strike the residential area, which turns out to be the start of an alien invasion. 

This leads to destruction, and all the residents flee to find refuge. Ray goes to great lengths and puts his life at stake to save his kids from aliens.

25. Into the Storm 

• Director: Steven Quake
• Starring: Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies, Matt Walsh 
• Year released: 2014 

Into the Storm is a movie that follows a series of events in the tiny town of Silverton, Oklahoma. As a new day dawns in Silverton, the residents carry on with their activities peacefully. 

Little do they know that a huge disaster is about to occur. But in a blink, a colossal tornado storms into the town, destroying every single thing on sight. The frightened residents begin to evacuate the town to seek shelter. 

Fortunately, expert storm chasers try to study the whole situation and find a permanent solution to the problem. 

24. Volcano 

• Director: Mick Jackson
• Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Anne Heche, Gaby Hoffmann 
• Year released: 1997 

This unique disaster movie centers on the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that take place in Los Angeles. Mike Roark’s vacation is short-lived when a massive earthquake hits the city. 

He immediately returns from his trip to salvage the situation. On the other hand, a geologist, Dr. Amy Barnes, alerts the city of a volcano forming in the sewer tunnels. Another earthquake attack confirms this, as the hot lava overflows underneath, posing a massive threat to the whole city. 

As the whole city is shaken, Mike and Barnes work together to figure out how to prevent the earthquakes and volcanoes from destroying the city. 

23. The Core 

• Director: Jon Amiel 
• Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Delroy Lindo 
• Year released: 2003 

The core focuses on a Geophysicist Dr. Josh Keyes. This intelligent researcher discovers that a strange force has made the Earth’s inner core come to a standstill. And this consequently leads to the degeneration of the planet’s magnetic field.

The Earth falls apart as the atmosphere drastically changes with dire consequences. Nevertheless, Keyes teams up with a group of talented scientists who vow to resolve the crisis. They journey to the Earth’s core to install explosives that will hopefully reactivate the core. 

22. The Day After Tomorrow

• Director: Roland Emmerich 
• Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian Holm
• Year released: 2004 

This movie follows the life of Climatologist Jack Hall. It describes how Jack embarks on research that proves a considerable superstorm is forming to destroy the world. 

When he presents the results of his research to U.N. officials, they do not believe him and deem it absurd. They are shocked when this turns out to be accurate; as the Storm draws closer, they all try to evacuate and look for a solution. 

Meanwhile, Jack’s son Sam is trapped in New York with his friend Laura and others. Jack musters courage and takes a few persons from Philadelphia to New York to save his son before the worst happens. 

21. The Perfect Storm 

• Director: Wolfgang Peterson 
• Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane 
• Year released: 2000 

The perfect Storm tells of the bravery of the men and women who risk their lives every day going out at sea to face the unknown. But, then, their world comes crashing down when their greatest fear comes to reality.

 Unfortunately, they come across raging weather that unexpectedly crashes with a furious storm, and all is lost at sea. The perfect storm is a movie based on a true story, an ugly event ages ago. 

20. Independence Day

• Director: Roland Emmerich 
• Starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum 
• Year released: 1996 

Independence day depicts the strange skies that spark fear amongst the major cities of the world. However, within a short time, it becomes pretty apparent that the events unfolding are extraordinary and dangerous. 

A powerful force lands on Earth, and its only mission is to wipe out the Earth altogether. But, when it seems all hope is lost, a team of people from different races unites and forms a counter-attack on July 4th, Independence Day in the U.S. 

19. Clover Field 

• Director: Matt Reeves 
• Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Odette Yuseman, T.J Miller 
• Year released: 2008 

Clover field focuses on the lives of a group of young New Yorkers who organize a little going away party to have fun. Little do they know that they are going to experience the most frightening night of their lives.

 A monstrous creature the size of a skyscraper falls upon the entire city, which leads to mass destruction and death of many residents. It becomes the quest for survival and escapes from the perilous disaster. 

18. Crawl 

• Director: Alexandre Aja
• Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper 
• Year released: 2019 

Crawl depicts the life of a young girl Haley. When a big hurricane storms Florida Town, the government passes evacuation orders to all the residents. Notwithstanding, 

Haley ignores the orders and searches for her father, Dave, who got lost amidst the chaos. 

Haley successfully finds her father, but their reunion and happiness are cut short when the increasing floodwater traps them.

However, that is even the least of their worries as a more significant threat than the rising water approaches. They are faced with a never-ending attack from a pack of blood-thirsty alligators, and they begin to look for a possible way out. 

17. Dawn of the Dead 

• Director: Zack Snyder 
• Starring: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber 
• Year released: 2004 

Dawn of the Dead is an exciting movie that centers on an attack from a zombie apocalypse. It describes the moment when Ana flees from her home after a zombie neighbor attacks her husband.

Eventually, she realizes that her whole neighborhood has been colonized by zombies called the walking dead. She is utterly shocked and runs into a police detective named Kenneth, who takes her statement. 

Ana finally finds people who are free of the infection and joins them. From there, they all relocate to a nearby shopping mall for safety after convincing the security officer that they are still uninfected. Finally, they decide to face their worst fear and eliminate the walking dead for good. 

16. Deep Impact 

• Director: Mimi Leader 
• Starring: Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, Elijah Wood 
• Year released: 1998 

Deep impact is a movie that centers on the arrival of a comet towards Earth. It begins when the U.S. government discovers that a comet is making its way toward Earth, potentially leading to the end of humanity. 

They keep it a secret from everyone, but a brilliant reporter, Jenny Lerner, reveals the truth. This forces U.S. president Beck to share his plan. 

And this involves an expert astronaut Spurgeon Fish Tanner and his team as they travel to the comet and denote explosives. 

They all hope that this will stop the comet from destroying Earth. Otherwise, all of humanity will have to brace themselves for the worst. 

15. Armageddon 

• Director: Michael Bay 
• Starring: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler 
• Year released: 1998 

Armageddon is another disaster movie that follows a group of agents who are trying to stop an asteroid collision with Earth. When an asteroid threatens to make its way to Earth, Honcho Dan Truman, who is a NASA agent, figures out a way to stop this collision.

 He draws out a plan to drill into its surface and blast a nuclear bomb in it. He soon meets a renowned driller Harry Stamper, who agrees to embark on this life-threatening space mission. But he only agrees to work with his team for the mission and no one else. 

14. The Poseidon Adventure

• Director: Ronald Neame
• Starring: Gene Hacknaan, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons
• Year released: 1972 

This movie follows the disaster that occurs on the S.S. Poseidon. It talks about this aging ship carrying passengers from New York City to Greece on New year’s eve. Unfortunately, it is overrun by a strong tidal wave.

Consequently, the passengers and crew are trapped inside the ship, and some passengers drown while some are still alive. The surviving passengers and crew struggle to avoid the flooding, fires, and mechanical malfunction. 

They manage to escape their ordeal and find their way back to civilization. This movie also shows the events that take place at sea and the struggle for survival. 

13. Pompeii

• Director: Paul W.S Anderson 
• Starring: Kit Harrington, Carrie-Ann Moss, Emily Browning 
• Year released: 2014 

This movie fuses both love and disaster in one piece. It centers on an energetic port city that stands in the silhouette of Mount Vesuvius. A former slave Milo becomes a gladiator and falls in love with Cassia, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. 

However, their love is forbidden as Milo is not wealthy enough to fit into Cassia’s class. But this is not the only obstruction to their love; Cassia’s father goes ahead to arrange her marriage to a corrupt Roman senator.

Nevertheless, Milo and Cassia still fight for their love, but their happiness is short-lived. This results from a volcanic eruption from Mount Vesuvius that rains down hot lava on the city. Amidst the chaos, Cassia is trapped in the city, and Milo rushes to save the love of his life before the lava massacres her.  

12. San Andreas 

• Director: Brad Peyton 
• Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandria Daddario
• Year released: 2015 

San Andreas follows the devastating earthquake that happens in California. A typical day where the residents are busy with their activities turns into the worst day of their lives. This occurs when California’s San Andreas Fault triggers the massive outbreak of a chaotic earthquake. 

Buildings in the city begin to crumble to the ground, and the residents become unstable and terrified. Finally, Ray Gaines, an LAFD search and rescue helicopter pilot, takes it upon himself to travel through the disaster, from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

His aim is to bring his wife and their only daughter back safe and sound. Will he survive the increasing destruction?

11. Cold Zone 

• Director: John McCarthy
• Starring: Kristen Robek, Steve Bacic, Nick Purcha 
• Year released: 2017 

Cold Zone is a fantastic disaster movie that ventures deep into the cold that affects the entire planet. Roger Summers is an ornithologist that travels to Alaska for a short vacation to reduce the stress from work.

During his time in Alaska, he comes across several frozen animals deep in the woods. Perplexed and worried, he decides to consult an expert environmentalist who tells him about the freezing Storm preparing to strike.

Before then, he had tabled the issue with the scientific community, who ignored it. As a result, the freezing Storm spreads across the entire planet, and many citizens freeze to death due to the cold.

With the ongoing catastrophe, the world outside is no longer safe for anyone. It is now up to Rogers to save his family and the whole world before it is too late to survive. Cold zone depicts the cold and freezing winters that other countries face yearly. 

10. Titanic

• Director: James Cameron 
• Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane 
• Year released: 1997 

My list would be incomplete without titanic. This movie was a significant hit that gained billions of fans worldwide. It also incorporates love, tragedy, and disaster together.

 It follows the ship Titanic which is called the ship of dreams, and it was the most significant moving object ever to exist. The movie begins with Rose, now old, narrating her story to her granddaughter and a captain with his crew. 

This captain and his crew are on the hunt for a necklace called the heart of the ocean. The story unfolds the love affair between Rose, who is promised to her fiance Karl and Jack, a poor guy who got lucky with a ticket to board the ship. 

However, her mother disapproves of her relationship and forbids her from meeting Jack, but the two fight for their love. Unfortunately, their love affair is short-lived when the ship hits a massive iceberg, and it becomes too late to save everyone. 

Eventually, the water overcomes the ship, and the titanic sinks deep into the ocean. While Rose survives the tragic incident, Jack freezes to death, and a rescue team saves the remaining survivors. 

The captain decides to give up his search, and it is revealed that Rose had the necklace all along. Titanic is one movie that made all its fans emotional. To be honest, I cried when I watched Titanic, it was indeed a heart-melting movie. 

9. Everest 

• Director: Balta Sar Kormákur
• Starring: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes 
• Year released: 2015 

Everest follows the survival attempts of two groups. The two groups embark on an expedition to Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Little do they know that a terrible disaster is about to happen. 

A harsh storm hits the mountain and engulfs the adventurers who are now trapped. Unfortunately, this turns out to be the most challenging time in their lives as they are subjected to strong winds and freezing temperatures. 

Nevertheless, the groups decide to stick together and endure the harsh conditions to survive their current ordeal. 

8. Twister 

• Director: Jan De Bont
• Starring: Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Jami Gertz 
• Year released: 1996 

This movie focuses on a university professor and his students. Dr. Jo Harding, a university professor, discovers that a mighty storm is approaching Earth. He teams up with his students to create the prototype for Dorothy, a tornado device. 

The idea for the device is created by her husband Bill, who is no longer part of the team. However, their rival, Dr. Jonas Miller, steals their ideas and recreates his own device. When Bill learns of this event, he decides to join the team on their mission. 

7. Geostorm 

• Director: Dean Devlin 
• Starring: Gerald Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish 
• Year released: 2017 

Geostorm follows the life of a satellite designer. Who tries to save the world from a terrible storm which is caused by an unstable climate. Finally, after many natural disasters threatening to annihilate the world, the leaders decided to work together. 

They form a network of satellites that controls the world’s climate and keeps everything citizens have safe. But it turns out that the real danger is still lurking as they still experience violent attacks. The leaders try their best to discover the real threat before everyone is wiped off the surface of the Earth by the powerful geostorm. 

6. Contagion 

• Director: Steven Soderbergh 
• Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne 
• Year released: 2011 

Contagion is a medical disaster movie that features the outbreak of a deadly virus. When Beth Emhoff returns to Minnesota from a business trip in Hong Kong, she winds up dead after a few days. 

After much examination, the doctors can not seem to come up with a reasonable explanation for the cause of her death. Soon, many residents begin to exhibit the same symptoms, and some die in the process. 

Nonetheless, medical researchers decided to team up and find a vaccine to cure the virus before it kills everyone. 

5. The Impossible

• Director: J. A Bayona
• Starring: Naomi Watts, McGregor, Tom Holland 
• Year released: 2012 

The impossible follows the lives of Maria and her family. They travel for a winter vacation in Thailand, and they also spend their Christmas holiday there. However, their exotic vacation soon turns into a living nightmare when a frightening roar is heard from the depths of the sea.

 This is accompanied by a devastating wall of dark water that destroys everything in its path. However, Maria and her family stick together and face their ordeal head-on. 

4. Gravity 

• Director: Alfonso Charon
• Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney
• Year released: 2013 

Gravity is an epic movie that centers on two astronauts who find themselves in a difficult situation. Dr. Ryan Stone is a medical engineer embarking on her first mission with her commander Matt Kowalsky, a veteran astronaut.

During one routine spacewalk, their spaceship is destroyed, and they are left stranded deep into space. They discover that there is no link back to Earth, and they decide to move further into space as it may be their only salvation. 

3. The Wave 

• Director: Roar Uthaug 
• Starring: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro 
• Year released: 2015 

The wave depicts the life of a Norwegian Geologist. When the Akerneset Crevice crumbles in More Of Romsal, it creates a vast avalanche that leads to a tsunami. This terrorizes the citizens and causes massive destruction.

A Norwegian geologist and his family struggle to survive when a gigantic landslide worsens the problem by causing a tidal wave. The citizens must find a way to evade this disaster before they all perish. 

2. Deep Water Horizon

• Director: Peter Berg 
• Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich 
• Year released: 2016

The deepwater horizon focuses on the lives of Mike Williams and his colleagues. A drilling rig located in the Gulf of Mexico city blasts, fuelling a giant fireball that claims the lives of many crew members.

 Survivors of this tragedy are trapped inside the drilling rig. The chief electronics technician Mike Williams and his colleagues fight for survival as the heat engulfs them. 

They all work together to find a way out before it’s too late to save themselves. This movie also shows us the need for teamwork in dangerous circumstances.

1. Greenland

• Director: Ric Roman Waugh
• Starring: Gerald Butler, Morena Baccarin, David Denman 
• Year released: 2020 

Coming in as number one on my list is Greenland. It’s a fantastic disaster movie that was released not too long ago. It depicts the lives of a family trying to find a haven before all hell breaks loose.

John Garrity and his family experience the darkest times in their lives when a comet hurtles toward Earth. This life-threatening comet seeks to destroy the entire planet.

Everything becomes chaotic as everyone tries to evacuate and find sanctuary before the comet lands on Earth and kills them all.

Well, I’ve successfully compiled a list of the best disaster movies that you can enjoy. I bet you must think some of these are old, but that’s just the best part.

These movies are heart-melting, exciting, and fun, so I recommend these movies for you to watch. But, of course, you can always get them on reliable sites and comfortably watch them on your phone.