Top 10 Disaster Movies That Could Really Happen
#10: “Greenland” (2020)
World-ending comets and asteroids make good fodder for movies. 1998 saw the one-two punch of “Armageddon” and “Deep Impact.” In 2020 and 2021, there is “Greenland” and Adam McKay’s satire “Don’t Look Up.” All tackle the subject in different ways. “Greenland” is about a comet named Clarke that will obliterate civilization in an extinction-level event. And whereas “Armageddon” went full Michael Bay and destroyed its asteroid with a nuclear bomb, “Greenland” keeps things more grounded. It is far more pessimistic in its approach to hurtling space objects, and the comet actually destroys most of Earth at the end of the movie. Somehow, we find that a more realistic outcome.
#9: “Twister” (1996)
Yes, this movie contains a few, shall we say, exaggerated moments. It is an action movie, first and foremost. But what is most tantalizing about this film is its realistic scope. This isn’t a world-ending event that will decimate civilization; it’s just a couple of really big tornadoes in rural Oklahoma. Even the story itself is relatively grounded, as a divorced couple attempt to deploy a fancy new research device into the heart of a tornado. Storm chasing is a real phenomenon, and some people do it for scientific research. Some real tornadoes even bore a striking resemblance to the ones found in the film - including one in 2010 that destroyed the very farm at which the movie was filmed.
#8: “Earthquake” (1974)
Today, the MCU and superhero movies dominate blockbuster cinema. Back in the mid-’70s, it was disaster films. “Earthquake” was one of many, and it’s about - you guessed it - a devastating earthquake. Measuring 9.9 on the Richter Scale, the event leaves most of Los Angeles in ruins. The ensemble cast then deals with the aftermath in various ways, with some acting out in heroic manners while others turn villainous. The setting of the film couldn’t be more accurate, as Los Angeles has experienced many devastating earthquakes. Some may remember the 1994 Northridge earthquake that left thousands injured and caused the modern equivalent of almost $90 billion in damage.
#7: “San Andreas” (2015)
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This is the modern equivalent of “Earthquake.” Made 40 years later, “San Andreas” is louder, more bombastic, more visually extravagant, and just a little bit dumber. But regardless of its silly story, the movie’s general premise is right on the money. Because Los Angeles lies directly on the San Andreas fault, it is prone to devastating earthquakes. And not just earthquakes that cause billions of dollars in damage. Complete city-destroying earthquakes, as depicted in the film. In fact, seismologists have recently been warning about an impending earthquake, as a massive one tends to hit the area every 100 to 150 years. The last major earthquake occurred in 1857, striking Parkfield and measuring 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale.
#6: “Contagion” (2011)
Looking back, it’s startling to see how much “Contagion” got right. In fact, many within the scientific community praised the movie for its accuracy, arguing that it struck a perfect balance between drama and realism. Of course, the world is currently in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has mirrored the film in more ways than one. Jude Law’s character is especially topical, as he helps spread conspiracy theories and endangers millions with his outrageous and selfish statements. But if anything, “Contagion” still serves as a warning. Just like the virus in the film, something even more harmful than COVID will eventually come around, and we would do well to prepare for it.
#5: “The Day After Tomorrow” (2004)
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Make no mistake, climate change is a real thing. However, the events depicted in “The Day After Tomorrow” are, shall we say, a wee bit exaggerated. However, that’s not to say they won’t occur. Many experts criticized the movie’s science, but the environmental phenomena that occur throughout the movie could technically occur over the course of centuries. The devastation won’t occur at the speed at which it does in the movie, but give it some time. A lot of time. Far, far down the line, our distant ancestors may look at “The Day After Tomorrow” as a rather prescient warning that we failed to heed.
#4: “The Towering Inferno” (1974)
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One of those mid-’70s disaster films, “The Towering Inferno” was a monumental success. Not only was it the highest-grossing movie of 1974, but it also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture - an extraordinarily rare occurrence for a disaster film. It takes place in the fictional Glass Tower, which is the highest building in the world at 1,688 feet. Unfortunately, a damper is put on the building’s dedication ceremony when an electrical short causes a raging fire. Both the disaster and its cause are grounded in realism, with building fires - and shoddy electrical installation - being an unfortunate aspect of life.
#3: “Airport” franchise (1970-79)
The “Airport” films were hugely successful throughout the early ‘70s. Each has a relatively realistic story, and some have even been mirrored in real-life events. The first concerns a bomber plotting to blow up a 707 - much like the story of D. B. Cooper, which occurred just one year after the movie’s release. “Airport 1975” sees two aircraft slamming into each other - an event that was brought to life four years later with Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182. In “Airport ‘77,” the aircraft is hijacked by a group of thieves who wish to steal the expensive art on board. Despite the extravagance of the movies themselves, these are all quite realistic scenarios, as is proven by the historic events that followed.
#2: “Dante’s Peak” (1997)
While it’s a goofy disaster film at its core, “Dante’s Peak” is quite scientifically accurate. The United States Geological Survey has praised the film for its accuracy, and it’s shown in many high school classrooms around the country to teach teenagers about seismic activity. And while this type of extreme volcanic eruption makes for a fun movie, it is also an unfortunate reality that thousands upon thousands have faced. For example, the town of Dante’s Peak is completely destroyed by the volcano’s pyroclastic flows, much like the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum nearly 2,000 years prior.
#1: “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972)
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A full sixty years before this movie was released, the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank off the coast of Newfoundland, killing upwards of 1,600 people. Like the Titanic, the SS Poseidon is an ocean liner that meets with tragedy in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. While traveling from New York to Greece, the Poseidon is struck by a massive tsunami and capsizes, trapping its inhabitants under the cold, salty water. Ocean liners meeting with disaster is nothing new, and it continues to happen. Exactly forty years after the movie was released, the Costa Concordia struck a rock and capsized off the coast of Italy, trapping some inhabitants underwater and claiming over 30 lives.
