Top 10 Movies About Real Life Disasters
#10: “Everest” (2015)
In 1996, eight people perished after being trapped in a blizzard while they were on the world’s tallest mountain. This 2015 depiction of those tragic events shows the titular peak in all its breathtaking beauty and horror. A few scenes were even shot on location. The film also vividly details the relatable motives and fatal missteps of the climbers who survived, as well as those who didn’t. Jason Clarke and Jake Gyllenhaal portray two of the doomed expedition leaders. Josh Brolin, John Hawkes and Naoko Mori all deliver strong performances as climber clients. While this film isn’t fully accurate, it’s still a gut-wrenching, visually stunning journey to the highest point on Earth.
#9: “K-19: The Widowmaker” (2002)
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This fictionalized account of a real life nuclear accident on a submarine in 1961 flopped at the box office despite a big budget and stellar cast. Liam Neeson plays Captain Polenin, who gets demoted in favor of Harrison Ford’s Captain Vostrikov. The leads lock horns on the maiden voyage of the Soviet Union’s first sub both powered by a nuclear reactor and armed with nuclear missiles. Their clash heats up when the sub’s reactor springs a leak in its coolant system. As the dueling captains and reactor team battle to save the vessel, crew and their honor, a mutiny compounds their problems. Awkward accents and historical inaccuracies aside, this flick is worth watching solely for the way Ford and Neeson chew up the underwater scenery.
#8: “Tora!Tora!Tora!” (1970)
An ensemble epic of startling scope, this film about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor delivers both historical accuracy and riveting battle scenes. It provides a unique perspective on this world-altering aerial strike and the events leading up to it. This is mostly due to the fact that half the scenes were shot by a Japanese crew and cast, and the other half by Americans. Radarmen, sailors, fearless pilots, high ranking officers and diplomats in DC all get their moments on screen. The stunts and practical effects are truly mind-boggling, including an unplanned one-wheeled landing that ended up in the final cut. Entertaining and informative, this classic brings to life the tragic circumstances that pulled the US into World War II.
#7: “Alive” (1993)
On October 13, 1972, the plane carrying a rugby team from Uruguay and other passengers crashed into the Andes Mountains. This movie recounts the survivors’ harrowing 72-day long ordeal. Poetic monologues by John Malkovich open and close the film, with the in-story narrative kicking off shortly before the plane goes down. After crashing, the team’s captain leads an effort to care for the wounded and ration supplies. Two medical students do what they can, but injuries, cold and starvation take their toll. Once the group learns a rescue is unlikely, desperate food measures and a hard and fateful trek through the mountains become their only chance. Though this adaptation tactfully handles gruesome subject matter, this definitely isn’t a flick for those with a sensitive stomach.
#6: “The Impossible” (2012)
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The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami was one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. This film mostly shows the destruction through the lens of a single family on a trip to Thailand. Events that the real life María Belón, a Spanish doctor, endured are deftly adapted by Director J.A Bayona and Screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez. Naomi Watts was cast as Maria Bennett, Belón’s English counterpart, while Ewen McGregor as her husband. Tom Holland makes his live-action feature-length film debut as their oldest son. All three leads and the international supporting actors deliver riveting performances. While some criticized the focus on a Western family, the film’s depiction of the heroics of ordinary Thai people won over critics and filmgoers alike.
#5: “Deepwater Horizon” (2016)
On April 20, 2010, the largest accidental oil spill in history began with a bang. This film does a remarkable job of visually depicting the scope of the destruction. Ominous underwater shots of the gradually failing cement seal build tension. The effects are incredible, with many being done practically, lending a sense of weight and realism to the fiery mayhem. This narrative also shines a light on the enduring psychological trauma of the survivors and the damage done to the marine ecosystem. Seeing Mark Wahlberg’s character stagger through the hospital hallway while his coworker’s family members accost him lands like a gut punch near the film’s end. Kurt Russell and John Malkovich turn in rousing performances as well in this fiery drama.
#4: “The Perfect Storm” (2000)
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A fishing boat called the Andrea Gail was caught in a hurricane and sunk in 1991, tragically taking all hands with her. The film based on these events opens with the boat returning after a bad catch. The boat’s owner cajoles its captain, played by George Cooney, into going back out despite it being late in the season. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio appears as another fishing boat captain and Clooney’s love interest. She tries to convince Clooney’s character the weather is too dangerous to no avail. The ship’s luck seems to change after a good catch...until it’s caught in the hurricane. Clooney’s Ahab-like scream as he charges full throttle into a towering rogue wave makes for one hell of a climax.
#3: “Unstoppable” (2010)
While the characters in this high-speed thriller may be fictional, the story was inspired by a real-life incident in 2001. Like in the film, that event saw a pair of railway employees heroically stop a runaway train loaded with the toxic chemical Phenol. Denzel Washington nails his depiction of a veteran engineer who risks his life despite getting screwed over by his employer. He epically clashes with a broody Chris Pine, who plays Will Colson, a newbie conductor distracted by problems with his marriage. The film succeeds at creating both riveting action sequences and well-developed, relatable characters. Its depiction of ordinary Americans coming together in a time of crisis is as inspirational today as it was when the film steamed into theaters.
#2: “Titanic” (1997)
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Over 1,500 people died when what was then the world’s largest ship sank in 1912. This cataclysm serves as the backdrop for one of the highest-grossing films of all time. It opens in 1996 as an undersea explorer discovers a picture of a beautiful woman in the Titanic’s wreckage. Within the drawing, they see a woman wearing an uber-valuable necklace which the explorer is trying to locate. Rose, now an old woman, reaches out and explains everything that happened. Kate Winslet’s turn as the young Rose launched the English actress to international stardom, and it’s easy to see why. Although we know the ship will sink, the desire to see how Rose’s and Jack’s love story concludes kept us captivated till the end.
#1: “Apollo 13” (1995)
Houston’s problem became Hollywood’s solution in this cinematic love letter to the US space program that’s as uplifting today as it was when it was released in 1995. Like the astronauts themselves, the actors are the best of the best. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon perfectly portray the beleaguered flight crew. Ed Harris plays Gene Kranz, the mission’s flight director, who leads efforts to assist the spacefarers. Together, these teams tackle every complex problem that comes their way. It leads to a thrilling scene where we hope they survive the bumpy ride back to Earth. Few films stick the landing quite like this space disaster film did. “Apollo 13’s” warm critical reception was appropriate since failure for these astronauts was never an option.
