Disaster movies have entertained audiences for decades, but a few within the genre remain underrated and deserve more attention. The subgenre of action movies peaked in the 1970s, with popular releases like The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno. As technology has advanced and the demand for larger-than-life blockbusters has grown, disaster movies have only continued to captivate audiences.

There’s something equally thrilling and frightening about watching a series of colossal events that threaten the foundation of cities and the safety of their population. Most natural disaster movies follow a familiar and somewhat predictable structure, and these underrated films are no exception. Still, movies like Deep Impact, The Wave, and Crack in the World make an appreciated effort to produce an impactful disaster film with their character-driven narratives and accomplished special effects, making them must-see movies deserving of attention.

7

City On Fire (1979)

Directed by Alvin Rakoff

The unfavorable reviews and middling quality of City on Fire have contributed to its lack of popularity throughout the years, though it’s still a must-watch film for audiences looking for a movie that embodies the disaster film’s golden era. City on Fire follows various residents of a city after it’s engulfed in flames, capturing the different ways people react to such chaos.

The fiery sequence of events begins after an angry ex-employee of an oil refinery starts a fire at the facility. While City on Fire may not wrap up the disaster movie’s golden age with a neat bow, its missteps add to its overall charm.

The effects in City on Fire aren’t too convincing, but the film is able to keep up its tension and sense of urgency thanks to its direction and performances, which deftly capture the panic and destruction that conquer the city. Like most disaster movies, City on Fire‘s cast is packed with familiar faces, including Leslie Nielsen, Barry Newman, Ava Gardner, and Henry Fonda.

6

Volcano (1997)

Directed by Mick Jackson

Certainly the cheesiest film mentioned, Volcano is lots of fun and can be appreciated for its special effects. The film has an implausible series of events, and follows the efforts of Los Angeles residents to divert the path of a volcano that has formed in the city.

The special effects and compelling performances by actors like Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche successfully convey a tense and frightening atmosphere that doesn’t let up until Volcano‘s final moments. Admittedly, the film’s narrative and characters lack the depth found within other disaster movies like Deep Impact and The Wave.

This has resulted in Volcano earning a mixed response from critics and being largely overlooked by audiences in the years since its release. Still, the film did well at the box office at the time of its release and has a handful of redeeming qualities that make it a must-watch movie.

5

Knowing (2009)

Directed by Alex Proyas

Knowing is one of Nicolas Cage’s overlooked films and a thriller that features a variety of disasters that threaten life on Earth. Cage leads the film as MIT professor John Koestler, who realizes that a paper stored in a time capsule fifty years prior predicts the date, death toll, and location of major disasters throughout the years.

Knowing isn’t as straightforward a natural disaster film as the other movies mentioned, but it does include enough bits of Mother Nature’s fury to warrant its inclusion. With a handful of more cataclysms to come, including a mᴀssive solar flare heading toward Earth, John is in a tense race against the clock to avert disaster.

Knowing has earned a mixed critical response throughout the years, with praise going towards the film’s uneasy atmosphere and its performances, namely that of Cage. Still, the film’s faults, such as its dark ending and implausible details, shouldn’t prevent one from indulging in Knowing‘s thrilling set pieces and unique premise.

4

Crack In The World (1965)

Directed by Andrew Marton

The catastrophic events seen in natural disaster movies vary in their logic. Released in the mid-60s, Crack in the World is a more reasonable disaster film, though it still contains enough conveniences to present a fun and thrilling story for audiences. Crack in the World follows a group of scientists who are determined to reach magma by drilling into the Earth’s core.

To achieve this, the scientists detonate an atomic device, which produces Earth-shattering results as a mᴀssive crack begins to form along a fault line. Pressure to save the Earth from splitting in two creates a great sense of urgency that’ll have audiences on the edge of their seats.

While the love triangle between the film’s main characters isn’t entirely compelling, it complements Crack in the World‘s suspenseful tone quite well. Additionally, Crack in the World‘s science fiction elements are among those that are more sound within the genre, and its special effects, while not perfect, are quite impressive for the time it was released.

3

The Quake (2018)

Directed by John Andreas Andersen

Picking up three years after the events of The Wave, The Quake reunites audiences with Kristian, who finds himself at the center of yet another natural disaster. This time, Kristian predicts that a mᴀssive earthquake will strike the city, and he sets out to warn others and protect his loved ones once again. The Quake, for the most part, follows a similar structure to the previous film, placing large thrills within a poignant family drama.

Dealing with survivor’s remorse and feeling guilty about the deceased individuals he could not save from the tsunami in The Wave, much of The Quake‘s first act lays out Kristian’s current emotional state.

From there, the film unfolds like any other disaster movie, but is slightly elevated thanks to its standout special effects and cinematography. These elements create a heavy amount of tension that keeps the audience hooked and invested in its protagonists’ fight for survival.

2

Deep Impact (1998)

Directed by Mimi Leder

Released within a few months of each other, Deep Impact and Armageddon are similarly themed, and there’s a strong argument to be made about why either film is better than the other. However, while the latter film seeks to impress audiences with its quick pace and imposing action, Deep Impact introduces them to tangible human drama.

Deep Impact follows the efforts of a group of astronauts to destroy a comet headed for Earth. The film explores not only the devastating impact such a collision would have on Earth’s population, but it also touches on how people respond to the impending doom.

Performing better commercially, Armageddon has somewhat overshadowed Deep Impact‘s value over the years, but the latter film has earned greater praise for its scientific accuracy and emotional depth. It’s not always guaranteed that disaster films will prioritize their characters and their emotions amidst tragedy, which is what makes Deep Impact a worthwhile film.

1

The Wave (2015)

Directed by Roar Uthaug

From Norway, The Wave is a well-acted, character-driven disaster film that earned a positive response from critics, but is heavily overlooked in the genre as a whole. The film sees a devastating avalanche producing a mᴀssive tsunami that destroys a small Norwegian town. Determined to warn others and save his family is geologist Kristian (Kristoffer Joner).

Like any good disaster movie, The Wave has its fair share of thrills and familiar genre clichés. However, what makes the movie truly memorable, and what sets it apart from others in the genre, is its focus on human drama. Kristian’s emotional and desperate search for his family members amid the chaos easily draws audiences in and keeps their attention until the film’s grim ending.

The family drama at the center of the film not only grounds The Wave, but it also sets up a compelling premise for a sequel as well. The success of the film —which became the highest-grossing film in Norway the year it was released— resulted in a sequel, The Quake, three years later.