Come on, you know you have been waiting for this post for years. Every time you see a commercial for Waterworld on VS or run into Mad Max on Spike TV you think to yourself, “What is the best post-apocalyptic movie of all time?”
Well put those thoughts to good use and help us answer that question.
There is a lot of publicity right now for Denzel Washington’s new flick The Book of Eli. I need to round up a group of guys to go and see it and enjoy Denzel as the wandering Bible toting prophet warrior of post nuclear America. But to hold me until that, let’s dig into this category which I will now abbreviate to PAM (Post Apocalypse Movie).
What makes a great PAM? You need world wide disaster, people living like they did before technology, lots of artifacts from our time that are marveled at by the people in the future, renegades or rogue warriors, people who have been injured or disfigured by some sort of disaster, you need some sort of commentary on our own times, you need a strange mystic leader, you need a creepy kingpin type villain, you need a plan to save what is left of humanity and you need lots of action. So what movies fit these categories? Here is a list off the top of my head, these are in no particular order.
It is important to note that I am separating our PAM movies from Apocalypse movies like Independence Day, War of the Worlds, or 2012. They deserve their own post some other time. I am also separating out the category referred to as Dystopia Movies. These movies show a futuristic culture that is evil and very different from our own usually with a strong totalitarian regime. You would get films like Roller Ball, The Running Man, and V for Vendetta in this category. ( I am not sure where to put Blade Runner, really it is just a future movie, but with a great commentary.)
Post-Apocalypse Movies
Waterworld
The Postman
The Matrix Trilogy
The Terminator Movies (This one gets bonus point for bring the post-apocalypse to our day)
Mad Max Movies
The Book of Eli
Escape from New York
12 Monkeys
Planet of the Apes
The Children of Men (This one is interesting because the world wide disaster is the infertility of all women)
28 Days Later
Reign of Fire (Bonus points for dragons)
Steel Dawn (I knew Patrick Swayze would show up on this list somewhere)
Cherry 2000 (Don’t ask where I pulled this one from)
I am Legend
What movies have I missed and what are your favorites?
May 30, 2010 at 10:51 am
Don’t forget about Damnation Alley and Water World. (Post Apocalypse).
July 21, 2010 at 8:30 am
I finally saw The Road that other day. That was a really good PAM movie. It was really creepy, well done and interesting. I haven’t been creeped out by a movie like that in a long time.
August 4, 2010 at 12:17 pm
The Book of Eli!
August 18, 2010 at 9:38 pm
The best of that list is probably Children of Men. Though I have a soft spot for Planet of the Apes.
August 23, 2010 at 9:27 am
you could have put Time machine lol, I am looking at all these types of things for inspiration for a animated series i am writing. You should also check out a 6 part series from back in 1999 its called The Last Train, also day after tomorrow but my fav has to be Mad Max 2 I didnt really love MM1 or MM3 though. Tina Turner lol and the thunderdome . Does anyone know of any illuminati based PAM’s. I also think that gamers should check out FALLOUT 3
pc version .
September 6, 2010 at 11:02 am
The Road is an amazing movie that follows the book by Cormac McCarthy. Probably one of the best stories in a post apocalyptic setting.
September 24, 2010 at 8:48 am
Nicolas Cage Movie “Knowing 2009″! My favorite and right up my alley! OK not really post apocalyptic,, more like pre apocalyptic but still loved it and the Anunnaki (watchers) were in it too. Oh the symbolism of the tree of life at the end was a very nice touch.. I just loved it!
October 8, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Equilibrium Anyone, 28 days later….Just seen the road…Very Different, Very Good! Oh…Knowing wash utter shit!
October 11, 2010 at 12:23 am
Isn’t it Red Dawn… not Steel Dawn….
October 18, 2010 at 6:38 am
Steel Dawn (1987) starring Patrick Swayze
“In a post-apocalyptic world, a warrior wandering through the desert comes upon a group of settlers who are being menaced by a murderous gang that is after the water they control.”
red Dawn is a completely different movie also starring Patrick Swayze
October 19, 2010 at 9:19 am
“Dawn of the Dead” , “Lost: Black Earth” (2004), “Ark II” series, “28 Weeks later” and comedy “Zombieland”