We’re all obsessed with the idea that the world is going to end. Yet, we’re not pleased with the idea of the world ending in a mellow, fading, organic way. We want it to end in explosions. We want to see fireballs falling from the sky. We want to watch skyscrapers being torn down by earthquakes. We want it to be spectacular, something our eyes wouldn’t believe at first glance.
Year after year, films provide us with the illusion of watching the world being torn apart in a different way. We watch aliens destroy the White House with a massive beam of light. We watch Los Angeles flooded by a swarm of locust-like merciless spacecrafts. We watch San Francisco being ripped by the violent movement of tectonic plates. We watch the Statue of Liberty being drowned by the force of an unstoppable tsunami.
But why do we obsess so much over these films? Perhaps, it is because film is just the right medium. Seeing apocalyptic predictions in full technicolor and even better, watching them in 3D is so appealing that no other film plots make our hearts beat faster. We need to know the stakes are high for us to enjoy a film. It is either all or nothing. Either the world survives, or everything goes to the dogs. In that scenario, it’s easy to know what side we’re rooting for.
Hollywood has known this from its inception, providing us with gut-churning experiences that can truly make us believe —just for a second— that humanity is about to end. We let ourselves be carried away with this illusion, and we can only pray that our heroes on the screen will be able to save the day. Yet, we’re always yearning to watch a little destruction. These are some of the greatest disaster films that made us gasp in pleasure while watching our planet fall apart.
Pompeii (2014)
Kit Harington’s debut for the big screen was one of those classic disaster films where the plot is weak and the special-effects are astounding. So, even though we all knew what was going to happen with Mt. Vesuvius, watching it explode and cover the city in flames is an exciting and chilling experience.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
With the monstrous consequences of climate change lurking at the corner, Ronald Emmelrich’s film has become more relevant than ever. In it, our activities trigger climate change, to the point that a new Ice Age ends up devouring the northern hemisphere. Caught amid the blizzard, we watch the city of New York freeze, slowly turning into an iceberg of chilling proportions.
Earthquake (1974)
How would you react if the earth under your feet gave way to an abyss? Earthquakes are one of the natural disasters that scare us the most because of their power. Besides, they’re completely unpredictable, and our technology is rather limited regarding how much we can prepare for them. Featuring Charlton Heston, Mark Robson’s film takes us to edge of our seats while we yearn for the survival of the ravaged city of L.A.
Battle Los Angeles (2011)
Liebesman’s film pushes the whole world into the brink of destruction with the help of an alien invasion. Focusing on how the U.S. military manages to deal with the attack, we live through the moments of watching L.A. being torn to pieces by a one-of-a-kind hurricane of otherworldly violence. Why is the destruction of this city so thrilling?
In Old Chicago (1937)
Based on the event that set the windy city ablaze, this classic presents a horrifying depiction of how the city was destroyed and how it all came down to a single family feud. It is a reflection on how much damage a single man can do to the world. Its portrayal of the events is so whacky and precise that we can almost feel the heat of the flickering flames.
Independence Day (1996)
Is there anything better than watching Will Smith at his prime defending us against bloodthirsty aliens on a fighter jet? I think not. To add more drama into the mix, the aliens have psychic powers, and to counterattack, humanity must join together to stop the invasion. This film was directed by Emmerich, and is considered to be among the highest-grossing films. A glorious piece about restoring and defending the world against a ruthless menace from outer space.
The Birds (1963)
Although Hitchcock’s movie presents only a local disaster, the strangeness of the situation is so compelling that there’s no way to believe the menace will only stay in Bodega Bay. In this case, the apocalypse comes from the sky, when suddenly, the creatures that we usually consider harmless (to the point that we keep them as pets) turn in flocks against us. Not even Edgar Allan Poe’s raven is as terrifying as Hitchcock’s birds.
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Maybe the reason why we enjoy watching the world burn is because it makes us feel important, and paradoxically strong. Disaster films can be flattering too. They make us feel that we can only be destroyed by extraordinary forces or events. We love to watch the world burn because we want to find out how flammable we really are.
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You should check out the classic films that you didn’t know were box-office flops, and the three films that’ll help you understand the evolution of cinema.
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References
Film School Rejects
Vulture
