Summary
- The power of hurricanes is unmatched, combining winds, rain, and flooding to create devastating destruction in their wake.
- Visual effects have enhanced the portrayal of intense storms onscreen, from thrilling set pieces to somber reflections on real events.
- While fictional movies use hurricanes for action, true stories like “Storm Seekers” reveal the personal struggles faced in the midst of the storm.
A good disaster movie can be about several exciting and dangerous events, but there’s something special about great hurricane movies. The ocean is the most powerful force on Earth, and hurricanes combine this strength with high winds, torrential rain, and flooding that can destroy everything in its path. Stories told about these storms can be fictional, but many deal with real events and the fallout communities and people face in the wake of a devastating hurricane. Fictionalized movies use hurricanes as a thrilling set piece to conquer, while true stories take a more somber approach.
Since visual effects and technology have come a long way since the 1970s, much more is possible in portraying hurricanes and intense storms onscreen.
The tornado movies Twisters and Twister have been a large part of the cultural conversation since the disaster movie sequel was released to audience and critical acclaim. This has reignited interest in the disaster movie genre, which peaked in the 1970s. Since visual effects and technology have come a long way since the 1970s, much more is possible in portraying hurricanes and intense storms onscreen. As there’s little chance that characters will be able to escape the hurricane once it hits, most of these narratives involve their attempts to survive by any means necessary.
Related 8 Disaster Movie Sequels & Reboots That Must Happen After Twisters
After the booming success of Twisters, a precedent has been set for more overlooked disaster movies to get the sequels & reboots they deserve.
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10 The Hurricane Heist (2018)
Directed by Rob Cohen
Audience members might recognize Maggie Grace, who plays Casey in The Hurricane Heist from her role as Shannon on Lost. Placed in another survival situation, the actress easily slips into the role of Casey, a Federal agent who becomes embroiled in a plot to steal from a Federal Reserve facility as a category five hurricane approaches. The conspiracy of people who join together to rob the facility increases as the movie progresses, as do the whipping winds and unbelievable shootouts that Casey and her allies encounter.
Though
The Hurricane Heist
doesn’t tread any familiar ground, it has echoes of
Twisters
in the way it’s in conversation with classic disaster movies from the 20th century.
Though The Hurricane Heist doesn’t tread any familiar ground, it has echoes of Twisters in the way it’s in conversation with classic disaster movies from the 20th century. The antagonists of the film are cartoonishly evil at times, and they’re no match for the intelligence and know-how of the story’s heroes. At the heart of the movie is a sibling relationship between brothers who spent their lives learning about hurricanes after their father was tragically killed by one.
9 Storm Seekers (2009)
Directed by George Mendeluk
While storm chasers who pursue tornadoes across the Oklahoma countryside are well-known by audiences, the hurricane hunters in Storm Seekers aren’t part of the cultural zeitgeist. The actions the characters in Storm Seekers must take to track and collect data about their hurricane are even more terrifying than the actions of storm chasers. They have to fly directly into the storm, which could potentially bring the aircraft crashing down into the ocean. It’s an unstable position that leaves the audience worried about the characters.
Much of Storm Seekers revolves around the scientists on the ground not listening to or believing the reports coming from the crew in the air observing the hurricane. Additionally, the characters who populate the crew are all entrenched in deeply personal problems that continuously affect their work and get in the way of tracking the hurricane. While this might not be the most realistic course of events, it does make for plenty of drama alongside the brewing storms.
8 Force Of Nature (2020)
Directed by Michael Polish
Force of Nature ActionThriller Where to Watch
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Director Michael Polish Release Date July 2, 2020 Cast Mel Gibson , Kate Bosworth , Emile Hirsch , David Zayas , Stephanie Cayo , William Catlett Runtime 91 minutes
Mel Gibson cuts a striking figure in the movie, proving that he hasn’t aged out of his action roles.
Force of Nature was released at a difficult time in 2020, so the film didn’t see a theatrical release in the U.S., meaning fewer audiences saw the film. Though Force of Nature has faded from recent memory, it’s worth revisiting for the unexpected chemistry between the ensemble cast and the heist element that raises the stakes beyond the impending hurricane. Mel Gibson cuts a striking figure in the movie, proving that he hasn’t aged out of his action roles.
Force of Nature combines a hurricane, the threat of a band of art thieves, and a bloodthirsty tiger to make for a story that moves at breakneck speed. The movie never lets up on the tension and drama, making it impossible to imagine what plot development will come next. Though Force of Nature isn’t the most serious disaster film, it revels in its own unexpected and larger-than-life nature. Though critics didn’t appreciate the quirks of the film, it’s still an enjoyable romp for viewers who love action.
7 Crawl (2019)
Directed by Alexandre Aja
Crawl RHorrorAdventureAction Where to Watch
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Crawl is a horror thriller set during a Florida Hurricane. It follows a young woman named Haley who refuses to heed the mandatory evacuation order to search for her father, who went missing at the beginning of the storm. When Haley finds her father seriously injured, they discover the hurricane is the least of their problems. Suddenly, their home is besieged by a group of massive alligators looking for their next meal.
Director Alexandre Aja Release Date July 11, 2019 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures Cast George Somner , Morfydd Clark , Anson Boon , Jose Palma , Ross Anderson , Colin McFarlane , Barry Pepper , Ami Metcalf , Kaya Scodelario , Annamaria Serda Runtime 87 minutes
The horror aspects of Crawl are all too real, as not only does a hurricane make evacuation impossible for Haley and her father, Dave. However, they’re pursued by alligators. Set in Florida, the story sees the alligators make their way to the character’s suburban town because of the flooding from the hurricane. Though the premise is a little unconventional, Crawl approaches the material with a serious edge, and there are more than a few jump scares throughout the story.
Though the alligators quickly become the primary antagonists in Crawl, much of the movie is dedicated to the force and power of the hurricane. The characters spend much of the film in waist-high water, and the aquatic filming is an impressive aspect of the project. Additionally, Crawl uses its limited cast to its great advantage, and almost the entire movie passes with only Haley and Dave onscreen. This gives the audience time to invest in their relationship and see them develop as people in the midst of their intense surroundings.
6 Adrift (2018)
Directed by Baltasar Kormákur
Adrift (2018) PG-13DramaActionAdventure Where to Watch
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Adrift is a survival drama based on the true story of Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, the film stars Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin as a young couple who set out on a sailing voyage, only to encounter one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. The movie focuses on their struggle to survive against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Director Baltasar Kormakur Release Date May 31, 2018 Cast Shailene Woodley , Sam Claflin , Jeffrey Thomas , Elizabeth Hawthorne , Grace Palmer , Siale Tunoka
The real experience of Tami Aldham Ashcraft inspired
Adrift
.
Though Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin both got their start in YA dystopian movies, they make a realistic and compelling couple in Adrift. As much a survival film as it is a disaster one, Adrift begins as a romance, showing Tami and Richard, the film’s protagonists, falling in love and planning to sail across the world together. The real experience of Tami Aldham Ashcraft inspired Adrift. In reality, Tami and Richard were hit by a hurricane while sailing from Tahiti to San Diego, and Tami survived on her own at sea for many days.
Adrift does an excellent job of making the audience feel for the couple and become invested in their story immediately. Watching Tami struggle to keep herself and Richard alive as the ocean continuously assaults them is a stirring sight, but it’s the love that’s shown in the first half of the film that propels the story forward. Though the film premiered to mixed reviews, there’s no question that Woodley’s performance anchors the project and pushes her abilities to their limit.
5 Hours (2013)
Directed by Eric Heisserer
Hours PG-13ThrillerDocumentary Where to Watch
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Director Eric Heisserer Release Date November 29, 2013 Cast Paul Walker , Genesis Rodriguez , Nancy Nave , Shane Jacobsen , Natalia Jaroszyk , TJ Hassan Runtime 97 minutes
Paul Walker heads up Hours, a fictionalized story about a man and his daughter during the worst of Hurricane Katrina. Tragically, Walker passed away just before the film was released to larger audiences. Hours is remembered as part of his legacy of thrilling and engaging action movies that delighted audiences of all kinds. Hours is easy to get wrapped up in because it sees Walker’s character, Nolan, fight to get his newborn daughter to safety during Katrina. It tackles the real problems that many people in hospitals faced during the hurricane.
The baby is premature and can’t be moved from the hospital, but the flooding and damage from the storm make it impossible for the staff and other patients to leave. Hours is a race against time as Nolan struggles to keep his daughter alive, signal the evacuation teams, and looters who steal the supplies he desperately needs. As the story progresses, the stakes and tension only increase, leaving the audience wondering if Nolan and his daughter will ever get out and see the end of the storm.
4 The Perfect Storm (2000)
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen
The Perfect Storm PG-13ActionAdventureDocumentaryDramaThriller Where to Watch
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Director Wolfgang Petersen Release Date June 29, 2000 Cast George Clooney , Mark Wahlberg , Diane Lane , John C. Reilly , William Fichtner , John Hawkes Runtime 129 minutes
Though much of the film’s plot does follow the true events of that day,
The Perfect Storm
is a fictionalized account and takes dramatic liberties with some details.
Based on the real storm that formed in 1991 and was coined as The Perfect Storm, the movie of the same name explores the experience of a commercial fishing crew that was caught in the middle of it. The movie features a star-studded cast, including George Clooney, John C. Reilly, and Diane Lane, who all valiantly and empathetically portray the real crew of the fishing boat, the Andrea Gail. Though much of the film’s plot does follow the true events of that day, The Perfect Storm is a fictionalized account and takes dramatic liberties with some details.
Overall, The Perfect Storm was a smash success and shed new light on the formation of this enormous weather event, but it hasn’t remained an overly popular installment of the disaster film genre. The biggest issue with The Perfect Storm is that adding interpersonal drama between the characters that didn’t exist between the real people would have been in poor taste. However, even if a documentary might have done the story’s job just as well, the effects that created the winds and rain in the film were outstanding.
3 The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
The Day After Tomorrow pg-13ActionAdventure Where to Watch
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The Day After Tomorrow is a Roland Emmerich disaster movie, which imagines a catastrophic global climate shift that plunges the world into a new ice age. Dennis Quaid stars as paleoclimatologist Jack Hall, with Jake Gyllenhaal playing his son, Sam, as they face world-ending tornadoes, floods, and a massive storm system.
Director Roland Emmerich Release Date May 27, 2004 Studio(s) 20th Century Cast Jake Gyllenhaal , Dennis Quaid , Emmy Rossum , Sela Ward Runtime 124minutes
The Day After Tomorrow is a classic disaster flick with all the outrageous science and unconventional storytelling that defines these modern thrillers. The movie stars Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal as a father and son who watch as the world is sucked into a seemingly endless string of severe weather events. Hurricanes are only one of the major events to threaten humanity in The Day After Tomorrow. Though the pace and extremity of the storms are exaggerated, they are a direct comment on the potential effects of climate change.
Plenty of movies have tackled the issue of climate change and humanity’s failure to respond and act as the environment becomes irrevocably damaged. However, The Day After Tomorrow is not a searing indictment of these factors. Rather, it’s a roller-coaster-like adventure that throws the characters into a litany of near-death experiences and visually stunning effects that make even the most outlandish weather events seem possible. Though The Day After Tomorrow received mixed reviews, there’s no doubt that it’s fun until the very end.
Related 10 Best Disaster Movies Like The Day After Tomorrow You Need To See
There are a ton of thrilling disaster movies like The Day After Tomorrow that plunge viewers into the terror of a widespread apocalyptic scenario.
2 Katrina Babies (2022)
Directed by Edward Buckles Jr.
Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit the United States in the 21st century, and since then, many films and pieces of media have grappled with the fallout from the event. In Katrina Babies, the filmmaker Edward Buckles compiled interviews and archival footage over several years with the survivors in New Orleans and the children who grew up in the city in the decades after the storm. It’s a serious and emotionally poignant documentary and could only be made by someone involved in the community with deep love and empathy for the people there.
Katrina Babies
is a portrait of the effects of hurricanes and the government’s failure to provide relief in emergency situations.
Another great documentary miniseries to explore after watching Katrina Babies is Spike Lee’s project When The Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Parts. While many movies about hurricanes incorporate tragedy and hardship, few honestly portray the realities of the lasting effects of these storms. It’s important to remember that while these enormous events make for strong conflict and drama in movies, they impact people all over the world and should be taken seriously. Katrina Babies is a portrait of the effects of hurricanes and the government’s failure to provide relief in emergency situations.
1 Key Largo (1948)
Directed by John Huston
Key Largo Not Rated
Key Largo is a 1948 film noir directed by John Huston, featuring Humphrey Bogart as war veteran Frank McCloud. He visits a Florida hotel to honor the family of a fallen comrade but finds himself ensnared in a tense standoff with gangster Johnny Rocco, played by Edward G. Robinson. The film explores themes of courage and redemption against the backdrop of a brewing hurricane.
Director John Huston Release Date July 16, 1948 Cast Humphrey Bogart , Edward G. Robinson , Lauren Bacall , Thomas Gomez , Lionel Barrymore , Harry Lewis , Dan Seymour , Claire Trevor Runtime 100 Minutes
Key Largo is not only a movie about a hurricane, it’s also one of Humphrey Bogart’s best film noir movies, and he co-stars with his wife and frequent collaborator, Lauren Bacall. As a crime thriller, Key Largo is a far cry from a disaster movie, and the hurricane is used as a plot device rather than an overarching antagonist or metaphor. The hurricane forces the characters to remain inside their hotel in Key Largo instead and face off against the gangsters who trapped them there.
However, there are still great moments of action that take place on the ocean, as Bogart’s character, Frank, knows his way around a ship and is not one to cower in the face of intimidation. Despite its difference from other hurricane films, Key Largo is one of the most well-crafted because its relationships and conflicts are elevated by the storm instead of relying on them. As disaster movies evolve and enter a new era for modern audiences, much can be learned from older films that cross genres.