18. Mad Max: Road Warrior

Following both an energy crisis and a nuclear war, Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) traverses the wastes as a lone hero fending off all sorts of danger. The classic 80’s action movie still impresses to this day.

The Road Warrior has become an action movie classic and gives a gritty picture of the post-apocalypse

17. The Matrix

Tom Anderson’s suspicions about a mysterious concept called the Matrix leads him down a rabbit hole into discovering that the entire world around him is a computer program and that the real world is a desolate wasteland controlled by a race of intelligent machines. After being rescued by a group of surviving humans,Tom, now called Neo is believed to be “the one” the human prophesied to end the war and free mankind.

The Matrix offers a mixture of philosophical questions about the nature of men and machines with excellent action scenes

16. Wall-E

Excessive consumerism has turned the Earth into an inhospitable planet completely covered in mountains of garbage. Humanity was sent on an originally temporary space journey with an army of robots tasked with cleaning up all the garbage. However humanity has spent 800 years in space as the task has proven to be too big and all but one of the robots named Wall-E has broken down. When a robot named Eve from the human ship is sent to earth to assess whether or not the Earth has become habitable again, she meets and befriends Wall-E until she discovers a small plant growing. A rare family friendly post-apocalyptic film, Wall-E is filled with charming and lovable characters.

Wall-E delivers both a heartfelt relationship as well as commentary on consumerism and reliance on machines

15. Mad Max: Fury road

When a group of sex-slaves escape the clutches of a Warlord named Immortal Joe, Max must protect the women as they attempt to escape Joe’s forces in an epic car chase through the wasteland. Told more like a fairy tale than a traditional narrative, the imagery in Fury road is often nothing short of works of art.

Fury Road gives a surprisingly effective mix of over the top action and beautiful, almost fairytale-like imagry.

14. Nausicaä and the Valley of the wind

Following an ecological disaster turning much of the world into the “toxic jungle” Nausicaä, princess of the Valley of the Wind, one of the few remaining lush and habitable places on Earth, must stop an aggressive kingdom from destroying her home and further aggravating the mutated species residing in the jungle. A beautifully animated work by Hayao Miyazaki, the movie has a lot more humanity than the average post-apocalyptic film.

Nausicaä presents a story of humanity and nature through stunning animation and storytelling

13. The Last Days (2013)

The Last Days trailer

Set in Barcelona, Spain, The Last Days depicts a frightening epidemic that causes instant death in the open world. Because of the epidemic, living people are all confined to the insides of buildings. In the film, we follow Marc as he desperately journeys to find his lost girlfriend, Julia. The twist? He can’t step one foot outside. Edge of your seat horror, a gripping narrative, and a beyond creative concept make this post-apocalyptic work an underrated gem.

This Spanish film won seven of the prestigious Gaudi awards.

12. How I Live Now (2013)

How I Live Now trailer

Daisy, a neurotic American teenager is sent to live with relatives in the English countryside. After growing close in particular with a cousin named Eddie, the summer facade starts to fade.

Soon, terrorist attacks and martial law sweep England. Among this tense military situation and other related horrors, Daisy desperately tries to hide and survive.

Ronan’s breakout performance was praised by several critics.

11. The Survivalist (2015)

The Survivalist trailer

Alone and isolated, the Survivalist tends to his lone plot of land and fends off intruders with his traps and trusty shotgun. In a world where people are starving and dying in masses, he keeps his setup a secret from all. As the madness of loneliness begins to consume him, two women appear and bargain with him to share some of his food in exchange for sex with the younger woman, Mia.

Entrapped in a blooming romance with Mia, the Survivalist is unaware of the women’s plot to kill him and take his supplies. Soon, however, a bandit kidnaps Mia and the Survivalist goes off to rescue her.

Using his wits, strength, and shotgun, can the Survivalist survive the unforgiving wilderness outside of his plot? This hard-hitting “Mad Max in the countryside” will have you on the edge of your seat.

Winner of the Citizen Kane Award for Best Directorial Revelation 2015.

10. Bird Box (2018)

Bird Box trailer

A terrible force has swept humanity. Look at this force, you die. The film follows a woman, Mallorie as she flashes back to the pandemic and sets to embark on a dangerous journey with her two children. Down the river lies safety, but evil chases them tirelessly. Don’t take off your blindfold.

Said to have had the largest viewership of any Netflix movie, the gripping movie was said to have been streamed by over 45 million accounts in only seven days.

9. The Domestics (2018)

The Domestics trailer

When the government launches attacks on its own people, the world falls to total chaos. In all of this chaos, there are a cavalcade of gangs and non-hostile survivors called “domestics.” Nina and Mark, two married domestics make a daring run to a possible safe haven in Milwaukee. Mind blowing action, and a whole lot of fun, The Domestics is one of the most intriguing films I’ve seen lately.

Great chemistry with the two leads propels this great film even further.

8. Dredd (2012)

Dredd trailer.

A remake of 1995’s Judge Dredd, Dredd takes its gritty source material and makes it even better. Dredd’s America is an irradiated wasteland where law and order is nothing but a relic of past society. In the main source of civilization, Mega City One, one group of feared people attempt to hold up the law. Judges. The most feared of these judges, Dredd, takes viewers on a wild, violent ride through this bleak world. Can Dredd deal with a new drug and the frightening criminal underworld behind it?

Dredd was praised for being visually striking. The scenes depicting the effects of the “slo-mo” drug were especially amazing.

7. Pacific Rim (2013)

Pacific Rim trailer

In the future, the world is threatened by large beasts called Kaiju. Humanity’s only hope lies in large mech suits known as “jaegers.” After protecting the world with jaegers for years, the tide is finally turning. Only a washed up pilot and a raw trainee stand between mankind and extinction. Get ready for some heartstopping, robot-monster fighting!

Viewers were drawn to the Godzilla inspired film, so much so, this film spawned an entire film series with three movies released so far.

6. The Day (2011)

The Day trailer

Five survivors fight to stay alive through a bitter apocalypse. As they wander, they come across an ominous farmhouse and feel that they are finally safe. The sense of safety doesn’t last, as they soon find themselves fighting for their lives against bloodthirsty cannibals.

Not many films depict cannibals anymore. This movie will make viewers fear cannibalism again.

5. Cargo (2018)

Cargo trailer

In the wilderness of Australia, a man wanders with his child after a nightmare of a pandemic sweeps the world. The difference between this and other movies in the genre? The man himself is already infected. Journey with the man through a somber, intense quest to find a new home for his child. Will the desperate man survive long enough to protect his child? Or will the man give in to his alarming, changing nature? An amazing performance from Martin Freeman propels this Netflix film to huge heights.

A career defining performance from Martin Freeman will tug on your heartstrings in between the action.

4. Train to Busan (2016)

Train to Busan trailer

Huddled in a bullet train, passengers struggle to keep their sanity in a frightening zombie apocalypse. Through the darkness, they hope to make it to the resort city of Busan, a place rumored to be safe from zombie hordes. A blur of horror and thrills, Train to Busan is a surprisingly fresh zombie experience, and a good place to start an interest in Korean films.

Korean films seem to be some of the most underrated out there. This is a great stepping stone for any viewer looking to get into them.

3. Snowpiercer (2013)

Snowpiercer (2013) trailer

When the world falls to apocalypse due to a botched global warming experiment, humanity survives on a train that constantly travels around the globe via a perpetual motion engine. After generations, dynamics unfold. The rich live in the frontal cars, the poor are confined to the slums of the back cars. As cryptic messages play on this division, will the passengers turn on each other? Snowpiercer takes a fascinating post-apocalyptic landscape, adds ambitious action, and throws it together in a highly underrated film experience.

A Korean film, Chris Evans really assisted with the film’s crossover appeal.

2. 28 Weeks Later (2007)

28 Weeks Later trailer

This film takes place 28 weeks after a frightening “rage” virus that turned people in London into mindless creatures that would destroy anything in their path. The American army has intervened, and declares the fight against the outbreak done. What will they do when the virus makes a shocking return?

A good sequel is rare in post-apocalyptic movies, but this is an exception. The success and good reception of this film has actually led to recent talks of a third movie in the franchise!

1. 28 Days Later (2002)

28 Days Later trailer

And of course, I couldn’t bring up 28 Weeks Later without mentioning the classic that inspired it! When a courier named Jim awakes from a coma, he finds his world destroyed by people infected with the mysterious rage virus. Fleeing from these unstoppable, zombie-like people, Jim journeys with survivors to find what he hopes will be safety. With fantastic performances and chilling atmosphere, you will soon realize why 28 Days Later is often considered the quintessential zombie film.

The brilliant script and action resonated with audiences to the point of a sequel and possible future installments.

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