Thankfully for all of us post-apocalyptic nutjobs out there, the movie world is filled with depictions of life after the end of all things. Whether it’s a nuclear wasteland filled with irradiated nasties, a dystopian society that struggles to maintain some semblance of order or just good old fashioned zombie madness, we certainly love this stuff.
Now I certainly haven’t seen every post-apocalyptic movie out there, but I’ve seen a fair few. This is a list of some of the ones I reckon you should watch, too (in no particular order).
1. Children of Men
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron (of “Gravity” fame) and starring Clive Owen, “Children of Men (2006)” is set in a world where women are infertile, and people are tearing themselves apart.
The world is at war in 2027, and a child hasn’t been born since 2009. The story centres around Owen and a mysterious girl who he discovers is eight months pregnant, leading to our action hero defending her against the horrors of this bleak future reality.
“The whole premise was to try to create a journey through the state of things. So people raise the question about the possibility of hope in the reality of this world,” said Cuaron to ComingSoon.net back in ’06.
One of the most memorable parts of this movie for me personally is the truly spectacular tracking shots. Just watch the below and you’ll see what I mean:
2. The Road
Speaking of bleak, if you feel you aren’t quite sad enough right now, you should watch “The Road (2009)”. This was the movie adaptation of the fantastic Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, where an unnamed father and son duo are travelling through the nothingness of future America to reach the ocean.
This story is set after an apocalypse we never find out the nature of (that old chestnut). All we know is that it’s cold, wet and grim as all hell. It pairs the harsh reality of a destroyed society with two characters you really want to root for, but can often see no way for them to survive.
Viggo Mortensen is the father, and director John Hillcoat told Collider that he seriously got in character when filming the piece:
“He slept in his clothes. He got chucked out of places. “Who’s this homeless bum. Get out of here.” They called in security,” said Hillcoat.
The film has a mixture of excruciatingly tense scenes (set to music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, no less), bursts of action and plenty of emotion, and will certainly leave you with lots to think about.
With one gun and only two rounds, surviving this post-apocalyptic wasteland seems like a distant dream.
3. A Boy and His Dog
Let’s end on a very different note. “A Boy and His Dog (1975)” is set in your classic post-nuclear setting, where America is swathed in dust, bandits and other horrible creatures. However, this film isn’t some dreary slog but is in fact presented as an off-beat comedy.
Now, I have to say, I have mixed feelings about this film. Indeed, I suspect that it will likely appeal to men more than women, though of course you should watch it to form your own opinion.
The main character is basically travelling around trying to get laid (with his telepathic talking dog), but the time he actually comes close to it, he doesn’t really stop and ask for permission. Granted, it turns consensual in the end, but it sheds a light on an aspect of his personality that I know would upset certain viewers. Now you could argue that it’s the end of the world and morals would more than definitely be thrown out the window, but that doesn’t change the fact that I know some people won’t like it.
The positives, though? There is a super creepy underground scene with some excellent visual imagery and a punchline ending that made me laugh out loud for ages.
Oh, and the dog is super cute.
Even a nuclear apocalypse can’t stop dogs from being awesome.
If you have your own opinions on these films, or would like to recommend more, leave a comment below or jump on my Facebook for a wee chinwag!