Summary
Disaster movies that involve saving the world have become some of the biggest summer blockbuster hits and beloved popcorn movies for a reason, with 1996’sIndependence Daybeing one of the most iconic. Telling the story of an alien invasion that must be warded off by humanity,Independence Daybecame the highest-grossing movie of the yearand was a watershed moment for the Hollywood blockbuster (viaBoxOfficeMojo).
Due to its now-legendary status in movie history, it is no wonder that many other disaster movies about saving the world share some similarities withIndependence Day. AsTwistersrecently showed, the disaster movie genreis still going strong. From Earth’s mightiest heroes fighting the God of Mischief, a modern adaptation of an H.G Wells novel,some of these movies have become as, if not more, iconic as the 1996 classic. If you’re a fan ofIndependence Day, these are the movies for you.
Independence Day Cast & Where Are They Now
Independence Day was one of the most influential blockbusters of the 1990s thanks to its impressive cast of stars, many of whose careers skyrocketed.
Geostorm
Cast
Geostorm is a sci-fi thriller starring Gerard Butler as satellite designer Jake Lawson who discovers a problem with an international satellite system developed to counter climate change. When the satellites malfunction, causing a dangerous and gigantic storm that threatens to obliterate the planet, Jake and a group of other officials must race to solve the problem before the storm swallows them whole.
InGeostorm, the human race has achieved the unthinkable - they can control the weather. Using a series of satellites and algorithms known as Dutch Boy, the international community can regulate the climate, but when the system starts to malfunction, it almost spells the end of the world. Cold snaps in Rio de Janeiro, fire whirls in Hong Kong, and massive hailstorms in Tokyo punctuate this action-packed disaster movie, as the protagonist, and architect of Dutch Boy, Jake Lawson (Gerard Butler) races against the clock to prevent a world-ending geostorm.
Massive in scale and stakes,Geostormmay not be the critic’s favorite disaster movie, but it certainly deserves a watch.
WhileGeostormunder-performed critically and commercially, it is a movie full of enough action, twists, and commentary on climate change to keep its audiences engaged. In a similar vein toIndependence Day,Geostorm’s true value comes from its highlighting of the true fragility of humanity when faced with catastrophe; only this time, the threat is not extraterrestrial. Massive in scale and stakes,Geostormmay not be the critic’s favorite disaster movie, but it certainly deserves a watch.
Moonfall
In Moonfall, a mysterious force knocks the Moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we know it. With mere weeks before impact and the world on the brink of annihilation, NASA executive and former astronaut Jo Fowler is convinced she has the key to saving us all - but only one astronaut from her past, Brian Harper and conspiracy theorist K.C. Houseman believe her. So these unlikely heroes will mount an impossible last-ditch mission into space, leaving behind everyone they love, only to discover that our Moon is not what we think it is.
Roland Emmerich, the visionary director behindIndependence Day, has been labeled by some as Hollywood’s own “Master of Disaster”, and giventhe quality of his latest movie,Moonfall, it is clear to see why (viaVariety).Moonfallcenters around the mission of two astronauts and a conspiracy theorist to investigate the moon after it suddenly leaves its orbit. It turns out that the moon is actually a synthetic Dyson sphere controlled by artificial intelligence and is on a collision course with Earth.
With a cast including Halle Berry, Donald Sutherland, and Patrick Wilson,Moonfallprovides a compelling, and at times, emotional narrative full of large-scale spectacle. The hallmarks of an Emmerich disaster movie are as present here as they were inIndependence Day, showcasing the importance of unity in the face of adversity. Cliché at times, but no less awesome to watch unfold,Moonfallblends action, suspense, and emotion,and is well worth a watch for any fans ofIndependence Day.
Sunshine
Sunshine, directed by Danny Boyle, follows a team of astronauts on a critical mission to reignite the dying Sun and save Earth from an impending freeze. Set fifty years into the future, the film explores their journey and the challenges faced in their attempt to restore solar life.
It is 2057 and the sun is dying, spelling disaster for the human race. The solution that propels the plot ofSunshine? Sending a crack team of astronauts to the dying sun with a bomb to reignite it. Directed by the legendary Danny Boyle,Sunshineis more than just a typical disaster movieabout saving the world, but also a psychological and richly thematic story about sacrifice and survival. This is buttressed by a star-studded cast including Cilian Murphy, Chris Evans, and Michelle Yeoh, all of whom have incredible chemistry and add a sense of human realism to a movie that is otherwise massive in scale.
Sunshineis a must-watch, not just if you loveIndependence Day, not just if you love disaster movies, but if you love movies in general.
A message of unity and hope is central to what makesSunshinesuch a good disaster movie, and makes it a worthy viewing companion toIndependence Day. The characters must overcome their individual reservations and challenges for a common cause, makingSunshineone of the most unique and compelling disaster movies of the last twenty years.Sunshineis a must-watch, not just if you loveIndependence Day, not just if you love disaster movies, but if you love movies in general.
Armageddon
In Michael Bay’s sci-fi action thriller Armageddon, a colossal asteroid is found barrelling toward Earth, guaranteed to wipe out all life. To stop it, NASA concocts a plan that involves drilling into its core to denote a nuclear bomb inside of it - and to make that happen; they’ll need the right crew. Led by the head of an oil drilling company, Harry Stamper, a group of blue-collar workers are given the crash course for Astronaut preparation as the crew races against time to save the planet.
Armageddonis a movie that followed closely inIndependence Day’s footsteps, releasing just two years later. When a Texas-sized asteroid is discovered to be on a world-ending collision course with Earth, the US government commissions a group of oil-drillers for a mission of the highest stakes.Led by Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), the drillers must fly on a spaceship, land on the asteroid, drill an 800ft hole, and insert a hydrogen bomb that will detonate and blow the asteroid into two pieces, both of which will miss Earth. So, just another day in the office.
Besides the existential threat to humanity, a similarity thatArmageddonshares withIndependence Dayis its portrayal of the importance of resilience against adversity. Everything that could go wrong on the mission, does go wrong, from a rogue storm to an exploding space station, yet the team, which slowly dwindles in numbers as time goes on, never gives up. Sacrifice and heroism are also on full display here, asthe characters race against time, and the odds, to save the world.
World War Z
Based on the novel by Max Brooks, World War Z tells the story of a world ravaged by a zombie virus. Former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) braves the apocalypse in search of a cure. He is tasked with finding the point of origin of the virus to synthesize a vaccine, reluctantly doing so in exchange for his family’s safety. His search takes him around the world, where he witnesses all the devastation of the apocalypse.
While the movie doesn’t focus on an extraterrestrial threat,World War Zis nevertheless a unique addition to the disaster genre. Starring Brad Pitt as former UN investigator Gerry Lane,World War Ztells the story of a zombie pandemicthat threatens to wipe out humanity. Gerry’s mission to stop the zombies takes him across the world, from Newark, to South Korea, to Jerusalem, mimickingIndependence Day’s message about the importance of international community and cooperation when the world is faced with an existential threat.
World War Z’s highlight is undeniably Pitt’s fantastic performance. The actor manages to convey a real sense of calm in the face of chaos, but is also unafraid to think and act quickly to save the world. As society collapses from within,World War Z’sGerry is a symbol of hope, strength, and the power of the human spirit, all of which underscoreIndependence Day’s narrative as well.
The Avengers
WhenThe Avengersfirst released, it had a massive task ahead of it. It would be the first time thatthe six Avengers of the original castshared the screen together against a common threat, and would also have to provide a compelling narrative while also setting up future MCU projects. The rest, of course, is history. The story about Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, and Hawkeye banding together to stop Loki’s Chitauri from taking over the world has become one of cinema’s most endearing, and set the stage for the MCU to become the most dominant movie franchise in the world.
It’s parallels withIndependence Dayrange from Earth having to ward off an alien invasion, to Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr) sacrifice essentially being a shot-for-shot remake of Russell’s (Randy Quaid) in the 1996 movie. Once more, collaboration is portrayed as the key to success when the world is ending, with the Avengers each having to overcome their superficial disagreements for the good of humanity.As iconic as it is influential,The Avengersserves as a reminder of a time when big-budget superhero team-ups were unheard of, and is one of the best disaster movies of the past fifteen years.
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War of The Worlds
As extraterrestrial invaders ravage Earth, divorced father Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) must protect his estranged children, Rachel and Robbie. Evading destruction and aliens, they encounter harrowing scenes of devastation in their desperate bid for survival. As the invaders' weaknesses are revealed, Ray fights to reunite his family and find refuge amidst the crumbling world.
A modern retelling of H.G Wells' iconic 1898 novel,Steven Spielberg’s 2005 movieWar of the Worldshas become a modern classic of disaster movies, occupying this status alongsideIndependence Day. With a premise as large as a world-ending invasion,War of the Worldstells a surprisingly intimate story about dockworker Ray Ferrier’s (Tom Cruise) attempts to protect his family. Dark, personal, and unpredictable,War of the Worldsis a staple of what makes a disaster movie great.
The story of Ray and his family is full of raw, human emotion that anchors the narrative to a sense of true realism, making for a unique take on the genre.
Independence Day, for all its spectacle, fails to tell a truly up-close story about how individuals cope with world-ending events, and this is whereWar of the Worldsshines. The story of Ray and his family is full of raw, human emotion thatanchors the narrative to a sense of true realism, making for a unique take on the genre. Balancing this intimate emotion with large-scale global destruction,War of the Worldsis more than worthy of living up to the disaster movie precedent set byIndependence Day.
Edge of Tomorrow
Edge of Tomorrow features Tom Cruise as Major Bill Cage, an officer unversed in battle, who becomes ensnared in a time loop during an alien invasion. As Cage relives the same day repeatedly, he teams up with a skilled warrior, played by Emily Blunt, to alter the course of the war.
Edge of Tomorrowis a classic synthesis of disaster, sci-fi, and drama.Tom Cruise stars inEdge of Tomorrowas Major William Cage, a man with very little real combat experience who is forced into action against an alien species that has occupied much of Europe. What setsEdge of Tomorrowapart is its inclusion of a time loop - William is stuck dying in the same battle over and over again, forcing him to try and adapt to find the best way to defeat the aliens.
Both the aliens inIndependence DayandEdge of Tomorroware depicted as forces to be reckoned with, requiring massive sacrifices in both movies to defeat. The trial-and-error approach that dominatesEdge of Tomorrow’s narrative is akin to that found inIndependence Day, if a lot more on the nose, and highlights humanity’s constant attempts to outmaneuver their extraterrestrial adversaries.Relentless in its pacing, and unforgiving in its action, Edge of Tomorrow will surely be looked back upon as one of the greatest and most unique disaster movies ever made.
Pacific Rim
In a post-apocalyptic future, Earth battles a deadly race of alien monsters called the Kaiju, who have begun arriving on the planet through an interdimensional portal in the Pacific Ocean. In an attempt to combat the Kaiju, humanity has created Jaegers, giant robot suits powered by at least two pilots that can match their enemy for size and strength. When the Kaiju begin to become too strong, however, a washed-up Jaeger pilot must return to the program to participate in one final mission to save Earth for good.
Guillermo del Toro’s sci-fi masterpiecePacific Rimre-imagined the foundations of disaster movies when it was released. Set in a future where interdimensional creatures called kaiju emerge from a portal at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and start attacking Earth,Pacific Rimtells the story of Raleigh (Charlie Hunnam) and Mako (Rinko Kikuchi) as they pilot a giant humanoid mecha known as Jaeger to defeat the monsters. Visually stunning, and an homage to kaiju and anime media,Pacific Rimis a disaster movie full of heart and courage.
The human spirit is clearly on display inPacific Rim, showcased in the innovations that came with creating the Jaegers to fight the kaiju. There is also a sense of global unity similar to that found inIndependence Day, with Jaeger pilots hailing from every corner of Earth. Combining these strong themes of determination with extraordinary special effects makes Pacific Rimone of the most rewatchable and enjoyable disaster movies of recent times.
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The World’s End
The World’s End follows five friends reuniting to attempt a legendary pub crawl from their youth. As they journey, they inadvertently become humanity’s last hope against an otherworldly threat.
Offering a refreshing comedic twist on the disaster movie genre,The World’s Endis the third installment of Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy. It tells the story of a group of old school friends led by Gary King (Simon Pegg) reuniting to complete a pub crawl that they never finished when they were sixteen. During the pub crawl, they discover that the town has been taken over by alien robots whose goal is to try and perfect humanity by replacing every human.
The World’s Endfocuses heavily on the thematic elements of free will and individuality against the rigid conformity of the invading species. This exploration of freedom is also seen inIndependence Day, with both movies using the ideal as a narrative tool around which their protagonists can rally.Hilarious, heartbreaking, and action-packed,The World’s Endis a fitting, if unconventional, disaster movie to watch alongsideIndependence Day.
