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The fascination with the apocalypse is evident in religions, literature, and cinema. From the 1916 film “The End of the World” to present-day concerns about global pandemics and climate change, apocalyptic themes are more relevant than ever. Explore the best apocalyptic movies on HBO Max for a captivating journey through the end of the world.
List of 12 Best Apocalyptic Movies On HBO Max To Watch
This list includes the 12 best Apocalyptic movies on HBO Max. From intense survival stories to futuristic adventures, these films bring the end of the world to life.
1. Time of the Wolf
The plot follows a global catastrophe; Anne (Isabelle Huppert) and her family seek refuge at their vacation home. However, when they arrive, other survivors have already occupied the house. A violent tragedy quickly dashes their hopes for safety, teaching them never to take anything for granted and to expect the worst in this new, harsh environment. Accompanied by a fierce young boy (Hakim Taleb), the family eventually arrives at a train station, hoping to escape.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 6.5 out of 10 on IMDb.
2. The Last Wave
Peter Weir, a woefully underrated filmmaker, followed up his masterpiece Picnic at Hanging Rock with this equally mysterious and unsettling film. The Last Wave is filled with disturbing images of natural disasters that flood the mind of a lawyer representing four Aboriginal men charged with murder. As he builds his legal defense for them, their cosmological prophecies and visions infiltrate his mind, transforming him into an apocalyptic prophet. It’s a subtle, dreamy Australian film that deserves a lot more recognition.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 6.9 out of 10 on IMDb.
3. Take Shelter
![Cover photo of Take Shelter](https://watchinamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image-2-2-3-1024x640.png)
Take Shelter, like The Last Wave, is more ambiguous about the apocalypse; the protagonist’s ominous anticipation of the end of the world could be a sign of psychosis. This small-town everyman, played to perfection by Michael Shannon, gradually succumbs to the suspicion that the apocalypse is on its way, prompting him to devote more time to building a safe bunker for them. Shannon and Jessica Chastain both deliver stunning performances in Jeff Nichols’ masterpiece.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 7.3 out of 10 on IMDb.
4. Until The End Of The World
Until the End of the World is a sprawling, messy masterpiece with one of the best soundtracks ever created. The film is set on the eve of a disastrous accident, with a nuclear satellite losing orbit and hurtling toward Earth. Amidst this backdrop, a woman abandons her lover (Sam Neill) and travels around the world with a scientist (William Hurt) as he tests a revolutionary machine that allows the blind to see and record their dreams. A lot is going on in the film, but it’s almost always vibrant, fun, and thoughtful, with director Wim Wenders’ bold choices paying off handsomely.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 6.8 out of 10 on IMDb
5. A Boy And His Dog
A Boy and His Dog, a bizarre cult classic, stars a young Don Johnson as Vic, a lonely kid in the post-apocalyptic wastelands of 2024 with only his dog for company. Except his dog possesses telepathic abilities. Based on Harlan Ellison’s novella, you might expect this to be a kid-friendly film, but it is not. The dog is a misogynist, and cannibalism is gruesomely suggested; Vic is not a hero. A Boy and His Dog, with its imaginative little details, significantly impacted Fallout.
Check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvJYEyh8oNE
IMDb’s rating: It scored 6.4 out of 10 on IMDb.
6. The Day The Earth Caught Fire
The Day the Earth Caught Fire may be dismissed as silly in a sea of films that take a more severe approach to nuclear warfare. Nonetheless, it tells an excellent story, criticizing all of the atomic testing conducted during the Cold War era. Edward Judd, Janet Munro, and Leo McKern star in this film directed by Val Guest, in which the trio discovers that the Earth’s axis has shifted as a result of nuclear tests conducted by the United States and the Soviet Union. The shift alters the planet’s climate, sending Earth spiraling towards the sun. The only way to save humanity is to detonate a series of nuclear weapons in Siberia to put things back on track.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 7.2 out of 10 on IMDb.
7. The Cabin In The Woods
The once-ideal location for a romantic retreat has become associated with horror, death, and brutality, making it a stark contrast. That transition can largely be attributed to The Cabin in the Woods and similar films that preceded it. The 2012 horror film follows a group of college students who go for a weekend in a log cabin, only to unintentionally fall into a trap of misery, mayhem, and murder. Entrusted with saving the world, the group must take turns sacrificing themselves or risk bringing it to an early end.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 7.0 out of 10 on IMDb.
8. Mad God
Mad God, a disturbing, experimental masterpiece from special effects master Phil Tippett (The Empire Strikes Back, Jurassic Park, Robocop), took nearly three decades to create. Tippett nearly went insane while working on this mostly stop-motion animation film about a disgusting future in perpetual war. An assassin tries to bomb the system, but complications arise. Inspired by Hieronymous Bosch, John Milton, William Blake, and others, this visually stunning and alarming film is not for everyone, but it creates a hell of an apocalypse.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 6.8 out of 10 on IMDb
9. Pulse
Pulse, one of the best horror films from Japan (and one of the best of the century thus far), is an avant-garde nightmare about disconnection and technology. The great Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s film is loosely about ghosts entering the real world via the internet, which serves as a potent allegory for alienation and separation. Pulse is a dark classic featuring haunting imagery, a great score, and one of the best genuinely apocalyptic endings ever.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 6.5 out of 10 on IMDb.
10. 28 Days Later
![Cover photo of 28 Days Later](https://watchinamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image-3-1-1-1024x640.png)
Following the critical success of his feature debut, Shallow Grave, Danny Boyle returned to the big screen with 1996’s cult classic Trainspotting, which drew even more critical and commercial attention. While his 2000 misfire, The Beach, was a flop, 2002’s London-based apocalyptic hell, 28 Days Later, stars a young Cillian Murphy as Jim, who awakens from a coma to find the deserted streets of England’s capital after a virus has ravaged large swathes of the population, leaving them zombified.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 7.5 out of 10 on IMDb.
11. This Is The End
This Is the End invites viewers to join in the ever-escalating and ridiculous antics of fictionalized versions of familiar actors at a party on the eve of an unexpected religious apocalypse. This is an excellent example of what is commonly called ‘hangout’ movies, in which the plot is less important than the time spent with interesting characters. While the apocalypse outside James Franco’s mansion may be terrifying, the debauched celebrities’ reactions make it a frivolously fun party.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 6.6 out of 10 on IMDb
12. The Road
Based on Cormac McCarthy’s notoriously bleak novel, John Hillcoat’s The Road is equally uncompromising and relentless in its monochromatic depiction of a wasted earth and the father and son attempting to navigate it. Viggo Mortensen’s character is inherently noble as he faces the end of the world, and the emotional resonance of his paternal bond lingers long after the apocalypse has occurred. Mortensen chose to play “The Man” rather than taking a planned break from acting, and after the strenuous regime he subjected his body to for this film, he would take a two-year acting hiatus.
Check out the trailer here:
IMDb’s rating: It scored 7.2 out of 10 on IMDb.
What are the best ways to watch apocalyptic movies on HBO Max?
If you want to watch apocalyptic movies on HBO Max, some of the best streaming platforms to look into are:
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime Video
- HBO’s Max
- Hulu
Common Queries
Apocalyptic films are available through streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max.
HBO Max is worth it if you’re a big fan of HBO, animation, DC Comics, or Friends, or you’re running out of good things to watch.
Bottom Line
Check out these 12 incredible apocalyptic movies on HBO Max. Whether you enjoy dystopian worlds or thrilling survival stories, these films provide an entertaining viewing experience.
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