Best Disaster Movies to Watch Right Now

Do you know the best disaster movies to watch right now? best disaster movies in UK, along with the horror genre, are a way for cinema to reflect our greatest fears at us. There is nothing quite like the future of the entire planet hanging in the balance to make you squirm uncomfortably in your chair, unlike the peril in horror, where it can be contained or even existential. Their peak occurred in the 1970s when super-producers like Irwin “the Master of Disaster” Allen were available to satisfy the appetites of audiences weary of Vietnam, Watergate, and economic woes. A few decades later, Roland Emmerich took up the flaming baton, creating fresh and creative ways to toast the planet.

This list of best disaster movies in UK movies to watch was created using natural disasters, such as earthquakes, asteroids, and, uh, geo storms as opposed to kaiju on the attack and alien invaders. The following 33 genre classics score an 11 on the cinematic Richter Scale.

The following are the best disaster movies in UK to watch right now.

1. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)

The goal of The Cloverfield Paradox was to capitalize on its already successful franchise. Despite having an intriguing plot and a compelling story with several twists, it has no chance of surpassing its forerunners. In the year 2028, a group of astronauts is introduced to a space station. They were in a space station because there was a severe energy shortage on Earth. At the station, there were frantic attempts to test the Shepherd particle accelerator, but something went wrong and the outcome is paradoxical. It is one of the best disaster movies to watch.

Director: Julius Onah
Writer: Oren Uziel, Doug Jung
Cast: Daniel Brühl, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Elizabeth Debicki, David Oyelowo and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 21%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

2. Bird Box (2018)

It is safe to say that one of the most popular Netflix releases is Bird Box. The similarity it shares with World War Z is the cause of that. We first see Malorie (who is pregnant) and her sister heading to the hospital at the beginning of the film. They are exposed to stories of people who have committed suicide during this visit. Malorie’s sister also sees something and commits suicide as they are both returning home. We are witnessing hundreds of suicides as this epidemic spreads widely.

The movie then jumps ahead five years, and we see the situation then. This depicts Malorie with her son Tom and another woman’s daughter. With the blindfold on, they can be seen attempting to go about their daily lives. Malorie and the kids head down the river to search for a safe place when the rebels arrive and Tom commits suicide. When they get there, they discover that everyone there is blind, which is how they have survived up until now. The narration in this film, along with Sandra Bullock’s powerful performance, keeps the audience firmly in place.

Director: Susanne Bier
Writer: Sandra Bullock, Susanne Bier, Josh Malerman, Eric Heisserer, Chris Morgan and others
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Danielle Macdonald, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Rel Howery, and others
IMDb Ratings: 6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 64%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

3. Extinction (2018)

The Netflix original film Extinction belongs to the doomsday subgenre. Peter, an engineer who lives shortly, introduces the story. A nightmare sufferer by the name of Peter frequently sees an alien invasion as potentially destroying all life on Earth. When he visits a psychiatrist, he learns that other people are also experiencing the same kinds of dreams. Peter and his family discover trash among the alien soldiers after the spaceships arrive. Later on, it is revealed that Alice, Peter’s ex-wife, is a translucent humanoid that can only be revived by a power source. The identity of Peter, a synth whose memories were erased, is later made known. Since the human rebellion against artificial intelligence, synths have existed on Earth.

Director: Ben Young Writer: Spenser Cohen, Eric Heisserer, Brad Kane
Cast: Michael Peña, Lizzy Caplan, Israel Broussard, and others
Streaming Platform: Netflix

4. Pandora (2016)

Nobody even wants to give Pyun-Sub’s concerns about the nearby nuclear power plant any attention. The nuclear power plant sustains significant damage when an earthquake occurs. Jae- Hyeok and his coworkers will now have to prevent the occurrence of another nuclear disaster. Pandora is a movie that is both a thriller and an emotional experience.

Writer & Director: Park Jung-woo
Cast: Kim Nam-Gil, Kim Joo Hyun, Moon Jeong-hee, Kim Young-Ae, and others
IMDb Ratings: 6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 14%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

5. The Midnight Sky (2020)

The majority of the world’s population perishes in The Midnight Sky due to an unknown disaster that irradiates the planet’s surface. People frequently turn to move when faced with such circumstances, but in The Midnight Sky, Augustine Lofthouse was the target of the search. On the Arctic base, he is the only person still alive. He is ill and believes that getting better will bring about impending doom. Soon, Lofthouse can recall how Aether will soon return to Earth. This crew believes they have lost contact and are unaware of the current events on Earth. Therefore, the crew must warn the crew and save the human race. Those who haven’t watched The Midnight Sky should do so immediately because it’s unquestionably one of it is one of the best disaster movies to watch on Netflix.

Director: George Clooney
Writer: Mark L. Smith
Cast: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, Caoilinn Springall, Kyle Chandler, and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 50%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

6. ARQ (2016)

Humanity will witness nothing less than a catastrophe when the fossil fuel and natural gas reserves run out. Tony Elliott is the film’s director, and ARQ follows this storyline. The government and large corporations can be seen arguing over the last of the oil supplies. Renton, who has a device that can produce unlimited energy, is the answer to this energy crisis. As attackers draw near, Renton is seen trapped with his equipment. Another significant problem is the time loop that Renton’s machine has produced, which forces him to repeat the same day repeatedly. Our list of the best disaster movies to watch on Netflix must include ARQ because it is a thoroughly enjoyable film.

Director: Tony Elliott
Writer: Tony Elliott
Cast: Robbie Amell, Rachael Taylor, Gray Powell, Jacob Neayem, and others
IMDb Ratings: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 43%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

7. Alive (2020)

Korean filmmakers are now able to reach new audiences who can understand and appreciate their work thanks to the success of the film Parasite at the Oscars. Alive tells the tale of a video gamer who manages to stay alive in his apartment while Seoul is overrun by zombies.

Director & Writer: Il Cho
Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Park Shin-Hye, Jeon Bae-soo
IMDb Ratings: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

8. Chernobyl 1986 (2021)

In the Russian film Chernobyl: Abyss or Chernobyl 1986, one can see the horrifying catastrophe that occurred in Chornobyl in 1986 and how it affected the locals. Firefighter Alexey Karpushin and his ex-lover Olga Savostina are central to the story. They now have a 10-year-old child, but Alexey was unaware that Olga gave birth while he was away. After a romantic beginning, Olga attempts to break up with him when he arrives late for a picnic. Alexey is disappointed by this incident and decides to leave the area to begin a new life in Kyiv. When the disaster occurs, he was about to leave the city and becomes involved in several rescue operations. The film, which is a must-watch, depicts the direct impact the Chornobyl disaster had on ordinary people’s lives.

Director: Danila Kozlovsky
Writer: Aleksey Kazakov, Elena Ivanova
Cast: Danila Kozlovsky, Oksana Akinshina, Ravshana Kurkova, Filipp Avdeev and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

9. Don’t Look Up (2021)

In the suspenseful thriller Don’t Look Up, starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Jennifer Lawrence, the audience is riveted to their seats right up to the very last frame. Dr Randall Mindy and Kate Dibiasky, two inexperienced astronomers, are the subjects of the film. They unexpectedly learn that a comet that can destroy Earth is approaching very quickly. Due to their lack of status and rank, nobody initially pays attention to them or believes in them. The movie then depicts how these two go on a protracted media tour hoping that someone will take them seriously.

Director: Adam McKay, Jennifer Lawrence, and others
Writer: Adam McKay, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and others Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lawrence, Timothée Chalamet, and others
IMDb Ratings: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 55%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

10. Rim Of The World (2019)

McG is the director of the Netflix original film Rim Of The World. This film’s plot has elements of Stranger Things in it. The summer camp that is held in South California is where the movie gets its name. There are three young boys: Gabriel, an errand boy, and Dariush, Alex, and Zhenzhen. The four actors who play the main characters arrive in the jungle to find that the alien invasion ships and army fighters are engaged in combat. A woman who gives Alex keys exits a pod from the space station after it touches down. She informs him that the alien army is easily defeated with its assistance. These young boys need assistance but lack adult supervision on their mission.

Director: Joseph McGinty Nichol
Writer: Zack Stentz
Cast: Jack Gore, Alessio Scalzotto, and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 47%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

11. Poseidon (2006)

The Poseidon Adventures, a book by Paul Gallico, is the inspiration for Poseidon. The movie failed to make an impression on critics and viewers. It featured celebrities like Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, and Richard Dreyfuss. This disaster film’s plot revolves around a luxury ship that becomes stranded on New Year’s Eve as an event has just started there. The water causes the ship to flip, and after that, the ship began to sink. The passengers must escape the vehicle as soon as possible to save their lives. Poseidon is a rare movie that received Razzie and Oscar nominations. Although the disaster film failed to impress the viewers, the special effects were successful.

Director: Mike Vogel, Kevin Burns, Richard Dreyfuss, and others

Writer: Wolfgang Petersen

Cast: Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, Richard Dreyfuss, and others

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 33%

Streaming Platform: Netflix

12. Spectral (2016)

The first scene of Spectral features soldiers wearing hyperspectral goggles, which enable them to see objects that are invisible to the unaided eye or naked eye. Another danger to the soldiers is a translucent humanoid figure that can kill with a single touch. The soldiers were given hyperspectral imaging cameras by Fran Madison, a CIA officer, and Clyne, a DARPA scientist, to locate these individuals. Later, they can identify the insurgents’ weaknesses, which include the fact that they are susceptible to iron nails and are unable to see through the ceramic. Thus, the human troops are in a better position than these humanoids. The audience was not impressed by Spectral, and the plot’s execution was lacking. Spectral is still among the best disaster movies to watch on Netflix and on this list.

Director: Nic Mathieu

Writer: George Nolfi

Cast: James Badge Dale, Emily Mortimer, Max Martina, and others

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 78%

Streaming Platform: Netflix

13. Io (2019)

After appearing in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Margaret Qualley shot to fame. She is now well-known for her work on Netflix. Qualley plays Sam Welden, a scientist who continues to reside on Earth even after it has been declared uninhabitable, in this film. Welden is adamant that she will make Earth the ideal place to live once more even though the majority of humans have left the planet and are currently residing on Jupiter’s moon Io. She makes a radio transmission, and Micah then comes to see her. He informs her that there is no hope left and that she should prepare to leave the planet soon. The movie’s opening is very intriguing, but much more could have been shown. Although the movie’s plot has some holes in it, Mackie and Qualley gave their best in this one.

Director: Jonathan Helpers
Writer: Charles Spano, Will Basanta, Clay Jeter
Cast: Teagan Johnson, Justin Andrew Jamieson, Emma Fitzgerald, and others.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 33%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

14. The Wandering Earth (2019)

Based on a Liu Cixin novel, The Wandering Earth is the third-highest-grossing movie in Chinese history. Additionally, he is the nation’s first Hugo Award winner. The year 2061, when the Sun is dying, is the setting for the film. The world is attempting to bring Earth and its neighbouring solar system together due to the dying Sun. The human population lives in underground cities to survive this slow-moving journey on the planet, but even after this, things are still not going well. Jupiter’s gravitational pull increases the possibility of Earth being sucked into its orbit. A rescue team is formed to prevent this from happening, and they must prevent these planets from exploding. Their mission is to divert these planets from colliding. A good disaster film that discusses an extinction-level event is The Wandering Earth.

Director: Frant Gwo
Writer: Frant Gwo, Junce Ye, Gong Geer, and others
Cast: Angel Zhao, Jingjing Qu, Mike Sui, and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 69%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

15. Occupation (2018)

According to legend, Australians are accustomed to interacting with large creatures like insects and walking sharks. But what would happen if a typical person encountered a siphonophore that was 150 feet long? The movie Occupation provides an answer to this query. In the thriller Occupation about an alien invasion, humans rebel against a large, heavily armed extraterrestrial. The movie Occupation was poorly planned and produced. It is not comparable to the movies directed by Michael Bay, Luke Sparke, or Roland Emmerich.

Writer & Director: Luke Sparke
Cast: Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Rhiannon Fish, and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 87%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

16. 7:19 (2016)

The eye-opening disaster movie 7:19 depicts the actual events of the 1985 earthquake in Mexico. The locals are the main subject of the movie, and how they were impacted. The main plot of the film centres on a group of coworkers who become trapped in their office building. They do their best to survive as they witness their city being reduced to ruins. However, the catastrophe continues and continues to claim lives. The possibility of these people ever meeting their families raises questions in the minds of viewers.

Director: Jorge Michel Grau
Writer: Jorge Michel Grau, Alberto Chimal
Cast: Demián Bichir, Octavio Michel, Carmen Beato and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

17. 22 July (2018)

The movie 22 July is based on the book One of Us: The Story of a Massacre in Norway— and Its Aftermath, written by Sne Seierstad. The terrorist attack that took place in Norway in 2011 is discussed on July 22. At least 80 people were killed in these explosions, including teenagers who were attending a Labor Party-sponsored summer camp. Following this incident, a white nationalist was accused of being behind the bombings and the fatalities. 22 July must be seen because it is based on true crime incidents, and it is one of the best disaster movies to watch.

Director: Paul Greengrass
Writer: Paul Greengrass
Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Jonas Strand Gravli, Jaden Smith, and others
IMDb Ratings: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 81%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

18. How It Ends (2018)

In David M. Rosenthal’s Netflix Original movie, Will and Samantha are portrayed by Theo James and Kat Graham. After Samantha becomes pregnant, they intend to get married. They must first travel to Chicago to secure Sam’s father’s approval before that. After meeting Tom (Sam’s father), Will was about to head back when it was announced that all flights had been cancelled due to unexplained events in the sky. Sam cannot be left alone in such circumstances, so Will and Tom must return to Seattle. These weather changes were a result of an end-of-the-world occurrence. Two men journeying together in search of the girl they love most is the main plot of this movie.

Director: David M. Rosenthal
Writer: Brooks McLaren
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Theo James, Kat Graham, and others
Streaming Platform: Netflix

19. Beyond Skyline (2017)

Beyond Skyline, the follow-up to Skyline begins with an alien invasion as LAPD Detective Mark Corley fights to have his estranged son released from prison. People are drawn into various spacecraft as the attack begins. To help other people, Mark and the other survivors are stumbling through the subway tunnels. Instead, they board the alien spacecraft. Then Marks learns that people are being turned into bio-mechanical soldiers. Although Beyond Skyline doesn’t have a compelling plot, it is still superior to Skyline.

Writer &Director: Liam O’Donnell
Cast: Frank Grillo, Bojana Novakovic, Jonny Weston, and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

20. 3022 (2019)

The science fiction film 3022 is viewed as elevating tales of a post-apocalyptic world. A small number of astronauts witness the destruction of the Earth from space. As we see actors like Angus Macfadyen, Miranda Cosgrove, Kate Walsh, and Omar Epps in this, the movie is set in the future. The group of astronauts must deal with the consequences of the crisis in 3022, which differs from the typical survival narrative seen in many disaster movies. The movie has a fantastic beginning, cast, and plot, making it one of the best disaster movies to watch.

Director: John Suits
Writer: Ryan Bianco Cast: Omar Epps, Kate Walsh, Miranda Cosgrove, and others
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 52%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

21. Contagion (2011)

The incidents depicted in Contagion are comparable to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The movie is a clever thriller that explores how quickly a virus can spread and kill those who come into contact with it. It also demonstrates the challenges that scientists and healthcare professionals are currently facing. Transmission of a mysterious virus that causes flu-like symptoms in people is the beginning of contagion. Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, Beth, returns home from a business trip she took to Hong Kong. She caused her family members tragedy. She passes away quickly, and her son follows because she hugged him. It appears that his husband is resistant to that infection. The seriousness of this situation became apparent a few days after she passed away when a large number of people started getting sick and then passed away. The CDC works to identify the virus’s origin.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Scott Z. Burns
Cast: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow
IMDb Ratings: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 85%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

22. Geostorm (2017)

What if people manage to solve the problem of climate change one day? What if they manage to manipulate nature? Project Dutch Boy was developed by the governments of all nations when some catastrophic events threatened the survival of Earth itself. As part of this project, satellites are used all over the world and are built with the ability to stop natural disasters. For two years, they successfully defended the planet, but something went wrong. The task of determining the cause of this satellite malfunction is given to two brothers. They must finish this task before a global storm destroys the entire planet.

Director: Dean Devlin
Writer: Gerard Butler, Robert Sheehan, Ed Harris, and others
Cast: Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish
Streaming Platform: Netflix

23. San Andreas (2015)

An earthquake of magnitude 9 strikes California in the action-adventure thriller San Andreas. Dwayne Johnson plays a rescue pilot who travels to San Francisco from Los Angeles with his estranged wife to save their daughter. The worst things occur just as they start to believe everything is going according to plan on their journey north, so they should not be surprised.

Director: Brad Peyton
Writer: Carlton Cuse
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario
IMDb Ratings: 6.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 48%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

24. The Impossible (2012)

A family is caught up in one of the worst natural disasters in the true story The Impossible. It is one of the top Netflix documentaries about natural disasters. Even in their darkest moments, this family demonstrates bravery, kindness, and compassion. The Impossible’s narrative is both heartbreaking and inspiring. This movie is a journey that goes straight to the human heart.

Director: J. A. Bayona
Writer: Sergio G. Sánchez
Cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland
IMDb Ratings: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 81%
Streaming Platform: Netflix

25. 2012 (2009)

One of the most well-known disaster films on Netflix is 2012 This movie is a fantastic action-adventure disaster movie with amazing special effects. The viewers will witness a catastrophe resembling the end of the world. There is water everywhere, cities are collapsing, and continents are also breaking up. The year 2012 depicts the end of the world and the human race. Despite our best efforts, we may have overlooked several excellent disaster films. As an illustration, one is provided below. Another fantastic movie about a natural disaster is Deepwater Horizon, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, and John Malkovich. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill and explosion incident inspired it. it was directed by Peter Berg.

Director: Roland Emmerich Writer: John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and others
Cast: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Streaming Platform: Netflix

Wrap Up!

The world of disaster movies offers a thrilling escape into scenarios of chaos, survival, and the resilience of the human spirit. With a wide range of films to choose from, the “Best Disaster Movies to Watch in UK” presents a curated selection of gripping and pulse-pounding cinematic experiences.

From catastrophic natural disasters to apocalyptic scenarios, these films take audiences on heart-pounding journeys filled with suspense, action, and often, thought-provoking messages. Whether you’re seeking epic destruction and high-stakes rescues or introspective tales of humanity’s response to the crisis, this guide provides a diverse array of options to suit different tastes.

This brings an end to our ranking of the best disaster movies to watch on Netflix. Hope you have a great time catching up with all of these.

Also read: 8 Best kidnapping movies on Netflix right now (Updated 2022) – Spine chilling thrillers!