#NewsBytesExplainer: Dissecting the sub-genres of apocalypse films with mainstream examples
Apocalypse films draw audiences because of the world they create—an eerie, desolate, forgotten wasteland ravaged after a war or disaster. Makers push the boundaries with their vision and script, and VFX and CGI further help in breathing life into a world that doesn't exist in reality. Like all other film genres, here, too, there is a lot to choose from. Let's unfurl.
Invasion apocalypse
Invasion apocalypse movies refer to films where an unknown entity—usually an alien or a highly advanced robot—invades Earth and wreaks unimaginable havoc. 10 Cloverfield Lane, The World's End, Arrival, War of the Worlds, The Tomorrow War, Bird Box, A Quiet Place, The Darkest Hour, I am Number Four, Impostor, and The 5th Wave are some projects that fall into this category.
Natural disaster movies
Natural disaster movies, as the name suggests, focus heavily on disasters brought about due to the fury of nature, such as floods, earthquakes, cloudbursts, droughts, cyclones, volcanoes, avalanches, sandstorms, etc. However, makers also undertake creative liberty and "invent" some disasters to portray in the movies. Examples include 2012, The Happening, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and The Day After Tomorrow, etc.
Nuclear apocalypse movies
Nuclear apocalypse movies can be terrifying because they sometimes draw inspiration from real-life nuclear disasters that claimed the lives of hundreds of people. Some popular movies that focus on the aftermath of a nuclear war/attack are Threads, The Day After, The Divide, On the Beach, Pandora, When the Wind Blows, Panic in Year Zero!, and I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday.
Zombie apocalypse movies
As per The Los Angeles Film School, "One part monster movie, one part possession, zombie movies make a perfect cocktail of terror. Somehow they are the most difficult villain to kill off and just keep coming back for more." Some well-known movies in this genre are World War Z, Zombie Ready, Warm Bodies, Day of the Dead, Darkest Day, and Zombieland.
