Toren’s Post Apocalyptic Movie Guide (a work in progress)
In which an attempt is made to catalog and compare post-apocalyptic films. Some entries include links to my full review (if you can click on the movie title it will take you there) Corrections? Comments? Additions? Email Toren!
(zombies sold separately)
2020 Texas Gladiators (1983) dir: Joe D’Amato
2020 Texas Gladiators
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: Texas Number of humans: Presumably thousands or more Years since apocalypse: 37? Monsters: green faced mutants? Cannibalism? maybe Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 2/10
9 (2009)
9 (2009) starring Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C Reilly, Christopher Plummer and Crispin Glover. Dir: Shane Acker
Type of apocalypse: war/nerve gas Location: America? Number of humans: zero Years since apocalypse: less than 10 Monsters: robots (with animal bones) Cannibalism? none Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 7/10
12 Monkeys (1995) stars Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer. Dir: Terry Gilliam
Type of apocalypse: virus Location: Philadelphia Number of humans: lots Years since apocalypse: 38 Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
28 Days Later (2002)
28 Days Later (2002) stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston. Dir: Danny Boyle.
Type of apocalypse: virus Location: London Number of humans: lots Time since apocalypse: 28 days Monsters: feral infected humans Cannibalism? No Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 7/10
28 Weeks Later (2007) stars Imogen Poots, Robert Carlyle, Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne. Dir: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Type of apocalypse: virus Number of humans: hundreds? Time since apocalypse: less than 3 years Monsters: feral infected humans Cannibalism? No Ends on a positive? No Toren’s Rating: 7/10
A Boy and His Dog (1975)
A Boy and His Dog (1975) stars Don Johnson. Dir: L.Q. Jones. Written by Harlan Ellison
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: Phoenix AZ Number of humans: hundreds? Years since apocalypse: 17 Monsters: radiation victims (“Screamers”); robots Cannibalism? Yes Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
After Earth (2013) stars Wil Smith, Jaden Smith and Zoe Kravitz. Dir: M. Night Shyamalan
Type of apocalypse: Environmental cataclysm Location: Undisclosed Number of humans: 2 on Earth, multitudes in space. Years since apocalypse: 1000 Monsters: Aliens, evolved animals. Cannibalism? No Ends on a positive? Yes? Toren’s Rating: 5/10
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: Colorado Number of humans: hundreds Years since apocalypse: 900 Monsters: 1 mutant Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
Type of apocalypse: oil wars Location: Number of humans: thousands or millions Years since apocalypse: less than 1 generation Monsters: no Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
The Bed Sitting Room (1969) stars Dudley Moore, Peter Cook, Marty Feldman. Dir: Richard Lester
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: London Number of humans: dozens Years since apocalypse: 4 Monsters: none Cannibalism? none Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
Type of apocalypse: cosmic radiation ‘plague’ Location: Southwest USA Number of humans: hundreds
Years since apocalypse: 64
Monsters: mutants
Cannibalism? no
Ends on a positive? unclear Toren’s Rating: 5/10
The Book of Eli (2010)
The Book of Eli (2010) stars Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Gary Oldman, Ray Stevenson. Dir: Hughes
Type of apocalypse: nuclear Location: San Francisco Number of humans: hundreds Years since apocalypse: 30 Monsters: none Cannibalism? Yes Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 7/10
Type of apocalypse: robot Location: undisclosed Number of humans: hundreds Years since apocalypse: 2000 Monsters: robots Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 6/10
Blindness (2008) stars Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo. Dir: Fernando Meirelles
Type of apocalypse: mass hysteria Location: unnamed city Number of humans: billions Time since apocalypse: immediate Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 8/10
Children of Men (2006) stars Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Dir: Alfonso Cuaron
Type of apocalypse: pandemic Location: Britain Number of humans: billions Years since apocalypse: 18 Monsters: none Cannibalism? none Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 8/10
Cyborg (1989) stars Jean-Claude Van Damme. Dir: Albert Pyun
Type of apocalypse: plague, anarchy, genocide, starvation Location: New York, South Carolina, Atlanta Number of humans: Presumably thousands or more Years since apocalypse: Less than 25 Monsters: cyborgs Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 3/10
Damnation Alley (1977) stars George Peppard and Paul Winfield. Dir: Jack Smight
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: California, Utah, New York Number of humans: At least Years since apocalypse: 2 Monsters: giant scorpions, killer cockroaches Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 4/10
Type of apocalypse: natural disaster Location: New York Number of humans: scores or hundreds seen Time since apocalypse: months Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? for some Toren’s Rating: 5/10
It Comes at Night (2017) stars Joel Edgerton. Dir: Trey Edward Shults
Type of apocalypse: virus Location: American wilderness Number of humans: less than 6 Years since apocalypse: 0-1 Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 6.5/10
La Jetée (1962) stars Jean Négroni. Dir: Chris Marker.
Type of apocalypse: nuclear Location: Paris Number of humans: thousands Years since apocalypse: unknown Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes and no Toren’s Rating: 7/10
Le Dernier Combat (The Last Battle) (1983)
Le Dernier Combat (1983) stars Jean Reno. Dir: Luc Besson
Type of apocalypse: unknown Location: France? Number of humans: dozens at least Years since apocalypse: unknown Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 6/10
Love and Monsters (2020) starts Dylan O’Brien. Dir: Michael Matthews
Type of apocalypse: War/resource shortage Location: America Number of humans: thousands Years since apocalypse: 7 Monsters: giant frogs, centipedes, crabs and burrowing worms, among others
Cannibalism? no
Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 6.8/10
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) stars Mel Gibson. Dir: George Miller
Type of apocalypse: War/resource shortage Location: Australian Desert Number of humans: thousands Years since apocalypse: about five Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 7.8/10
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) stars Mel Gibson, Tina Turner. Dir: George Miller.
Type of apocalypse: War/resource shortage Location: Australian desert Number of humans: thousands Years since apocalypse: about 20 Monsters: none Cannibalism? no
Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
Mad Max Fury Road (2015)
Mad Max Fury Road (2015) stars Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. Dir: George Miller
Type of apocalypse: War/resource shortage Location: Australian desert Number of humans: thousands Years since apocalypse: unknown Monsters: none Cannibalism? no
Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 8/10
Mad Shelia (2016) stars Fuo Xiao. Dir: Lu Lei
Mad Shelia (2016)
Type of apocalypse: War/resource shortage Location: Number of humans: thousands
Years since apocalypse:
Monsters:
Cannibalism?
Ends on a positive? Toren’s Rating: tbd
Mad Warrior AKA Clash of the Warlords (1983)
Mad Warrior stars Anthony Alonzo. Dir: Willy Milan
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: undisclosed Number of humans: hundreds shown Years since apocalypse: undisclosed Monsters: no Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 3/10
Molly (2017) stars Julia Batelaan. Dir: Thijs Meuwese
Type of apocalypse: nuclear explosion?
Location: “Sunderland”
Number of humans: dozens seen
Years since apocalypse: 2-3?
Monsters: feral subhuman “supplicants”
Cannibalism? no
Ends on a postive? yes
Toren’s Rating: 5.5/10
Mortal Engines (2018)
Mortal Engines (2018) stars Hera Hilmar. Dir: Christian Rivers
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war (more or less) Location: Europe Number of humans: thousands or millions Years since apocalypse: hundreds Monsters: undead cyborg Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
Type of apocalypse: robot uprising Location: Massachusetts USA Number of humans: thousands or millions Years since apocalypse: 9 months Monsters: androids Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 5/10
Nausicaa in the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) stars Sumi Shimamoto. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: unknown Number of humans: presumably thousands or more Years since apocalypse: 1000 Monsters: giant mutant insects Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 10/10
A Quiet Place (2018) Stars Emily Blunt. Dir: John Krasinski
Type of apocalypse: alien invasion Location: America Number of humans: unknown Time since apocalypse: months & years Monsters: aliens Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes (both parts) Toren’s Rating: 7 (both parts)
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: undisclosed Number of humans: at least hundreds Years since apocalypse: undisclosed Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 3/10
The Road (2009) stars Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall. Dir: John Hillcoat. Cormac McCarthy (novel)
Type of apocalypse: undisclosed Location: Southeastern United States Number of humans: presumably at least thousands Years since apocalypse: 8 Monsters: none Cannibalism? yes Ends on a positive? not really Toren’s Rating: 8.5/10
Salute of the Jugger (1989) stars Rutger Hauer, Joan Chen and Vincent D’Onofrio. Dir: David Peoples
Type of apocalypse: war Location: undisclosed Number of humans: thousands Years since apocalypse: unknown Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 5/10
The Scorch Trials (2015)
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) stars Dylan O’Brien, Rosa Salazar, Alan Tudyk and Lily Taylor . Dir: Wes Ball
Type of apocalypse: solar flares and “zombie” virus pandemic Location: America, possibly San Francisco? Number of humans: Possibly millions Years since apocalypse: unclear, presumably less than two generations Monsters: insane cannibalistic virus-infected “cranks” Cannibalism? yes Ends on a positive? n/a Toren’s Rating: 7/10
Type of apocalypse: environmental Location: Montana? Number of humans: Hundreds at least Years since apocalypse: 50 Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
Screamers (1995) stars Peter Weller. Dir: Christian Duguay
Type of apocalypse: war Location: The planet Sirius 6B Number of humans: unknown Years since apocalypse: 10 Monsters: robots Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 3/10
She (1982)
She (1982) stars Sandahl Bergman and Gordon Mitchell. Dir: Avi Nesher
Type of apocalypse: apparently nuclear war
Location: unknown Number of humans: at least hundreds
Type of apocalypse: nuclear Location: Las Vegas Number of humans: Years since apocalypse: 40 Monsters: none Cannibalism? Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 5/10
The Sky Has Fallen (2009)
Type of apocalypse: plague Location: Number of humans:
Number of humans: Hundreds at least Years since apocalypse: unknown Monsters: shrieking sand-burrowing half-men Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 4/10
Terminator Salvation (2009) stars Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Anton Yelchin. Dir: Joseph Nichol
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war
Location: California Number of humans: thousands
Years since apocalypse: 14
Monsters: robots/cyborgs
Cannibalism? no
Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 6/10
Threads (1984)
Threads (1984) stars Karen Meagher. Dir: Mick Jackson
Type of apocalypse: nuclear Location: Sheffield, UK Number of humans: billions Years since apocalypse: from days to 13 years Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 8/10
Le Temps du Loup (2003) stars Anais Demoustier. Dir: Michael Haneke
Type of apocalypse: disease Location: France Number of humans: Presumably thousands How many years since apocalypse: unknown Monsters: No Cannibalism? No Ends on a positive? No Toren’s Rating: 5.3/10
Tooth & Nail (2007)
Type of apocalypse: blern Location: Number of humans:
How many years since apocalypse: blern
Monsters:
Cannibalism? yes
Ends on a positive? Toren’s Rating: TBD
Turbo Kid (2015)
Turbo Kid (2015) stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Laboeuf and Michael Ironsides. Dir: Francois Simard
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war
Location: unknown Number of humans: scores or possibly hundreds
Years since apocalypse: Somewhere between 20 and 1
Type of apocalypse: virus Location: USA, Antarctica Number of humans: 200 Years since apocalypse: 0 to several Monsters: Cannibalism? No Ends on a positive? No Toren’s Rating: 7/10
Wall-E (2008) stars Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver, Fred Willard. Dir: Andrew Stanton.
Type of apocalypse: Mass consumerism Location: Unknown Number of humans: Zero Years since apocalypse: 800 Monsters: none Cannibalism? None Ends on a positive? Yes Toren’s Rating: 10/10
Warriors of the Apocalypse AKA Searchers of the Voodoo Mountain (1985)
Warriors of the Apocalypse (1985) stars Michael James. Dir: Bobby A Suarez
Type of apocalypse: nuclear Location: Possibly South America Number of humans: hundreds or thousands. Years since apocalypse: 90 + Monsters: jungle dwarves with healing powers Cannibalism? unclear Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 3/10
Wheels of Fire (1985) stars Gary Watkins. Dir: Cirio H Santiago
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war
Location: unknown Number of humans: Likely thousands or more
Years since apocalypse: unknown
Monsters: mutant subterranean”sandmen”
Cannibalism? yes
Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 4/10
When the Wind Blows
When the Wind Blows (1986) stars Peggy Ashcroft and John Mills. Dir: Jimmy Murakami
Type of apocalypse: nuclear war Location: Sussex, UK Number of humans: two known Time since apocalypse: immediate Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? no Toren’s Rating: 6/10
The World, the Flesh and the Devil (1959) stars Harry Belafonte. Dir: Ranald MacDougall
Type of apocalypse: global radioactive cloud Location: Pennsylvania, New York Number of humans: At least 3 Time since apocalypse: days Monsters: none Cannibalism? no Ends on a positive? yes Toren’s Rating: 8/10
6 Replies to “Toren’s Post Apocalyptic Movie Guide (a work in progress)”
I can’t believe you rated 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later the same. 28 Days Later is so far superior. However, you redeem yourself with Blindness, I think you and I are the only two people in the world who liked that movie.
The visual style of “Zardoz” reminds me so much of “Excalibur”!
I can’t believe you thought salute of the Jugger was better than Mad Max: beyond the Thunderdome. I disagree strongly on that one.
I don’t think I will watch Zardox.
ZOMG! Zardoz! So good, 10/10!
I’d see 12 Monkeys again sometime. I think I only saw it one the time (when it came out on video). Sheri really liked Delicatessen.
If you do find Hardware make sure you don’t watch it with your brother.
I went with your brother, Colin and I think Jeffyboy to see it in the theatre. I remember it because there is a part of the movie that is quite colourful and I think your brother yelled out “I’m tripping out man!” and the entire theatre (minus myself) laughed.
I can’t believe you rated 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later the same. 28 Days Later is so far superior. However, you redeem yourself with Blindness, I think you and I are the only two people in the world who liked that movie.
The visual style of “Zardoz” reminds me so much of “Excalibur”!
I can’t believe you thought salute of the Jugger was better than Mad Max: beyond the Thunderdome. I disagree strongly on that one.
I don’t think I will watch Zardox.
ZOMG! Zardoz! So good, 10/10!
I’d see 12 Monkeys again sometime. I think I only saw it one the time (when it came out on video). Sheri really liked Delicatessen.
If you do find Hardware make sure you don’t watch it with your brother.
I went with your brother, Colin and I think Jeffyboy to see it in the theatre. I remember it because there is a part of the movie that is quite colourful and I think your brother yelled out “I’m tripping out man!” and the entire theatre (minus myself) laughed.