The Cinemaphiles

My top 10 Large-scale, World Destruction-type Movies.

Written by Action Andy on November 13, 2009

With a name like Action Andy it’s safe to assume I’m no stranger to the large-scale, world-destruction and/or natural disaster types of movies. In fact I love them. I don’t care how bad they are usually; I’ll definitely get my jollies watching a wide shot of a city being destroyed in some manner. Because of this, I’ve tried to categorize my 10 favorite movies/scenes to quash you’re appetite for large-scale destruction.

 

#10 Terminator Salvation. As most people that know me know, I have an unhealthy obsession with Arnold movies which probably started with the Terminator movies. This was a good installment, better than the third, but didn’t show as much destruction as it showed the aftermath.

 

 

 

#9 I Am Legend. Yes, I realize that this movie doesn’t show the destruction, but the implication of it and flashbacks coupled with the incredible depiction of New York warn to nothingness get’s a place on the list.

 

 

 

 

#8 Godzilla. A mediocre film to begin with, but the whole setup for it rocks. Most of the movie is spent chasing around Godzilla through the streets where he causes nothing but destruction. A fine monster movie.

 

 

 

 

 

#7 Twister. It’s not a world-destruction film but the fact that tornados tear through damn-near everything keeps it a fun destruction movie nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

#6 The Happening. It’s a been a while since I’ve seen it in the theatres, but aside from the terrible plot of SPOILER -> plants releasing chemicals into the air to make humans kill themselves, a la getting back at humanity, the “epidemic” that sweeps the world forcing people off themselves in increasingly deranged ways is awesome. The film focuses more on a condensed group of people rather than wide-spread groups but I’ll take it anyway.

 

 

 

#5 Cloverfield. Besides a few minor squabbles I have with it, this movie is pretty awesome. Without rhyme or reason this monster starts destroying everything in its path without being slowed in the least by armed forces. The mystique of this monster is added to by the fact that you can never see it clearly. Well done by J.J. Abrams and crew. New York seems like a great place to have havoc wreaked on.

 

 

 

 

#4 Knowing. A creepy way of knowing when a massive disaster will happen allows Nicolas Cage to witness some crazy stuff. SPOILER -> Have you ever seen a more breath-taking airplane crash scene. Holy shit. My jaw dropped to the floor. Besides the alien thing at the finish, the ending was totally epic. This is a true world-destruction film since the world is destroyed.

 

 

 

 

#3 War of the Worlds. NOT TIM ROBBINS’ BLOOD! Anyway, I agree too many close-ups of Tom Cruise’s face are in this movie, but the beginning scene just rocks. The movie follows one family’s perils but pokes in and out of the world around them being totally demolished. If only it was on a larger scale.

 

 

 

 

#2 Day After Tomorrow. Overall a pretty ridiculous movie that I LOVE until the wolf scene just ruined it all. MY favorite part of the movie that just sends chills down the spine is when the massive tornadoes begin tearing through downtown L.A. Awww sheeeit! This movie just takes almost every natural disaster and combines it into one film. The scenes are great!

 

 

 

 

#1 Independence Day. The whole package is great but you can’t beat a handful of scenes in this as far as alien movies go. The aliens’ arrival with the skies on fire all over the world. How epic is THAT? The runner up scene would be their attack on the world, destroying almost all of New York. Just a fantastic film in general and my favorite world-scale, mass-destruction movie.

 

 

 

 

Out now! 2012: Just look up some screen-shots. This, from a few photos, already looks like my cup of tea. And who is it directed by? None other than the king of destruction himself; Roland Emmerich, the director of Godzilla, Day After Tomorrow, and ID4. I can’t wait to see it despite its horrible reviews.

 

 

 

 

Runners Up that don’t make the grade for me: Dante’s Peak, Volcano (may have made the grade but haven’t seen it fully), Deep Impact (nothing happens ‘til the very end), The Core (just a BAD movie), and King Kong (the New York scene doesn’t get on the list). There are a few more that I thought of but fall into categories that I’d like to do Top 10’s of, so they’ll have to wait.

 

 

 

P.S. There is something pretty hot about a cute chick getting slightly dirty during some heavy destruction scenes. Maybe a little cloth’s tear in the right place to make something either show or come close to falling off. Giggity.