Upamanyu Biswas
Post-apocalyptic movies have a sense of heightened expectations baked into their narrative. As the world collapses into a shadow of its former self, those left behind have to stake a claim for survival, making their journey an intense ride full of emotion and danger. Films that capture these harrowing stories of a world gone wrong have become steeped in modern culture as we watch the rapid progress of technology ourselves. They are a reflection of our fears but also our obsession with the idea of rebuilding the world from its ashes. Thus, if you are intrigued by stories that delve into life after the end times, here are the best post-apocalyptic movies on HBO Max.
4. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Long before zombies started crawling in post-apocalyptic films, ‘Night of the Living Dead’ brought them to life as flesh-eating ghouls who haunt the living. Helmed by George A. Romero, the story follows a group of human survivors seeking refuge in a desolate house to shelter themselves from cannibalistic corpses. As the monsters surround the house, the crew tries to make it through the night without losing any limbs or lives.
If you want to see the historical evolution of zombies, ‘Night of the Living Dead’ is the place to start. The film popularized several aspects of the creatures that have become an iconic part of modern pop culture. It is an entertaining and gripping horror narrative where the presence of the flesh-eaters slowly breaks the unity within the humans, who try not to become the prey of their devilish tormentors. You can watch the classic here.
3. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Director Hayao Miyazaki has given birth to several imaginative films that defy expectations through their visual beauty and creativity. In ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,’ he envisions a post-apocalyptic world infested with massive insects where humanity survives in scattered pockets of existence within lush green forests. It is adapted from the director’s eponymous manga series that was published between 1982–94, focusing on the ideas of toxic environments and their effects on humans.
The narrative centers on the exploits of a young girl named Nausicaä, who hails from the Valley of the Wind and has to go on a quest to save the world from tearing itself apart. Like all of Miyazaki’s films, ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ is brimming with the rich, dreamlike artwork that has defined all his works. The film’s central message is one that is key to all post-apocalyptic stories, where survival is uncertain in a world that has been corrupted and no longer resembles ours. You can savor the fantasy film here.
2. Mad Max (1979)
‘Mad Max’ is the movie that started the titular franchise. A toned-down version of the reboot movies, it is set in a dystopian society facing an oil shortage. We follow Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson), a cop who rides a V8-powered supercharger, tracking down mindless criminals. He soon locks horns Toecutter, the leader of a biker gang, after the latter causes him a deeply personal tragedy. With only his car and thirst for revenge as his weapons, Max sets off across the wasteland, risking losing the only thing he has that reminds him of his loved ones: their memories. Directed by George Miller and co-starring Hugh Keays-Byrne (who also played Immortan Joe in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’), Joanne Samuel, and Steve Bisley, ‘Mad Max’ is a cult classic action flick that is a must-watch for the fans of the franchise and action cinephiles. It can be streamed here.
1. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
George Miller’s ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ is a prequel to ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ also directed by Miller. The movie narrates the origin story of Imperator Furiosa (played by Charlize Theron in ‘Fury Road’) and how she came to be known as such. We see her young self (Anya Taylor-Joy) as she undergoes one tragedy after another at the hands of the evil warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). While the wasteland seems to bring her unending pain, her urge for revenge keeps growing, sending her down a dangerous path full of war boys, chrome oil rigs, and customized vehicles. A visually stunning movie and a worthy successor to ‘Fury Road,’ ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ can be streamed right here.
Read More: Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies on Netflix
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