The 11 Best Natural Disaster Movies on Netflix

It’s the end of the world as we know it! This classic quote somehow rings more true lately. Between political and climate upheaval, it certainly feels like an eschatological end of times. Storylines that once seemed futuristic and far-fetched are now hitting just a little too close to home in our opinion. Thankfully, Netflix is here to ensure that we are all well-prepared for the end of the world, by providing us with a well-stocked supply of natural disaster movies and documentaries.

With everything from sci-fi thrillers to true natural disaster survivor stories, we are here for this pre-apocalyptic binge of post-apocalyptic tales. These Netflix exclusives can teach us everything from how to thrive during a zombie attack, how to entertain yourself as the last person on Earth as well as the means to survive a slightly more likely real-life disaster. Although the way things are going, a zombie outbreak is about as likely an outcome as any. We say it’s best to be prepared for all possibilities. So strap on your air supply and batten down your real-life hatches, because these 10 natural disaster flicks will have you shaking in your space boots.

The Wandering Earth

The Wandering Earth has become China’s third highest-grossing film of all-time, and with good reason. Loosely based on a novella by author Liu Cixin, the storyline sets the scene for a bleak future in a time when the sun itself is dying out. Set in the year 2061, the world (or what’s left of it) must somehow band together to propel Earth to the nearest solar system. In order to survive the centuries-long voyage, people live in underground cities. Yet, when a mechanical malfunction threatens the mission’s success, a rescue team is selected to repair the engines before certain disaster strikes. It is an edge-of-your-seat adventure, that takes viewers on a wild ride into the future, space, and beyond.

Earthstorm

It’s man vs. nature in this chilling documentary about what happens when humanity takes on Mother Nature and loses. Big time. Earthstorm is a documentary detailing some of the worst modern-day natural disasters our planet has seen. Be it by land or sea, planet Earth is lashing out, and the documentary details exactly how and why we are seeing this dramatic increase in storms, not to mention damage. This four-part series gives an in-depth look at events such as Hurricane Ida, the earthquakes in Japan, and the volcanic eruptions of Iceland. Survivors of these incidents provide detailed interviews of exactly what it was like to live through these experiences and see the full force of nature at its finest, or at least most destructive. If you weren’t concerned about climate change before, you will be, as this commentary lays out in no uncertain terms what humanity can expect from this big blue ball we live on in the upcoming years.