Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian
Movies set after the end of the world.
Note: This list does not include post-zombie-apocalypse films, those are found in the "Horror: Zombies" list.
Note: This list does not include post-zombie-apocalypse films, those are found in the "Horror: Zombies" list.
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27 titles
- DirectorEnzo G. CastellariStarsMark GregoryFred WilliamsonVic MorrowIn a post-apocalyptic New York City, a policeman infiltrates the Bronx, which has become a battleground for several murderous street gangs.Essentially what happens when you blend together Escape from New York and The Warriors and sprinkle liberally with Italian herbs and spices. Unfortunately, it does end up borrowing from both films in a way that is promising, but overall unfulfilling. If you go into it expecting a cheap knockoff of those two movies, then it's enjoyable, but if you're expecting anything more, you're likely to be disappointed.
5/10 - DirectorSteve BarkettStarsSteve BarkettLynne MarguliesSid HaigAn astronaut battles mutant cannibals after returning from space to find Earth ravaged by nuclear and biological war.A movie about two astronauts who return from a year-long space mission to find the earth in ruins in the aftermath of global nuclear and biological war. There are actually some impressive shots of ruined cityscapes, but the movie keeps most of the action to miraculously-untouched buildings and expanses with no identifiable structures. Also, the story just kinda pings around, never really feeling like it has any goal beyond trying to be other, much better movies. According to legend, the movie underwent massive reshoots, which explains things like characters showing up and being written out without warning or purpose, and one of the two astronauts constantly disappearing, presumably because they either couldn't, or just didn't, get the actor back. It's one of those movies with such aggressive reshooting and mangling of original footage into a new story that you really hate to think how bad it must have been for this to be a fix.
3/10 - DirectorDavid Webb PeoplesStarsRutger HauerJoan ChenDelroy LindoIn a future where most of mankind and technology is wiped out, six people travel from place to place playing a brutal form of football with a dog skull. They hope one day to play in the league in a city.A film that takes an interesting approach in focusing on one specific aspect of post-apocalyptic society, following a group of "juggers" who travel the wastelands and remnants of society playing a brutal game. (8/10)
- DirectorAaron LipstadtStarsJohn StockwellDarrell LarsonRae Dawn ChongA pair of teenage motorcycle gangs maintain an uneasy truce between each other in the not-too-distant future. When an evil corporation tries to take over their ruined city, the gangs must decide whether to fight their common enemy.
- DirectorBrian Trenchard-SmithStarsNed ManningNatalie McCurryPeter WhitfordIn a dystopian future Australia, a health nut and his tag-along girlfriend become trapped in a drive-in cinema that has become a concentration camp for delinquent youths and immigrants.Part Mad Max, part social commentary—or maybe just an accurate depiction of Australia in the 80s. Concepts are fun and interesting at first, but then they start hammering way too hard on the social commentary, killing the fun. (6/10)
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellLee Van CleefErnest BorgnineIn 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellSteve BuscemiStacy KeachSnake Plissken is once again called in by the United States government to recover a potential doomsday device from Los Angeles, now an autonomous island where undesirables are deported.
- DirectorEnzo G. CastellariStarsMark GregoryHenry SilvaValeria D'ObiciA rag-tag group of people must fight extermination squads amid their ruined city.
- DirectorRichard StanleyStarsDylan McDermottStacey TravisJohn LynchThe head of a cyborg reactivates, rebuilds itself, and goes on a violent rampage in a space marine's girlfriend's apartment.
- DirectorDonald G. JacksonR.J. KizerStarsJulius LeFloreRCBRoddy PiperAfter a worldwide nuclear war, where 68% of the male population was wiped out and virile men becoming a rarity, Sam Hell, a scavenger and a highly virile man, is assigned to help rescue a group of fertile women kidnapped by humanoid frogs.It's a post-apocalyptic action film, with anthropomorphic frogs, starring "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. If that's what you're looking for in a film—and who wouldn't be?—it's great. If not... maybe not so much. (7/10)
- DirectorDonald G. JacksonStarsRobert Z'DarDenice DuffKelseyIn the sequel to Hell Comes to Frogtown, the Mutant-Frog leader of Frogtown kidnaps a professor and forces him to make a serum that will turn everyone into Frogs, they also kidnap some people to test the serum on. And courageous Sam Hell will have to save them.The direct-to-video sequel to the post-apocalyptic action film, with anthropomorphic frogs, starring "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Except this one doesn't have "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, it has Robert Z'Dar, and Lou Ferrigno. It does still have frog-people though, so that's something. (4/10)
- DirectorGeorge MillerStarsTom HardyCharlize TheronNicholas HoultIn a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in search for her homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper and a drifter named Max.Very good post-apocalyptic action. But really should have been Furiosa: Furry Road, as Mad Max himself seems to be there mainly as a formality. (8/10)
- DirectorWilly MilanStarsAnthony AlonzoJennifer KirkhamJohnny MonteiroWorld War III is over, the planet is mostly uninhabitable. On an island in the Pacific, the Islanders survive this cursed world in a fortified colony. Under the orders of the maniacal Zeus they are forced to fight each other to the death.While I cannot say for sure, this may be the most heavily mustachioed post-apocalyptic film of all time. (4/10)
- DirectorBrett PiperStarsPaul GuzziLinda CorwinAlex PirnieIn a post-Armageddon world, a young woman finds herself in a fight for survival against mutant cavemen, dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals.Overall decent post-apocalyptic adventure. The whole "nymphoid" part is just kinda tacked on—presumably by the distributor—and has nothing to do with the actual film, so don't let that put you off... or I guess if that's what you were looking for, I just saved you some disappointment. (5/10)
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsPierre JolivetJean RenoFabrice RocheThis is about a man's struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.
- DirectorBruno MatteiClaudio FragassoStarsOttaviano Dell'AcquaGeretta GerettaMassimo VanniIn a post-apocalyptic earth, where most of humanity lives underground, a group of surface people stumble upon an abandoned lab that was trying to bring life back to the earth's surface, but the place is run over by vicious rats.A movie in the criminally-underserved microgenre of post-apocalyptic horror. A gang of leather-clad motorcycle-riding scavengers find a facility full of food and water... and killer rats! Neither the setting nor the concept is particularly unique, but putting them together makes for something more fun than its component parts. The story and effects aren't always the best, but that's just part of the fun. However, you do get the impression that some animals were definitely harmed in the making of this film.
6/10 - DirectorTim KincaidStarsNorris CulfNadine HartsteinJ. Buzz Von OrnsteinerA highly unlikely band of heroes traverses a post-apocalyptic wasteland to rescue a scientist from the tyrannical Dark One and his army of robots.
- DirectorAvi NesherStarsSandahl BergmanDavid GossQuin KesslerIn a post-apocalyptic world, She aids two brothers' quest to rescue their kidnapped sister. Along the way, they battle weird creatures before standing against the odds to defeat the evil Norks.Don't let the scantily clad woman on the cover make you think this is an average "bikini warrior" film. She is actually a fun and interesting—albeit incredibly bizarre—post-apocalyptic adventure film loosely based on a 19th-century novel. Production values aren't top-notch, but definitely a cut above the average early '80s Mad Max "inspired" film. (8/10)
- DirectorPeter McCubbinStarsNancy CzerJeff HolecCraig WilliamsIn this Canadian rendering of a potential "apocalypse then", in 1996, after the collapse of modern civilization (due to atomic "accidents" and the "failure" of the world's economy), a young couple tries to carry on a quiet life in an uncivilized world. They are joined by a wandering soldier-of-fortune, who helps them survive the repeated attacks of mutant packs of human scavengers that have begun to evolve (mysteriously) back into animals. Mister soldier also eats their dog at one point. But an even darker threat comes from a lone figure, shadowing them wherever they go.Survival Earth, aka Survival 1990 takes viewers to the distant land of post-apocalyptic Canada in the distant year of 1996. Unfortunately, it is very much a budget 1996 post-apocalyptic Canada, with three speaking characters, one old building and a bunch of wilderness where not a lot happens. If it were made by a handful of people for funsies, it might be okay, but as a made-for-TV movie there had to be some amount of money behind it that just did not come through in the final product.
The one notable aspect is that in this movie the downfall of civilization is caused not by war, plague, or very aggressive geese, but by a global economic collapse, which is an interesting change, but overall they just fail to really explore... well, anything. And then on top of a lot of nothing happening, there's a weird subplot about cloning which goes absolutely nowhere. Like, it legitimately feels like they forgot about it at some point and had to shove in a conclusion at the last minute.
3/10 - DirectorRachel TalalayStarsLori PettyIce-TNaomi WattsA girl is among the few survivors of a dystopian Earth. Riding a war tank, she fights against the tyranny of a mega-corporation that dominates the remaining potable water supply of the planet.
- DirectorRoger CormanStarsRobert VaughnDarah MarshallLeslie BradleyA young man defies tribal laws and searches for answers. The result of his quest yields knowledge of past generations.Slow and uninteresting. The highlights are the stock footage and the twist ending that I've already spoiled by putting it on this list. Still several times better than the 2002 version. (4/10)
- DirectorLarry ClarkStarsAndrew KeeganTara SubkoffRichard HillmanTeens encounter people, who, after being used as guinea pigs for the experimental testing of a virus can live forever in a post apocalyptic world.One of a series of loose remakes of American International Pictures films that Cinemax did in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, since the whole “post-apocalypse” thing was the twist ending—and only notable aspect—of the original, having it obvious from the beginning left it feeling somewhat generic. Like, they did try, but overall it somehow turned out more boring than the original, despite the addition of sex, and violence, and a zany mutant fight.
(2/10) - DirectorIb MelchiorStarsPreston FosterPhilip CareyMerry AndersIn 1964, a group of scientists create a portal that takes them to a barren, mutant inhabited, Earth in the year 2071.A decent story of scientists accidentally traveling to a post-apocalyptic future, which is unfortunately mired by unnecessarily long "stage magic" special effects shots and pointless filler. (5/10
- DirectorDavid WorthStarsRobert GintyPersis KhambattaDonald PleasenceA nomad mercenary on a high-tech motorcycle helps bring about the downfall of the evil Orwellian government, the Omega.
- DirectorEnzo G. CastellariStarsGiancarlo PreteFred WilliamsonGeorge EastmanTwo mercenaries help wandering caravans fight off an evil and aimless band of white-clad bikers after the nuclear holocaust.Spoiler Alert: one of the very few action movies where the male lead gets raped.
- DirectorKevin ReynoldsStarsKevin CostnerJeanne TripplehornDennis HopperIn a future where the polar ice-caps have melted and Earth is almost entirely submerged, a mutated mariner fights starvation and outlaw "smokers," and reluctantly helps a woman and a young girl try to find dry land.The red-headed stepchild of post-apocalyptic cinema. Everyone loves to pick on Waterworld even though it's a solid movie and actually the post-apocalyptic genre somewhere other than the desert. It's far from the worst post-apocalyptic film, and not even the worst to star Kevin Costner. (6/10)
- DirectorRalph BakshiStarsBob HoltJesse WellesRichard RomanusOn a post-apocalyptic Earth, a wizard and his faire folk comrades fight an evil wizard who's using technology in his bid for conquest.You don't have to be on drugs to enjoy this movie, I'm proof of that. (9/10)