Summary
- Disaster movies that bombed at the box office can still be entertaining and worth watching.
- Box office performance doesn’t always reflect the quality of a film, as some box office failures received strong reviews from critics.
- These films may not have been commercial successes, but they offer unique and thrilling experiences for fans of the disaster genre.
Disaster movies have become a popular genre in film, but eight of the most entertaining disaster movies actually bombed at the box office. Not every good movie performs at the box office, and what constitutes a good movie is up to the viewer, but box office performance is one of the most common ways movies are evaluated. Indeed, the entire legacy of a film can easily come down to the amount of money it makes in the short period of time it spends in theaters.
The disaster movie genre is no stranger to the difficulties of putting up strong box office numbers. While some disaster films, like 2012 or Contagion, have done exceedingly well in theaters, others have fallen short of profit or barely managed to break even. That is the unfortunate reality of filmmaking, but it does come with a silver lining for fans. At least eight disaster films that are actually quite entertaining have flown under the radar because of their poor box office performances, making them great choices for movie night.
10 Deepwater Horizon (2016)
The 2016 disaster film, Deepwater Horizon, is considered a box office bomb with a gross budget of around $156 million and gross box office earnings of only $121 million. Even though Deepwater Horizon was a box office failure, it is a great movie that received strong reviews from critics. Starring Mark Wahlberg, the film follows the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, proving its worth as a film in spite of its box office numbers. Deepwater Horizon is a must-watch disaster film.
9 Black Sea (2014)
Black Sea is a 2014 disaster film starring Jude Law that made a mere $1.6 million at the box office. The film follows the crew of a submarine in search of a sunken U-boat from World War II that is supposedly loaded with gold. The half-Russian half-British crew soon come into conflict below the surface, however, damaging their submarine and stranding them on the ocean floor. This thrilling disaster film is a highly entertaining watch, even if it isn’t one of the best disaster movies ever made.
8 Moonfall (2022)
The 2022 science fiction disaster film, Moonfall, made a mere $67 million at the box office against a whopping budget of around $138 million. Even so, this underrated movie is better than the box office reflects. The film stars Halle Berry and follows two astronauts as they discover that the Earth’s moon is leaving its orbit. Moonfall isn’t a top-quality disaster movie, and it isn’t a Christopher Nolan-style mind-bender, but it is full of riveting action and engaging mystery. Despite its shortcomings, Moonfall is worth a watch for any fan of the disaster genre.
7 Only The Brave (2017)
The 2017 film, Only the Brave, was also a box office bomb, earning around $26 million against a budget of around $38 million. The film follows the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a real-life crew of elite firefighters, as they fight to put out the deadly Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013. Only the Brave, which is dedicated to the memory of the firefighters it depicts, is a thrilling film with a strong ensemble cast. It is an inspiring tale of courage and self-sacrifice that deserved to do better in theaters. Only the Brave is absolutely worth watching despite its status as a box office bomb.
6 Cloud Atlas (2012)
Cloud Atlas is one of Tom Hanks’ best science fiction movies, despite its poor performance at the box office. Cloud Atlas grossed around $130 million, while its budget fell somewhere in the range of $100-146 million. Cloud Atlas follows several different plots taking place in several different eras of history. The cast members also act in multiple roles in this film. The unorthodox nature of Cloud Atlas polarized critics, and probably led to its poor performance in theaters, but this is a fantastic movie that deserves better than it got.
5 The Road (2009)
Though The Road grossed only $27.6 million against its $25 million budget, the film is a riveting watch as it follows a father and son through a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Starring Viggo Mortensen, The Road received mostly positive reviews from critics. Mortensen’s performance in particular was lauded. The Road takes place after an unspecified disaster caused the extinction of most plant and animal life on Earth, making for another fast-paced and engaging disaster movie that is worth watching despite being a box office bomb.
4 The Hurricane Heist (2018)
The Hurricane Heist, which was released in 2018, made around $32 million against its $35 million budget, making it a definite box office bomb. Even so, this film creates an entertaining spectacle and has several interesting twists and turns layered throughout. The film follows an attempted bank robbery that takes place during a Category 5 hurricane. The Hurricane Heist has an unorthodox premise, which could account for its poor performance, but it’s well worth a watch for fans of the disaster film genre.
3 The Postman (1997)
The Postman, starring Kevin Costner, follows a nomadic wanderer who roams the world after a major apocalyptic event. The 1997 film grossed just $20.8 million against an $80 million budget. The Postman is far from the greatest disaster film ever made, in fact, it’s probably closer to the worst disaster film ever made. Even despite its uneven quality, the film has some funny and thought-provoking moments that make it worth a watch.
2 The War Of The Worlds (1953)
The 1953 film The War of the Worlds is the first feature-film adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel of the same name. The film earned around $2 million, just managing to match its $2 million budget. Not to be confused with the 2005 remake starring Tom Cruise, The War of the Worlds is better than its earnings might suggest. Fans of classic movies will enjoy this riveting experience as humanity tries to protect its planets from Martian invaders. The film was selected for preservation by the American National Film Registry, emphasizing its value in the world of film.
1 Black Sunday (1977)
The 1977 film, Black Sunday, earned around $15 million against its $8 million budget. Black Sunday is an intelligent thriller that follows a scheme to bomb Super Bowl X using the Goodyear blimp that traditionally flies over the stadium before the game starts. The film is somewhat controversial, which may account for its less-than-stellar earnings, but it’s a thrilling ride from start to finish, and it’s absolutely worth a watch. Black Sunday isn’t a traditional disaster movie, but it helped shape the modern form of the genre.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
