Released in 1997, James Cameron’s Titanic has always been the top recommendation for anyone looking for emotional disaster movies. The film takes audiences inside the RMS Titanic, an ocean liner that sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City, United States. It’s reported that 1496 of the estimated 2224 passengers died, making the incident the deadliest maritime disaster ever at the time.
The film’s additional plot involving a romance between the artist Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and the damsel Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) also boosted its appeal, resulting in a whopping $2.3 billion gross at the box office.
Strong in all areas, Titanic is a timeless film, hence Cameron and his team deserve all the success they got. Unfortunately, the movie’s popularity overshadowed many other great screen disaster stories in the 1990s. Many of these movies are arguably just as thrilling and heartbreaking as the box office juggernaut. They were also received well by the limited number of fans and critics who watched them.
At the moment, most of them can be easily found on streaming services or purchased on various online platforms. Viewers willing to shed a tear can thus check them out.
10 White Squall (1996)
Ridley Scott’s White Squall should be right up Titanic fans’ alley as it is based on the 1961 real-life disaster of the brigantine Albatross, which happened because of a white squall. The film follows a group of students who sign up for a voyage intended to forge their grit and discipline. Sadly, disaster strikes while they are at sea, forcing them and Capt. Christopher Sheldon (Jeff Bridges) to fight for their lives.
Scott’s Film Is Titanic-Lite, But with Better Performances
Nature wins here, but so does the audience, thanks to the incredible performances of the cast members. Ryan Phillippe’s turn as an overly anxious Gil Martin put his career into overdrive, while Jeremy Sisto’s inspired effort paved his way for a lucrative career on television. Jeff Bridges’ assuredness was also never put to better use than here.
Often accused of favoring cinematography over storytelling, Scott is once again guilty as charged. He used much of the $38 million budget to create great visuals, but that’s okay for a film like this. What results is a terrifying sea atmosphere that causes a surge of dread for anyone watching.
9 Ground Control (1998)
A few years before he became Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland starred as the sad-sack Chicago air traffic controller Jack Harris in Ground Control. Jack gets fired when an aviation disaster happens under his watch. He is cleared of any wrongdoing, but fails to get another job, forcing him to settle for designing air control software. Years later, an ex-colleague pleads for help when a staff shortage results in fears of another potential disaster.
Aviation Mayhem as Seen From the Ground
Sutherland’s sweaty and feisty portrayal of a man trying to make a comeback in his profession is pure angst-filled genius, and pros Henry Winkler and Kristy Swanston match his energy throughout. The dialogue is extremely educational too.
Yet for all its tasty ingredients, Ground Control deserves the most praise for showing what life tends to be like for air traffic controllers during a bad day at the office. Hollywood is packed with air crash movies that only show the plane’s point of view, so this particular film stands out for its approach.
Stream it on Starz or Tubi
8 Daylight (1996)
In Daylight, as a gang is speeding through a tunnel, the getaway driver accidentally rams into a truck carrying toxic waste. The subsequent explosion causes both ends of a tunnel to collapse, trapping hundreds of motorists inside. Now the onus is on former New York City Emergency Medical Services (EMS) chief Kit Latura (Sylvester Stallone) to get everyone to safety before the entire structure collapses.
The Usual Magic by Rob Cohen
Daylight would be even better to watch in theaters if you can somehow find the opportunity, as it has some of the best sound editing ever heard in a Hollywood movie. The explosions and the sirens are all delivered at just the right pitch. Those responsible for this job (Richard L. Anderson and David A. Whittaker) deservedly got an Oscar nomination for their efforts.
The film also benefits from the high-octane magic that director Rob Cohen has delivered for much of his career. He evokes the drab grayness of upstate New York, while relating a moving story of unexpected disaster and disorder. And because he loves closeups, the characters’ facial expressions generally make up for the basic dialogue. Overall, this disaster flick doesn’t strive to be more than it should be. The plot is simple: there’s a situation and it needs to be handled.
Stream it or Starz or buy it on Amazon
Related
Best Movies About the Titanic, Ranked
For over a century, both Hollywood and people all across the world have been fascinated by the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912.
7 Dante’s Peak (1997)
The ever-industrious Pierce Brosnan managed to squeeze himself into a unique role at the height of his James Bond fame. Take Dante’s Peak, where he plays the pessimistic USGS volcanologist Harry Dalton. He believes that a stratovolcano is about to erupt, but no one takes him seriously at first. Soon tragedy strikes, resulting in the standard dash to safety. Even worse, the National Guard isn’t immediately available to help.
A Scientifically Accurate Disaster Movie
A dark, blustery pace and jazzy soundtrack complement the film’s analysis of bureaucracy and professionalism. Dante’s Peak isn’t as sad as some other disaster films, but its sense of urgency puts it in the ‘addictive viewing’ territory. Additionally, there is a quick crash course on geology and, as a whole, this gem accentuates director Roger Donaldson’s skill at telling detailed, cautionary stories with a flair for both aesthetics and milieu.
Most importantly, little to no scientific lies are told. The USGS’s information page notes “In many but not all respects, the movie’s depiction of eruptive hazards hits close to the mark.”
Stream it on Prime Video
6 Alive (1993)
Based on Piers Paul Read’s 1974 non-fiction book Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, Alive details the Uruguayan rugby team’s crash into the Andes mountains in 1972 while aboard Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. Stranded, each member finds different ways to survive while the leader, Nando (Ethan Hawke), tries to offer emotional support to everyone. Things get horrific when the supply of chocolate peanuts runs out, forcing the remaining survivors to resort to cannibalism.
Finding Humor in Tough Times
There was nothing to smile about when the real Andes disaster happened. Interestingly, Alive tastefully mines dark humor out of the situation. With comical conversations, profanities, and shocking gore on total display, this picaresque story is even more incisive for its characters’ seemingly carefree acceptance of an unacceptable situation.
At one point in the movie, a character jokes:
“Could you just promise if you eat me that you’ll clean your plates? God bless you all!”
Moments later, another character asks:
“You didn’t take from my sister, did you? God, she was so beautiful!”
There is a Yellowjackets vibe to the proceedings and, for the most part, it often feels like the characters are having fun rather than wallowing in pity. Audiences will judge whether that’s a good or bad thing, but no matter their view, they’re unlikely to find themselves bored throughout the 125-minute running time.
5 Miracle Landing (1990)
Based on the April 1988 in-flight incident aboard Aloha Airlines Flight 243, Miracle Landing (alternatively known as Panic in the Open Sky) recounts the time when a Boeing 737-297 suffered extensive damage due to explosive decompression after a section of the fuselage broke away. The plane eventually landed safely, but 65 passengers were injured. Flight attendant Clarabelle “C.B.” Lansing also died after getting ejected from the airplane.
A Riveting Tale of Horror in the Skies
The CBS television movie won the 1990 Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Special Visual Effects. It employs crisp dialogue and wonderful cinematography to sling salient arrows at the questionable air practices of the time. Shot with steady cameras, and comprised of amazing wide shots of both the Hawaiian sky and the cabin, Miracle Landing laid the map for today’s aviation disaster movie.
From start to finish, the pandemonium never ends, so brace yourself for a wild ride that has some relief at the end.
4 Volcano (1997)
Tommy Lee Jones was on fire in the ‘90s, but for every Men in Black, there was a movie that never quite made the headlines. Volcano was one such movie. Here, his character Mike Roark, the head of the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, throws away his burger and cuts his vacation short when a mild earthquake (the Ritcher Scale says 4.9) hits the city. He fears that things might get worse and he is right. A volcanic eruption soon follows, leaving Roark and his team with a major predicament.
The Story Flows as Viciously as the Lava
Volcano dodges genre tropes and manages to be impactful. There is much to cover, given the geological cataclysm, yet the film still manages to stitch together subplots with powerful themes, such as one involving racial tension between a young black man and a white police officer. There is also a strong focus on realistic character actions.
The chances of a lava river flowing across Wilshire Boulevard might be low, but parental selfishness is a common aspect of human existence. Even though Roark does his best in his job, he remains more focused on saving his daughter than anyone else. And as usual, Tommy Lee Jones does more than the bare minimum.
Stream it on Hulu
3 Challenger (1990)
In January 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-099) exploded 73 seconds after takeoff, killing six astronauts and a tutor with the NASA Teacher in Space Project. This was the first-ever fatal air disaster involving an American shuttle while in flight. The full story is told in the ABC television movie, Challenger.
This George Englund Film Highlights the Disconnect Between Management and Employees
Director George Englund scores again with this delicate, gorgeously played thriller. We experience the events largely from the viewpoint of Roger Boisjoly (Peter Boyle), a vocal, self-assured engineer who constantly points out the potential risks and puts NASA management off-balance. The NASA heads are depicted as annoying, scowling figures whose crabby self-importance paves way for the disaster. These endless emotional undercurrents whirl amidst an air of relatable office politics. Winner of the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries or a Special Emmy, Challenger burns bright.
Stream it on Hoopla
2 Hard Rain (1998)
Set in the tiny town of Huntingburg, Hard Rain starts with an evacuation process when the floods stemming from the torrential rains become too much to bear. It has all happened before, but this time, the local sheriff (Randy Quaid) has a bigger problem. A gang intends to take advantage of the disaster and steal $3 million from an armored car transporting cash from the local banks.
Tragedy Begets Crime
Even with all the genre tropes baked in, Danish cinematography/director Mikael Salomon’s second feature unfolds as a nuanced examination of the complexities of law and order that often conceal themselves in plain sight. John Woo was meant to direct the film, but he opted out and chose Face/Off (a pretty good choice), but the events here don’t miss his touch. Whether it is the fast pace or the action, the trademarks he would have brought to the picture are still present. Besides that, Morgan Freeman’s villainous performance feels refreshing, making Hard Rain a worthy ‘90s recommendation.
Stream it on Hoopla or buy it on Amazon
1 Fearless (1993)
A near-death experience might cause some people to develop phobias, but for Max Klein (Jeff Bridges), it does the opposite. In the first act of Fearless, he survives a plane crash that kills almost everyone else on board. Instead of heading home to his wife, he decides to visit his high school sweetheart, eats foods he is allergic to, and makes plans to fly again. Soon, he becomes convinced that he is meant to be immortal.
Addressing the Mental Challenges Faced by Survivors
Peter Weir (best known for Dead Poets Society and The Truman Show) makes films that quietly dissect the intricacies and inconsistencies of the human condition, dwelling more on personal thoughts than standard plotting. The same applies here and Max’s recent cheery handling of his life is brought to the fore in Bridges’ nuanced performance that switches from oddly comedic to mentally perplexing. Rosie Perez is also great as a mother struggling to save her informant. For her effort, she got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Overall, this engaging tale builds to a perfect finale that avoids ship-shaped resolutions. So, go ahead and click the play button, fearlessly.
