My Thoughts on Natural Disaster MOVIES

 

they suck, here's why.

1.The expert

each of these films have some sort of expert that rambles on the ways of the disaster. While being so bogus that even an average person's knowledge knows that its B.S. Along with their horrible back story of how they lost love ones from disaster they chose to face.

2. Unnatural natural disasters

its not good enough to just have an earth quake. It has to be the biggest one ever and its gonna destroy everything. Also its gonna be in popular cites like LA or New York.

3.Absurd action scenes

disaster action scenes so fantastic that in real life the characters would of died then and there.

4.Useless subplots

uh oh, main characters in a rocky divorce with wife/ husband lets spend most of the run time having this take priority over the risk of death.

how can we make a good disaster movie. Well first stick to one regular natural disaster with nothing over the top and no disaster-babel. The film should never focus on experts or the disaster itself. With this in mind here's what I do.

The main characters of the piece should be a regular family that knows little to nothing about the disaster. the central theme of the movie will be SURVIVAL. How far would this family go to stay alive? Would they do immoral things like steal or kill? How would that affect them mentally? etc. These questions should be consider and explorer throughout the film.

So news drops of the upcoming disaster. Starting with the rising storm. Tensions rises in the neighborhood as precautions are met. The family gets ready to leave when the storm hits. Here you can have a burst of natural disaster action. Then let the family deal with the aftermath of losing everything and an increasing danger in a lawless society. Before some sort of law and order returns. Then let the family learn how to move on and rebuild their life's or have them be incapable of this.

So less b movie action flick and closer to the real thing. perhaps as an historical or historical fiction film. Adapted from the lives of the survivors. After all theirs a ton of real natural disasters like Katrina or ST Helen. That you can adapt. But that means getting research on the events that transpire and to show it on screen through the eyes of the survivors.

Some final notes

sub plots for the most part should be avoided in this can kind of film. unless it can compliment with disaster itself. For example you have a heist movie. building up to this heist. When half way through. the thieves hear news of an upcoming natural disaster. They realize how much easier an opening it is to steal when the disasters near. And use it their advantage. And finally if you want an over the top fantastical natural disaster. Make it supernatural.