Hurricane movies are a staple of disaster movies, but with the bombardment of hurricanes in the Gulf, Florida, Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean over recent months, there has been more demand for these films than ever before. The Hurricane films that make it onto this list are either masterpieces or hilarious, but they are all entertaining. The top 10 movies about hurricanes include:
Movies About Hurricanes
1. Into the Storm (2009)
In 2009, Chris Poche directed this production that documents severe weather events when tornadoes devastated areas of Southeast Texas and Louisiana. The movie has interviews with residents who have been affected by severe weather while telling stories of their time spent recovering from tornado damage or when they have witnessed extreme weather displays.
2. The Great Outdoors (1987)
This movie stars Bruce Campbell as two brothers who try to make their way across America using their knowledge of survival techniques. The two brothers, played by Campbell and Robert Carradine, are on a journey from New York to California. They are forced to seek shelter at night because of the intense heat during the day. While sleeping in the woods, the two brothers learn about fire-making and how to make a shelter for themselves. Along the way, they learn more skills such as trapping and hunting.
3. Twister (1996)
In 1996, Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt starred in this action/adventure film based on storm chasing and research into tornadoes and other weather phenomena under extreme conditions. The film focuses on a scientist who, with the help of a trainee, travels to tornadic regions in search of ways to study tornadoes and other weather phenomena. The two scientists can capture video and still images of a tornado, ultimately seeing the full aspect of what tornadoes look like.
4. Category 6: Day of Destruction (2004)
Told through animatronics, narration, computer animation, and other special effects, “Category 6: Day of Destruction” tells the story of several towns that are struck by tornadoes on an October day in 2003. Tornadoes spun off from one main storm system and hit small towns in Oklahoma and Kansas. The movie was inspired by the idea that an F5 tornado could actually form and hit multiple towns simultaneously. Category 6 tornadoes hit a dozen or more towns, though it is unlikely for them to form or be that powerful in reality. The movie contains many real-life interviews with people affected by the tornadoes during 2003, as well as computer animation depicting how violent a Category 6 tornado would be.
5. The Perfect Storm (2000)
Directed by Wolfgang Peterson, “The Perfect Storm” tells the story of a fishing trawler in stormy seas off Cape Cod in late October 1991. A series of events occur that are accident-prone during this period. By the movie’s end, one of the five crew aboard the ship dies. The storm that causes problems for the fishing trawler is a hurricane and also becomes a tropical storm. The movie was based on a book with the same title that Sebastian Junger published in 1997.
6. Hurricane (1999)
In this top-rated movie, two reporters investigate the effects of a hurricane that has recently struck Florida. The reporters are sent out to take pictures of how things are going and what has been accomplished since the hurricanes hit the area, and people there dealt with being displaced by the storm. The reporters travel around to see what people and families in Florida endured during the hurricane and its aftermath. The film was directed by Andrew Davis, best known for directing “The Fugitive.”
7. The Big Easy (1986)
Released in 1986, “The Big Easy” has a lot of visual appeal and the potential to provide a lot of laughs. The movie focuses on Louisiana and how people there deal with each other in their day-to-day lives. In a setting where crime is likely around every corner, the movie looks at how people living there deal with the concept of crime, an environment that makes it difficult to rely on anyone else but oneself. The film features an ending that features a hurricane striking New Orleans during Mardi Gras season. The film was directed by Jim McBride and starred Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin, and Ned Beatty.
8. Beyond the Sea (2004)
Beyond the Sea is another dramatic film that highlights what one man can do when everything turns against him. Also known as “Jules, l’amour” in French, this movie stars Jim Carrey and Kate Hudson as a couple stuck on a boat during Hurricane Ivan. When the power goes out after their generator explodes, they have to find a way to survive for eight days at sea with strangers who all have a different opinion on how their operation should be run.
9. Stand by Me (1986)
The four young friends from the film have their adventure in a small Iowa town during a stormy day. When they trek to the river, they discover that a mysterious figure has murdered some girls. It’s not clear whether or not this killer is a hurricane or if he is trying to scare them away. Either way, this great movie explores how wind and rain can play with people’s minds.
10. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
This movie highlights two main character, Toto and Dorothy who were caught in a massive tornado in their Kansas home and transported to the magical land of Oz. While it’s not technically a film about a hurricane, these classic features elements of disaster cinema-like wind and flying debris. A team of scientists even analyzed how fast Dorothy must have been spinning when she was blown from Kansas to Oz.