5 best disaster thriller movies to stream on Netflix now

Disaster movies have long thrilled audiences with towering waves, crumbling cities, and earth-shattering chaos, but the genre has evolved to offer more than just pure spectacle. On Netflix right now, you can now find a range of disaster movies that span from adrenaline-fueled blockbusters to more intimate stories focused on survival and human drama.

Some movies in this list place characters at the heart of the crisis, showing how ordinary people respond when the world around them unravels. On the other end of the scale, there are titles that deliver the type of action-packed thrills that fans of large-scale destruction crave.

Whether you’re drawn to gripping character-driven drama or intense blockbuster spectacle, this list includes five disaster movies currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

‘Pandora’ (2016)

“Pandora” follows the tense events surrounding an aging nuclear power plant in a quiet South Korean town. The plant, plagued by maintenance issues and outdated equipment, faces an unprecedented crisis when a powerful earthquake strikes the region. The quake damages the facility, triggering a critical system failure that threatens a catastrophic meltdown.

Plant workers scramble to contain the disaster, racing against time to prevent a nuclear explosion. Local authorities struggle to coordinate evacuations while managing public panic. Ordinary citizens, including families and bystanders, must navigate chaos and confusion as the threat grows. Engineers and plant staff face life-and-death decisions, battling mechanical failures, radiation hazards, and worsening aftershocks.

Stream it on Netflix

‘San Andreas’ (2015)

When a massive earthquake strikes California along the infamous San Andreas Fault, structural devastation and chaos ripple across the state. Rescue helicopter pilot Ray Gaines (Dwayne Johnson) and his estranged wife, Emma (Carla Gugino), find themselves thrust into the heart of the disaster as they attempt to reunite with their daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario), who is stranded amid collapsing cities and crumbling highways.

The earthquake triggers a series of secondary catastrophes, including tsunamis, landslides, and widespread infrastructure failures, putting countless lives at risk. Ray’s skills and courage are tested as he navigates unstable terrain and battles nature’s fury to reach his family.

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‘Don’t Look Up’ (2021)

Two astronomers, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Ph.D. student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), make a shocking discovery: a massive comet is hurtling toward Earth with the potential to destroy the planet. They alert government officials, including the President and her advisors, who struggle to respond to the looming crisis.

Attempts to warn the public through media appearances are met with skepticism, misinformation, and distraction from political and corporate interests. As the comet draws closer, efforts to mount a space mission to intercept it face several technical failures and bureaucratic hurdles. Dr. Mindy, Kate, and a small team race against time to implement a last-minute plan to prevent the catastrophe.

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‘The Abyss’ (2023)

In the small Swedish town of Kiruna, Frigga (Tuva Novotny), the head of security at the world’s largest underground mine, begins her shift during what seems like an ordinary holiday season. But the ground beneath the town starts to shift, revealing cracks and structural instabilities that signal a looming disaster.

As the mine’s integrity is compromised, Frigga and the mining staff must act quickly to assess the danger and implement emergency protocols to prevent a collapse. Meanwhile, residents are faced with evacuation orders and the challenge of safely leaving their homes as tensions rise and chaos begins to spread. With time running out, Frigga handles both the technical demands of the crumbling mine and the personal stakes of protecting her family and community.

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‘Leave the World Behind’ (2023)

“Leave the World Behind” follows Amanda (Julia Roberts) and Clay (Ethan Hawke), who take their children on a spontaneous weekend getaway to a luxurious rental home on Long Island. Their peaceful retreat is disrupted when two strangers, G.H. (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha'la), arrive unexpectedly, claiming the house as their own and seeking refuge from a widespread blackout.

While dealing with the unanticipated guests, the families observe troubling anomalies: the internet and television are offline, and a deer watches from the yard. The plot thickens when an emergency alert system message flashes across all channels, signaling a potential national crisis. With communication systems failing and no clear explanation for the disturbances, both families must work through their growing unease and uncertainty about the situation.

Stream it on Netflix

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