how would you respond? Movies like “Zombieland” and “Shaun of the Dead” take a humorous approach to this not-so-funny scenario, which helps us realize that, despite the presence of bloodthirsty, half-dead people everywhere, the world might not be as horrible as we think.

Others, on the other hand, offer us a glimpse of the grim reality of a post-apocalyptic world. This covers films such as “World War Z,” “2012,” and “10 Cloverfield Lane.” There are many films in this genre available on Netflix, which you can watch for thrills and frights or as part of an enjoyable night out with your friends.

1. Bird Box (2018)

Following its release on Netflix, this film received nearly 45 million views, making it a viral hit. In “Bird Box,” starring Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock, a single mother must navigate a perilous river with her two children in a post-apocalyptic world. The most difficult obstacle they must overcome is that they must wear blindfolds the entire time. From the last movie on this list, Bird Box Barcelona, you can tell why.

2. Army of the Dead (2021)

“Army of the Dead,” a post-apocalyptic zombie heist movie directed by Zack Snyder, takes place in quarantined Las Vegas following a zombie outbreak. Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) gathers a diverse team consisting of his former allies, a helicopter pilot, a safe-cracker, a sharpshooter, and a few others when casino owner Bly Tanaka approaches him with a risky mission to retrieve $200 million from a vault before the city is nuked. The crew encounters a hierarchy of more intelligent, well-organized zombies known as Alphas as well as the typical undead when they venture into the zombie-infested city. The mission swiftly turns into a struggle for survival due to betrayals, hidden agendas, and the approaching nuclear strike. Intense action scenes, poignant moments, and Snyder’s distinctive visual aesthetic are all mixed together in this film.

3. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

“Edge of Tomorrow,” which is set in a different post-apocalyptic present, follows Tom Cruise’s character Major William Cage as he looks for Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), who is essential to winning the conflict between the humans and the aliens, also known as “Mimics.” The issue with Cage’s mission, though, is that he is trapped in a time loop, meaning that each time he dies, he must start over from the beginning, repeating his mistakes and improvising. This implies that it is also necessary to persuade Vrataski that he is there to assist. “Edge of Tomorrow,” a post-apocalyptic film directed by Christopher McQuarrie, is a must-see because of its compelling story and stunning visuals.

4. The Midnight Sky (2020)

The Midnight Sky is a fantastic film that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where most of humanity has been wiped out by a disaster. It centers on Augustine Lofthouse, an academic who is the only person left inside an Arctic base that is devoted to finding other habitable planets. Lofthouse quickly contacts the crew of the spaceship Aether, who are returning from space and are unaware of the situation on Earth, despite the fact that he is aware that he only has a few days left to live. Immediately attempting to alert the crew to the danger, the academic discovers that the antenna is insufficiently strong.

Meanwhile, he also encounters a young girl who appears to be nonverbal. Lofthouse takes the girl to a nearby station with a stronger antenna despite feeling death looming around him. But soon, it becomes difficult to distinguish between hallucinations and reality, and the film ends hauntingly when the little girl’s true identity is revealed.

5. Peninsula (2020)

“Peninsula,” directed by Yeon Sang-ho, is set in the “Train to Busan” universe. The story, which takes place four years after the events of “Train to Busan,” centers on Marine Corps Captain Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won), who is hired by Chinese mobsters to retrieve $20 million from the wasteland infested with zombies. In addition to surviving zombie hordes, he and his team must also avoid unruly militant groups who find amusement in seeing inmates killed by zombies. Fear of the undead fuels the intense action in “Peninsula.”

6. Night Raiders (2021)

“Night Raiders,” a dystopian science fiction film from Canada and New Zealand, is masterfully directed by Danis Goulet, who is making his directorial debut. It follows a Cree mother-daughter team as they attempt to survive in a society run by a repressive military regime, incorporating themes of motherhood and dictatorship. But soon, the mother must choose between keeping her daughter and letting her die or sending her away to save her life. A prophecy that a stranger will lead the resistance Cree tribe to safety serves as a reminder of this story. Taika Waititi is the executive producer of “Night Raiders,” a post-apocalyptic thriller that masterfully combines gripping narrative with powerful visuals.

7. The Worthy (2016)

Considering that it was produced in a region with a relatively small cinema industry, “The Worthy” is a respectable film. The film focuses on how water sources tainted by deadly viruses wipe out the majority of the world’s population. Few survivors reside close to a reliable, clean water source that is later compromised by some ill-intentioned individuals. When the surviving humans battle for the only body of water that can sustain them, it all devolves into a bloody game of survival.

8. Spectral (2016)

Supernatural creatures that are invisible to the human eye pose a threat to the world and will destroy anyone who stands in their way. A special operations team fights these unidentified entities, which could be ghosts of the war or a botched government arms experiment, at the heart of the film. Spectral has a fantastic plot, some good acting, and some excellent special effects. Although it’s not a flawless movie, it’s good enough for a fun one-time viewing.

9. Blame! (2017)

“Blame!” depicts a future society in which people’s lives are completely enmeshed with technology. However, a deadly virus slowly spreads, causing all technology to malfunction and gradually beginning to wipe out the world’s population. In addition to being about a relatively novel and fresh idea, the anime has been really well done. Make sure you have access to Google if you’re unfamiliar with extreme sci-fi films, as some of the concepts are not explained in the film.

10. Cargo (2017)

After learning that he might only have a few hours left before contracting a pandemic that is spreading, a man searches for a new home for his newborn daughter in this heartwarming zombie apocalypse tale. There aren’t many heartwarming zombie movies, but this one does a fantastic job of evoking a wide range of emotions in addition to excitement. It’s definitely a breath of fresh air, but I wouldn’t say it deserves an Oscar.

11. How it Ends (2018)

After learning that he might only have a few hours left before contracting a pandemic that is spreading, a man searches for a new home for his newborn daughter in this heartwarming zombie apocalypse tale. There aren’t many heartwarming zombie movies, but this one does a fantastic job of evoking a wide range of emotions in addition to excitement. It’s definitely a breath of fresh air, but I wouldn’t say it deserves an Oscar. . Many of the film’s scenes and choices will leave you wondering where the film is going and why it is going in that direction. However, because it features some excellent action sequences, it is still a good way to kill time and can be seen once.

12. End of Evangelion (1997)

This Japanese anime sci-fi film, which was directed by Hideaki Anno and Kazuya Tsurumaki, is the dramatic conclusion to the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” television series. In addition to philosophical and psychological reflection, Hideaki Anno’s story delves deeply into apocalyptic scenarios. In order to protect humanity from beings known as Angels, teenagers Shinji, Rei, and Asuka pilot mechas known as Evangelions. Shinji is involved in the Human Instrumentality Project, which aims to unite all people into a single entity, during this conflict. Notwithstanding early criticism for its abstract style, the movie won multiple accolades and received praise, establishing itself as a noteworthy animation accomplishment.

13. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)

One of the three films in the Cloverfield series that reveals the origin of the bizarre creatures in Cloverfield and 10 Cloverfield Lane is “The Cloverfield Paradox.” It starts with a group of scientists working inside a space station that revolves around Earth’s orbit. Their objective is to develop a source of energy that can supply the planet with limitless energy. However, the entire experiment fails miserably and creates portals to a different reality that will accelerate the end of the world. You can watch the movie here to see what happens; it might give you some ideas if we do have a Doomsday.

14. IO (2019)

In the post-apocalyptic world depicted in “IO,” the Earth has been so thoroughly destroyed that people are no longer able to live there. Nearly all of humanity has left the planet and relocated to IO, Jupiter’s moon. However, a young girl named Sam is a scientist and thinks there is still hope for the planet. A man named Micah, who is also en route to board the final spaceship to IO, approaches her after she broadcasts a message on a common frequency to attract the attention of the remaining humans.

Micah has to hurry to the ship, but Sam has to choose between staying and moving to IO like other people. With the exception of the absence of zombies, this movie is very similar to “I Am Legend.” However, regrettably, it falls short of “I Am Legend” and, in a sense, squandered a really good idea. It does give you the whole post-apocalyptic feeling, though, so you can watch it once. It only lacks a few key plot points.

15. Extinction (2018)

A man is plagued by post-apocalyptic nightmares. After a while, these dreams become so real that he begins to think they are portents of something to come. Even his own family begins to question his sanity, but he is well-prepared for these events and eventually emerges as a hero when all the things that once plagued him begin to come to pass. The plot of “Extinction” centers on a man who follows his instincts and uses them to defend his family from an army of alien beings attempting to invade Earth. The film is so excellent and so masterfully crafted that it serves as a model for all other apocalyptic alien invasion films. Although Michael Pena does a fantastic job as the protagonist, the film’s surprising conclusion could either make you love it or hate it. You can view it here.

16. Bird Box: Barcelona (2023)

Directed by Álex Pastor and David Pastor, Bird Box Barcelona is a stand-alone follow-up/spin-off to Bird Box (2018), which is based on Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel of the same name. It depicts the world being overrun by unseen forces that prey on people’s anxieties and drive them to commit suicide. The problem is that eye contact of any kind causes suicide. You are safe if you don’t see them, but they are pursuing you, so it won’t be long before you pass away as well. In such a world, we follow a man named Sebastián, who initially provides an apparition of his deceased daughter to the entities that are using him to murder more people.

He is informed by this apparition that he is working for the angels and that he must locate more souls that will be freed upon death. Later on, though, he begins to have doubts about the apparition and, in an attempt to save a woman and a young girl, gives his life. Like its predecessor, “Bird Box Barcelona” is a film that deftly strikes a balance between the microcosm of humanity’s faith and the macrocosm of a post-apocalyptic world.

17. The Silence (2019)

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, “The Silence” is a terrifying survival horror movie that depicts a world overrun by monsters that attack at the slightest sound. Humans are forced to adapt to living in silence, but Ally Andrews, a teenage girl who lost her hearing in a car accident, chooses to move to the country with her family. The group eventually finds safety in a small shelter, despite the deaths of their family dog and Glenn, Ally’s father’s best friend, during the journey. The family understands that the creatures aren’t the biggest threat to their survival, though, because a local cult is trying to exploit Ally’s enhanced senses.

18. Cadaver (2020)

In the Norwegian film “Cadaver,” misery is the norm in a city that has been completely destroyed by a nuclear accident. People starve when there is no food, crimes are common, and it is common to see decaying corpses on the streets. In that world, sticking together is the only way to survive. Alice (Tuva Olivia Remman) is the only child of Leonora (Gitte Witt) and Jacob (Thomas Gullestad), who fiercely guard her. Unexpectedly, renowned theater director Mathias Vinterberg (Thorborm Harr) promises a nice meal when he announces an exclusive show called “The Hotel.” They choose to go for the show because they see it as a chance to escape reality.

19. What Happened to Monday (2017)

20. Awake (2021)

In the world depicted in Awake, a worldwide calamity destroys every electronic gadget that humanity has ever owned. In addition, people become incapable of sleeping and remain awake for days at a time, which inevitably results in death. Jill Adams, a mother of two, finds that her youngest child, Matilda, can still sleep in the midst of such a crisis. Naturally, the news creates a stir in the community, and religious fanatics think that sacrificing the girl would help resolve the issue, while others want to take Matilda to a facility for additional testing. The remainder of the film chronicles Jill’s desperate struggle to protect her young daughter from people of all kinds.

21. ARQ (2016)

A group of mask raiders attacks a couple at the start of each day while they are trapped in a time loop inside a lab. In order to save the world from its Judgement Day, they must adapt, learn how to repel these raiders, and simultaneously create technology that can serve as a power source. The movie keeps you interested and on the edge of your seat with a fresh plot twist each time the couple wakes up and finds themselves at the start of the time loop once more. Time loops have been a recurring theme in films for a long time, and this one is no exception.

22. I Am Mother (2019)

Another post-apocalyptic science thriller is “I Am Mother.” Daughter (Clara Rugaard), who lives in a bunker, has been raised by a robot named Mother (voiced by Rose Byrne), who is assisting in the repopulation of Earth and teaching her the necessary values and skills for survival. A woman (Hillary Swank) interrupts the world of Mother and Daughter by delivering some startling news. This movie takes a unique stance on parenting, ethics, accountability, and what it means to be a person.

23. #Alive (2020)

Don DeLillo’s 1985 novel served as the inspiration for Noah Baumbach’s absurdist comedy-drama “White Noise.” Starring Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, and Don Cheadle, the film is set in the 1980s and chronicles the life of Jack Gladney, a professor of “Hitler studies,” his fourth wife, Babette, and their blended family. Their lives, which were already marked by Babette’s secret use of a drug called Dylar and Jack’s fears of dying, completely spiral out of control after a train accident causes a Netflix  “Airborne Toxic Event” and the evacuation that follows. As events develop,

24. White Noise (2022)

Noah Baumbach’s absurdist comedy-drama “White Noise” is based on Don DeLillo’s 1985 novel. The 1980s-set movie, which stars Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, and Don Cheadle, follows the life of Jack Gladney, a professor of “Hitler studies,” his fourth wife, Babette, and their blended family. After a train accident results in a “Airborne Toxic Event” and subsequent evacuation, their lives—which were already characterized by Babette’s covert use of a drug called Dylar and Jack’s death fears—go completely out of control. After confronting Babette about her  Netflix  use of Dylar, Jack finds himself in a violent altercation with the enigmatic Mr. Gray.

25. Jung_E (2023)

Yeon Sang-ho is the director of this South Korean science fiction movie, which takes place in a post-apocalyptic 22nd-century Earth where people live in artificial shelters in space. When three shelters challenge the Allied Forces and establish the Adrian Republic, a civil war breaks out. Renowned mercenary Captain Yun Jung-yi serves in the Allied Forces to pay for her daughter’s medical care. Jung-yi is placed in a coma following a botched mission. In 2194, the tech company Kronoid clones her brain to produce “Jung_E,” a combat AI. Under the direction of Dr. Yun Seo-hyun, her now-adult daughter, the project seeks to preserve Jung-yi’s legacy. Seo-hyun, however, finds herself in a race against time as she protects the AI’s integrity and her own life from unanticipated enemies as peace approaches and corporate  Netflix  intentions change.

26. Rim of the World (2019)

Zack Stentz wrote the script for this science-fiction adventure movie, which was directed by Joseph McGinty Nichol (McG). Socially isolated Alex makes an unlikely ally with fellow campers Zhen Zhen, Dariush, and Gabriel at a summer camp called “Rim of the World” in southern California. Being among the few survivors, their typical camp experience takes a turn for the worse when alien ships invade. These young misfits set out on a treacherous quest to deliver a key that a dying astronaut has given them—a key that contains the secret to defeating the invaders—to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. They encounter many obstacles along the way,Netflix  such as the persistent aliens and predatory adults.

27. Black Crab (2022)

Adam Berg is the director of the Swedish action-thriller “Black Crab,” which is available on Netflix. Edh, played by Noomi Rapace, is a speed skater who is drafted into a perilous mission: delivering a mysterious package that could end a war by skating across sea ice behind enemy lines. Exciting chases, fierce fighting, and the ethical dilemmas of war are all intercut throughout the story. Edh is caught between duty and morality when she learns that the package may be a potential bioweapon. The film is a compelling examination of sacrifice, war, and the extent one would go to in order to protect those they love.