The Geek Beat: 10 Geeky Movies To Scratch That Post-Apocalyptic Adventure Itch

With Mad Max: Fury Road hitting theaters this week, the future certainly looks bright – but that’s what happens when an apocalyptic event transforms the world into one big desert full of scorching sunlight and roving marauders.

But seriously, it’s a good time to be a fan of post-apocalyptic drama and high-octane automobiles, isn’t it?

Anyone who grew up during the glory days of Mel Gibson’s run as “Mad” Max Rockatansky can attest to a period when it seemed like every other movie on the local video store’s shelf was a brutal, gritty wasteland adventure that set a lone, stoic hero against impossible odds in an unforgiving land. The flood of Mad Max clones abated after a few years, but here and there the occasional films set in a world ravaged by nuclear war or climate change or some other element of man’s folly continued to arrive in theaters (or straight to video).

And like with all genres, there were some good movies, some bad movies, and more than a few so-bad-they’re-good movies.

Here are 10 post-apocalyptic movies that are up there among my favorites – some for their geeky connections, some for being guilty pleasures, and some for simply being great movies.

Cyborg (1989)

I’m not sure what I love most about this movie that cast Jean-Claude Van Damme as a mercenary with a heart of gold in a far-flung future crippled by a deadly plague. Maybe it’s that all of the characters are named after brands of musical instruments. (Van Damme’s character is named “Gibson Rickenbacker,” and his supporting cast includes “Fender Tremolo” and “Marshall Strat,” among other not-at-all-subtle musical call-outs.) Or maybe it’s that the movie was initially supposed to be the sequel to 1987’s Masters of the Universe, but after that project was scrapped, the studio apparently thought, “Well, we already have all these sets and costumes, so…”

Oh, who am I kidding? It’s because the movie is actually a lot of fun.

9 (2009)

Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov produced this animated feature about a ragdoll who might hold the key to salvation in a world where humanity has been eradicated by steampunk machines that rebelled against their creators. The film was written and directed by Shane Acker, who created the original, Oscar-nominated short film that inspired the feature. The movie offers a decidedly different spin on life after the world as we know it is gone, and it’s the sort of movie that works for adults and older kids alike.

Six-String Samurai (1998)

If Superman: The Movie made audiences believe a man could fly, then this 1998 film will make you believe that rockabilly music is the perfect soundtrack for martial-arts mayhem in the wasteland. The film cast martial artist Jeffrey Falcon as Buddy, a bespectacled bad-ass version of Buddy Holly on a mission to reach Las Vegas in order to try his hand at becoming the new King of Rock n’ Roll and rule over a country devastated by nuclear war after a war with the Soviet Union. Got all that? Well, now add to the mix an embodiment of Death personified by someone who looks suspiciously like Guns n’ Roses guitarist Slash and you’ll start to understand what’s so weirdly wonderful about this cult-favorite film.

Hell Comes To Frogtown (1988)

It’s worth pointing out early on that this is a bad movie. It’s a very, very bad movie, in fact. But once you know the premise, it’s like a car crash you can’t look away from. Professional wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper plays Sam Hell, one of the few fertile men left in a world irradiated by atomic fallout. When a group of warrior nurses (yes, you read that correctly) capture him in order to make him a breeding stud, he ends up being forced to save them when they’re kidnapped by mutant frogs. Oh, and he has to wear a cod piece that electrocutes his nether regions when he steps out of line.

Now that is a movie.

Snowpiercer (2014)

Rather than unfolding in a desert wasteland, this movie is set on a high-speed train carrying the last remnants of the human species after a new ice age has turned the world into a frozen tundra. Widely regarded as one of last year’s most underrated films, the movie was directed by South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho (who also directed the criminally under-appreciated 2006 monster movie The Host) and stars Captain America himself, Chris Evans, as the instigator of a revolution aboard the fast-moving locomotive. While it breaks from the setting of the other films on this list, it’s simply too good not to include.

Fist of the North Star (1986)

It’s not for everybody, but I have a soft spot for this 1986 ultraviolent, animated adaptation of the Japanese manga series of the same name. The film follows Kenshiro, a master martial artist who’s left for dead in the desert wasteland after being betrayed by a friend. His mission for vengeance pits him against an array of ridiculously over-powered, comically ultraviolent foes that push the boundaries of typical animated fare. While I won’t argue that it’s a good movie, it is one of the more memorably weird anime features to make it into the mainstream.

Tank Girl (1995)

This film based on the British comic book series of the same name cast Lori Petty as a free-spirited defender of one of the last independent water sources in Australia after a meteor impact has created a planet-wide drought. While the film failed to win over critics or generate much on the way of box-office returns, it did feature Ice-T as a human-kangaroo hybrid who assists Tank Girl in her mission to defeat the evil corporation bent on taking control of the remaining water. So it’s got that going for it. It also features special effects created by Stan Winston (The Thing, Aliens, etc.) and a soundtrack assembled by Courtney Love, which has helped it develop a cult following over the years.

Oblivion (2013)

Tom Cruise starred in this film that combines some impressive sci-fi elements with a post-apocalyptic adventure that unfolds after humanity has lost a war with an alien invader and been forced to evacuate Earth. Cruise plays one of the few remaining humans left behind to protect the massive generators on Earth that are powering humanity’s new home among the stars. Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy), the film is based on an unpublished graphic novel penned by Kosinski. While it straddles the line between post-apocalyptic adventure and sci-fi, its protagonist embodies a lot of the elements that make the stoic heroes of wasteland dramas so compelling.

Zardoz (1974)

What to say about a movie in which Sean Connery roams the wastelands of Earth in the year 2293 while wielding a six-shooter, sporting a ponytail and Zapata mustache, and wearing a pair of bright red suspenders and bikini bottoms? It’s the sort of film that’s the stuff of fever dreams and bad acid, and it’s glorious. I’d say you have to see it to believe it, but even after you see it you’ll wonder what the heck you just saw.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

And finally, if you’re going to do any movie-watching as prep for Mad Max: Fury Road, you should certainly include the third and final installment of Mel Gibson’s run as the franchise’s titular character. Not only is it a fun reminder of why the series has so much staying power, but it’s a great reminder of why the genre is so appealing. Co-directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, the film has Max tangling with the dangerous ruler of Bartertown (memorably played by Tina Turner), battling gladiator-style in the Thunderdome, and reluctantly leading a group of children to the promised land – all while simply trying to mind his own business and survive another day in the wasteland.

Question of the Week: What’s your favorite post-apocalyptic adventure movie?

Rick Marshall is an award-winning writer and editor whose work can be found at Movies.com, as well as MTV News, Fandango, Digital Trends, IFC.com, Newsarama, and various other online, print, and on-air news outlets. He’s been called a “Professional Geek” by ABC News and Spike TV, and his personal blog can be found at MindPollution.org. You can find him on Twitter as @RickMarshall.