10 Greatest Apocalypse Movies Of All Time

10. 12 Monkeys

The combination of Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Terry Gilliam's quirky storytelling methods, and an apocalyptic plot that also involves time travel sounds like the kind of strange brew that might cause viewers' heads to explode by the time the movie has reached the final act.

And while there's no denying that 12 Monkeys is one of the most eccentric films on this list, its execution is nearly flawless. And that alone makes it the most palatable work Terry Gilliam has ever produced. (Could you imagine a story like this being presented in a similar fashion as Gilliam's masterwork, Brazil? Yikes.)

12 Monkeys should be considered required viewing for anyone desiring a crash course in the ways of apocalyptic cinema. It has it all: a deadly virus that destroys civilization, an subterranean wasteland, time travel, and super shady authoritarian powers. It's basically a cornucopia of dystopian plot elements.

The storyline is plenty fun, but it's the interactions between Willis and Pitt - as well as the perpetually underrated Madeleine Stowe - that turns this into a classic.