10 Apocalypse Horror Movies That Don't Involve Zombies

Beginning shortly after an asteroid hits Earth, These Final Hours follows protagonist James throughout the next 12 hours before the ensuing global firestorm ensures total destruction of Australia. Initially blowing off his pregnant girlfriend in an attempt to avoid emotions in the face of annihilation, James later abandons his plans to dull the pain at an End of the World Party to save and return a young girl, Rose, to her family.

Though - spoiler alert - the film commits wholeheartedly to its initial premise and does indeed have all the characters presumably die at the end, These Final Hours is inherently character driven. With the end inescapable, the characters are forced to confront their lives, relationships, and behaviour. The resulting plot provides a startling amount of growth for James within such a short narrative time frame, as he ultimately spends his last hours on Earth committing selfless acts and reconnecting with new and old loved ones.

Ultimately, while it does deal with some extremely dark themes, this is arguably the most poignant and emotionally charged of the entries on this list. It uniquely encourages the viewer to think about their own lives, and suggests that in the end our role in this life is forming human connections, and bettering ourselves.