12 Best Natural Disaster Movies Of All Time

This criminally under watched 2017 flick tells the tragic true story of a group of firefighters from the small Arizona town of Prescott who perished in a Bushfire. The movie brings to life the heroic everyday citizens that put their lives on the line for the greater good of the community and the ultimate sacrifice too often faced.

Josh Brolin is brilliant as Prescott local Eric Marsh, who sets up and trains a crew of 'hotshots', a term used for firefighters qualified to take on significant fires. When his crew are called to the Yarnell Hill Fire, just 30 miles from their hometown, they soon find themselves in the path of a vicious blaze they will not survive.

While the characterisations of the 20 strong hotshot crew is strong and avoidant of caricatures, it is the realistic depiction of the firefighting which is the most captivating. The special effects are extraordinary for a low budget blockbuster, but it's the film's refusal to shirk how a simple well meaning mistake can lead to tragedy that moves this to classic territory.

The low box office is a dreadful shame, although the bleak subject matter may have been a contributor there, with 19 of the 20 hotshots perishing. The scene in which the crew huddle under fire blankets as the ferocious fire takes their lives is as harrowing a moment as you will see on film.