20 Post-Apocalyptic Movies You Must See Before You Die

12. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014)

Whilst the first movie in the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was all about setting up the coming apocalypse, the sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, was very much a motion picture about human beings living in a post-apocalyptic setting. After most of humanity has been wiped out by a deadly virus, those who are immune must contend with the slow rise of sentient apes as they begin to inherit the planet. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, aside from being a special effects masterclass and a fantastic action movie, is a post-apocalyptic movie in every sense, and yet it has a proper story and doesn't just rely on the usual tropes of the sub-genre to get by. We know, of course, that humanity is doomed and that the apes will ultimately win out - it's in the name of the movie. But Matt Reeves' picture cleverly gives us heroes to root for on both sides, and thus creates an intelligent sequel that improves on the first film in every way.