The end of the world as we know it is a fascinating movie concept. From nuclear war to natural disasters, these top ten films depict the gradual demise of humanity in various ways.

Explore the messages conveyed about humanity's place in the world as we look at what Reddit voted the best movies where the world slowly ends.

1. Melancholia (2011)

Image Credit: Magnolia Pictures

According to one viewer, the film Melancholia left a lasting impression. The viewer describes the opening line, “It appeared from behind the sun,” as ominous and notes that the film explores the gradual end of the world through one person's eyes in the first half and a realistic portrayal of hopelessness in the second half.

2. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Image Credit: United Films

According to one, the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead depicts a slowly deteriorating society as the zombie apocalypse unfolds. The film shows the gradual breakdown of society through TV broadcasts throughout the film, which spans several weeks in the film's universe. The individual also mentions that while the sequel is considered a post-apocalypse movie, the army is still present in that film.

3. Testament (1983)

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures

Testament is a film that depicts the slow demise of a minor, isolated community in the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse. None of the bombs directly target the town, but the audience witnesses the secondary effects of radiation and the loss of an “outside world” to escape. One user warned that this film is not to watch if one is “trying to brighten their day.”

4. Children of Men (2006)

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Someone suggested that Children of Men provides an excellent representation of a slowly deteriorating world. They appreciated the film's ability to dispel the idea that a one-to-three-hour film can't effectively convey the gradual deterioration of the world through its exposition on an already strong premise. 

However, they also expressed their dislike for movies that start from the beginning of an event or those that flash forward, as it takes them out of the film when things are not happening sequentially.

5. I Am Legend (2007)

Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

This one is a post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Will Smith, who plays the role of Robert Neville, a scientist who is seemingly the last human survivor in New York City after a virus has wiped out most of humanity. 

Based on the novel of the same name by Richard Matheson. I Am Legend explores themes of isolation, loss, and the struggle for survival in a world overrun by monstrous creatures.

6. World War Z (2013)

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures

World War Z is a 2013 action-horror film directed by Marc Forster and starring Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator tasked with finding the source of a global zombie outbreak. 

Based on Max Brook's 2006 novel of the same name, it follows his journey as he travels worldwide to find a way to stop the pandemic and save humanity. 

7. 2012 (2009)

Image Credit: Columbia Pictures

2012 is a disaster film thrill ride directed by Roland Emmerich and starring John Cusack and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The movie follows an author's desperate race to save his family and the world from a global cataclysm predicted by the ancient Mayans, featuring massive earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions threatening humanity's extinction.

8. The Planet of the Apes Trilogy (2011)

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

The Planet of the Apes trilogy is a science fiction film series starring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, and Mark Wahlberg. The films follow a group of humans stranded on a planet ruled by intelligent apes and struggle to return to Earth and prevent the apes' takeover. 

9. Don't Look Up (2021)

Image Credit: Netflix

Don't Look Up is a Netflix original film directed by Adam McKay, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio. The film is a satirical comedy about two low-level astronomers who discover an asteroid on a collision course with Earth and must go on a media tour to try and warn the world about it before it's too late.

Popular Reading: 10 Actors People Never Believed Would Become as Big as They Did

10. Greenland (2020)

Image Credit: STX Films

Finally, Greenland is a 2020 disaster film directed by Ric Roman Waugh starring Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, and Roger Dale Floyd. The movie follows a family trying to survive a massive comet headed toward Earth while navigating a dangerous and panicked society.

We hope you enjoyed this Reddit recommendations list of the best films where the world slowly dies. This article was inspired by the internet and did not necessarily reflect the views of Finance Quick Fix.

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