The Titanic slammed into movie theaters in 1997, reigniting conspiracy theories about the 1912 tragedy, but James Cameron’s epic movie is not the only must-stream ocean disaster flick you’ll want to watch. SPYSCAPE counts down 15 of the genre's top films. Ready about!
15. In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
Chris Hemsworth crews this historical thriller set in 1820 aboard the New England ship Essex. Sailors are attacked by a mammoth whale who cripples their vessel and leaves them adrift and starving. How far will they go to survive?In the Heart of the Sea is based on the real-life story that inspired Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick. (Google Play, Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube)
14. The Abyss (1989)
A dive team races against the clock to track a lost US nuclear submarine but discovers an alien aquatic species 25,000 feet below. Rotten Tomatoes describes The Abyss as a ‘claustrophobic’ and ‘gripping’ thriller directed by James Cameron, and starring Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. (Prime Video)
13. White Squall (1996)
Prep school students board an old-fashioned ship captained by Christopher Sheldon (Jeff Bridges) to learn fortitude and discipline in this Ridley Scott film set in 1960. The crew, including shy Gil Martin (Ryan Phillippe), is caught in the clutches of a white squall storm, however, and must learn survival techniques instead. (Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Microsoft TV)
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The Titanic slammed into movie theaters in 1997, reigniting conspiracy theories about the 1912 tragedy, but James Cameron’s epic movie is not the only must-stream ocean disaster flick you’ll want to watch. SPYSCAPE counts down 15 of the genre's top films. Ready about!
15. In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
Chris Hemsworth crews this historical thriller set in 1820 aboard the New England ship Essex. Sailors are attacked by a mammoth whale who cripples their vessel and leaves them adrift and starving. How far will they go to survive?In the Heart of the Sea is based on the real-life story that inspired Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick. (Google Play, Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube)
14. The Abyss (1989)
A dive team races against the clock to track a lost US nuclear submarine but discovers an alien aquatic species 25,000 feet below. Rotten Tomatoes describes The Abyss as a ‘claustrophobic’ and ‘gripping’ thriller directed by James Cameron, and starring Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. (Prime Video)
13. White Squall (1996)
Prep school students board an old-fashioned ship captained by Christopher Sheldon (Jeff Bridges) to learn fortitude and discipline in this Ridley Scott film set in 1960. The crew, including shy Gil Martin (Ryan Phillippe), is caught in the clutches of a white squall storm, however, and must learn survival techniques instead. (Apple TV, Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Microsoft TV)
Two experienced sailors charge into one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. Impossible, you say? Actually, Adrift is based on a true story of young lovers - Tami Oldham (Shailene Woodley) and Richard Sharp (Sam Claflin) - who find themselves, injured, lost, and scraping to survive the aftermath of an epic storm with little hope of being rescued. (Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube)
11. All is Lost (2013)
Robert Redford dazzles in this unrelenting survival film, an epic man-against-nature tale of a skilled sailor who collides with a shipping container and must rely on his training or face death. While Redford only speaks 51 words throughout the movie, he’s breathtaking in All is Lost. (Google Play, Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube)
10. The Life of Pi
The Patel family board a freighter en route to Canada after selling their zoo in India. A few animals are along for the ride but a terrible storm sinks the ship. Pi (Suraj Sharma) and a Bengal tiger find themselves together in a lifeboat, both deeply distrusting of the other, but what exactly are they going to do about it? Empire rates it 5/5. (Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play)
9. K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
It is the height of the Cold War and Captain Alexei Vostrikov (Harrison Ford) is commanding a Soviet nuclear submarine, the K-19. Technical problems arise that could potentially start a nuclear war and Vostrikov faces a difficult choice: obey his duty to his country or save the lives of his men? (Amazon Prime, Vudu, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Microsoft, Netflix in some countries)
8. Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Deepwater Horizon is Hollywood's take on the real-life BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, and Kate Hudson put a human face on the tragedy. Critics approved but the box-office take wasn’t overwhelming. Stream it for yourself and decide. (YouTube, AppleTV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, StarzPlay)
7. The Triangle (2009)
The Triangle is a horror movie unlike any other. It’s an intelligent spin on a well-worn tale. Set in the Bermuda Triangle, a group of friends are sailing when… you guessed it. Disaster strikes. The yacht passengers face mysterious weather conditions that force them to jump onto another ship, which only makes matters worse. (Apple TV, Microsoft, Sky Store, YouTube, Google Play, Prime Video)
6. The Wave (2016)
Norway’s first disaster movie made headlines worldwide and it is well worth a look. The plot revolves around a geologist caught out when a mountain pass above a narrow Norwegian fjord collapses and creates a 275-foot violent tsunami. Just don’t look behind you. (Prime Video)
5.The Sea Wolf (1941)
If you watch one black-and-white film this month, make it The Sea Wolf.Rotten Tomatoes rates this classic movie 100 percent on the Tomatometer. Adapted from Jack London’s novel, fugitives George Leach (John Garfield) and Ruth Brewster (Ida Lupino) board a seal ship, The Ghost, under the command of cruel Wolf Larsen (Edward G. Robinson). They soon begin to question whether they are caught up in a dangerous criminal adventure or something more sinister. (YouTube, Prime Video, iTunes)
4. Jaws (1975)
You’re gonna need a bigger boat. Technically, Jaws is a shark disaster movie but it is also a killer ocean disaster story. Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is Amity’s effortlessly cool police chief who wants to close the beaches after a shark attack. The mayor overrules him, however, so what’s a conscientious cop to do? Brody sets sail with salty captain Quint (Robert Shaw) and marine biologist Matt (Richard Dreyfuss) to capture the beast. (Netflix, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime)
3.The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
From Airportto Earthquake, and The Towering Inferno, the 1970s scared us silly. If you’re bold enough to go back in the water after Jaws, then you’re just in time. TheSS Poseidon is setting sail for two hours of terror on the high seas and Reverend Frank Scott (Gene Hackman) has a plan - but by God, it’ll cost you. (Disney+, YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play).
2.The Perfect Storm (2000)
The Perfect Storm is a slow burn but when it gets going, you’ll need to grab a handrail and steady yourself. The Andrea Gail, a commercial fishing vessel, and its crew are caught in The Perfect Storm of 1991. The action alone makes this worth watching but George Clooney’s performance ups the ante. (YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video)
1. The Titanic (1997)
James Cameron’s Oscar-winning epic The Titanic deserves a second outing on the small screen. There are many reasons this masterful film won 11 Academy Awards, including the coveted Best Picture. Cameron later revealed that between cost overruns and delays he wasn’t sure he’d ever work again and doubted the film would break even. (YouTube, Apple, Prime Video, Google Play, Sky Store)
HONORABLE MENTION:
The Deep
If you’re up for more adventure, check out The Deep(1977) about a couple who discover a deadly shipwreck in Bermuda and find themselves in a bizarre conflict with treasure hunters. The classic British film A Night to Remember (1958) about the final night of RMS Titanic is also worth a stream, as is the submarine thriller Below (2002), and Poseidon (2006), a loose remake of the 1972 film that makes up for its ‘meh’ script with dazzling special effects.
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