Random Underrated Sci-Fi Movies Set In A Lawless Post-Apocalyptic Frontier (19 items)

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  (#9) The Quiet Earth

  • Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, Pete Smith, Zac Wallace, Norman Fletcher, Tom Hyde

  The Quiet Earth is a 1985 post-apocalypse film loosely based on the novel of the same name. The film stars Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, and Peter Smith as three people who have survived a cataclysmic disaster. The disaster came at the completion of "Project Flashlight," a research program meant to provide the world with a global energy grid. Instead, it erased nearly every living person on Earth.

  The movie didn't perform particularly well when it was first released, but it has gone on to achieve the status of a cult classic. Famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson said it is one of his all-time favorite science fiction films, and fans have deemed it one of the all-time best films from New Zealand.
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  (#17) The Young Ones

  • Cliff Richard, Robert Morley, Richard O'Sullivan, Melvyn Hayes, Gerald Harper, Rita Webb, Robertson Hare, Sean Sullivan, Carole Gray, Annette Robertson, Teddy Green, The Shadows, Sonya Cordeau

  A severe drought has rendered water highly valuable, and the remaining population of the post-apocalyptic United States must fight to survive. The film follows a teenage boy who sets out into the dry landscape with the hope of helping to protect his family. It's a modern Western featuring robots, bandits, and everything in between.

  Young Ones received mixed reviews from critics when it was first released, with many praising its visually rich landscape but knocking it for being "narratively barren." It hasn't been out long enough to attain cult classic status, but it's a likely contender sometime in the near future. 
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  (#6) A Boy and His Dog

  • Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Jason Robards, Alvy Moore, Helene Winston, Charles McGraw, Tim McIntire

  While the title may lead people to think this film is a fun Disney romp about a young man and his best buddy, it's not the cheery film one might expect. Based on a story by author Harlan Ellison, the film stars a young Don Johnson as the titular boy named Vic, who travels the post-apocalyptic wasteland that is the remains of the Southwestern United States. Accompanying him is his dog, Blood, who is telepathic and helps Vic find food and other things that interest him.

  When it first came out, the film was both criticized as "a turkey" and lauded as "an offbeat, eccentric black comedy." It has since gained a major cult following, though its ostensibly saccharine title has kept it from receiving more widespread recognition.

  If you haven't seen it, you can find A Boy and His Dog for free on the Internet Archive, thanks to it having slipped into the public domain.
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  (#16) Quintet

  • Paul Newman, Bibi Andersson, Fernando Rey, Vittorio Gassman, Brigitte Fossey, Nina van Pallandt, David Langton, Craig Richard Nelson

  Quintet is a Robert Altman film starring Paul Newman, Bibi Andersson, Vittorio Gassman, Brigitte Fossey, and Nina Van Pallandt. The story is set during the dawn of a new ice age, which has left much of modern society under a vast deserted tundra. Newman plays Essex, a seal hunter traveling north to reunite with his brother, Francha.

  It's a bit surprising given the names behind it, but Quintet was a financial disaster that received mostly negative reviews. Despite this, it is often well-regarded as a cult classic by those who have seen it, and should definitely be watched by anyone who considers themselves a fan of the genre.
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  (#11) The Rover

  • Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, Scoot McNairy, David Field, Anthony Hayes, Gillian Jones, Susan Prior, Richard Green, Tawanda Manyimo, James Fallon

  The Rover is a dystopian film set in the Australian Outback one decade after the collapse of the global economy. The Outback has devolved into a lawless wasteland where crime and poverty are common. The movie stars Guy Pierce as Eric, a former Australian soldier who lost his family. Robert Pattinson plays Reynolds, a young American who lacks the skills and knowledge to protect himself, making him dependent on others for survival.

  The movie is a perfect example of one the critics loved, but nobody saw in theaters. The Rover managed to nab five AACTA nominations, winning two for Best Supporting Actress for Susan Prior and Best Sound. It cost $12 million to produce, and only managed to pull in $3.2 million at the global box office. The critics liked it for a reason, and anyone who enjoys this genre is bound to appreciate The Rover for the brilliant acting and storytelling.
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  (#18) Time of the Wolf

  • Isabelle Huppert, Maurice Bénichou, Lucas Biscombe, Patrice Chéreau, Béatrice Dalle, Anaïs Demoustier, Daniel Duval, Olivier Gourmet, Rona Hartner, Florence Loiret-Caille, Brigitte Roüan, Hakim Taleb, Thierry van Werveke

  Time of the Wolf is a French post-apocalyptic dystopian film directed by Michael Haneke. The film is set in France sometime in the future and follows the story of a family of four trying to survive in a world in which potable water is scarce and livestock must be burned. 

  The movie wasn't given a wide release outside of France, which may be why most people outside of that country haven't had the chance to see it. Time of the Wolf was first screened at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, which was followed by a showing at the Sitges Film Festival, where it took home the prize for Best Screenplay. The film, which cost $10 million to make, earned less than $500,000 at the box office, but that was mostly due to its limited release.

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