Lessons from a Disaster Movie

Don't you love disaster movies? I do!  The thrill of danger and adrenaline from watching the heroes escape certain death.  Whether they are facing aliens, accelerated climate change due to our carbon footprint, or other unlikely foes, the result is spectacular on the big screen.

One of my new favorites is Super 8.   Here is the trailer: 




This movie was fantastic! And like most disaster movies, it continues to remind me of some key life lessons.

1. The government can't save you. Find one movie where the government actually pulls it together and manages to save folks. Oh, they save some people; but I will get to that later.

Often what happens is that the government rounds everyone up and puts them in an enclosed place, perfect for whatever foe, natural disaster or alien, is coming for them. Usually the emergency broadcast system kicks just like it is suppose to, allowing the President to let everyone know they are on their own and that the government is "doing all they can".

2. The government may not try to save everyone. There is usually a plan including some sort of ship or cave to save some, but not all. Most of us are left to find higher ground or a place to hide on our own.  This isn't meant to be some sort of conspiracy theory generator. I am just pointing out my observations as a disaster movie junkie. Check out this trailer from Deep Impact




3. When the crud hits the fan, it all comes down to family. Disaster movies are great not because of the government chosen survivors, but because of the heroes and heroines who choose to fight back and survive. Usually that fight takes place standing beside their families.

In fact, if you are in a disaster movie and hold on to some petty gudge or wrongdoing, prepare to be squished, drowned or blown away.



This scene from War of the Worlds was one of the most heart wrenching in the movie. It set up another tension in the movie because the family was suppose to stay together and it seemed they would never find their way back to each other.

Families matter.

4, Lastly, self-reliance and preparedness are really important. I am not just talking about an emergency flashlight and some canned food in the basement. What all the heroes in disaster movies have shown is an ability to think critically and make good choices (for the most part). They didn't sit in their house and wait for the government to help them. They didn't wait around for instructions. They grabbed their family and fought.




While we won't likely face anything near what makes these disaster movies so great, we will face adversity.  And when that adversity comes, we will have some decisions to make. Is the government going to save us? Are we going to just wait for further instructions?

Or are we going to say a prayer and then fight like heck?  Are we going to cling to our guns, families and Bibles?  I hope so, because that is exactly what we should do.