(Image credit: Netflix)

Disaster films naturally come with built-in drama, with ordinary people thrust into life-or-death scenarios at the highest stakes — facing Mother Nature herself — and having to contend with hostile environments, family separation, social collapse, and their own mortality.

Given that high-octane appeal, it's not a surprise that the No. 1 movie on Netflix right now is a survival thriller . Inspired by the real-life Category 5 hurricane that made a devastating landfall near Acapulco, Mexico, in 2023, "Surviving Hurricane Otis" follows estranged half-brothers Wirpul (Benny Emmanuel) and Candi (Kristyan Ferrer), who are working aboard a yacht when the tropical storm hits.…