On the Beach (2000 film)

On the Beach is a 2000 television film directed by Russell Mulcahy and starring Armand Assante, Rachel Ward, Bryan Brown, and Jacqueline McKenzie. It is a remake of the 1959 film of the same name, which was based on the 1957 novel by Nevil Shute. The film depicts the aftermath of a global nuclear war and focuses on a group of survivors in Melbourne, Australia, one of the last habitable places on Earth. They grapple with the knowledge that a deadly wave of radiation is inevitably heading their way, spelling the end of all life.

The 2000 version of On the Beach updates the setting to the near future and includes contemporary themes such as the Y2K scare, although its central theme of nuclear annihilation remains the same. The plot generally follows the novel and the original film, detailing the characters' attempts to cope with their impending doom, including their searches for signs of life, their personal relationships, and their efforts to find meaning in their final days.

While the 1959 film was a Cold War-era commentary on the dangers of nuclear proliferation, the 2000 film aims to resonate with a later audience, exploring themes of environmental disaster and human resilience in the face of global catastrophe. It was filmed in Australia and Thailand. The film premiered on Showtime in May 2000.