Survival movies always take place in a hostile and unfriendly environment where civilized men become prey. Here are the best survival movies of all time ranked among the greatest survival films.
Best Survival Movies of All Time
It’s always interesting to watch survival films because they show how strong people can be when they face seemingly impossible challenges.
Many people like survival movies because they want to see someone fight their way back from the edge of death.
These movies do more than show how strong the human spirit is; they also make us feel awe in the face of danger and strengthen our link with nature.
1. Into the Wild (2007)
The story of Christopher McCandless, a college graduate who leaves society and goes on a two-year trip through the Alaskan Wilderness, is told in this personal travel drama.
McCandless fights the elements when he gets lost on the edges of town and learns why it’s called “survival of the fittest.” Emile Hirsch gives a fantastic performance, and the movie is one of the best survival movies ever made because it has quiet times where you can think.
2. Gravity (2013)
Gravity is a sci-fi movie where two astronauts try to return to Earth after something terrible happens on their space shuttle.
Sandra Bullock and George Clooney give some of their best performances ever, and the constant stress and getting worse outlook make this one of the most gripping survival stories of the past few years.
3. 127 Hours (2010)
127 hours is one of the most interesting survival movies ever made. James Franco plays a young climber who gets lost in a remote Utah canyon in another moving and true story.
There is nothing else for the 28-year-old adventurer to do but get off the rock trapping him. He must be ready to take the most considerable risk of all.
This movie, loosely based on what happened with Aron Ralston in 2003, was nominated for both best director and best actor at the Oscars and has become one of the most memorable survival stories in recent movie history.
4. Cast Away (2000)
Cast Away is one of the best survival movies on Netflix to watch. Tom Hanks plays Chuck Nowlan, an overworked FedEx worker, in this heartwarming story directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Following an unplanned plane crash, Chuck is left alone on a remote island with little chance of getting away.
With Hanks’s Oscar-winning performance, the movie won over people worldwide and showed us what one motivated person can do even when the odds are against them.
5. The Grey (2011)
This dark movie takes place in the Alaskan Wilderness and stars Liam Neeson as a rigger. Neeson and the other people who survived the plane crash have to fight to stay alive in a dangerous country.
The Grey is an exciting survival story that can sometimes be harsh and scary. You’ll remember it for a long time after the movie is over.
6. Alive (1993)
Alive is based on the true story of Piers Paul Read’s book about what happened to Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in 1972.
Nando Parrado (Ethan Hawke) and the other people who are still alive after a plane crash in the middle of a small mountain range do crazy things to stay alive.
Even after twenty years, people are still on the edge of their seats about this turn of events.
7. The Edge (1997)
Two businesspeople, played by Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, are at the center of this tense story. They must work together to survive a plane crash in the wilds of Alaska.
Even though there isn’t much going on in the story and there isn’t much dialogue, director Lee Tamahori makes the actors face the frozen pond in an exciting attempt to get home.
8. The Wave (2015)
This is if you want to see a scary movie about a natural disaster. The film is set in Northern Norway and is about a geologist caught in a massive storm.
Roar Uthaug, the director, creates an untamed atmosphere as his characters fight through the heavy snow and mud by using few angles and little speech.
9. Wild (2014)
Jean-Marc Vallé directed this moving movie based on the real story of Cheryl Strayed, who chose to hike the Pacific Crest Trail alone. Reese Witherspoon plays Strayed.
Empire Magazine ranked Wild as the 24th best adventure movie of all time. It’s an inspiring story of survival and a refreshing look at a woman in touch with her power.
10. Eight Below (2006)
Eight Below is an American survival movie from 2006 that stars Paul Walker. It’s based on Toshirô Ishidô’s 1983 Japanese movie Antarctica.
In this movie, a guide at a study base in Antarctica puts his life at risk to save his eight sled dogs. Eight Below is a beautiful story about staying alive and making friends.
11. “Life of Pi” (2012)
The book by Yann Martel that this beautiful movie is based on has the same name. Ang Lee directed the movie Life of Pi which is surely among the best survival-based movies of all time.
After his family dies in a shipwreck, Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as “Pi,” chooses to go on a 217-day trip with a Bengal tiger. He is strong-willed because he wants to stay alive and find a safe way back to land.
12. The Martian (2015)
The movie “The Martian,” directed by Ridley Scott, is based on the same-named book by Andy Weir. It’s about NASA scientist Mark Watney, who gets stuck on Mars after a big storm.
It will take you on a fantastic journey of making the conditions you need to live while dealing with Mars’ harsh conditions.
13. The Revenant (2015)
An exciting adventure movie directed by Alejandro Inarritu, “The Revenant” follows Hugo Glass, a frontiersman in the 1820s, as he fights the elements to stay alive and get payback on those who hurt him.
His drive to keep going through anything is impressive, as is his ability to beat impossible odds.
14. Apocalypto (2006)
Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto” occurs in a remote Mayan town in Central America. The main character has to find his way out of a dangerous jungle to safety. It’s a unique story about staying alive that keeps you on edge.
Even though he doesn’t have much, the main character, Jaguar Paw, gets to trick the hunters, which makes for a satisfying ending.
15. The Mountain Between Us (2017)
The unique movie by Hany Abu-Assad is about two strangers who have to depend on each other after their plane crashes in the Utah desert. They must fight against nature’s forces and make hard choices to keep each other alive.
You should watch The Mountain Between Us if you like survival movies because stars like Idris Elba and Kate Winslet do excellent jobs in it.
Also Read: Best Psychological Thriller Movies to Watch
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