15 Survival Movies You Need to Binge Watch
Could you imagine being stuck in a zombie apocalypse or among the last people on earth and having to rebuild the world? There’s nothing like some good survival movies to get your heart racing, your blood pumping, and your mind thinking about what you would do if you were in that situation.
Whether you’re looking for an adrenaline rush or just want to escape reality for a while, this list of survival films is sure to keep you entertained. So put on your favorite cozy pajamas, make yourself a bowl of popcorn, and get ready to binge-watch some of the best survival movies out there!
The best survival films
- Castaway
- Jungle
- The Revenant
- 127 Hours
- Apocalypto
- In the Heart of the Sea
- Everest
- The Edge
- The Grey
- The Way Back
- The Impossible
- All is Lost
- The Martian
- Life of Pi
- The Hunger Games
1. Castaway
Photo Credit: DreamWorks Pictures
Now, if there is anyone I would like to learn how to survive from, it is Tom Hanks. Castaway is top of our best survival movies.
Tom Hanks did a fantastic job portraying a FedEx troubleshooter Chuck Nolan who gets stranded on an uninhabited island and tries to make his way home. It’s an absolute must-watch.
- Year: 2000
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Genre: Drama
- Runtime: 143 minutes
2. Jungle
Photo Credit: Umbrella Entertainment
This movie is not just an amazing adventure film, but also a survival movie based on true events. Daniel Radcliff plays Israeli adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg, whose foray into the Bolivian amazonian jungle takes a drastic turn. It truly is one of the best survival movies out there.
- Year: 2017
- Director: Greg Mclean
- Genre: Adventure/ Thriller
- Runtime: 115 minutes
3. The Revenant
Any movie by Leonardo Dicaprio has to be a must-watch. In this movie, Leonardo plays Hugh Glass, a legendary frontiersman injured in a beer attack and abandoned by his hunting crew. He must then deal with this betrayal and strive to survive only to get vengeance.
- Year: 2015
- Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
- Runtime: 156 minutes
4. 127 Hours
Photo Credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures
This true story is about every rock climber’s fear coming to life. Canyoneer Aron Ralston has to find a way to escape after getting trapped under a boulder while rock climbing in Utah. It is not only based on a true story but is a very interesting watch.
- Year: 2010
- Director: Danny Boyle
- Genre: PG
- Runtime: 94 minutes
5. Apocalypto
Photo Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Now the chances of you even being taken as a human sacrifice by Mayans are very low, but you should still watch this adventure drama.
The hero Jaguar Paw narrowly escapes being used as a human sacrifice and races to save his family from the same fate.
- Year: 2006
- Director: Mel Gibson
- Genre: Thriller/Adventure
- Runtime: 138 minutes
6. In the Heart of the Sea
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
If you have read or even heard about Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, you will want to watch the movie about the events that inspired the book.
This movie tells the story of a group of sailors who set out to whale hunt. Unfortunately, the whale is not as easy to hunt as they are used to, leaving the boat sunk with the crew stranded.
This movie tells the true story of how they were able to survive in hopes of making it back to civilization.
- Year: 2015
- Director: Ron Howard
- Genre: Thriller
- Runtime: 122 minutes
7. Everest
Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
Regarding biographical films, this one is one for the books. This movie chronicles the events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.
Eight climbers make the epic journey to the top of Everest. On the descent, however, they encounter a blizzard, which starts the problematic events. This movie is quite sad and teeth clenching. In the end, you’ll be rooting for the characters.
- Year: 2015
- Director: Baltasar Kormákur
- Genre: Thriller/ Adventure
- Runtime: 121 minutes
8. The Edge
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox
This survival story, though not a biography, is quite real. Imagine your plane crashes in an Alaskan jungle. Then you have to survive and make a trek back to civilization.
That’s the plot of this adventure drama. Can it get more thrilling than this?
- Year: 1997
- Director: Lee Tamohori
- Genre: Thriller/Adventure
- Runtime:117 minutes
9. The Grey
Liam Neeson versus wolves. Based on the novel “Ghost walker,” this movie follows a group of oil men stranded in Alaska after a plane crash.
They must battle the cold weather and a pack of wolves. It’s survival of the fittest. The cast is simply brilliant, and there is a lot of riveting action.
- Year: 2011
- Director: Joe Carnahan
- Genre: Thriller
- Runtime:117 minutes
10. The Way Back
Photo Credit: Newmarket Films
Lovers of war movies would enjoy this. It is a film adaptation based on the memoir “The Long Walk” by a former Polish prisoner of war.
The film chronicles how he struggled to survive after escaping from the soviet Gulag and walked 4,000 miles to freedom back in world war II.
- Year: 2010
- Director: Peter Weir
- Genre: Thriller
- Runtime:133 minutes
11. The Impossible
Photo Credit: Warner Bros.
This movie is for families. Imagine the pain of going on a family holiday, getting hit by a tsunami, and your family being separated.
The movie is about a family struggling to survive and get back together. Did I mention that this was based on real-life events?
- Year: 2012
- Director: J A Bayona
- Genre: Drama
- Runtime:113 minutes
12. All is Lost
Photo Credit: Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions
Robert Redford stars in this movie as a man lost at sea who struggles to survive and make it back to society. This award-winning movie should be at the top of your list of movies to watch.
- Year: 2013
- Director: J C Chanor
- Genre: Drama
- Runtime:105 minutes
13. The Martian
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox
You can be stranded anywhere on this earth but let us not forget space. This movie is for Sci-fi lovers. A lone astronaut is stranded on mars, while NASA struggles with how to bring him home.
- Year: 2015
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Genre: Drama
- Runtime:141 minutes
14. Life of Pi
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox
Not only was this poor boy the only survivor of a shipwreck and made to survive on a boat, but his only companion was also a Bengal tiger. This fascinating movie shows you the connections formed between this boy and the animals.
- Year: 2012
- Director: Ang Lee
- Genre: Drama
- Runtime:127 minutes
15. The Hunger Games
Photo Credit: Lionsgate
It is not about food, as the title might suggest. Based on the popular book by Suzanne Collins, Jennifer Lawrence plays the hero Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers as a tribute in the annual hunger games.
- Year: 2012
- Director: Gary Ross
- Genre: Drama/ Thriller
- Runtime:142 minutes
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to experience a harrowing adventure from the safety of your home, we hope this list of survival stories keeps you entertained. Or, if you’re in the mood for some good old-fashioned suspense and terror, check out 127 Hours. If you’re after a heart-pounding adventure film with a bit more humor, try The Revenant, or Cast Away. Whatever your preference may be, there’s something on this list for everyone. So go ahead and watch these movies – but don’t forget to bring along some popcorn!
