StarringLeonardo DiCaprioin what remains his most acclaimed role (the only one that got him an Academy Award),The Revenantinstantly became a modern classic of the Revisionist Western genre and also brought much acclaim to its director, Alejandro G. Inarritu, who won his second consecutive Oscar for Best Director.
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But what The Revenant is even more notable for is its survival story that the main character goes through as a result of a chain of unfortunate events. This survival aspect of the movie is what has appealed to so many viewers who will likely enjoy a variety of other similar movies about taking on the wild.
The Edge(1997) - Available On DirecTV & Starz
Starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, The Edge is known for its human actors as much as for its animal actor - Bart the Bear who played the antagonist is well-known for appearing in multiple other movies.
The story follows a businessman, a photographer, and an assistant whose plane crashes in the wild somewhere in Alaska. The three must now find a way back to civilization while being attacked by a bear.
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In The Heart Of The Sea(2015) - Available On DirecTV, Cinemax, & Max Go
StarringChris Hemsworthalongside Tom Holland and Cillian Murphy,In the Heart of the Seahas a strong connection to Moby-Dick (it is based on the non-fiction book of the same name about the event that inspired the fictional novel Moby-Dick), but what makes it really stand out is its survival storyline.
The story is recounted by a survivor in 1820 from the New England whaling ship, Essex, which was wrecked by a giant whale, and the surviving crew was forced to do everything to survive at sea.
The Road(2009) - Available To Buy From Prime Video, DirecTV, Vudu, Redbox, & Microsoft Store
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Unlike other movies on this list,The Roadisn't set in the past or the present - but in the future. This is exactly what makes this post-apocalyptic survival movie so unique, while the performances of the two leads (Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee) elevated the movie even further.
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Set in a post-apocalyptic world, it follows a father and his son who are traveling to the sea while trying to survive in the wasteland of the world.
Apollo 13(1995) - Available On Peacock & Kanopy
Known for its cast that includes such actors asTom Hanksand Kevin Bacon, among others,Apollo 13is a space docudrama but also a survival movie with an almost entirely accurate depiction of the events of the 1970 Apollo 13 mission.
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Adapted from a non-fiction book detailing the events of the incident, it follows the crew of Apollo 13 on a mission to the Moon. After an explosion happens onboard the spacecraft, the mission is aborted and the crew starts trying to get back to Earth in time before their decreased supply of oxygen runs out.
The Way Back(2010) - Available On Prime Video, Vudu, Acorn TV, Tubi TV, & Hoopla
The Way Back is quite an unusual survival movie that seems to be both fictional and real. The movie was loosely based on a memoir about an escape from a Siberian Gulag, but the claims of the author have been disproved. No matter how true or false the story is, the movie at least deserves a watch for its stellar cast(which includes the likes of Ed Harris, Colin Farrell, andSaoirse Ronan) and stunning visuals.
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The story follows a Polish prisoner of war who escapes from a Soviet Gulag in Siberia during WWII and walks 4,000 miles to India, finally finding freedom.
Rescue Dawn(2006) - Available On Prime Video, Pluto TV, Tubi TV, Hoopla, & The Roku Channel
Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn has a very similar origin story - despite being based on real events, it deviates a lot from reality changing both characters and events in the story itself. Nevertheless, it was a critical success, with Christian Bale's acting being particularly praised.
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Taking place in 1966, the story follows a German-American pilot who participates in the Vietnam War and is shot down by villagers supporting the Pathet Lao. The pilot is captured and thrown into a prison camp, where he meets other prisoners and they start planning their escape.
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127 Hours(2010) - Available To Buy From Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, DirecTV, YouTube, & Vudu
PerhapsJames Franco's most acclaimed performance,127 Hoursis as intense as survival movies can get. A major critical and commercial success, this biopic is notable for its visual style, music, and James Franco's award-winning performance.
Based on the real Aron Ralston's autobiographical book, it depicts the canyoneer's struggle to survive in 2003 in Utah when a boulder gets stuck in a slot canyon, trapping his hand. 127 hours pass from the moment Ralston wakes up in the morning to the moment he gets anesthesia after his rescue.
The Impossible(2012) - Available On Netflix & Pluto TV
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StarringEwan McGregor,Naomi Watts, and Tom Holland in his first major acting role,The Impossibleis a disaster movie with a thrilling survival storyline. Noted for its realism, the movie depicts the actual events in abrutal way focusing on the hardships and emotions of the characters.
Set in 2004, it shows the Indian Ocean tsunami of that year hitting Thailand. An American family is on vacation at the time and the family members must now find their way to each other after barely surviving the disaster.
Deliverance(1972) - Available To Buy From Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, DirecTV, YouTube, & Vudu
The oldest movie on this list, Deliverance is somewhat forgotten nowadays despite its numerous award nominations and success both with critics and at the box office. Despite its age, the movie still holds up and is a great watch.
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Adapted from the novel of the same name, it tells the story of a group of friends who set out on a dangerous canoeing trip in an attempt to see the Cahulawassee River before it is dammed and transformed into a lake.
Captain Phillips (2013) - Available To Buy From Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, DirecTV, YouTube, & Vudu
A massively successful movie in every way,Captain Phillipsis definitely not the most accurate representation of its genre. Still, the performances of Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi and the screenplay, which constantly keeps the audience guessing what will happen next, more than makes up for the possible inaccuracies.
Based on a book about the true story, the movie follows the merchant mariner Captain Phillips whose ship is taken hostage by Somali pirates and now has to find a way to save himself, the crew, and the ship.
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