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The Very Best Survival Movies

Updated January 6, 2021 18.8k votes 3.1k voters 299.2k views168 items

List RulesMovies must feature the struggle to survive in some way.

A list of the best survival movies. All of the best survival films have been included, but if you feel we somehow missed one, feel free to add it to the list yourself. Survival films, above all else, are about one thing: staying alive.

What are the top survival movies? Whether it be monsters, an apocalypse, or the Earth itself, survival films are all about trying to outlast whatever it is that's trying to kill you. Perseverance is key, so as one can guess, many of these films could even be described as "inspirational" (some in their own perverse way). Enjoy!

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Cast Away
Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt
Released: 2000
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Cast Away is a 2000 American adventure drama film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis and... more
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Saving Private Ryan
Tom Hanks, Matt Damon
Released: 1998
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic drama war film directed by Steven Spielberg. Set... more
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Apollo 13
Tom Hanks, Bryce Dallas Howard
Released: 1995
Directed by: Ron Howard
Apollo 13 is a 1995 American historical docudrama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars... more
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I Am Legend
Will Smith, Emma Thompson
Released: 2007
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
I Am Legend is a 2007 American post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by... more
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The Road
Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall
Released: 2009
Directed by: John Hillcoat
The Road is a 2009 American post-apocalyptic drama film directed by John Hillcoat from a... more
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Alive
John Malkovich, Ethan Hawke
Released: 1993
Directed by: Frank Marshall
Alive is a 1993 American biographical survival drama film based upon Piers Paul Read's 1974... more
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The Edge
Alec Baldwin, Anthony Hopkins
Released: 1997
Directed by: Lee Tamahori
The Edge is a 1997 American survival drama film directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Anthony... more
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Lone Survivor
Mark Wahlberg, Eric Bana
Released: 2013
Directed by: Peter Berg
Lone Survivor is a 2013 American film written and directed by Peter Berg, and starring Mark... more
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Aliens
Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton
Released: 1986
Directed by: James Cameron
Aliens is a 1986 American science-fiction action horror film written and directed by James... more
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The Day After Tomorrow
Emmy Rossum, Jake Gyllenhaal
Released: 2004
Directed by: Roland Emmerich
The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 American climate fiction-disaster film co-written, directed,... more
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127 Hours
James Franco, Kate Mara
Released: 2010
Directed by: Danny Boyle
127 Hours is a 2010 British-American biographical survival drama film directed, co-written and... more
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Into the Wild
Kristen Stewart, Vince Vaughn
Released: 2007
Directed by: Sean Penn
Into the Wild is a 2007 American biographical drama survival film written and directed by Sean... more
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The Perfect Storm
George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg
Released: 2000
Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen
The Perfect Storm is a 2000 American biographical disaster drama film directed by Wolfgang... more
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Deliverance
Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight
Released: 1972
Directed by: John Boorman
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The Revenant
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Released: 2015
Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu
In the 19th century, Hugh Glass (DiCaprio), a fur trapper, is mauled by a bear while hunting. His companions (Hardy, Poulter, and Gleeson) rob him and leave him to die, but he survives and sets out to get revenge on the men who betrayed him. (Wikipedia)
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The Grey
Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney
Released: 2011
Directed by: Joe Carnahan
The Grey is a 2011 American survival thriller co-written, produced and directed by Joe... more
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Papillon
Dustin Hoffman, Steve McQueen
Released: 1973
Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner
Papillon is a 1973 prison film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the best-selling... more
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The Book of Eli
Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis
Released: 2010
Directed by: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
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28 Days Later
Cillian Murphy, Christopher Eccleston
Released: 2002
Directed by: Danny Boyle
28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The... more
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Rabbit-Proof Fence
Kenneth Branagh, Jason Clarke
Released: 2002
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Rabbit-Proof Fence is a 2002 Australian drama film directed by Phillip Noyce based on the book... more
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The Pianist
Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann
Released: 2002
Directed by: Roman Polanski
The Pianist is a 2002 historical drama film co-produced and directed by Roman Polanski,... more
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The WAY BACK
Jim Sturgess, Colin Farrell
Released: 2010
Directed by: P. Weir
The Way Back is a 2010 epic drama film directed by Peter Weir, from a screenplay by Weir and... more
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Titanic
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
Released: 1997
Directed by: James Cameron
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed by James Cameron. A... more
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First Blood
Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy
Released: 1982
Directed by: Ted Kotcheff
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Behind Enemy Lines
Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman
Released: 2001
Directed by: John Moore
Behind Enemy Lines is a 2001 action film directed by John Moore in his directorial debut, and... more
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