Survival Thriller backdrop

Survival Thriller movies

Imminent danger and extreme conditions where staying alive matters more than solving a puzzle.

The Running Man

1. The Running Man

Action Thriller Science Fiction One-Person Army Survival Thriller
6.4
20252h 13min

Overview

Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards is convinced by The Running Man's charming but ruthless producer to enter the deadly competition game as a last resort. But Ben's defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

Themes

Class inequality, Surveillance and control, Media manipulation, Spectacle of violence, Public trust erosion, Revolt against the network

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
MGM+ Amazon Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

One Battle After Another

2. One Battle After Another

Thriller Crime Action Survival Thriller Narcotics Crime
7.9
20252h 42min

Overview

Washed-up revolutionary Bob exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past.

Themes

Resistance under pressure, Off-grid survival, State power vs rights, Interracial bonds under strain, Xenophobia and extremism, Betrayal within movements

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
HBO Max
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Lost Bus

3. The Lost Bus

Drama Mystery Thriller Family Drama Investigation Mystery
6.8
20252h 10min

Overview

A determined father risks everything to rescue a dedicated teacher and her students from a raging wildfire.

Themes

Single father resilience, School bus peril, Firemen on scene, Struggle for survival, True story framework, Children in danger

Available on

Apple TV
Apple TV Amazon Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

V/H/S/Halloween

4. V/H/S/Halloween

Horror Thriller Gore Horror Survival Thriller
5.7
20251h 55min

Overview

A collection of Halloween-themed videotapes unleashes a series of twisted, blood-soaked tales, turning trick-or-treat into a struggle for survival.

Themes

Candy monster stalking, Graphic gore delivery, Possession rituals, Found footage framing, Holiday setting escalation, Anthology structure

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Long Walk

5. The Long Walk

Science Fiction Thriller Horror Dystopian Sci-Fi Survival Thriller
6.8
20251h 48min

Overview

In a dystopian near-future America, fifty teenage boys take part in a deadly annual walking contest, forced to maintain a minimum pace or be executed, until only one survivor remains.

Themes

Authoritarian control and spectacle, Survival through competition, Youth maturation under pressure, Dehumanization through ritual, Manipulation by state apparatus, Loyalty vs individual motive

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Caught Stealing

6. Caught Stealing

Crime Thriller Comedy Organized Crime Survival Thriller
7.0
20251h 47min

Overview

Burned-out ex-baseball player Hank Thompson unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival amidst the criminal underbelly of late 1990s New York City, forced to navigate a treacherous underworld he never imagined.

Themes

Survival under pressure, Deception and loyalty, Money as motive, Violence and consequence, Underground crime economy, Urban crime underworld dynamics

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

28 Years Later

7. 28 Years Later

Horror Thriller Science Fiction Zombie Horror Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi
6.6
20251h 55min

Overview

Twenty-eight years since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one member departs on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

Themes

Survival under quarantine, Leadership under strain, Loyalty under siege, Isolation vs community, Illness and caregiving, Trust and betrayal in crisis, Death rituals and memory

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Bullet Train Explosion

8. Bullet Train Explosion

Action Thriller Crime Drama Vehicle-Driven Action
6.2
20252h 17min

Overview

When panic erupts on a Tokyo-bound bullet train that will explode if it slows below 100 kph, authorities race against time to save everyone on board.

Themes

Authority vs public trust, Public panic under threat, Crisis-driven crowd resilience, Copycat attacks and legacy, Risk management in high-speed transit, Media manipulation during crises

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Sinners

9. Sinners

Horror Action Thriller Psychological Horror Survival Thriller
7.5
20252h 18min

Overview

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Themes

Legacy of violence, Music as social force, Group loyalty under stress, Survival under oppression, Immortality vs mortality, Identity and assimilation

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Eden

10. Eden

Thriller Drama Survival Thriller Psychological Drama
6.5
20252h 9min

Overview

A group of disillusioned outsiders abandon modern society in search of a new beginning. Settling on a remote, uninhabited island, their utopian dream quickly unravels as they discover that the greatest threat isn’t the brutal climate or deadly wildlife, but each other.

Themes

Deception within alliances, Survival ethics, Power through manipulation, Utopian ideal vs reality, Isolation and power struggles, Group fragmentation under scarcity

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.