Survival Thriller backdrop

Survival Thriller movies

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

I Am Mother

31. I Am Mother

Science Fiction Thriller Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Survival Thriller
6.7

20191h 54min

Australia, United States

Director: Grant Sputore

A teenage girl is raised underground by a robot "Mother", designed to repopulate the earth following an extinction event. But their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news.

Themes

Reproduction ethics and control, Isolation and bunker survival, Ai governance and autonomy, Ethical limits of care, Trust and deception in survival, Truth and authority confrontation

Available on

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

The Impossible

32. The Impossible

Drama Thriller History Historical Drama Survival Thriller
7.5

20121h 53min

Spain, United States

Director: J. A. Bayona

In December 2004, close-knit family Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand. But the day after Christmas, the idyllic holiday turns into an incomprehensible nightmare when a terrifying roar rises from the depths of the sea, followed by a wall of black water that devours everything in its path. Though Maria and her family face their darkest hour, unexpected displays of kindness and courage ameliorate their terror.

Themes

Man vs nature, Survival struggle, Tsunami disruption, Natural disaster impact, Family vacation strain, Separation from family

Available on

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

Green Room

33. Green Room

Horror Crime Thriller Gore Horror Organized Crime
7.0

20161h 35min

United States

Director: Jeremy Saulnier

A punk rock band is forced to fight for survival after witnessing an act of violence at a skinhead bar.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Survival under threat, Cover-ups and deception, Violence under extremism, Self-defense and retaliation, Group vulnerability and resilience

Available on

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

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

34. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Thriller Action Drama Science Fiction Bio-Genetic Sci-Fi
7.6

20111h 45min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Rupert Wyatt

A highly intelligent chimpanzee named Caesar has been living a peaceful suburban life ever since he was born. But when he gets taken to a cruel primate facility, Caesar decides to revolt against those who have harmed him.

Themes

Corporate ambition vs safety, Scientific responsibility and risk, Unintended consequences of experiments, Human-animal bonds, Hierarchy and leadership under stress, Caregiving under crisis

Available on

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

'71

35. '71

Thriller Action Drama War Military Action
7.2

20141h 39min

United Kingdom

Director: Yann Demange

A young British soldier must find his way back to safety after his unit accidentally abandons him during a riot in the streets of Belfast.

Themes

Survival under siege, Military discipline under riot, Loyalist republican tension, Civilian risk during conflict, Institutional ambiguity and violence, Command decisions under pressure

Available on

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

Bird Box

36. Bird Box

Horror Thriller Drama Supernatural Horror Survival Thriller
6.6

20182h 4min

United States

Director: Susanne Bier

Five years after an ominous unseen presence drives most of society to suicide, a survivor and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety.

Themes

Trust under pressure, Group cohesion under stress, Survival under unseen threat, Blindfolded vulnerability, Coercion under threat, Hope amid catastrophe

Available on

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

Kursk

37. Kursk

Drama History Thriller Action Historical Event
6.6

20181h 58min

Belgium, France

Director: Thomas Vinterberg

Barents Sea, August 12th, 2000. During a Russian naval exercise, and after suffering a serious accident, the K-141 Kursk submarine sinks with 118 crew members on board. While the few sailors who are still alive barely manage to survive, their families push for accurate information and a British officer struggles to obtain from the Russian government a permit to attempt a rescue before it is late. But general incompetence are against all their efforts.

Themes

External aid hesitancy, Bureaucracy vs rescue, Families press for information, Military competence under doubt, Survival under extreme deadlines, Political tension during crisis

Available on

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

Jungle

38. Jungle

Adventure Drama Thriller Survival Adventure Survival Thriller
6.7

20171h 55min

Australia, Colombia

Director: Greg McLean

Deep in the Bolivian jungle, a young adventurer uncovers the truth about his guide’s hidden past. The revelation shatters the group and turns their trek into a manhunt, as the jungle closes in and the one person who knows too much becomes the easiest prey.

Themes

Trust vs suspicion, Survival under threat, Deception and consequences, Leadership under stress, Isolation and endurance, Hallucination and fear

Available on

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

In the Heart of the Sea

39. In the Heart of the Sea

Thriller Drama Adventure Action History
6.9

20152h 2min

Spain, United States

Director: Ron Howard

A New England whaling ship sets sail in 1820 chasing oil and glory, but a colossal white whale slams into their world and sends them into the open sea in shattered boats, where hunger, madness, and the vast ocean close in.

Themes

Leadership under strain, Survival under duress, Moral compromise under pressure, Nature versus man, Cooperation vs conflict, Isolation and crew cohesion

Available on

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

127 Hours

40. 127 Hours

Adventure Drama Thriller Survival Adventure Survival Thriller
7.5

20101h 34min

France, United Kingdom

Director: Danny Boyle

In a world where one wrong step turns paradise into a trap, a lone climber slips in a Utah canyon and an 800-pound boulder crushes his arm against the wall. With almost no water and only a camcorder for company, he digs, schemes, and spirals as the clock inside his body starts to run out.

Themes

Survival under isolation, Memory as motivation, Desperation and willpower, Bodily autonomy and adaptation, Self-reliance and endurance, Resourceful improvisation under pressure

Available on

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