Survival Thriller backdrop

Survival Thriller movies

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

191. Sanctum

Sanctum
Action Thriller Survival Thriller Epic Action
5.9
20111h 48minUnited States, Australia
Director: Alister Grierson

Overview

Master diver Frank McGuire has explored the South Pacific's Esa-ala Caves for months. But when his exit is cut off in a flash flood, Frank's team—including 17-year-old son Josh and financier Carl Hurley are forced to radically alter plans. With dwindling supplies, the crew must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out.

Themes

Survival under pressure, Resource scarcity, Leadership under strain, Trust under crisis, Interpersonal conflict, Risk and duty

Available on

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

192. Husk

Husk
Horror Thriller Supernatural Horror Survival Thriller
5.1
20111h 23minUnited States
Director: Brett Simmons

Overview

A group of friends stranded near a desolate cornfield find shelter in an old farmhouse, though they soon discover the dwelling is the center of a supernatural ritual.

Themes

Possession and agency, Ritualized violence, Group fear dynamics, Decay and abandonment, Desolation and survival, Hallucination under pressure

Available on

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

193. 127 Hours

127 Hours
Adventure Drama Thriller Survival Adventure Survival Thriller
7.5
20101h 34minFrance, United Kingdom
Director: Danny Boyle

Overview

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.

194. Unstoppable

Unstoppable
Action Thriller Vehicle-Driven Action Survival Thriller
6.8
20101h 38minUnited States, United Kingdom
Director: Tony Scott

Overview

When a massive, unmanned locomotive roars out of control, the threat is more ominous than just a derailment. The train is laden with toxic chemicals, and an accident would decimate human life and cause an environmental disaster. The only hope of bringing the train to a safe stop is in the hands of veteran engineer Frank Barnes, and young conductor Will Colson, who must risk their lives to save those in the runaway's path. Inspired by true events.

Themes

Frontline expertise under pressure, Speed vs safety dilemma, Cost saving pressures, Hazardous materials risk, Industrial risk and responsibility, Bureaucratic delay vs action

Available on

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

195. Buried

Buried
Drama Thriller Mystery Survival Thriller Locked-Room Mystery
7.0
20101h 35minFrance, Spain
Director: Rodrigo Cortés

Overview

Paul is a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.

Themes

Coercive ransom dynamics, Isolation under captivity, Deception and trust under pressure, No negotiation policy, Ethical tensions in hostage crises, Time-bound survival stakes

Available on

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

196. Bedevilled

Bedevilled
Thriller Crime Drama Horror Survival Thriller
7.2
20101h 57minSouth Korea
Director: Jang Cheol-soo

Overview

On a remote island where abuse is tradition and silence is law, a hardened Seoul bank worker arrives for a quiet escape. As her childhood friend’s torment explodes into bloodshed, she becomes the only outsider in a village that protects its monsters and punishes anyone who speaks.

Themes

Revenge and consequences, Friendship under strain, Abuse and survival, Island isolation and oppression, Social problems and exploitation

Available on

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

197. Burning Bright

Burning Bright
Drama Horror Thriller Home Invasion Horror Survival Thriller
5.8
20101h 29minUnited States
Director: Carlos Brooks

Overview

After her lousy stepfather steals her savings to buy a vicious tiger, Kelly loses all hope of going to college. But Kelly's situation worsens when a hurricane leaves her and her autistic brother boarded up in their house with the man-eating beast. This edge-of-your-seat thriller follows the gutsy heroine and her younger sibling as they struggle to outwit the ravenous predator and find a way to survive.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Family loyalty under pressure, Survival under isolation, Human-animal conflict, Greed and exploitation, Caregiving under threat

Available on

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

198. Predators

Predators
Science Fiction Action Thriller Alien Contact Sci-Fi Military Action
6.4
20101h 47minUnited States
Director: Nimród Antal

Overview

A group of cold-blooded killers find themselves trapped on an alien planet to be hunted by extraterrestrial Predators.

Themes

Perpetual hunt dynamics, Predator hierarchy tension, Group cohesion under threat, Alien environment hostility, Predator blood feud, Abduction across worlds

Available on

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

199. The Book of Eli

The Book of Eli
Action Thriller Science Fiction One-Person Army Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi
6.8
20101h 58minUnited States
Director: Albert Hughes

Overview

A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Survival under tyranny, Preservation of knowledge, Guidance and destiny, Faith versus control, Culture under threat

Available on

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

200. Pandorum

Pandorum
Action Horror Mystery Science Fiction Thriller
6.7
20091h 48minGermany, United Kingdom
Director: Christian Alvart

Overview

Two crew members wake up on an abandoned spacecraft with no idea who they are, how long they've been asleep, or what their mission is. The two soon discover they're actually not alone – and the reality of their situation is more horrifying than they could have imagined.

Themes

Isolation and amnesia, Fear-driven coalition, Survival under scarcity, Betrayal and leadership strain, Ethics of leadership under crisis, Panic and factionalism

Available on

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