Top 10 Survival Movies
(This article is about 1200 words long, and will take about 6 to 12 minutes to read.)
Like survival movies? See our picks for the top 10 below the poll. Be sure to help us pick the top 10 survival movies from the poll below. Don’t see your movie on the list? Leave a comment and we will add it to the list.
[poll id="25"]
10. Tremors
Ok maybe this ones only borderline survivalist, but when a small town is cut off from the world by underground monsters, fun always ensues.
9. Waterworld
What happens when the world floods? Waterworld is what happens. Kevin Costner is a rogue survivor who has evolved to breathe and swim better under water. This survivor stumbles upon a little girl who holds the key to land all the while fighting a tyrant with unbeatable military forces.
8. 12 Monkeys
Bruce Willis plays a prison worker in a post apocalyptic society. After volunteering to participate in a science experiment Bruce Willis finds himself back in time before the society killing virus was released. He tries to prevent the catastrophe from taking place this preventing the societal collapse. This movie is a good watch.
7.Dawn of the Dead
Plain and simple this movie spells zombies and mayhem. After a rash of zombie infections, some survivors find themselves held up at the mall. They have some fun while they’re stuck at the mall but don’t expect a comedy. There’s some gruesome violence in this film as well.
6. Mad Max
Gas runs out and this is what Australia becomes, a desolate place filled with road gangs. In this world everyone’s competing for one thing; gasoline. Watch citizens fight for survival in this post apocalyptic world.
5. Terminator 2
Rarely do we see a sequel as good as the first. This one is better than its predecessor. Follow Jon Connors attempts to prevent the world takeover of robots using the very same robot that was sent back in time to kill him.
4. Deliverance
Ah the famous Dueling Banjos. This film is a classic. A few friends camping in the great outdoors, what could go wrong? As it happens a lot can go wrong. A few friends become hostages of some local mountain men but thanks to the survivor of the group, Lewis, the group has a chance to get back to society. This movie may have some adult themes.
3. The Postman
Get caught stealing in a post apocalyptic town? Pretend to be a postman! That’s what Kevin Costner does in this great EOTW movie. Follow Postmaster Ford Lincoln Mercury and the Postman through the fight of their lives as they preserve the mail service while fighting tyrannical forces.
2. I Am Legend
They thought they cured cancer but instead they created a terrible new disease. After killing off most of the population a sole survivor residing in New York tries to contact others. Isolation is his worst problem because he is immune to the disease. Watch Will Smith try to find other survivors as he struggles to maintain his sanity.
1. Red Dawn
Why does Red Dawn get our vote for number one survivalist movie? Well because of the realistic plot and harsh realities presented. This movie takes place in a small Colorado town. After being invaded by Cuba and Russia a group of students take refuge in the mountains. They begin to mount a guerrilla war campaign against the hostile invaders. A great watch for the modern survivalist.
This post has 54 comments
May 18th, 2008
Hope we don’t have to do our own any time soon, but if that is the case is better to be prepared :+
June 6th, 2008
thats a pretty poor list of films
the terminator isnt a survival film,if your going to include that you may as well include every movie that involves trying not to be killed by a psycho.
red dawns is a brilliant film but one of the most unrealistic ever made in every way
water world? thats about how to survive on an expencive over elaberate film set,it was voted in the top ten worst films,it was terrible.
watch the film into the wilde by sean penn its a true story
July 18th, 2008
Number 6 is a mistake. The image is tha of Mad Max 2- The Road Warrior. Mad Max is not so much a post apocalyptic film, as PRE-apocalytic with the break down in society and all.
February 17th, 2009
I personally like this blog. Wish you millions of posts.
March 28th, 2009
iam looking for a movie its about this family that their dad is a prisoner and the ship wrecks from a storm and the famiy ands up n an island alone. years past and theyv adopted to the island so they build a house and everything if you have any idea please let me know my e-mail is ermeraldlive@gmail.com thanks
April 13th, 2009
That sounds alot like 'Swiss Family Robinson'.
April 15th, 2009
28 days later should have replaced I am legend
August 25th, 2009
Loved that movie. 28 weeks later was pretty good too! Had some Holy S moments
April 15th, 2009
28 Days later was a great movie, I love the shopping spree scene.
May 1st, 2009
Great post. While I do agree that 28 days later should most definately be on the list, the fact that 7 out of the 10 movies were favorites of mine before i "realized" i was a survivalist is really telling. Keep it up!
May 1st, 2009
Hey what about Ever Since the World Ended?? There are some good flicks here (12 Monkeys, Red Dawn, the Postman) but ESTWE has them hands down. Check it out on YouTube and then do your survivaling soul a big favour and watch this!
May 15th, 2009
ive always enjoyed Damnation alley, and the Omega Man
June 1st, 2009
"Why does Red Dawn get our vote for number one survivalist movie? Well because of the realistic plot…"
Come on.
Soviet Armed Forces never ever in history had the force projection capabilities to launch, let alone sustain, an invasion of North America. Their surface blue water reach was virtually nil, a global theater in which the USA is still the undisputed hegemon. They had no ability to ship and defend Forces and Supplies across oceans then land against NATO opposition. They barely had the capacity to take and hold Afghanistan, and that was right across their border. In contrast, at the same time, the US could have easily taken and held Mexico AND Canada against strong local resistance. (I know. I'm Canadian). Driving, by land, across the North German Plain was always the maximum capability of East Block military abilities.
I grew up in a town at the head of a deep-water inlet on the Pacific West Coast. When I was a teen, my pals and I used to drill, using the Improvised Munitions Handbook, scenarios for local resistance to a combined Chinese-Russian Amphibian landing. We knew that a couple of well place munitions would have bottled their forces up on the beach. Stuck there, they would have been defenseless against NORAD air strikes. No contest.
Nuisance raids on North America? Sure, but only of expendable and disposable forces. Red Dawn was about as realistic as Elmo, Barney and the Teletubbies.
Also: You've forgotten "The day of the Triffids".
June 1st, 2009
Good point Timothy. I think we meant was "realistic" compared to the other videos. Zombies, time travel etc. are very unrealistic and so Red Dawn at least contains certain elements of reality. Plus it showed that survival in the wilderness was rough and that in war there are casualties.
June 19th, 2009
Crap. Waterworld is a boring move that lasts too long. 12 monkeys? Its mind boggling SF where you have to take notes just to follow whats going on, no survival anywhere. A good movie dough. Postman ? Check Waterworld and multiply it by 10, its a c-r-a-p. Red Dawn? Come on. We are not 12yrs old, spare us cheap politics and stereotypes.
Anything near survivalism worth watching are here are:
1. Tremors
2. Deliverance (man, this one can be disturbing, don't traumatize your kids)
3. Dawn of the Dead
4. Mad Max (must see, keep small kids away!)
… and finally, not really a survivalism but a classic that is worth seeing zillion times:
5. Terminator 2
July 6th, 2009
I think that the movie "THE EDGE" is a fine example of a survival situation. I lived in Alaska for some 20 years and can relate to the situation in the movie. The analitical mind wins and that is the truth. I was actively involved in USCG search & rescue in Alaska for many years and being of a survivalist mind set I can attest to the skills displayed in the movie.
September 15th, 2009
Excellent!…I’m glad to see others comment on the skills displayed on “The Edge”.
July 7th, 2009
JERIMIAH JOHNSON WITH ROBERT REDFORD!!
July 19th, 2009
The CBS Series "Jericho" should have made the list. Probably the most realistic background of any TV show or movie made so far.
BTW, love Red Dawn. I remember seeing it several times when it came out at the Movies…after taking two dates to the show, I stopped taking them and went by myself so I could watch it in peace!
July 20th, 2009
There was an old BBC series called "Survivor", an English version of post-apocolistic plauge enviroment, played on some PBS stations in the mid-eighties. Very realistic scenarios, food scrounging, packs of dogs running wild, re-developing markets/barter, some friendly communities and some undesireable travellers, replanting and learning to deal with animal husbandry. I remember the most needed skills were medical(doctors needed to be protected), electrical, machinists.
Thought provoking with enlightening moments.
August 3rd, 2009
I can't believe no one has mentioned the movie "Snow Walker". The story of an Alaskan bush pilot and young eskimo girl that survived a plane crash in the Alaskan outback…. GREAT MOVIE !!!! Free to watch over the the internet but I forgot which site…I believe it was on YouTube.com in the "shows" section.
August 12th, 2009
Glad I stumbled on this list! I have ever one but 12 Monkeys! I`ll have to get that one sounds like it's good based on reviews here and on amazon.
thanks!
August 12th, 2009
Fred – I agree Snow Walker is an AWESOME movie! I have that on DVD too, and it's WELL worth the purchase.
I also like "Alone in the Wilderness" documentary… not a "movie" but def. about survival, and being alone.
August 24th, 2009
Good list. I would have put night of the living dead in there somewhere because I so very much enjoy human interaction within a survival type environment.
And Stan, there is a remake of the BBC Survivors series that came out in 2008, which you might enjoy. It is quite similar with a flu virus killing 99% of the population leaving the rest to "survive" out by themselves.
You may also like Day of the Triffids. It is a short series made by the BBC which has a similar survival theme. Basically, most of the world goes blind and the survivors are left to remake society, all while avoiding man eating walking plants (sounds silly, but it is remarkably well done).
September 5th, 2009
i know it might sound childish but theres alot you can learn from "The Wilderness Family" i know thats the way i would want to live but there are really no more places you can do this…….. but again red dawn, deliverance, and tremors are great movies i dont get into to much of the futuristic stuff……also the hills have eyes and wrong turn have some survival aspects to them
September 7th, 2009
or even "Into the Wild"
September 13th, 2009
WORST MOVIE OF ALL TIME (that I've seen) AND IT HAPPENS TO BE ABOUT SURVIVAL.
Anyone seen "The Survivalist?"….Steve Railsback. 1987. This POS is the worst acted, worst written, worst edited, WORST EVERYTHING!
I bought it on eBay and actually watched it all the way through so I could say I saw the worst movie in the history of movies!!!……HAHAHAHHAH.
September 17th, 2009
it all depends on what kind of survival we're talkin about here but "The Day After" is about aftermath of nuclear war then you have "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Deep Impact" are all good movies that have to do with survival.
September 20th, 2009
Out of all of these posts not one of you even mentioned one of the best survival films I believe there was “Cast Away” Tom hanks does a great job in portraying a man surviving on a deserted island after his fedex plain crashes in the ocean. This deals with all realistic elements such as being alone, having to adapt to your surroundings and learn how to literally survive the elements and situation. This one by far has my thimbs up!!!
September 25th, 2009
Thats very good to know… thanks
September 29th, 2009
yea cast away is awesome! i remember watching my side of the mountain when i was a kid and have enjoyed watching similar flicks since. im sure all of us have alittle robinson crusoe in us at one time or another.
October 5th, 2009
The Great Escape is a great film that should be added to that list.
October 25th, 2009
Rambo taught me more about survival than Terminator and Waterworld. These aren't survival movies so much as doomsday movies.
January 7th, 2010
what about 28 Days Later
January 11th, 2010
Waterworld sucks ass. I can't believe that it even gets a mention. Terminator II? More crap.
What about Jeremiah Johnson, Death Hunt, The Flight of the Phoenix (original) , or Defiance?
January 11th, 2010
For those that do NOT live in Arizona, the movie "Red Dawn" is far more realistic than most could begin to imagine….
The Mexican military, outfitted with the "best" weaponry we, (U.S.) can supply, are much more of a threat than you know.
Don't take my word for it…..Go to Tucson Arizona, Yuma, Arizona or any border town in Texas.
My wife is a Mexican national, so don't even try that "racist" crap on me!
She knows, and she is concerned that it is getting closer everyday…
Mexico by itself is not a huge problem as they long ago disarmed their citizenry, with the exception of their drug lords, the corrupt police and corrupted military.
The Mexican military have VIOLATED international law several times, and despite this, the main stream news media doesn't report on it….My oldest son is a deputy here and the Mexican Military have gone unchecked as far as 12 miles into Arizona…..Not once mind you….
Money is the force that they appreciate, and will do anything as long as someone is willing to pay them!
It doesn't matter who those persons are that are willing to pay….
Think about that one!
January 14th, 2010
William Barentine, you wrote this about the mexicans: "money is the force that they appreciate…", what makes them any more dangerous than the americans? after all you are the ones who killed thousands of innocent iraqis just to knock off a few cent on your gasoline costs
if the mexicans do invade you, i think the rest of the world would look the other way ^^ cheers
January 16th, 2010
Someone once asked me why we went to Iraq…
All I could muster was: that we had to bomb somebody to retaliate, for 911.
Could be worse…
We could have bombed Canada and blamed them for our weakness at our southern border!
If those in "charge" had any cajones, we'd not have the problems we all face today.
In all honesty, at one time I was inclined to agree with you, but not today.
Oil and Gas prices and everything associated with transportation costs have steadily gone up….
Lumber, steel, feed, and food!
Why the war happened, who caused it, is not for me to say or debate, as I will never be privy to the facts, only lies and propoganda. Only the drug cartels and their minions would ever attempt such a thing, and they are vastly outnumbered today…Just by the civilian population alone. ( forget the leo's and military!)
BUT, there are at least 203+ cities in this country that have drug cartels in them, and I have yet to see one agency do much in regards to it!
January 28th, 2010
I’ll have to check that movie out and I’m not surprised with the things that go on with the border patrol these days.
January 14th, 2010
Madmax rambo deawn of the dead 28 days later The boondock saints (crime scenes)
January 24th, 2010
It's an old one, but how about Panic in Year Zero. Watch it if you ever get the chance. Also The Mountain Men with
Charelton Heston.
January 28th, 2010
I liked “I AM LEGEND and 28 DAYS LATER”
February 4th, 2010
Hey everybody, you better start thinking about your own survival now because things are going to get a lot worse with the economy, unemployment and
with very high taxes to come. Those who pray, plan, prepare, conserve, recycle and become more knowledgeable on many things should survive, but
I feel the most valuable resources is water, food,
shelter, guns, ammo and antibiotics. You cannot count on others or the government. Your survival is in your own hands. Don’t ever forget that! Do something about it now before it is too late, I am doing what I can every week buying and stocking up on what I can.
Research all that you can online and compare prices everywhere and be diligent about it.
Don’t have most of your money in the bank, have cash on hand in bills $20 and less and change.
Plus pay off all debts and cut up those credit cards!, so they don’t bankrupt you. They say on many on tv news shows that our countries debt now is over 3 trillion dollars and next year it will be 8 – 9 trillion dollars. Us tax payers
many will go broke paying for it all.
That’s what more government does and tries to control the people more and more till they lose all their rights and freedoms.
You all be good now and take care.
February 4th, 2010
Hey everybody, you better start thinking about your own survival now because things are going to get a lot worse with the economy, unemployment and
with very high taxes to come. Those who pray, plan, prepare, conserve, recycle and become more knowledgeable on many things should survive, but
I feel the most valuable resources is water, food,
shelter, guns, ammo and antibiotics. You cannot count on others or the government. Your survival is in your own hands. Don’t ever forget that! Do something about it now before it is too late, I am doing what I can every week buying and stocking up on what I can.
Research all that you can online and compare prices everywhere and be diligent about it.
Don’t have most of your money in the bank, have cash on hand in bills $20 and less and change.
Plus pay off all debts and cut up those credit cards!, so they don’t bankrupt you. They say on many on tv news shows that our countries debt now is over 3 trillion dollars and next year it will be 8 – 9 trillion dollars. Us tax payers
many will go broke paying for it all.
That’s what more government does and tries to control the people more and more till they lose all their rights and freedoms.
You all be good now and take care.
Also my personal survival movie favorites are
Gone With The Wind, Deliverance, Rambo, The Edge
and Cast Away.
February 16th, 2010
A personal favorite of mine has always been Robinson Crusoe on Mars. A very dated but accurate for it’s day. Imagine the survival skills needed to if you are all alone and stranded on Mars.
March 10th, 2010
Has anyone read "One Second After" by William R. Forstchen? He makes some very well researched projections about what would happen after a serious crippling event in the US. In "story form" he provides realiatic projections regarding food, restoring local transportation, closed community formation and structure, self-defence, and probable violence. Being aware of, and preparing for, the major, predictable "waves" of events that will follow the breakdown of government and shipping, will be a powerful tool of survival when things fall apart. The book should give us all pause for thought.
April 24th, 2010
lol Red Dawn realistic
May 6th, 2010
28 days later is very good one. i like survival type movie very much.
June 24th, 2010
so what about Defiance? i agree that 28 days later should be on the list, as well as Dawn of the Dead (the original of course), but another interesting one to consider might be Zombieland. I mean, come on… if Waterworld made it, we are clearly not dealing with realistic situations.
June 29th, 2010
Where the hell is Cast Away on this list? That's more realistically "survival" than the rest of these movies.
June 29th, 2010
Most of this list is unrealistic scenarios. Jeremiah Johnson, Rambo, heck Little House on the Prarie had more realistic survivalist scenarios than most of this list.
July 26th, 2010
Red Dawn is one of my all time favorite movies! Unrealistic… yes. But I have great childhood memories of watching that show and then playing "army" with my friends. My wife just told me last night that it was one of the worst shows she has ever seen. After telling her it was one of my faves we both laughed and teased each other about our choice of movies. 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead are also great!
August 7th, 2010
apocalypto is the best survival movie i think.
August 24th, 2010
Mayhem as an exotic oil eating microbe that has infected the fuel supply and society falls apart,fast! Only a book by R. scott Reiss called "Black Monday" End of life as you know it!!