Survival movie is a sub-genre where the film’s lead character(s) struggles to survive in an extreme situation. Owing to its theme, these kinds of films are intense and dark yet gripping in their execution. In this article, we have compiled for our readers a list of five must-watch survival movies you can watch on Indian OTT platforms.
Cast Away (Streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video)
No survival movies list can be complete without the mention of this title as it’s generally regarded as the mother of all survival films. Directed by the supremely gifted storyteller Robert Zemeckis (Director – ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Forrest Gump’), the film features eminent actor Tom Hanks as a FedEx employee who gets stranded on a deserted island after his plane crashes over the Pacific Ocean. How he comes to terms with the extreme situation and his desperate attempts to survive, forms the rest of the film’s plot.
The Road (Streaming on Mubi)
It’s a post-apocalyptic survival drama film that revolves around a father-son duo called just as ‘man’ and ‘boy’ throughout the film (played by Viggo Mortenson and Kodi Smit-McPhee) and their road journey towards the sea in order to reach a better and safer place in a savage world. The film also has special appearances by Guy Ritchie and Charlize Theron.
Apocalypto (Streaming on Amazon Prime Video)
Veteran Hollywood actor Mel Gibson had directed this riveting survival thriller that revolved around the life of a brave hunter Jaguar Paw who belongs to a peaceful and remotely located tribe. When his village is attacked by ruthless invaders, the tribesmen are forced to undertake a dangerous journey to a Mayan city for human sacrifice. The hero must endure the ordeal and find a way to escape his captors to save his family.
The Revenant (Streaming on Amazon Prime Video)
In the year 1823, a famed frontiersman Hugh Glass (Leonardo Di Caprio) is left for dead by his hunting team after a grizzly bear fatally injures him. Armed with vengeance, Hugh Glass uses his unique skills in an unkind terrain to track down his former associate (Tom Hardy) who had betrayed him. This was the film that won Leonardo Di Caprio a well-deserved Oscar for his performance.
Captain Phillips (Streaming on SonyLIV)
Helmed by Paul Greengrass (Director – ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’, ‘Green Zone’), the movie features Tom Hanks in the role of real-life American merchant mariner Captain Richard Phillips. The film’s plot focuses on the events of the 2009 hijacking of the U.S. containership Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates. The plot further delves into the relationship between Captain Phillips and Somali pirate leader Muse (Barkhad Abdi) and the former’s attempt to survive the ship’s hijacking.