THERE'S something relatable about the struggle to survive despite not being in extreme situations like the protagonists. It’s absolutely engrossing as we watch characters overcome hurdles and try to find strength in themselves. The best survival shows keep our attention until the very end as we wonder what will happen next and what will become of them.
Squid Game
Squid Game is a unique series in that the 456 participants willingly sign up to compete in games for a 45.6 billion won prize. While most survival shows feature situations where individuals are pitted against unwanted circumstances, the case is very different for Squid Game.
The players are unaware of the deadly cost of losing at first, but things change with each game. With the participants playing childhood games to stay alive and win, you won’t be able to stop watching as they face unknown obstacles. Don’t let the childhood games fool you, this series is gritty and shows the dark side of human nature in a most entertaining way.
Adrift
Adrift is inspired by the true story of a young couple sailing when they face a catastrophic hurricane. If you love a good survival story with some romance, this film is your pick.
Tami Oldham (Shailene Woodley) and Richard Sharp (Sam Claflin) meet in Tahiti and fall in love. They later receive an offer to sail a yacht to San Diego and set sail for their adventure.
Unfortunately, they end up in the eye of the storm and become adrift at sea. Being stranded in the vast ocean and trying to survive with limited resources is an incredible feat. You’ll find yourself wondering what you would do and if you could survive the conditions.
The Martian
If the ocean isn’t your scene, what about space? If you haven’t already watched The Martian, it will definitely be worth your while.
The film follows an astronaut struggling to survive alone on Mars after being left behind. Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a dust storm, but he wakes up and strives to survive.
Being the only human on Mars is obviously daunting, and we can’t help but root for Watney as he figures out different ways to sustain himself and find a way off the planet. This survival story has fun, more realistic aspects of space and science tied into a gripping story.
I Am Legend
For people who enjoy more science fiction, I Am Legend will satisfy. This film follows military scientist Robert Neville (Will Smith) who is the last human in New York after a cure for cancer results in becoming a virus that wipes out most of humankind. Neville is immune, but he has to defend himself from nocturnal mutants while trying to develop a cure and find other surviving humans.
As a lone survivor, Neville also fights loneliness daily and only has his German Sherpard Sam for a companion. I Am Legend is a heart-rending apocalyptic survival film that will hit you in the feels.
Cast Away
Then there’s Cast Away, one of the most classic survival movies. The famous story focuses on Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks), a FedEx systems engineer, who flies to Malaysia for work. Unfortunately, the cargo plane he is on gets caught in a storm and crashes in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Chuck is the lone survivor and washes up on an uncharted and uninhabited island. He ends up stranded for years and develops a friendship with a volleyball he names Wilson. This extraordinary tale about survival, mental fortitude, and the need for human connection will move your heart.
The Decline
What happens when you gather a bunch of survivalists in one place? The Decline shows 6 survivalism enthusiasts joining a survivalist training program in a rural region of Quebec, Canada. They are trained by the experienced survivalist Alain (Réal Bossé) and learn helpful survival skills until a fatal accident occurs.
The group becomes bitterly divided on how to resolve the matter and a brutal fight for life ensues. With intense action set against a beautiful snowy backdrop, The Decline will have you contemplating how survival can be upended by human nature itself.
Sweet Home
Sweet Home is a great series to watch if you enjoy engaging characters and intriguing developments. The story centers around troubled teen Cha Hyun-su (Song Kang) and his apartment neighbors when humans suddenly turn into savage monsters. Wreaking havoc everywhere, the strange phenomenon changes life as they know it.
The type of monsters humans transform into depends on their deepest desires which means a variety of different monsters for viewers to enjoy. With monsters lurking everywhere, the apartment residents remain trapped and fight to survive as well as to hold on to their humanity. – The Vibes, September 22, 2021
