5 Gripping Survival Thrillers to Watch While Waiting for 'Fall 2: Deadpoint', Ranked by RT
Sometimes our worst enemy is limited space and our own fear.
This September, one of the most tense thrillers in recent years returns to the big screen: Fall 2: Deadpoint, the long-awaited sequel about two friends trapped at the dizzying heights of an abandoned TV tower.
The first movie was a hit thanks to its masterfully crafted suspense, and the sequel promises to take viewers' adrenaline levels to new heights.
We've recalled five of the best survival flicks where the characters are trapped by nature or their own despair.
5. 'Crawl', 2019
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
A hurricane hits Florida. Despite warnings from rescuers, swimmer Hayley Keller sets out to search for her missing father, Dave. She finds him seriously injured in a flooded basement and soon discovers that alligators have come in with the floodwaters.
While the plot is fictional, director Alexandre Aja and producer Sam Raimi carefully studied real-life newsreels and footage of hurricanes and wild animal behavior during floods before filming.
4. 'Buried', 2010
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Paul is a civilian contractor working in Iraq. One day, he and his colleagues are attacked by local terrorists – Paul wakes up inside a coffin buried several feet underground.
His captors demand a ransom and give him only a phone and a lighter. Paul tries to reach the embassy and his family, knowing that if he fails, he will remain buried alive.
Ryan Reynolds's wide range is best demonstrated in this movie – Buried is a fast-paced thriller about a man on the verge of a breakdown.
3. 'Oxygen', 2021
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
A woman awakens in a cryocapsule, unable to remember her name or why she is confined. Her only companion is M.I.L.O., an artificial intelligence that delivers the unpleasant news that her oxygen supply is rapidly approaching zero.
Alexandre Aja's 2020 movie was made during the era of the global pandemic, which explains its choice of subject matter. However, the film does not feel compromised by these difficult times.
Mélanie Laurent delivers a superb solo performance, and the intimate thriller itself feels quite distinctive, even if it evokes memories of Buried.
2. 'Society of the Snow', 2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
On October 13, 1972, a plane carrying a young rugby team and their families crashed in the snowy Andes. The odds of survival were slim, and supplies were quickly running out. After an avalanche claimed several more lives, the young athletes made a shocking decision.
Juan Antonio Bayona's Society of the Snow is a thriller based on true events. Bayona achieved exceptional authenticity by consulting with survivors and filming some of the footage directly in the Andes.
Also, the movie depicts the plane crash in great detail, which may frighten sensitive viewers.
1. 'Sweetheart', 2019
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
After a shipwreck, Jennifer finds herself stranded on a tiny, uninhabited island. She explores the area and assesses her chances of rescue. However, as darkness falls, she discovers that this paradise has a disturbing quirk – a carnivorous monster emerges from the sea at night.
Sweetheart is a thriller movie that mixes the themes of Cast Away and Predator. Instead of delving into the character's inner world, JD Dillard foregoes Jenn's backstory, focusing on her solitary existence: her search for food, water, and weapons to protect her from the monster.
