Netflix has no shortage of amazing content, but the survival movies in the list of must-watch Netflix titles bring an oomph factor to your streaming experience.
Survival movies are a genre of the movie industry that depicts characters attempting to survive in a hostile environment.
Whether it be a desert, jungle, or even outer space, survival movies have been around for decades and have increased vastly in variety. These movies are so enjoyable that no two are ever alike; each has its unique twist on surviving against all odds.
Because of this, Netflix has become a home to a multitude of survival-themed movies that are bound to delight any nature lover.
This blog post will discuss twenty of the best survival movies on Netflix, highlighting their year of release, directors, writers, cast, IMDb rating, and a short description to make your selection and viewing much more straightforward.
Here is the list so you can get a fair share of the best survival movies currently streaming on Netflix.
1. Adrift (2018)
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Writer(s): Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell, David Branson Smith
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin, Grace Palmer
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Adrift is an American drama film about an avid sailor on cross-country. After she encounters a massive hurricane, the only thing left of her boat is its buoy.
She must try to survive the elements and fight for survival after discovering that there is someone else on the island with her. This is one of the greatest movies on Netflix and one that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
2. The Platform (2019)
Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Writer(s): David Desola, Pedro Rivero
Cast: Ivan Massague, Zorion Eguileor, Antonia San Juan
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
The Platform is a Spanish science fiction movie set in the year 2084. Certain people can clone themselves; one of these people is on death row.
She uses her cloning ability to save her life and creates a copy of herself while still in prison. She must team up with two other clones to survive against all odds while fighting for world peace.
This movie sounds like the next Hunger Games and will be something that science fiction lovers enjoy.
3. The Decline (2020)
Director: Patrice Laliberte
Writer(s): Charles Dionne, Nicolas Krief, Patrice Laliberte
Cast: Guillaume Laurin, Marie-Everlyne Lessard, Real Bosse
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
The decline is one survival movie that you need to watch. In this movie, extreme Remote Survivalist Trainer fans are involved in an accident, leaving one individual dead.
Everyone goes into panic mode, and they have to find a way of surviving in the camp. This episode creates a chilling showdown, showing how every individual is doing to survive the aftermath. It is among the best survival movies on Netflix.
4. Into the Wild (2007)
Director: Sean Penn
Writer(s): Jon Krakauer
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, Vince Vaughn
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Into the Wild is an American biographical survival movie based on a true story about a young man who leaves his life behind for the great Alaskan wild.
He leaves his money and possessions to live a life of adventure in the coldest place on Earth, but he soon finds that surviving alone will be a challenge.
This is one of the best survival movies of all time and continues to attract viewers who want a taste of what it would be like to leave it all behind.
5. The Ritual (2017)
Director: David Bruckner
Writer(s): Joe Barton, Adam Neville (Book)
Cast: Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
The Ritual is a British horror survival movie about four friends who go on a trip to celebrate one of their friend’s bachelor party.
After a group of hunters stumbles upon them, they tell their friends that they’re not safe and must go with them.
With no other choice, the four must do as they say and try to survive in this new world. This movie is among the best survival movies on Netflix you need to watch.
6. Bird Box (2018)
Bird Box
Director: Susanne Bier
Writer(s): Eric Heisserer, Josh Marleman
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Sarah Paulson, John Malkovich
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Bird Box is a post-apocalyptic story in which a mysterious force is causing people to commit suicide worldwide. After pedestrians see it, they must die by suicide or are killed.
A woman and her children set out on a journey to find a haven where her children can be protected from this mysterious force. This movie is among the best survival movies on Netflix you need to watch.
7. IO (2019)
Director: Jonathan Helpert
Writer(s): Clay Jeter, Charles Spano Jr., Will Basanta
Cast: Margaret Qualley, Anthony Mackie, Danny Huston
IMDb Rating: 4.7/10
IO is a sci-fi movie set in 2154, where Earth has become uninhabitable, and all of humanity has to live on a space station. While the station is filled with people, some want to escape and return to Earth.
A girl tries to convince her father that escaping is not as impossible as it sounds, but she soon finds out that those already living there want nothing more than for all those who want to go back to Earth to stay. This movie is full of adventure and one that many would love.
Read More: Best Adventure Movies on Netflix Right Now
8. Circle (2015)
Director: Aaron Hann, Mario Miscione
Writer(s): Emma Stone, Theodore Ushev
Cast: Ashley Key, Allegra Masters, Aimee McKay
IMDb Rating: 6.0/10
Circle is a scary movie involving fifty people in confinement, waiting for execution. They are being executed after two minutes and are selected randomly. They are then forced to name one person who must live while others have been terminated.
This is one of the best survival movies on Netflix as it shows how each individual tries as much to remain the only person alive. You need to find time and watch it.
9. I Am Legend (2007)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Writer(s): Mark Protosevich, Akiva Goldsman
Cast: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
I Am Legend is an apocalyptic movie about a scientist who struggles to develop a cure for cancer and finds himself as the last human living in New York City.
He has to do whatever he can to survive while also trying to discover the cause of the mysterious disease that turned everyone else into blood-thirsty creatures. This movie is one for all survival fans because it’s truly terrifying.
10. Cargo (2017)
Director: Ben Howling, Yolanda Ramke
Writer(s): Yolanda Ramke, Ben Howling
Cast: Martin Freeman, Anthony Hayes, Simon Landers
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Cargo is an Australian zombie movie about a father who becomes infected with the virus and knows he will soon become a blood-thirsty zombie.
Knowing this, he decides to do what’s best for his baby daughter and takes her deep into the outback, where he hopes she will be safe.
This movie is one that many would find enjoyable because it’s one of the few zombie movies on Netflix that you can truly enjoy.
11. Solo (2018)
Director: Hugo Stuven
Writer(s): Santiago Lallana, Hugo Stuven
Cast: Alaine Hernandez, Aura Garrido, Ben Temple
IMDb Rating: 5.0/10
Solo is a movie featuring a man who fell from a cliff to a desert beach. He got drunk and fought with his girlfriend, among other issues. He is injured and tries his best to survive in this unforgiving nature. Does he manage to do so?
The movie takes us through his survival tactics until he conquers at the end. It is among the best survival movies on Netflix you need to book and watch this weekend.
12. Awake (2021)
Director: Mark Raso
Writer(s): Joseph Raso, Mark Raso (Screenplay), Gregory Poirier (Story By)
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Ariana Greenblatt, Lucius Hoyos
IMDb Rating: 4.8/10
Awake is among the best survival movies ever made. In this movie, performed in the future, a pandemic has wiped all electronics and has made people spend sleepless nights.
A father who cares for his daughter tries to work in and out to come up with a way to help her daughter. What does he do? It’s the daughter who holds the cure for this pandemic. Watch the movie and see how she survives through this.
13. #Alive (2020)
Director: II Cho
Writer(s): II Cho
Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Park Shin-Hye, Jeon Bae-Soo
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
#Alive is a movie that tells a survivor’s story after an unknown infection left everyone ungovernable, and they did what they thought was best – kill and wipe everything.
The survivor remains alive because he was in Isolation. You need to find and watch this movie to understand the full story of what the guy did to remain alive.
14. No Escape (2015)
Director: John Erick Dowdle
Writer(s): John Erick Dowdle, Drew Dowdle
Cast: Owen Wilson, Pierce Brosnan, Lake Bell
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
No Escape is an action movie about a man who takes his family to Southeast Asia to find himself trapped in a city overrun with crime. He does whatever he can to save his family when the military begins killing any foreigners in sight.
This movie is worth watching because it’s both thrilling and entertaining, making it one of the best survival movies on Netflix for anyone who enjoys action films.
15. Last Breath (2018)
Director: Richard da Costa, Alex Parkinson
Writer(s): Alex Parkinson
Cast: Duncan Allcock, Kjetil Ove Alvestad
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Last Breath is a movie featuring a deep-sea diver, who unfortunately is stuck at the seabed. The worst thing is that his gas has only five minutes left, and he tries everything to ensure he survives the trap.
With no sign of rescue, he struggles until he survives at the end. This is one of the survival movies you shouldn’t miss on your watch list.
16. Rust Creek (2018)
Director: Jen McGowan
Writer(s): Julie Lipson, Stu Pollard
Cast: Hermione Corfield, Jay Paulson, Sean O’Bryan
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
Rust Creek is a horror movie about a woman who has just moved to a new town and needs a job fast to support her sister. Meanwhile, a group of hunters become obsessed with her and begin to hunt her down when they realize that she’s not from around there.
This movie is thrilling because it has the classic horror plotline but with a semi-modern twist to keep audiences entertained throughout the film.
17. Poseidon (2006)
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Writer(s): Mark Protosevich, Paul Gallico
Cast: Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss
IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
Poseidon is a thriller movie about a luxurious cruise ship that capsized after hitting a rogue wave and sinking. The only survivors are the wealthy, the poor, and one man’s daughter.
The group must work together to survive when they realize that death gets closer with every minute that passes.
This movie is worth watching on Netflix if you’re a fan of action movies because it will keep you entertained in ways you might not have expected.
18. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Director: Taika Waititi
Writer(s): Taika Waititi
Cast: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a comedy movie about a young boy put in foster care when his parents die in a car accident.
His new foster family is nothing like he expected, so when it becomes too much for him to handle, he runs away into the woods, where he meets an older adult who has problems communicating with others.
This movie is one that anyone who loves watching comedies will enjoy because it’s lighthearted yet serious when it needs to be.
19. Tears of the Sun (2003)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Writer(s): Alex Lasker, Patrick Cirrilo
Cast: Bruce Willis, Cole Hauser, Monica Bellucci
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Tears of the Sun is one fantastic movie that features a commander who leads troops to a Nigerian jungle to rescue a medical professional.
However, the doctor requests over 70 refugees go before getting rescued. It is one of the best survival movies on Netflix that will blow your mind.
20. Sweetheart (2019)
Director: J.D Dillard
Writer(s): J.D Dillard, Alex Hyner, Alex Theurer
Cast: Kiersey Clemons, Emory Cohen, Hanna Mangan Lawrence
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
Sweetheart is a survival movie that features Jenn; a girl washed ashore. Once there, she realizes that she is alone and there is nothing more she can do but find means of survival.
Despite this, she also fights some hidden forces that come on at night. Does she manage? You need to have this fantastic movie on your watch list.
Wrapping Up!
Though you can watch anything and everything on Netflix, including comedy, thriller, horror shows, Halloween movies, suspense, horror movies, classic, cartoon, action, romance, cooking shows, sci-fi, reality, kid movies, emotional drama, Marvel shows, and documentaries – it is time to enjoy the survival movies on Netflix.
The above list represents some of the best survival movies on Netflix. If you’re a fan of any or all of these films, then there’s no reason to wait. Sit back and pick one of these movies on Netflix because each film is sure to be a hit regardless of the genre.
If you haven’t seen them already, it’s time to treat yourself and get watching. The good thing is that you can stream them anytime you want, so there’s no rush or need for reservations.