16 Survival Movies For Entertainment & Education
Spend your time wisely at home and watch survival movies that both entertain and educate you. You might pick up a few tricks and tips on surviving pandemics, zombie apocalypse, and other life and death situations!
16 Must-Watch Survival Movies This Quarantine Period
Golden Nuggets From Survival Movies
Most Americans are about three weeks into their quarantines, with no end in sight. While President Trump would love to see the country open back up by May, many doctors and scientists have estimated that four or more months could pass before “safer at home” directives are lifted.
Streaming service subscribers are certainly getting their money’s worth as most people find themselves homebound with little else to do besides watch movies and TV.
But rather than waste your days away with comedies and Tiger King, this is a great opportunity to stream some survival films and learn a few things!
Survival movies have always fascinated the American public, as we hypothesize how we might fare if left on our own in the wilderness or as a sole survivor after the world ends.
Post-apocalyptic movies recently have focused on zombies and alien attacks, which are debatable as realistic scenarios for us to experience.
Older, more classic films often illustrated real-life tales of survival after plane crashes or hiking and camping mishaps. With the current political landscape, annual pandemics, and general uncertainty about our future on this planet, there is so much to be learned from each possible scenario.
Here’s our list of survival movies to check out during your time in quarantine, separated into categories; remember to take note of the Do’s and Don’ts – knowing what NOT to do can be just as valuable as what TO do.
1. Wilderness Survival, Based on True Stories
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- 127 Hours – A hiker finds himself pinned beneath a boulder for five days
- As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me – About a WWII soldier who escapes and must travel 8,000 miles back to his family
- Backcountry – A couple goes camping but finds themselves in bear territory
- Everest – Climbers face a devastating snowstorm while climbing the mountain
- Into the Wild – A young and unprepared man decides to take on the wild of Alaska alone
- The Donner Party – Pioneers resort to cannibalism as they try to reach California
- The Way Back – Seven prisoners escape and must travel 4,500 miles of unforgiving terrain
2. Lost at Sea, Based on True Stories
- Kon-Tiki – In 1947, a Norwegian explorer traveled from South America to Polynesia on a balsa wood raft
- Shackleton: The Greatest Survival Story of All Time – A 1914 Antarctic expedition leaves a 28-man crew struggling to survive
- Unbroken – WWII plane crash survivors spend 47 days in a raft before being captured by the Japanese navy
3. Zombie Apocalypse
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- I am Legend – A military scientist seeks a cure for a virus that has turned everyone into zombies
- Zombieland – A college student navigates a zombie apocalypse
4. Post-Apocalyptic
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- The Book of Eli – A loner wanders post-apocalyptic earth guarding a book with his life
- The Road – A father and son journey across America searching for somewhere worth living
- The Survivalist – A man teams up with a mother and daughter, none of whom trust each other
5. Survival Documentary
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- Alone in the Wilderness – Follows a man living and surviving alone in the mountains of Alaska
Lessons You’ll Learn
This list of survival films is hardly comprehensive, but they’re a great start to help you learn some basic rules and skills.
Some of the biggest lessons you can learn from these films include:
- How to haul your gear across long distances
- Benefits of carrying firearms
- Value of bartering
- Big cities and big crowds make escape difficult
- Proper gear is a lifesaver in the cold weather
- The night is dangerous so seek shelter before dark
- Trust no one, but having a group together can increase chances of survival
- How to live off the land
- Rationing supplies
- Your best chances against wildlife
Buckle up! These survival movie thrillers will have you on the edge of your seat! You won’t soon forget the lessons you learn as you get through this list.
Up Next:
- 3 Horror Movies Every Survivalist Can Learn From
- 5 Survival Books to Read Before SHTF
- 10 Amazing True Survival Stories Too Incredible To Be Real
