(DML Top 20 Lists - Survival Drama Films ranked)

Honorable Mention

Earthquake (1974), Director: Mark Robson, rated PG

When the big one finally hits L.A.

Starring: Charlton Heston, George Kennedy, Ava Gardner, Lorne Greene, Geneviève Bujold, Richard Roundtree, Marjoe Gortner, Victoria Principal

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I think there are still people alive down there and I want to get them out!" - Stewart Graff

Why watch this? Heston in the middle of a huge disaster... He's the perfect man-of-action I want in charge.

Plot Summary: The people of Los Angeles find their lives disrupted and thrown into chaos by a catastrophic earthquake. Among them are an architect dealing with marital problems and a new romance, a suspended police officer, and a seismologist predicting further disasters. The film follows their struggles for survival amidst the destruction and their interwoven stories as they attempt to cope with the aftermath of the quake.

Dad's Preview: I love well-done disaster films. I'm also a huge Chuck Heston fan, so this epic, filmed in Sensurround (the theater actually shook during the quake sequences), blew me away. As a determined kid, I saw it in theaters over ten times. What the film does well is fully develops its characters. It also realistically depicts a massive quake in a very crowded city. Who will survive the initial disaster and the aftershocks to follow? For its time, the effects were pretty darn good. I still cringe when the truckload of cattle careens off the collapsing overpass bridge. Dang!

The Filmmakers Group; Universal Pictures

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #20 Top

Southern Comfort (1981), Director: Walter Hill, rated R (for violence, language)

It's the land of hospitality... unless you don't belong there.

Starring: Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Fred Ward, Franklyn Seales, T.K. Carter, Lewis Smith, Les Lannom, Peter Coyote, Alan Autry, Brion James, Sonny Landham

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Well, you know how it is, down here in Louisiana, we don't carry guns, we carry ropes, RC colas and moon pies, we're not too smart, but we have a real good time." - Spencer

Why watch this? It's never a good idea to venture into the Louisiana swamps and start a fight with the locals.

Plot Summary: A squad of nine Louisiana Army National Guard soldiers are charged with conducting a training exercise through the swampy Bayou. New to the group is Cpl. Hardin from Texas. He immediately recognizes the men are poorly disciplined and arrogant, but he does manage to form a bond with a likewise-cynical private named Spencer. The two are easily the most rational of the bunch. The men head out, armed with blank bullets in their guns, and get quickly lost. They come upon a deserted trapper campsite and decide to commandeer the trapper's canoes to shorten their journey. BIG MISTAKE. The cajun trappers show themselves at the shore and shoot the Guard's leader, Staff Sgt. Poole. Once the men collect themselves, the cajuns have vanished into the marshes, so the soldiers press on. However, now they are being hunted by a deadly, crafty and mostly unseen enemy.

Dad's Preview: Many have compared this intense thriller to Deliverance (1978), and there are similarities (such as murderous hillbillies), but Southern Comfort stands just fine on its own. The cast is superb, as is the complete sense of dread and helplessness created by director Walter Hill. Who, if anyone, will survive? As they say on the bayou, "Dat be da quession..."

Cinema Group Ventures, Phoenix (II);
20th Century Fox

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #19 Top

The Martian (2015), Director: Ridley Scott, rated PG-13 for language

Bring Him Home

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"They say once you grow crops somewhere, you have officially colonized it. So, technically, I colonized Mars. In your face, Neil Armstrong." - Mark Watney

Why watch this? An impressive one-man show, akin to Cast Away (2000).

Plot Summary: After a fierce dust storm on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead and left behind by his crew. However, Watney survives and must utilize his scientific ingenuity and wit to stay alive with meager supplies on the hostile planet. Meanwhile, NASA and his crewmates embark on a challenging and daring mission to rescue him against all odds.

Dad's Preview: Stranded. Not on an island. Or in the desert - both of which give you a remote chance of discovery by sheer dumb luck. Here, Matt Damon is stranded on the red planet Mars. Help will take months to arrive, if at all. This film is a scientific wonder to experience. The lone crafty, determined astronaut must do everything he can, utilize every idea he can muster, just to create inventions to prolong his existence. Only then can he even entertain finding a way to get back to Earth. This is hard sci-fi at its best.

Scott Free Prod., Kinberg Genre,
TSG Ent.; 20th Century Fox

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #18 Top

The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), Director: Robert Aldrich, Rated Approved

Its Excitement is Headed Straight For You!

Starring: James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Duryea, George Kennedy

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"All right, then, it can't work. Maybe it can't and we'll all be killed. But if there's just one chance in a thousand that he's got something, boy, I'd rather take it than just sit around here waiting to die." - Lew Moran

Why watch this? This is quite an adventure of survival.

Plot Summary: A plane carrying oil workers crash-lands in the vast Sahara Desert, leaving the survivors with dwindling supplies and no hope of immediate rescue. Facing a brutal environment and mounting tensions, a German airplane designer among the passengers proposes a seemingly impossible plan: to rebuild a new plane using the wreckage of their crashed aircraft. With their lives at stake, the desperate group must overcome their differences and work together to construct this makeshift aircraft in a race against time before their resources run out.

Dad's Preview: This splendid ensemble cast plays out all scenarios regarding survival. These men are stuck in an impossible situation: their plane has crash landed in the Sahara desert. They quickly calculate their resources and how long they can survive. Jimmy Stewart and Richard Attenborough are excellent as the group's leaders, however the most compelling character is Dorfmann, a German aeronautical engineer, portrayed by Hardy Krüger. He is cold and calculating (as are most German characters), but he just may be their best shot at getting back to safety. This arid survival film will satisfy your thirst for adventure, but keep a glass of water nearby.

Associates and Aldrich Co. Production;
20th Century Fox

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #17 Top

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019), Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor, rated TV-13

Based on the Incredible True Story.

Starring: Maxwell Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Felix Lemburo, Aïssa Maïga, Lily Banda, Robert Agengo, Joseph Marcell, Noma Dumezweni, Lemogang Tsipa

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Democracy. Democracy is just like imported cassava. It rots quickly." - Trywell Kamkwamba

Why watch this? This splendid African story will move you to tears.

Plot Summary: Based on a true story, this film follows a resourceful teenage boy in Malawi who is forced to drop out of school when a devastating drought and famine strike his village. Refusing to let his community suffer, he teaches himself science and physics using books from a local library. Through incredible perseverance, he builds an innovative wind turbine from scrap materials to pump water.

Dad's Preview: Most Americans live in their little bubbles of comfort, without casting a thought to just how lucky their souls are to inhabit privileged, well-fed bodies. That's right-most of us hit the global lottery. Thanks to incredible films like this, we are able (and should be required) to see how others fare. In parts of Africa, the poor are one severe drought away from losing their village or their lives. Ignore all the geo-political crap - this story is about real people trying to survive in almost impossible surroundings. A young teenager has a novel idea, but his own father just can't believe in him. This journey is heart-breaking, then inspiring. Most of the film, I was thinking how much we could help these drought-stricken farmers with all our knowledge of windmills and water pumps. We should do whatever we can to help.

BBC Films, Participant Media, British Film Institute,
Potboiler Prod.; Netflix

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #16 Top

The Hill (1965), Director: Sidney Lumet, rated Approved

Outside the prison walls they were fighting the enemy!
Behind the prison bars they fought the deadliest war of all... with each other.

Starring: Sean Connery, Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Alfred Lynch, Ossie Davis, Roy Kinnear, Jack Watson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You'd prop up dead men and inspect them if you was ordered to!" – Trooper Joe Roberts

Why watch this? This film examines the cruelty of a British military prison in Libya.

Plot Summary: This war drama is set in the scorching heat of the Libyan desert, at the end of WWII. A British Army outpost deals with military prisoners. The officers in charge conduct brutal punishments on the men, including forcing the men to hike up and down a sand mound called "The Hill".

Dad's Preview: This movie is an exercise in failed leadership, when those in charge simply do not step up and stop something they know to be wrong. Connery is excellent as a former Sergeant Major who assaulted his superior officer. I loved to hate the brutal performance by Brit Harry Andrews. He drips of evil, as he hides his own failings, and takes it out on the helpless prisoners.

Seven Arts Prod.; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #15 Top

Apocalypto (2006), Director: Mel Gibson, rated R for tribal violence, human sacrifice

When the end comes, not everyone is ready to go

Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Raoul Trujillo, Gerardo Taracena, Jonathan Brewer, Morris Birdyellowhead, Israel Contreras

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"My name is Jaguar Paw. I am a hunter. This is my forest. And my sons will hunt it with their sons after I am gone!" - Jaguar Paw

Why watch this? You will literally feel like you have been transported to the Mayan past.

Plot Summary: Set in the Mayan civilization, a young hunter named Jaguar Paw has his life violently disrupted when he is taken captive, for sacrifice, by hostile raiders. He is taken to a Mayan city, and narrowly escapes being beheaded. Jaguar Paw now must outrun his brutal pursuers through the jungle to save his family.

Dad's Preview: Director Mel Gibson vividly creates this world for our senses. There is brutal violence as the captives are being sacrificed, one by one, atop a Mayan pyramid. However, the heart of the film is Jaguar Paw, a desperate escapee, fleeing his pursuers to find his wife and son. This visceral, hyper-realistic thriller is engrossing from start to finish.

Touchtone Pictures, Icon Prod.;
Buena Vista Pictures Distributing

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #14 Top

The Pianist (2002), Director: Roman Polanski, rated R

Music was his passion. Survival was his masterpiece.

Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finley, Maureen Lipman, Emilia Fox, Ed Stoppard, Julia Rayner, Jessica Kate Meyer, Ronan Vibert, Ruth Platt, Andrew Tiernan, Michal Zebrowski, Richard Ridings

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"They're exterminating us. It won't take them long. We are 60 thousand left, out of half a million. Mostly young people." - Majorek

Why watch this? This is a superb telling of survival within Poland during WWII.

Plot Summary: Based on the autobiography of Władysław Szpilman, the film follows a renowned Polish-Jewish classical pianist struggling to survive as the Nazis occupy Warsaw and enforce brutal persecution. After being separated from his family during the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto, he endures years of starvation and hiding, relying on the help of non-Jewish allies and the Polish resistance. Amidst the destruction of the city, he finds a unlikely glimmer of hope through the compassion of a music-loving German officer.

Dad's Preview: Władysław Szpilman's story, as captured in his 1946 autobiographical book of the same name, is incredible. His survival, during perhaps the most deadly time and place in the world for his Jewish race, seems to be a combination of luck, the help of many Poles who knew of his piano talents, and perhaps even a little divine intervention. This emotional film, of life and death in the Warsaw ghetto, benefits from an amazing screenplay, Adrian Brody's portrayal of the lead character (his eyes exude sadness) and steady direction from Roman Polanski, himself a Holocaust survivor. I will be honest, there are moments here that are hard to take. You will be emotionally overwhelmed at the madness and cruelty of the Nazis. That said it is certainly worth every second of your time, if for no other reason, to remember.

Canal+, Studio Babelsberg,
SudioCanal; BAC Films

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #13 Top

Wages of Fear (1953), Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot, Not Rated (Dad's guess: PG)

The film about recklessness, friendship, hatred, fear.

Starring: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter van Eyck, Folco Lulli, Véra Clouzot, William Tubbs, Dario Moreno, Jo Dest, Antonio Centa, Luis De Lima

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You don't know what fear is. But you'll see. It's catching, it's catching like small pox! And once you get it, it's for life! So long, boys, and good luck." – Dick

Why watch this? Men pushed to the end of the line will do the most desperate things to live.

Plot Summary: Several unemployed men find themselves stuck in the isolated South American village of Las Piedras. A Frenchman, Mario, befriends an ex-mobster, Jo, a German. The only way escape is to be paid for hauling several cases of nitroglycerin to an oil well fire 300 miles away, over treacherous roads. Any bump can cause the volatile liquid to explode, so two more men are recruited to drive a second truck, because one truck will likely not make it.

Dad's Preview: This tense film will have you on the edge of your seat as the heavy trucks, loaded with volatile nitroglycerin bottles, encounter road stones, rickety bridges, and rock slides. In the end, it's a character study in the ruthlessness of men exacerbated by crisis. Some stay true to who they are, while some lose all their humanity to survive. It would be remade in 1977 under the name Sorcerer, and that is also a film you should check out.

Vera Film, Filmsonor, C.I.C.C.,
Fono Roma; Cinédis

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #12 Top

Into the Wild (2007), Director: Sean Penn, Rated R for language, some nudity

Into the heart Into the soul

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, Brian H. Dierker, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook, Zach Galifianakis, Vince Vaughn

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"The core of man's spirit comes from new experiences." – Christopher McCandless (aka "Alexander Supertramp")

Why watch this? The tale of this deep-thinking young man has lessons for all of us.

Plot Summary: There are those who are drawn to living life on the free edge, as close to nature as possible. Beautiful mountains. Scenic deserts. Raging rivers. One such person is Christoper McCandless, a man in his early twenties, disenchanted with modern America, and determined to experience life "off the grid". After graduating from Emory University, he burns his credit cards and embarks to see the wild, leaving behind no trail to follow. This devastates all those who love him, but he MUST do this to be honest with himself. He is a cheerful, intelligent kid who enamors the wayward folks he encounters, yet breaks their hearts when he moves on. His destination is Alaska.

Dad's Preview: This film's brilliance is that it's not selling an agenda. It simply, and quite beautifully, documents the evolution of a free spirit. We witness the romantic harmony of nature's beauty contrasted against the brutality of life as a vagabond, always hungry and overwhelmed by nature's power. As we also encounter Christopher's free lifestyle, we have to be prepared to feel heartbreak as well. Sadly, the lessons learned are painful, but in a way, worth the cost.

River Road Ent., Square One C.I.H.,
Linson Films; Paramount Vantage

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #11 Top

Cast Away (2000), Director: Robert Zemeckis, rated PG-13 for plane crash, language

At the edge of the world, his journey begins.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Nick Searcy, Paul Sanchez, Lari White, Peter Von Berg, Dmitri S. Bordrine, Nan Martin

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"We live and we die by time, and we must not commit the sin of turning our back on time." - Chuck Noland

Why watch this? Could you survive alone on a deserted island?

Plot Summary: Chuck Noland, a FedEx executive, finds his life disastrously altered after a plane crash leaves him stranded on a deserted island. He must learn to survive and adapt to his isolation, developing resourcefulness and resilience. He will those skills even more if he ever returns to society.

Dad's Preview: This powerful one-man show is Hanks giving a class on method-acting. The audience really feels like they are on the island with him. He's fighting to survive. We feel his struggle as he tries to make fire, as he longs to get back to his darling Kelly. Until this film, I had never cried over an inanimate object, but "Wilson" broke my heart. The scene between Hanks and Hunt late in the film will also have even the toughest person sobbing like a baby.

DreamWorks Pictures, ImageMovers,
Playtone; 20th Century Fox

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #10 Top

12 Years a Slave (2013), Director: Steve McQueen, rated R for violence, torture, cruelty, nudity

The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Giamatti, Scoot McNairy, Lupita Nyong'o, Adepero Oduye, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, Michael Kenneth Williams, Alfre Woodard

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"If you want to survive, do and say as little as possible. Tell no one who you really are and tell no one that you can read and write."
Clemens

Why watch this? You want to play down slavery? Watch this film, then we'll talk.

Plot Summary: In the pre-Civil War United States, a free Black man named Solomon Northup from upstate New York is abducted and sold into slavery. He endures twelve years of brutality and hardship on cotton plantations in Louisiana, facing cruelty from his owners and struggling to survive. Despite the challenges, Solomon fights to maintain his dignity as he desperately looks for ways to regain his freedom.

Dad's Preview: Here we are graced with great performances from an all-star cast. I wept long and hard after this film. The audacity of anyone to justify the owning of fellow human beings makes me want to scream. The direction and acting are top-notch, and Chiwetel Ejiofor leads the list, as the Northern free man taken into bondage. Slavery is a gaping scar on our country's legacy. To EVER move on, American citizens need to face it, teach it in our schools, and accept responsibility.

Regency Ent., River Road Ent., Plan B Ent., Film4;
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #9 Top

127 Hours (2010), Director: Danny Boyle, rated R for language

Every Second Counts

Starring: James Franco, Kate Mara, Amber Temblyn, Lizzy Caplan, Clémence Poésy, Treat Williams

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Don't lose it. Aron, do not lose it." - Aron Ralston

Why watch this? It is a real-life story too compelling to pass over.

Plot Summary: Adventurer-explorer Aron Ralston finds himself trapped in an isolated canyon in Utah when a boulder falls and pins his arm. For the next five days, he faces the elements and examines his life as he tries to survive his predicament. Ralston uses all available resources and reflects on his relationships, ultimately finding the courage and will to survive.

Dad's Preview: This is a gut-wrenching film that solidly illustrates how quickly anyone, even someone young, strong and confident, can land into serious trouble in the wink of an eye. For goodness sakes, adventurers, always let somebody know where you are going! Neglecting to do so is not a sign of bravery. James Franco carries this rich, inspiring movie, which is based on the compelling, true story, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, penned by Aron Ralson himself. This story does illustrate one person's sheer will to defy death by surviving at all costs.

Pathé, Everest Ent., Dune Ent., Film4 Prod,
Handmade Films, Cloud Eight; Fox Searchlight Pics

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #8 Top

The Impossible (2012), Director: J. A. Bayona, rated R language, intense disaster footage

In 2004, a devastating tsunami hit southeast Asia. This is one family's true story of survival.

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Oaklee Pendergast, Samuel Joslin, Marta Etura, Sönke Möhring

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Lucas, look at this place. They're so busy in here. You get to go and do something. Go help people. You're good at it." - Maria Bennett, to her son Lucas after they reach the hospital

Why watch this? ... the tsunami, as it smashes into the resort, is harrowing footage.

Plot Summary: Maria, Henry, and their three sons take a Christmas vacation to Thailand. Unfortunately, that is interrupted by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The family is separated in the chaos and devastation, forcing them to fight for survival and desperately search for each other amidst the aftermath.

Dad's Preview: During the actual event, I was glued to the news and watched all the footage - the tsunami killed tens of thousands of people. This film is intense to say the least. The scenes of the killer waves are incredibly shot, with well-done, realistic effects. In such a disaster film, it is hard to find anything cheery, but there are some very uplifting moments, as victims pull together to get people to safety and medical treatment. Look for a young Tom Holland in his major film debut.

Apaches Ent., Telecinco Cinema;
Warner Bros.

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #7 Top

Wild (2014), Director: Jean-Marc Vallée, rated R for language, sexuality, nudity, drug use

Based on the inspirational best seller.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffman, Michiel Huisman, Thomas Sadoski, Keen McRae, W. Earl Brown, Kevin Rankin

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"My mother used to say something that drove me nuts, 'There's a sunrise and a sunset every day, and you can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty." - Cheryl Strayed

Why watch this? The hike, the miles - it's about the journey to forgive oneself.

Plot Summary: Cheryl Strayed went on a 1,100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995. Driven by a desire to cope with the death of her mother, the dissolution of her marriage, and a history of self-destructive behavior, she embarks on the arduous journey despite lacking experience.

Dad's Preview: Breath-taking scenery is the backdrop for Cheryl's journey. She is herself wild, self-destructive, used up, tired. So, to shake her demons, or die trying, she sets off on her quest, woefully unprepared, yet, determined. Witherspoon's portrays Cheryl is angry, raw and vulnerable. We sense this is her last chance to fix things. Laura Dern gives an free-spirited performance as Cheryl's late mom, Bobbie. Cheryl's physical journey parallels her mental one. I must admit, this might be a journey I need to take.

Pacific Standard, River Road Ent.,
TSG Ent.; Fox Searchlight Pictures

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #6 Top

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Director: George Miller, rated R for violence, language

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE MAD

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die historic on the Fury Road!" - Nux

Why watch this? I never saw this greatness coming, but there's no question - it's great!

Plot Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce, Max is captured and enslaved by the tyrannical Immortan Joe. Simultaneously, Imperator Furiosa, one of Joe's lieutenants, defies him by absconding with five women, leading to a relentless pursuit across the desert. Max eventually becomes involved with Furiosa's escape, forging an uneasy alliance as they battle Joe and his forces in a desperate struggle for freedom and a better life.

Dad's Preview: Instant classic. As a huge fan of the 80's Mel Gibson Mad Max films, I really thought the franchise was over, and I was OK with that. Then creator/director George Miller hatches this tour de force. It blows you away with each action sequence. Tom Hardy amply fills Mr. Gibson's steady shoes. That said, it is Charlize Theron who steals the film as Furiosa. She is one bad-ass survivor. This epic is visually stunning. Let's hope this is the first film in another trilogy for Max and company.

Village Roadshow Pictures, RapPac-Dune
Ent., Kennedy Miller Mitchell; Warner Bros.

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #5 Top

Dead Calm (1989), Director: Phillip Noyce, rated PG-13 for violence, rape

A couple alone at sea. When a stranger called for help, they made a fatal mistake... they answered.

Starring: Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Please don't shout. That's always been one of my problems. I can never tell people's real motives until it's too late." - Hughie Warriner

Why watch this? A tense sea tale about rescuing the wrong survivor.

Plot Summary: A young couple, John and Rae. after a life tragedy, seek solace on a yacht. John, after all, is an Austrailian Navy captain, so it should be smooth sailing. Their isolation is shattered when they rescue a lone survivor from a sinking ship, only to discover his chilling secret. The encounter sets off a terrifying ordeal at sea where they both must fight for survival.

Dad's Preview: This taut thriller features some extraordinary ocean-based cinematography. This is a three-actor film is essentially a game of cat and mouse as ordinary people become the prey of a madman. Sam Neill is excellent, and I can't say enough about Billy Zane, as the charming, yet psychotic, kidnapper. That said, I walked away enamored with newcomer Nicole Kidman. She can emote sheer terror one minute, then feminine strength the next. Her performance is impressive.

Kennedy Miller; Warner Bros.

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #4 Top

First Blood (1982), Director: Ted Kotcheff, rated PG for violence, language

This time he's fighting for his life.

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, Bill McKinney, Jack Starrett, Michael Talbott, Chris Mulkey, David Caruso

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"In town you're the law. Out here it's me. Don't push it or I'll give you a war you won't believe. Let it go." - John Rambo

Why watch this? ... it's Stallone's best action film. Don't waste your time on the sequels.

Plot Summary: John Rambo, a former Green Beret and Vietnam veteran, is harassed by a small-town sheriff, Will Teasle, and his deputies. This escalating harassment triggers Rambo's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, leading him to escape into the nearby wilderness, where he is pursued by the sheriff's posse. Rambo uses his Special Forces training and survival skills to fight back against his pursuers. His former commanding officer, Colonel Trautman, is flown in to intervene and de-escalate the situation.

Dad's Preview: Stallone is John Rambo, a drifter who wanders into the wrong town, where the hard-nosed Sheriff Teasle decides to hassle him. What makes this film so awesome is it two lead stars, Stallone and Dennehy. Early on, we realize that this is going to be a battle to the bitter end, and people are going to get hurt. This is non-stop action right up to its awesome climax.

The Wallis Interactive; Carolco Pics, Anabasis
Investments, N.V.; Orion Pictures

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #3 Top

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981), Director: George Miller, rated R for violence, language, rape

Just One Man Can Make A Difference.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Mike Preston, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells, Emil Minty, Kjell Nilsson, Virginia Hey, William Zappa

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"We've all lost someone we love. But we do it my way! Fear is our ally. The gasoline will be ours. Then you shall have your revenge.” – Lord Humungus

Why watch this? A bigger budget helped the second Max film cement its place in post-apocalyptic film lore.

Plot Summary: Following a global war and civilization's collapse, loner Max scavenges the Australian wasteland for fuel and supplies. He encounters a small community defending their oil refinery from a ruthless biker gang led by deformed Lord Humungus. Max, initially seeking only his own advantage, eventually agrees to help the community transport their precious fuel in a desperate bid for freedom and survival.

Dad's Preview: This is a mercilessly violent film set in a future where the powerful enact their will upon those unable to defend themselves. Good people are raped, tortured and murdered by roving bands of brutal psychopaths; this is not a place for the weak. Into this hellscape rides Max, a damaged ex-road cop who reluctantly helps those in need. It's a powerful film, with Gibson at his brooding best. Director George Miller knows that a compelling villain makes the film and this film's most entertaining bad guy is Vernon Wells, as the always intense Wez. The vehicle stunts are incredible. The road's open, see you in the wasteland...

Kennedy Miller Productions; Roadshow
Film Dist., Warner Bros.

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #2 Top

Jaws (1975), Director: Steven Spielberg, rated PG-13 for violence, scary scenes

The nation's #1 best-selling novel is now the year's most terrifying movie.

Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, Carl Gottlieb, Lee Fierro

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #1 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Jaws

"Well, this is not a boating accident! It wasn't any propeller, it wasn't any coral reef, and it wasn't Jack the Ripper! It was a shark." – Matt Hooper after examining the remains of Chrissie Watkins

Why watch this? It's Dad's top film, numero uno. It's ignited the love of film within a curious 10-year-old.

Plot Summary: Chief Martin Brody, new to the small island community of Amity, faces a terrifying challenge when a massive great white shark begins attacking beachgoers during the peak summer tourist season. Despite Brody’s efforts to close the beaches, the town's mayor, fearing economic repercussions, prioritizes tourism over safety. As the attacks escalate, Brody teams up with an expert marine biologist and a seasoned shark hunter to track and kill the formidable creature.

Dad's Preview: Jaws was the first major film from a young director named Steven Spielberg. It is adapted from Peter Benchley's bestselling book about a hungry great white shark dining on bathers off the New England coast. There is suspense at every turn thanks to deft direction and an incredible Oscar-winning, John Williams soundtrack. There's drama, dread, and some of the best jump-scares on film. The film perfectly captured the novel's mood, and added its own levels of character development, humor and bloody terror. After this movie, which stayed in theaters for OVER A YEAR, folks would start using the term "Summer Blockbuster".

Zanuck/Brown Co.; Universal Pictures

Top 20 Survival Drama Films #1 Top

The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Director: Ronald Neame, rated PG

Who will survive - in one of the greatest escape adventures ever!

Starring: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Shelley Winters, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Jack Albertson, Pamela Sue Martin, Arthur O'Connell, Eric Shea, Leslie Nielsen, Fred Sadoff

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 100 #97 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Poseidon Adventure

"We're cut off from the rest of the world. They can't get to us. Maybe we can get to them. You've said enough, now get out of the way." - Rev. Frank Scott

Why watch this? This is the great disaster film by which all others should be compared.

Plot Summary: A cruise ship is hit by a huge rogue wave and capsizes, still afloat, yet upside down. A small group of cruise passengers, led by a determined, plain-spoken preacher, work their way through the badly damaged ship, en route to the inverted hull, where (thanks to a very informed ten-year-old boy) the hull is only one inch thick. The dead and burnt litter their path, and we sense that not everyone will survive their perilous journey.

Dad's Preview: This disaster classic feels completely real as we follows these ordinary folks in a dire, uncertain situation. The trick in these films is to interweave dangerous obstacles, without having it appear too contrived. This was producer, Irwin Allen's, superpower. It also helps that an incredible cast was assembled. I will single out Hackman as the tough, fiery preacher; Ernest Borgnine, as the grumpy, complaining NYC cop; and Shelly Winters, as a Jewish woman too heavy to even be on the journey, but she has her moment, and man, it's a great one. Folks, this is how great action films were done before CGI came along and all but ruined character development.

Irwin Allen, Kent Productions, Ltd.;
20th Century Fox