Human versus nature is one of the more disturbing types of conflict, and it’s at the center of some incredible thriller and drama films. These stories situate their protagonists in unpredictable fights against nature’s toughest environments and vicious animals. Movies like Everest and Cast Away place their lead characters in isolated corners of the world, where they fight to stay alive with the hope of one day returning to society.

Many human-versus-nature films are based on incredible true stories of individuals who made it out of life-threatening circumstances, like Wild and 127 Hours. Others are fictional but are just as nail-biting and inspiring. These movies, pulled from real-life events or not, display the range of emotions felt by those intent on making it out of their predicaments alive. The physical and mental exhaustion experienced by these individuals are explored in such films, making for completely captivating tales of survival.

10

The Edge (1997)

A Group Of Men Fights Off A Large Bear

In The Edge, Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin’s characters are forced to put aside their personal conflict when their plane crashes and leaves them stranded in the Alaskan wilderness. Before the crash, Charles (Hopkins) discovers Bob (Baldwin) flirting with his wife, Mickey, causing slight animosity to build within. The rapid dialogue within the script supports the dynamic of the two men and Bob’s ᴀssistant, Stephen, as Charles temporarily overlooks Bob’s interaction with his wife.

Following the plane crash, the three men are made to put their survival skills to use, especially when up against a mᴀssive Kodiak bear —portrayed by the famous Bart the Bear. The Edge, admittedly, isn’t as action-packed as other human versus nature movies, but contains just enough frightening instances to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The shared grueling experiences between the three men are easy to become invested in and make The Edge‘s ending more emotional.

9

Everest (2015)

Climbers Face Unforgiving Conditions On Mount Everest

There are numerous movies about climbing Mount Everest, as the mountain’s dangerous conditions often lead to inspiring tales of survival, both those that are fictional and ones pulled from real life. One of these films is Everest, whose ensemble cast is made up of actors like Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, and Josh Brolin. The film’s survival story is inspired by the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, which took the lives of several climbers.

Everest depicts both the mental and physical setbacks experienced by the expedition groups, who become increasingly broken down throughout the film due to feelings of defeat and the mountain’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅly conditions. Though Jon Krakauer, a real member of the 1996 expedition, denounced Baltasar Kormákur’s movie, there’s still plenty to enjoy. On top of the moving performances by its ensemble cast, Everest remains tense from beginning to end and is visually captivating.

8

The Revenant (2015)

A Man Fights For Survival After Being Left To Die

Taking inspiration from the life of frontiersman Hugh Glᴀss, The Revenant is about an extraordinary journey of revenge and survival. In the film, Glᴀss starts by guiding a group of trappers across the present-day Dakotas. However, when he’s nearly killed in a vicious bear attack, the remaining party leaves him stranded in the wilderness, and the film takes a harsh turn.

Leonardo DiCaprio, who’d go on to win an Academy Award for his performance, is fully committed in his portrayal of Glᴀss. Determined to get revenge on those who left him for ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, Glᴀss takes on the unforgiving nature of his surroundings. Along with being confronted by the Arikara, Glᴀss is also met with a tough environment. The Revenant‘s filming locations are not only breathtaking, but their scale shows just how impressive Glᴀss’ accomplishments are throughout the film.

7

Wild (2014)

Cheryl Strayed Must Survive A Solo Hiking Trip With Little Prior Experience

Based on Cheryl Strayed’s 2012 memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, Wild depicts the author’s challenging journey of self-discovery as she sets out on a solo hiking trip along the Pacific Crest Trail. With Reese Witherspoon portraying Cheryl in the film, audiences get a glimpse at the physical and mental setbacks she experiences during her trip.

Through the use of flashbacks, it’s made apparent that Cheryl hasn’t had an easy life leading to when audiences first meet her. These experiences, from the loss of her mother to her destructive heroin addiction, drive Cheryl to embark on the harrowing journey. Along the way, various strangers are willing to help Cheryl out, but her lack of hiking experience doesn’t make her journey any easier. Wild isn’t as intense as other human-versus-nature movies, as the flashbacks to Cheryl’s earlier life reduce both the pace and stakes within the film, but it remains realistic and emotionally intense nonetheless.

6

Into The Wild (2007)

Escaping From Civilization, A Man Lives Within The Harsh Alaskan Wilderness

Based on Jon Krakauer’s 1996 book about Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild depicts the young man’s solo journey into the Alaskan wilderness. The idea of living off the land sounds enticing to Christopher (Emile Hirsch), so he decides to abandon civilization and embark on a risky adventure. What starts as an idyllic escape quickly turns into one mishap after another, as Christopher comes to the realization that he’s not as prepared as he once believed he was.

Just as many films about survival in the wilderness do, Into the Wild displays the grandness of Christopher’s surroundings to emphasize the skills and courage required to pull off his initial plan. Into the Wild is a fascinating character study, with a heartbreaking turn of events that gives fair consideration to both Christopher’s mistakes and the inevitable ending to his bold venture.

5

Cast Away (2000)

The Story Of A Man Stranded On An Island

Considered to be the best collaboration between Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks, Cast Away tells the inspirational story of a FedEx employee stranded on an island after a devastating plane crash. Intent on returning home to his loved ones, Chuck Noland (Hanks) keeps himself busy by adapting to the island’s ways and befriending a Wilson volleyball. While the film isn’t inspired by a specific real-life incident, professional survival experts were consulted and asked for their expertise, resulting in a realistic movie.

This can also be attributed to Hanks’ performance, which much of the film relies on, as he’s the only actor on screen for much of Cast Away‘s runtime. Hanks rises to the occasion and deftly captures the range of emotions felt by his character, from the heartbreaking goodbye to his unusual companion to the unexpected change in his loved ones’ lives, which he’s made to face at the end of the film.

4

The Martian (2015)

A Man Is Stranded On Mars

Of Ridley Scott’s science fiction films and the human-versus-nature movies mentioned, The Martian is certainly the most hopeful. The film follows astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) and his attempt to survive on Mars by himself while NASA configures a plan to get him back to Earth. In spite of his unfortunate circumstances, Mark remains surprisingly optimistic and believes he will eventually be rescued.

Mark’s atтιтude isn’t common in human-versus-nature films, and it provides The Martian with an unexpected yet appreciated sense of humor. Still, the unknown terrain of Mars keeps Mark sensibly cautious of his surroundings and food supply. The movie, which is an adaptation of Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name, earned high levels of critical acclaim and won two Golden Globe Awards, one of which was for Damon’s performance.

3

127 Hours (2010)

A Man Is Trapped Underneath A Boulder

Based on a true story, 127 Hours spends six days with mountaineer Aron Ralston (James Franco) as he makes a desperate attempt to free his right arm from underneath a mᴀssive boulder. Aron didn’t share his plans to hike at Canyonlands National Park with anyone, leaving him completely alone in his fight for survival. Pulling from Aron’s memoir, the story in 127 Hours is kept fairly simple and is devoid of acute weather or ferocious animals.

127 Hours explores Aron’s deteriorating mind as he starts to feel hopeless and begins to hallucinate, only able to stay optimistic by recording video diaries. In addition to Franco’s performance and the sheer weight of Aron’s story, the film is most remembered for its graphic amputation scene that changed the tone of the movie. Aron’s sacrifice isn’t easy, and it can be tough for some to stomach, but it’s guaranteed to stick with audiences for quite some time.

2

Jaws (1975)

The Threat Of A Man-Eating Shark Takes Over A Beach Town

With its success inspiring other movies about frightening aquatic creatures, Jaws is arguably one of the more influential human-versus-nature films. Based on Peter Benchley’s novel of the same name, the film sees a team led by Amity police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) set out in vast waters to hunt a man-eating shark that has been terrorizing local beachgoers. The menacing nature of the shark lingers for much of the movie despite its limited appearance.

Audiences don’t see the shark all that much throughout the film. Instead, the suspense and threat of its presence are largely implied by the characters’ uneasy expressions and John Williams’ Oscar-winning score. Though it didn’t end up winning, the horror film itself was nominated for Best Picture. Jaws‘ theatrical summer release also helped create the blockbuster business model, and its impact in Hollywood continues to be appreciated to this day.

1

All Is Lost (2013)

A Man Is Left To Survive Alone

Robert Redford stars in All Is Lost as an unnamed man attempting to survive in harsh ocean waters. The boat of Redford’s character is damaged following a collision with a shipping container, and he spends the remainder of the film doing all he can to prevent the water from sinking him. The film stars no one else and contains little dialogue. Still, the movie captures audiences’ attention thanks to Redford’s performance and the attentive look at his character’s resourcefulness.

Unlike other human-versus-nature films, All Is Lost doesn’t tell audiences much about its protagonist. Bits of his life before the film’s events are hinted at throughout, but the movie is primarily concerned with the man’s survival and nothing else. Though the simple storytelling and Redford’s reserved performance make All Is Lost a subtle film, it’s still packed with entertainment, leaving audiences invested in how the mysterious individual will make it out alive.