A Glean movie guide
Lost in the Wild: Best Woods Survival Movies
Can you survive the trees?
From gritty man-vs-nature battles to psychological thrillers set deep in the forest.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Revenant
A visceral, visually stunning epic of endurance and primitive survival in the frozen wilderness.
In the 1820s, a frontiersman, Hugh Glass, sets out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after a bear mauling.
- 02
The Edge
A sharp, intellectual thriller pitting two men against a relentless Kodiak bear and their own distrust.
The plane carrying wealthy Charles Morse crashes down in the Alaskan wilderness. Together with the two other passengers, photographer Robert and assistant Stephen, Charles devises a plan to help them reach civilization. However, his biggest obstacle might not be the elements, or even the Kodiak bear stalking them -- it could be Robert, whom Charles suspects is having an affair with his wife and would not mind seeing him dead.
- 03
The Grey
A haunting and philosophical look at survival as a group of men are hunted by wolves in the Alaskan wild.
Following a grueling five-week shift at an Alaskan oil refinery, workers led by sharpshooter John Ottway are flying home for a much-needed vacation. But a brutal storm causes their plane to crash in the frozen wilderness, and only eight men, including Ottway, survive. As they trek southward toward civilization and safety, Ottway and his companions must battle mortal injuries, the icy elements, and a pack of hungry wolves.
- 04
Into the Wild
A poignant true story about the allure and the ultimate danger of seeking total isolation in nature.
After graduating from Emory University in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity, and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness.
- 05
Backcountry
A terrifyingly realistic depiction of how quickly a simple camping trip can turn into a fight for life.
A couple on a deep-wilderness hike become hopelessly lost within an aggressive black bear's territory.
- 06
Deliverance
The definitive high-tension thriller that explores the brutal collision between city dwellers and the remote wild.
Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's turned into one huge lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock takes his friends on a river-rafting trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.
- 07
First Blood
A masterclass in tactical survival as a lone soldier uses the forest as his ultimate weapon.
When former Green Beret John Rambo is harassed by local law enforcement and arrested for vagrancy, he is forced to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.
- 08
The Ritual
A chilling blend of survival drama and folk horror set deep within an ancient, disorienting Swedish forest.
A group of college friends reunite for a trip to the forest, but encounter a menacing presence in the woods that's stalking them.
- 09
Leave No Trace
A grounded and deeply moving look at the practical skills required to live entirely off the grid in the woods.
A father and daughter live a perfect but mysterious existence in Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Oregon, rarely making contact with the world. But when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call their own.
- 10
Prey
A thrilling hunt that showcases indigenous survival skills and environmental awareness against a high-tech threat.
When danger threatens her camp, the fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior Naru sets out to protect her people. But the prey she stalks turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal.
- 11
The Blair Witch Project
The definitive 'lost in the woods' experience that captures the psychological terror of total disorientation.
In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found.
- 12
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
A charming and adventurous take on surviving the New Zealand bush while on the run from the law.
Ricky is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive.