Survival Horror Movies

From Ridley Scott, starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Rated R

Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O'Bannon. The film follows the crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo who, while on their way back to Earth, discover a mysterious and deadly alien life form. The crew is forced to fight for their lives as the alien stalks and kills them one by one, leading to an action-packed and bloody conclusion. The film stars Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. The film is widely considered a classic of both the science fiction and horror genres and is highly acclaimed for its suspenseful atmosphere and its ground-breaking special effects.

From James Cameron, starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser
Rated R

Aliens is a 1986 science fiction horror film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver. Set fifty-seven years after the events of the original Alien, the film follows Ellen Ripley as she is revived from her 57-year hypersleep and returns to the planet where her crew encountered the hostile Alien creature. Accompanied by a unit of Colonial Marines, Ripley discovers the planet has since been colonized and the Aliens have overrun the settlement, killing most of its inhabitants. The Marines launch an all-out assault on the Aliens in an effort to rescue the remaining survivors and eliminate the alien threat. Ultimately, Ripley must confront the Alien Queen in an explosive climax. Aliens is widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels of all time, and spawned two more sequels as well as a prequel.

From John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur
Rated R

The Thing is a 1982 science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter and written by Bill Lancaster. The film follows a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter a parasitic extraterrestrial life form that assimilates and then imitates other organisms. As the members of the Antarctic outpost begin to be assimilated, the remaining scientists must find a way to stop the Thing before it spreads to the rest of the world. The film stars Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, and Keith David and features revolutionary special effects from Rob Bottin. The Thing is considered a cult classic and one of the greatest horror films of all time.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary
Rated PG

Jaws (1975) is an iconic American horror-thriller directed by Steven Spielberg. It follows Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) and his attempts to protect the beachgoers of Amity Island from a Great White Shark. After the shark kills a young swimmer, Brody recruits a marine biologist, Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and a professional shark hunter, Quint (Robert Shaw), to hunt down the shark. They battle the giant creature in a thrilling and suspenseful manhunt for the creature that threatens the lives of the islanders. The film was a critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time at the time of its release, and is considered an important classic in the history of cinema.

From Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis
Rated R

Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British horror-comedy film directed by Edgar Wright. The film follows Shaun, a directionless Londoner who is caught in a zombie apocalypse. Along with his best friend Ed, Shaun must save his family and friends while discovering the meaning of courage. With a unique blend of comedy and horror, Shaun of the Dead is a critically acclaimed cult classic that celebrates life, friendship, and the power of the human spirit.

From Roland Joffé, starring Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands
Rated R

The Killing Fields tells the story of two men and their struggle to survive the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. The main characters are Dith Pran, a Cambodian journalist, and Sydney Schanberg, a New York Times reporter. Pran, who is Schanberg's interpreter and friend, is taken away to a labor camp in 1975. Schanberg, who is forced to leave Cambodia, promises to return for Pran. Pran faces unspeakable horrors, including torture and starvation, but manages to survive the camp and eventually reunites with Schanberg in Thailand in 1979. The Killing Fields is a powerful and moving story of endurance and courage in the face of great adversity.

From George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman
Rated Not Rated

Night of the Living Dead is a classic horror film directed by George A. Romero and released in 1968. The movie follows a group of seven people as they try to survive a zombie invasion. During the course of the film, the survivors are chased and attacked by hordes of undead monsters. As the night progresses, they must fight to stay alive while being trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse. The survivors must use their wits and courage to fight against the living dead, while at the same time struggling against their own inner demons. The movie is widely considered a classic of the horror genre and has been hugely influential in zombie films since its release.

From Jordan Peele, starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener
Rated R

Get Out is a 2017 horror/thriller film directed by Jordan Peele, starring Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams. It follows Chris Washington, a young African American man, who visits his white girlfriend’s family estate for a weekend getaway. Chris quickly discovers something sinister is happening as he finds himself in a deadly fight for survival. With the help of his best friend Rod, Chris must find a way to escape the family’s dark secrets and sinister agenda. As Chris begins to uncover the truth, he must confront his deepest fears and confront a force as old as America itself.

From Sang-ho Yeon, starring Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Su-an Kim
Rated Not Rated

Train to Busan is a South Korean zombie horror film directed by Sang-ho Yeon. The film follows a group of passengers who are on a train ride from the city of Seoul to the coastal city of Busan during a zombie apocalypse. Seok-woo (played by Gong Yoo) is a workaholic father who is taking his daughter Su-an (played by Kim Su-an) to Busan to visit her mother. Along the way, the passengers must band together to survive the zombie hordes and make it to the safety of Busan. Along the way they face various obstacles, and must deal with zombies, a hostile environment, and even the other passengers. In the end, only a few make it to Busan alive. The film is an intense thrill ride that also explores themes of family and redemption, providing a unique take on the zombie genre.

From Kinji Fukasaku, starring Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Tarô Yamamoto, Chiaki Kuriyama
Rated Not Rated

Battle Royale is a 2000 Japanese action horror film directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Set in an alternate future, the Japanese government has passed the “Battle Royale Act”, which requires a randomly chosen class of ninth-grade students to participate in a deadly game of survival. The rules of the game are simple: the students must fight and kill each other until only one remains alive; the last person standing is the winner. With the help of military supervision and a variety of weapons, the students must battle it out until a champion is crowned. Throughout the game, the students must also put their friendship and trust to the ultimate test while trying to survive. Battle Royale is a thrilling, thought-provoking film that shows the horror of mob mentality and the power of friendship.

From Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet, Marisa Paredes
Rated R

The Skin I Live In is an intense psychological thriller directed by acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. The film tells the story of a plastic surgeon, Dr. Robert Ledgard, who is obsessed with creating an artificial skin with exceptional qualities. When his troubled daughter is kidnapped, Ledgard seeks revenge on her captor by subjecting him to a cruel experiment involving his artificial skin. Throughout the film, Almodóvar reveals the truth behind Ledgard's motivations, as the story gradually uncovers a dark past and a twisted family history. The film is an exploration of identity and revenge, and features outstanding performances from Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes and Roberto Álamo.

From James Wan, starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover, Ken Leung
Rated R

Saw is a 2004 American psychological horror film directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, and Tobin Bell. The film follows two men who find themselves chained in a dilapidated bathroom and are given instructions by a mysterious serial killer known as Jigsaw. The two men must play a violent game in order to survive, while they are forced to confront their deepest fears as they battle for their lives. As the game progresses, they must use their wits to figure out Jigsaw's intricate puzzles and macabre traps in order to survive. Ultimately, the two men must decide between life and death in the brutal struggle for survival.

From Danny Boyle, starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Alex Palmer
Rated R

28 Days Later... is a post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle and released in 2002. The film follows a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world who are struggling to survive after a highly contagious virus called "Rage" has swept across Great Britain and turned most of the population into mindless, murderous creatures. The survivors must battle their way across the country while finding a way to survive the virus as well as the remaining infected population. Along their journey, they come across other survivors, new dangers, and a possible remedy to the virus. The film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, and Christopher Eccleston.

From John Krasinski, starring Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
Rated PG-13

A Quiet Place is a 2018 horror/thriller film directed by John Krasinski and starring Krasinski, Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds. The movie centers around a family living in a post-apocalyptic world in which a mysterious alien species has invaded. In order to survive, the family must remain absolutely silent at all times as the aliens will attack anything that makes noise. The family must navigate the world in absolute silence, avoiding the creatures and struggling with the father's desire to protect his children and to find a way to defeat the alien menace. With intense suspense and a powerfully emotional storyline, A Quiet Place is a thrilling and heartfelt movie that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

From Tobe Hooper, starring Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain
Rated R

From Directors: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza, starring Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso
Rated R

From James Mangold, starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes
Rated R

From Zack Snyder, starring Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, Jake Weber
Rated R

From Directors: Juliano Dornelles, Kleber Mendonça Filho, starring Bárbara Colen, Thomas Aquino, Silvero Pereira, Thardelly Lima
Rated Not Rated

From Francis Lawrence, starring Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson-Whitfield
Rated PG-13

From Neil Marshall, starring Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder
Rated R

From Dan Trachtenberg, starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., Douglas M. Griffin
Rated PG-13

From John Krasinski, starring Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Cillian Murphy, John Krasinski
Rated PG-13

From Bong Joon Ho, starring Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-Bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona
Rated R

From S. Craig Zahler, starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins
Rated Not Rated