Babu, a 23-year-old Kerala trekker who was stranded in a crevice at Kurumpachi hill in Malampuzha, Kerala was rescued by an Indian Army climbing squad after more than 43 hours. Widely considered one of the most dangerous rescue missions, Babu is currently undergoing treatment in District Hospital, Palakkad.
Escaping from dangerous situations has always been a topic of interest for all movie creators. World cinema has witnessed several movies regarding survival and rescue missions. Regardless of the outcome of the endeavour, these movies act as an inspiration.
Thousands of films about survival exist, both fictitious and true-to-life. Because they depict the depths of human emotions, these films always leave an indelible impression on viewers. They show the essential values of humanity: courage, wisdom, and endurance.
IB Times India presents you with a list of five survival movies everyone should watch.
Everest
Most of the survival movies are based on true events. Everest directed by Baltasar Kormákur is based on the 1996 Mount Everest accident and depicts the plight of a group of climbers who tried to stay alive in the face of nature's freezing conditions.
The film stars Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kiera Knightley, Emily Watson, Robin Wright, John Hawkes, and Sam Worthington in the lead roles.
The Revenant
The Revenant is a film about survival and vengeance. Inspired by true events, the film is set in the early 19th Century and follows an explorer hunting the man who killed his only son and left him for dead.
Although Leonardo DiCaprio gives a towering performance as protagonist Hugh Glass, the true star of this film is its visuals as seen through the lens of Alejandro G. Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.
The absolute beauty of nature, trees and streams, shines through in the film lit only by natural light. It is unequivocally stunning, and Inarritu's trademark swirling, close-up shooting style shows the beautiful wilderness off in all its glory. The Revenant, like the land it depicts, is beautiful, brutal and unforgiving.
The Shallows
The Shallows is an American survival horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, starring Blake Lively.
The film showcases the life of Nancy (Blake Lively), a medical student and great surfer, who is recovering from a traumatic event and travels to a famed remote beach in Mexico for some board-based rehabilitation. She had no idea that beneath the surface of the sea lurks a creature that will put her to the test. Nancy is attacked by a shark during a surfing session, leaving her alone and injured on a rock 200 metres from the coast.
The 87-minute thriller is set primarily in a lagoon where an injured surfer fights a shark. The sequences are primitive and frightening.
Cast Away
This survival movie illustrates man's ability to adapt to his surroundings in the face of hopeless rescue attempts. It exemplifies what an excellent and inspiring survival film should be.
The plot revolves around Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks), a systems engineer who survives a plane disaster on a deserted island. For years, he lived off the island, learning to be content with his limited living conditions of hunting food and building fires. He eventually makes his way off the island and back to society.
127 Hours
The life of Aron Ralston, a real-life sports enthusiast who wrote the memoir Between a Rock and a Hard Place has inspired 127 Hours. This Danny Boyle directorial portrays the story of how he survived and escaped after being trapped within an isolated canyon in Utah by a boulder.
Ralston trekked through a crevice in Blue John Canyon in Canyonlands National Park in April 2003. He stumbled and fell, knocking a boulder against the wall, trapping his right hand and wrist.
Ralston's fight for survival begins here. To keep himself sane, he recorded himself and rationed his food. Ralston's will to survive drove him to climb back up. Aaron finally escaped by cutting off his hand.
