20 Best Survival Movies Of All Time

2. Castaway

One of the most recognisable films on this list, and one of Tom Hanks' most impressive outings, Castaway is the ultimate in survival film cinema. Directed by Robert Zemeckis - he of Back to the Future and Forrest Gump fame - and starring Hanks in his most daring and challenging role, the film sees a man stranded on an island for four years after a plane crash.

And that's it, all told. Chuck Noland (Hanks) learns to survive alone on an island, with only Wilson (a volleyball) for company. With a run time of over two hours, this may seem like an slow and boring picture which drags for far too long, but thanks to Hanks' mesmerising performance and some constantly heightened stakes, the film watches more like a thriller than a drama; a character study showing the lengths people will go to to survive.

Intelligent, powerful, full of hope and smart directing from Zemickis, Castaway is must for anyone wishing to explode the survival film genre.

And if a film can make you care so deeply about a ball with a face, then it's a winner all the way.