10 Greatest Cinematic Survivors

There is nothing more unequivocally human than the will to survive. We refuse to accept defeat, to give into death; life is more than just for living - it's for conquering. Whether isolated in sprawling forests, covertly entering enemy territories or scaling through the endless nothingness to hunt for their meal, the silver screen has forever been populated by characters with the mentality and ability to prosper. From the ordinary hero to the highly-equipped assassin, these film icons must adopt and execute a very particular set of skills in order to thrive, succeed and ensure they are still upon this earth in time for tomorrow. Our world is a jungle; packed full of dangers and obstacles, many of which perhaps seem too challenging to overcome, but not for these select few. Here's our list which honours the ten boldest, bravest and most bad-ass cinematic survivors.

10. Jason Bourne - The Bourne Franchise

Matt Damon's iconic protagonist in this frenetic action saga really shouldn't be breathing. We meet Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity as basically a corpse; a man washed ashore with two gunshot wounds in his back. Upon arising from unconsciousness, he has absolutely no idea where he is, what is happening, and most terrifying of all, who he is. His scenario is furthered with complexity and trauma when he realises that he is heavily embezzled in a clandestine conspiracy with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); talk about adding insult to injury. Despite his desperate situation and the wide limitations of resources - particularly mental - Bourne is able to adapt and progress expertly by familiarising himself with his environments and using dense intellect to place the jigsaw puzzle pieces correctly. He may be suffering from extreme memory loss, but he is still a frightfully intelligent man. His psychogenic amnesia continues throughout the series (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum), but as his character continues to render and layer, we learn about Bourne, with Bourne.