10 Survival Horror Movies You Probably Haven’t Seen

What Keeps You Alive opens with Jackie and Jules (Hannah Emily Anderson and Brittany Allen) celebrating their first anniversary in an isolated cabin. Unfortunately, the romantic weekend is cut short when Jackie inexplicably pushes her wife off a cliff, leaving Jules severely injured and lost in the woods.

This psychological horror stands out amongst others since it effectively plays around with character traits. Even though Jackie's the villain, she fits the Final Girl trope to a tee, since she's a charismatic badass (and an excellent shot with a rifle). Jules, on the other hand, initially comes across like a total wimp. However, the fact Jules lacks determination makes it more satisfying when she finds her inner strength, allowing her to take on the Final Girl mantle.

But even when Jules is out of the woods, she's ironically not out of the woods yet, since she still must contend with the so-called love of her life. Although What Keeps You Alive could've turned into a traditional slasher at this point, it finds creative ways to keep the scares coming without feeling derivative or trite.

What really makes the film work is Anderson's performance as Jackie, with the actress oozing charm in every scene despite being a cookie-cutter baddie. The way she switches from being the innocent wifey to a cold-blooded sociopath in a heartbeat is fascinating. Rather than acting like a deranged maniac, Anderson portrays the character with calm acceptance, which makes her all the more menacing. Considering Jackie is one of the most mesmerising horror villainesses of the last decade, What You Keeps You Alive should've gotten a lot more recognition.