Gold is a stout-hearted survival thriller starring Zac Efron as an unknown vagrant who discovers a massive gold nugget in the harsh desert setting. The man must withstand the harsh climate and wild dogs lurking nearby to protect his newfound money, not to mention the all-consuming greed that drives him insane. It’s a fascinating film, but it’s not the only thrilling survival thriller you should watch. Here’s a list of seven films we think Gold lovers may enjoy.
1. Cast Away (2000)
Director- Robert Zemeckis
Chuck Noland, a driven yet overworked and time-obsessed Federal Express executive, travels from country to country, solving difficulties and organising package transfers all over the world. In 1995, an unforeseen complication causes Noland to leave his heartbroken but understanding fiancée, Kelly, behind and board a plane to Malaysia, only to find himself marooned on an undiscovered, uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Chuck now has all the time in the world for the first time in a long time; nevertheless, without the conveniences of civilisation, catering to his basic necessities becomes a daily battle. Chuck, the islet’s only living soul, must now muster the strength to endure.
2. Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (1972)
Director- Werner Herzog
It is 1560, and the Spanish Empire has expanded over South America. A crew of Conquistadors is currently leading an expedition down the Amazon River in search of El Dorado, the legendary city of gold. The Conquistadors will soon find a courageous and cruel leader in Lope de Aguirre, and they will experience the Wrath of God from him as they descend into madness in the depths of the South American forest.
3. The Grey (2011)
Director- Joe Carnahan
A group of oil workers in Alaska board a flight home, but the plane crashes due to a storm. Only seven workers survive the wilderness, and John Ottway, a huntsman who kills wolves to defend the workers, takes over as commander. Soon after, they discover that they are being pursued by wolves, and Ottway encourages them to seek shelter in the woods. However, they are pursued and assaulted by carnivorous creatures as they go through the deep snow.
4. All Is Lost (2013)
Director- J.C. Chandor
An unknown man wakes up in the middle of an Indian Ocean solo sail to find his 39-foot boat taking on water after colliding with a floating shipping container. The man cruises unknowingly into the direction of a strong storm, his navigation equipment and radio malfunctioning. The man barely escapes the storm despite his success in mending the ruptured hull, his mariner’s insight, and a strength that belies his age. He is forced to rely on ocean currents to take him into a shipping lane in the hopes of hailing a passing vessel, using only a sextant and nautical maps to record his progress. But, with the sun beating down, sharks lurking, and his few supplies running out, the ever-resourceful sailor is forced to confront his mortality.
5. Buried (2010)
Director- Rodrigo Cortes
Paul Conroy, an American truck driver working in Iraq in 2006, wakes up disoriented in the middle of the night, slowly realising he is stuck inside a wooden coffin, buried alive. He sees the trap he’s in with his cigarette lighter, and he realises there’s not enough air for him to live long. He discovers a functional cellphone within the coffin, giving him access to the outside world. However, finding a man buried in a box in the middle of the Iraqi desert becomes difficult. Paul has no choice but to rely on his own resources.
6. 127 Hours (2010)
Director- Danny Boyle
Aron Ralston, an engineer, climber, and canyoneer, drives to Blue John Canyon in April 2003 without notifying anyone, intending to spend the weekend doing what he enjoys: climbing the remote canyon. He meets two lost teenagers, Kristi and Megan, and they spend a few hours together bathing in a cave lake. He bids them farewell, and as he descends a canyon crevice, a chockstone comes loose and lands on his arm. Aron knows he’s stuck and attempts to free himself from the stone. Aron goes delusional and recalls his family and friends after being without water and food for five days. He resolves to sever his forearm to survive after the fifth day.
7. Sanctum (2011)
Director- Alister Grierson
Josh McGuire greets his buddy Carl and his fiancée Victoria in Papua New Guinea, and the three fly straight to the Esa-ala Caves, where Josh’s father Frank McGuire is leading a cave diving expedition. Josh has a tense relationship with his father, and Carl is the expedition’s sponsor. Judes had an accident and dies when Frank and the diver Judes investigate an uncharted cave system with restricted access. A storm occurs as the team prepares to carry her body out the cave, blocking the exit. The gang is stuck with little resources and must navigate the cave system’s labyrinth to reach the sea. Fear and terror, on the other hand, are their worst adversaries.
