Fans of "Squid Game will love: the best survival movies and series

In the world of movies and TV shows, survival themes have always attracted the attention of viewers. From dramas that captivate with exciting battles for life to psychological thrillers where heroes fight their own demons, the survival genre continues to capture the imagination.

If you've become a fan of "Squid Game" and want more of the same, OBOZ.UA has prepared a selection of the best movies and TV series that will make you experience every moment with the characters on the verge of life and death. From violent games to dramas where every choice can be the last, these stories will not leave anyone indifferent.

Cube (1997)

A Canadian sci-fi thriller in which a group of strangers find themselves in a cube-shaped maze filled with deadly traps. The main characters are trying to figure out how they got there and how to get out, using various methods of checking rooms and mathematical calculations. Gradually, distrust arises between the group members, which leads to conflicts, because everyone has their own motivations and secrets.

It turns out that one of the characters, Leven, guesses about the three-dimensional structure of the Cube and suggests that the rooms change their location. After numerous losses and tense moments, the characters come to the conclusion that there is a way out through the room with coordinate 27, which leads to the exit. In the finale, Quentin, in a fit of aggression, kills several characters, and Kazan, with an unknown fate, reaches a bright light, which is probably the exit from Cube.

The Running Man (1987)

This is a 1987 cult American dystopian science fiction film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The plot of the film is set in a dystopian future where cruel reality shows in which people fight for their lives become popular entertainment.

The protagonist, Ben Richards, unjustly accused of a crime, finds himself a participant in the deadly show "The Running Man." He has to fight for survival while uncovering the truth about the system that convicted him. The film combines elements of action, thriller, and social satire, raising topical issues about freedom, justice,e and the influence of the media on society.

Liar Game (2005)

This is a fascinating Japanese manga that immerses the reader in the world of psychological games and moral dilemmas, where the line between truth and lies is blurred. The story revolves around Nao Kanzaki, a simple-minded student who finds herself drawn into a deadly game where the stakes are incredibly high and trust is the most precious trump card. Together with her unorthodox partner, con artist Shinichi Akiyama, Nao uncovers the game's dark secrets as she fights for survival and justice in a world where lies are weapons.

As the Gods Will (2014)

The Japanese thriller directed by Takashi Miike is based on a manga series about students who are forced to participate in deadly children's games under supernatural control.

The protagonist, high school student Shun Takahata, and his classmates are caught up in cruel games where every bad move can lead to death. In the first game, "Darumasan-ga-koronda," the students are supposed to remain still, but losing concentration causes their heads to explode.

Throughout the movie, Shun and his friend Ichika try to survive by going through various dangerous challenges, such as the game "Maneki Neko," where students who cannot hit the ball into a hoop die.

Each new challenge becomes even more dangerous, such as the Kagome Kagome game, where students must guess the correct doll or die from a red laser.

The Belko Experiment (2016)

"The Belko Experiment" is a 2016 American action and psychological horror film directed by Greg McLean and written by James Gunn. The film revolves around a group of Belko Industries employees who find themselves locked in an office building in Colombia and forced to kill each other on the orders of a mysterious voice, otherwise, they will die due to explosive devices implanted in their heads.

The main characters, including Mike, Barry, and Danny, are trying to find a way to survive this cruel experiment, divided into two factions with different approaches to solving the situation. With each new game, the number of employees decreases, and in the last stage, only one participant remains alive, forced to decide whether he is ready to kill everyone else for the sake of salvation.

The film explores the themes of human cruelty, morality, and survival in extreme circumstances, leaving open the question of who is really behind this experiment.

The Chosen (2017)

An American television series depicting the life of Jesus Christ through the stories of those who met him, created and directed by Dallas Jenkins. The series is distinguished by telling the story of Jesus not only through his eyes, but also through the experiences of other characters, trying to create a multi-season narrative.

The first steps towards the series began with an experimental project called "The Shepherd," which was posted on social media and gained immense popularity – more than 15 million views. Crowdfunding was used to finance the first season, raising more than $10 million from 15,000 investors, a record for this type of fundraising.

Kaiji (2007)

An exciting manga about gambling written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. It immerses the reader in the world of gambling, where the stakes are incredibly high and every move can change fate.

The plot of the manga revolves around the protagonist, Kaiji Ito, a young man who finds himself in a debt pit. In order to get out of it, he takes part in deadly gambling games, where not only money but also life is at stake. Kaiji is a character with a complex psychology who is forced to make difficult decisions and fight his inner demons.

Alice in Borderland (2020)

An exciting Japanese science fiction series based on the popular manga. The plot takes viewers to a strange and dangerous world where a group of friends find themselves in an abandoned Tokyo, where they have to participate in deadly games to survive.

The series is distinguished by its vivid visual style, dynamic battle scenes, and unpredictable plot. The authors have successfully combined elements of thriller, drama, and sci-fi genres, creating a fascinating world that keeps you in suspense from the first minutes of viewing.

The Hunger Games (2012)

The Hunger Games is a 2012 American science fiction film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. The film tells the story of a post-apocalyptic world where the state of Panem is divided into 12 poor districts and a rich Capitol that organizes the deadly Hunger Games every year.

The protagonist, 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, voluntarily participates in the Hunger Games as a substitute for her sister and fights for survival together with Peeta Mellark. The winner of the Hunger Games receives not only a famous name but also wealth, but to do so, he or she must defeat all other participants in the arena.

Batoru rowaiaru (2000)

A 2000 Japanese film directed by Kinji Fukasaku, based on the novel of the same name by Koshun Takami, which depicts a fierce competition among schoolchildren on an isolated island.

In the future Japan, after the economic crisis, the government creates the Battle Royale, a deadly game where a random class of students is forced to fight to the last. Shuya Nanaharu, one of the participants, tries to avoid taking part in this brutal struggle by teaming up with his classmate Noriko to not only survive but also help others.

The plot of the movie revolves around a bloody struggle where participants are forced to kill each other and also try to hack the system that controls the games. In the end, Xu and Noriko manage to escape from the island after they managed to deceive the system and break the collars, but they remain fugitives, continuing to fight against the cruel authorities.

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