Get ready for a new perspective on survival movies! This list isn’t just about the typical prepper stuff – it adds a touch of romance to the mix. Whether you love movies or just want something different, these films bring suspense and love together in a way you might not expect. Grab your peeps, plenty of popcorn, and press play!
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In this post
If you like movies or just need a break, this list has suspense, love, and humor. It’s also a lighthearted way to talk about getting ready for tough times, especially if someone isn’t into the idea. Ready for a movie night that’s both fun and practical? Let’s dive in!
TV Series’ with a Romantic Element
Jeremiah (TV series) is two seasons in a post-apocalyptic world where a disease killed all the adults. Luckily, the kids who survived are able to grow into adulthood safe from the virus.
Sliders (TV series) is not one that leaps to mind for the Survival genre, and yet they had to survive all kinds of disasters and be prepared for, fairly literally, anything. For those who aren’t familiar, this five-season series followed a small group of four people as they jumped between parallel dimensions, each one slightly (or radically) different.
Lost (TV series) is about a group of plane crash survivors who last six seasons on a deserted island. Plenty of romance here.
Jericho (Cable TV series) is a real favorite in prepper and survival circles and includes a bit of romance and meaningful glances between characters.
Historical / Period Movies
In the movie Father Goose, Cary Grant plays a reluctant and grumpy beachcomber who is reluctantly tasked with rescuing a group of stranded schoolgirls and their teacher during World War II, leading to unexpected comedic and heartwarming adventures.
Cabaret (Liza Minnelli) is a musical set in 1930s Germany and shows how a group of Cabaret singers manages to live in denial of what is happening in the country around them.
Gone With the Wind (Vivienne Leigh, Clark Gable) is the story of a woman who is a born survivor. Scarlett O’Hara survives the Civil War, Sherman’s March, Reconstruction, heartbreak, loss, and more.
Les Miserables (Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried) is about survival in 19th-century France.
Paper Moon (Ryan O’Neal, Tatum O’Neal, Madeline Kahn) is set in the Great Depression.
Tears of the Sun (Bruce Willis) revolves around a mission by US Navy SEALs to go into a hostile area of Nigeria and rescue an American doctor.
Silly / Fun Survival Movies
Blast from the Past (Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone) is a fun, light-hearted movie about a family who goes into their Kennedy-era bomb shelter shortly before their son is born and emerges 35 years later.
Joe Versus the Volcano (Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan) is an utterly unrealistic, awesomely sweet movie about love, living, and the importance of really good luggage.
Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O’Sullivan) has been done more than once, but this is a box set of four with the original Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller.
Warm Bodies (Nicholas Hoult) is the story of how his love for a living girl helps one zombie return to (nearly) human.
Zombieland (Woody Harrelson) chronicles one man’s search for Twinkies during the zombie apocalypse. Seriously. He and his friend cross the country in search of safety – and Twinkies.
Six Days, Seven Nights (Harrison Ford, Anne Heche) is added under duress since I don’t like this movie, but it does meet the criteria. Let me know what you think of this rom-com-stranded-on-a-deserted-island-chased-by-pirates-survival movie.
Survival Movies Inspired by True Events
Adrift is the shipwreck tale of an engaged couple hired to sail a luxury yacht from Tahiti to San Diego, California, and getting caught in a catastrophic hurricane.
The Impossible (Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor) hits home more for its depiction of self-sacrificial love than romance. And it gives me hope we won’t all turn into self-seeking a-holes when SHTF.
Other Genres
It’s a Wonderful Life (Jimmy Stewart) illustrates the importance of mental resilience and our most important survival tool–our mind. The importance of community is also demonstrated. And, of course, the twitterpated Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.
Swiss Family Robinson has a romance storyline that gets you rooting for one brother or the other to win the cute girl!
The Amazing Adventure (Cary Grant) follows the adventures of a rich, bored playboy who agrees to spend one year earning his own way. He can’t use any of his own money to survive.
Atlas Shrugged trilogy (various) is thought of as being more about politics than romance, but I’ve always thought of it as a romance. Dagny Taggert follows her heart as the world around her collapses.
Contagion (Marion Cottilard, Matt Damon) follows the chain of events that cause one small action to lead to a deadly global epidemic.
The Mountain Between Us (Kate Winslett, Idris Elba) has been dubbed a “Harlequin-worthy” romance disaster. Following a plane crash on a remote mountaintop, the pair must work together to survive.
Pro Tip
Watching survival movies with your kids can be more than just entertainment – turn it into an educational adventure. After the movie, take some time to discuss the survival elements portrayed. Ask questions like “What would you do in that situation?” or “How do you think the characters felt?” This not only makes the viewing experience interactive but also fosters valuable conversations about resilience, problem-solving, and empathy. It’s a fun way to bond with your kids while imparting important life lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
While some are family-friendly, it’s advised to read reviews for suitability.
Reply in the comments or email me at Lisa@TheSurvivalMom.com.
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Final Thoughts
These survival movies with a touch of romance offer a different and interesting movie experience. Whether you love films or just find the idea of love during tough times intriguing, these movies mix suspense and romance in a cool way. Check them out for a unique take on survival stories that goes beyond the usual.
What survival-themed movies with a romantic twist can you add? Let me know in the comments!
Updated November 22, 2024
Hell in the Pacific
During World War II, an American pilot and a marooned Japanese navy captain are deserted on a small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. There, they must cease their hostility and cooperate if they want to survive, but will they?
Six Days, Seven Nights starring Harrison Ford and Anne Heche. Stranded on an island, fighting pirates, comedic timing and sweet chemistry.
The Hunger Games saga. Places in the Heart with Sally Field.
Becky got to it first! I love “Six Days Seven Nights.”
I’d also suggest “Father Goose” with Cary Grant as a beach bum turned spy during WWII. He’s working as a spotter on a Pacific island when he finds himself responsible for a teacher (Leslie Caron) and several girl pupils, also stranded on the island. It’s a comedy, but things get tense when a contingent of Japanese soldiers lands on the island as well.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen Six Days Seven Nights, but Father Goose is a great movie!
All of these are disaster/survival movies with romance in them:
The Day After Tomorrow
Red Dawn (the new one)
The Core
Armageddon
Deep Impact
Great suggestions!
Double feature it with Red Dawn old and new.
LOVE Father Goose. I have to watch it every few years.
I have nothing original to contribute. Great post!
Cast Away with Tom Hanks. Him and that soccer ball…true love!
How could one leave out the magnificent ‘Starship Troopers’? A love story with a bittersweet ending, and two of the greatest lines in cinematic history: “The only good bug is a dead bug!!!”, and possibly Michael Ironside’s finest roll, including getting to stick his fingers into a guys drained noggin and deliver “They sucked his BRAINS out!” with a straight face.
Oh, my word, my DH loves that movie. We’ve seen it so many times that we could just about quote the entire movie.
“It’s an ugly planet! A bug planet!”
“We’re in this for the SPECIES, boys and girls!”
“It’s afraid!”
Shaun of the Dead! A great British comedy about overcoming zombies, taking on the mantle leading your friends to safety, and winning back your ex (because who wants to die single?) It starts out strong, and ends even better.
And for the guys, this film even has a “bromance” between Shaun and his ne’er-do-well best friend.
The Book of Eli
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison. – a 1950’s movie with Robert Mitcham & Deborah Kerr as U.S. soldier and a nun trying to survive on an island in the Pacific during WW II after it’s taken over by the Japanese. Excellent survival story, with a tiny touch of romance. Great movie!
THANK YOU! “Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison” is one of my favorites! I just watched it the other day.
“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” – Funny, thought provoking, and a cute romance.
Romancing the Stone, Australia, even Wizard of Oz in a sense.
2012 is great
The mountain between us
…eh… Robinson Crusoe… ?? (book by Daniel Defoe) with his friend Friday. Example: met Pierce Brosnan en William Takaku (1997)
“Goodbye World” with Adrian Grenier is so good and has multiple romances: When a mysterious terrorist attack causes chaos in the cities, a group of friends take refuge in their countryside cabin.
I don’t understand why no one has mentioned the movie: “The 5th Wave”. If you are listing zombie movies, then alien movies should be here, too.
(Sorry, I’m just not into zombies at all…)
“The Day After Tomorrow”
Good movie about an ELE ice storm
Based on these suggestions, I got both “The Book of Eli” and “The Mountain Between Us”. Both GREAT movies!!!
I actually have a lot of these movies, and a few of the TV series. Both Jericho and Jeremiah are out of stock on Amazon, but I’ll just keep looking.
My mom raved about “Atlas Shrugged” the book. The movies are out of sight cost wise, though.
Oh, Also, anyone seen “The Andromeda Strain”? Very interesting, not sure it would be considered a survival movie, and there is NO romance at all. But a good movie.