20 Best Deserted Island Movies, Ranked

What three issues would you’re taking with you to a abandoned island? Meals? A knife? An excellent e book? That is the age-old query of childhoods previous and icebreaker questions on first dates. The reply is at all times completely different relying on whom you ask: the survivalist, the romantic, or the one that would merely hand over on day one.

That is why abandoned island films are so entertaining to observe. When put within the eye of hazard, each human reacts in another way. Some go mad, some burn the rum to make a smoke sign, and a few use each piece of sheer willpower to discover a approach house. Being stranded on a abandoned island is each terrifying and exhilarating, irrespective of what number of methods you’ve got thought of whether or not you’d be capable of survive or not. These legendary island survival films showcase simply how terrifying, exhilarating, and transformative that have might be, all from the consolation of viewers’ couches.

20 ‘Uninhabited’ (2010)

Directed by Invoice Bennett

A dream trip turns right into a combat for survival within the 2010 survival horror filmUninhabited. Within the film, Beth (Geraldine Hakewill) and Harry (Henry James) resolve to trip on a secluded island, not understanding that it’s haunted by the ghost of a younger lady named Coral (Tasia Zalar). The island’s pure magnificence masks a darkish historical past, and the couple quickly finds themselves trapped in a supernatural battle in opposition to a malevolent pressure.

Whereas Uninhabited didn’t do something revolutionary throughout the style, it provides a enjoyable viewing expertise that horror film enjoyers can respect. Hakewill’s efficiency as Beth is a standout, since she made Beth’s terror palpable with each line and expression. Nonetheless, the movie’s true star may be the island itself, with its beautiful but desolate magnificence that elevates the sense of isolation and concern that each the characters and the viewers will really feel.

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19 ‘Paradise Lagoon’ (1957)

Directed by Lewis Gilbert

Ever puzzled what would occur if a gaggle of posh Brits have been all of the sudden compelled to fend for themselves? In Paradise Lagoon, the Loam household, a gaggle of hilariously inept aristocrats, and their unflappable butler, Crichton (Kenneth Extra), navigate the challenges of island life after a shipwreck. The social order and dynamics of the group are then turned on its head, for the reason that household has to depend on Crichton’s survival expertise.

Surely, Extra’s efficiency as Crichton will captivate viewers, bringing to life a resourceful butler who turns into the unlikely chief of the shipwrecked group. The film can be extremely humorous with its satirical portrayal of the Loam household, significantly Lord Loam (Cecil Parker), who totally personifies the cluelessness of the higher class. With its witty dialogue and side-splitting moments, Paradise Lagoon is a enjoyable abandoned island movie to observe for film night time.

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18 ‘Horrors of Spider Island’ (1960)

Directed by Fritz Böttger

Horror followers shouldn’t overlook terrifying and thrilling B-movies as a result of there are actual gems like Horrors of the Spider Island. The film follows a gaggle of dancers and their supervisor Gary (Alexander D’Arcy), who discover themselves stranded on a distant island after a aircraft crash. Their worries about rescue are rapidly overshadowed by a much more terrifying menace — Gary has been bitten by a large spider and he transforms right into a violent half-human, half-spider monster.

Regardless of its preliminary important reception, which centered on its low-budget aesthetic and implausible plot, Horrors of Spider Island has garnered a faithful following over time. That’s as a result of it totally embraces B-movie tropes, corresponding to laughably tacky particular results and melodramatic dialogue. Horrors of Spider Island needs to be introduced up when campy horror movies are talked about, because it checks off all of the containers for gloriously dangerous cinema.

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17 ‘Retreat’ (2011)

Directed by Carl Tibbetts

Retreat follows a pair who search restoration from a private tragedy that has shattered their lives. And so they achieve this on an remoted island, away from any form of information or civilization. Their retreat is ruined although when a stranger washes ashore to inform them that an airborne illness has rattled Europe.

Retreat is a artistic twist on the abandoned island style, transferring the movie into the realm of the small-scale apocalyptic subgenre. It definitely brings the nervousness of a pair experiencing stunning world information after being indifferent from humanity for some time. And whereas the execution is way from good, it is price commending the intriguing premise.

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16 ‘The Blue Lagoon’ (1980)

Directed by Randal Kleiser

One of many quintessential and staple tales of sexuality and development on a abandoned island, The Blue Lagoon has been a staple of the style for generations, with a mess of various variations over time. The Eighties model is definitely one of the profitable and recognizable variations of the story, following Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins as Emmeline and Richard, two youngsters who discover themselves shipwrecked and stranded on a seemingly good tropical island. As they alter and stay out their new lives on this island, the duo slowly begins to fall for each other as they construct a brand new house.

The Blue Lagoon does an excellent job of adapting the themes and legacy of the basic novel to the massive display screen, with a strong and timeless portrayal of affection and the sanctity of youth, irrespective of the circumstances. Whereas it is definitely responsible of getting ranges of schmaltz and cheese that have been extra prevalent for these kinds of journey movies of the 80s, the plain strengths and feats of the unique novel assist make this adaptation stand the check of time. – Robert Lee

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15 ‘Six Days, Seven Nights’ (1998)

Directed by Ivan Reitman

Six Days, Seven Nights combines the standard abandoned island survival film conditions and places them collectively into one movie: pirates and a aircraft crash. Harrison Ford performs the grumpy and reclusive constitution pilot who’s employed to fly the extra straight-laced Anne Heche to an emergency photograph shoot in Tahiti. Quickly, it turns right into a film a few couple stranded on an island, desperately making an attempt to outlive.

Their aircraft crashes throughout a storm on an uninhabited island the place the 2 are thrown collectively to outlive. The onscreen chemistry between Ford and Heche is what really makes this admittedly flawed movie so enjoyable to observe – they each play their respective characters so properly, resulting in the right opposites-attract relationship in the long run. The 2 combat off the setting, snakes, and pirates on this heartwarming, and infrequently humorous, abandoned island film.

14 ‘Swiss Household Robinson’ (1960)

Directed by Ken Annakin

Swiss Household Robinson is a basic household journey movie that follows the plucky Switzerland household of the Robinsons, who, on a visit to New Guinea to flee the Napoleonic Wars, find yourself being attacked by pirates and marooned on an uninhabited island. Accompanied by solely themselves and their pet canines, they’re compelled to do what they’ll to combat in opposition to the brand new setting and arrange a brand new house within the identify of survival. Nonetheless, simply as they start to get their footing of their new island house, the pirates appear to have returned to complete the job.

Swiss Household Robinson simply stands out as one of the iconic household and journey movies of the period, with its utilization of real-life animals on a large scale being wholly revolutionary for the period. Nonetheless, the straightforward household dynamics and sense of swashbuckling journey have helped the movie change into a basic for a lot of households over time. Whereas it definitely has a number of elements that have not aged the very best after 60 years, its greatest strengths and fantasy journey nonetheless make it a compelling watch within the modern-day. – Robert Lee

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13 ‘Extortion’ (2017)

Directed by Phil Volken

What occurs when somebody involves rescue you off of a abandoned island, however provided that you give them a million {dollars}? Probably the most underrated island films, Extortion tells this story in a high-stakes, anxiety-riddled journey of the protagonist’s instincts to outlive and save his household.

Eion Bailey performs the protagonist of Kevin with the unbelievable ingenuity of a person with nothing left, contrasting Barkhad Abdi‘s merciless Miguel completely. The film exhibits the lads as two sides of the identical coin, each making an attempt to ensure their households survive, however one keen to go one step additional. Each scene in the direction of the top turns into riddled with extra dread, as you wait to see what Kevin is keen to do subsequent to ensure his household will get house alive.

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12 ‘Sweetheart’ (2019)

Directed by J.D. Dillard

Whereas many stranded island films have their executions observe a way of journey or drama as they observe these stranded making an attempt to flee the island, Sweetheart is likely one of the uncommon few that as an alternative makes use of a horror method to the premise. The movie follows the story of Jenn (Kiersey Clemons), a girl who has washed ashore on a small tropical island and is totally alone in her battle for survival. On high of surviving the weather daily, she can be compelled to fend off a vicious and mysterious pressure that seems on the island every night time.

Sweetheart is definitely one of many most underrated films in Blumhouse’s catalog, in a position to mix the dread and terror of being stranded on an island with a creature characteristic twist that solely additional provides to the fear and suspense. It simply makes for one of the distinctive and singular experiences, not solely relating to stranded island films, however horror films usually, with its quite a few twists and turns being certain to go away audiences on the fringe of their seats. – Robert Lee

11 ‘Madagascar’ (2005)

Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath

Taking the basic stranded island premise and remodeling it right into a foolish, pop-culture-filled animated expertise for audiences of all ages, Madagascar immediately turned a worldwide smash hit that might spawn quite a few sequels and spinoffs. The movie follows a gaggle of animals who’ve been residing easy, pampered lives at New York’s Central Park Zoo, however when zebra Marty has aspirations of residing life within the wild, the group finally ends up on a wild chase that finally ends up getting them stranded on the island of Madagascar. As they try to readjust to their new environment, it does not take lengthy earlier than their natural instincts start to kick in.

Very similar to many different animated films of the early 2000s, the key promoting level and good thing about the movie comes from its A-Listing voice solid, together with the likes of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, and David Schwimmer. Nonetheless, even with the sequels largely abandoning the island of Madagascar as its setpiece, the impression and legacy of the unique movie and its desert island premise are nonetheless largely felt by followers and audiences to at the present time. – Robert Lee

10 ‘Lord of the Flies’ (1990)

Directed by Harry Hook

Lord of the Flies explores the darker facet of humanity and the pure animalistic instincts that reside in even probably the most fashionable people. The movie revolves round a gaggle of schoolboys whose evacuating aircraft is shot down from the sky. They change into stranded on an island and attempt to govern themselves to disastrous outcomes.

Every of the boys represents a unique facet of society, morals, and politics – whether or not it is the charismatic chief, Ralph, and his needs for a greater humanity, or, Jack, the violent, ego-maniac who believes everybody needs to be out for themselves. Whereas the movie misses some crucial points of the book it is primarily based on, it is nonetheless a riveting watch.

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9 ‘The Seashore’ (2000)

Directed by Danny Boyle

The Seashore takes on a a lot darker tone than most films set on an island. It follows Richard (one in every of Leonardo DiCaprio‘s lesser-known characters), who needs to flee his boring life and journey the world, searching for his good paradise-lost. He’s given a map that results in a “tropical paradise” and joins up with a French couple to hitch the island commune.

This commune seems to be a little bit of an island jail as an alternative, run by a girl who collects folks to work for her. Richard causes the island’s downfall when he tells exterior folks in regards to the map. He additionally tries to flee a number of occasions, at all times resulting in another person’s harm or loss of life, and by no means realizes that his personal narcissistic tendencies ended up inflicting way more hurt to the island neighborhood. Whereas The Seashore has some notable flaws like DiCaprio’s questionable appearing, its intriguing premise and delightful setting make it price seeing.

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8 ‘Triangle of Unhappiness’ (2022)

Directed by Ruben Östlund

One of the best image nominated satire that made efforts to fully destroy the tradition of the excessive class, Triangle of Sadness sees an extremely wealthy luxurious cruise journey go fully haywire, as all the pieces goes unsuitable in an array of never-ending chaos and destruction. The passengers quickly discover themselves marooned on a desert island, with none of them having something near the survival expertise essential to survive their predicament. It quickly turns into as much as Abigail (Dolly de Leon), a cleansing lady on the cruise, to imagine a management function in an try to survive on the island.

Whereas solely the second half of this movie is devoted to the desert island, it is tough to disclaim the hilariously darkish impression and reward that the movie has acquired, displaying an incredible satirical portrayal of the vicious cycle of energy and management. Director Ruben Östlund‘s signature type of risque, boundary-breaking comedy and satire works completely in a desert island setting, with constantly hilarious dialogue and a pitch-perfect ending. It has helped the movie change into what is definitely probably the most profitable of his profession to this point, and can solely proceed to develop in reward and appreciation within the years to come back. – Robert Lee

7 ‘Swiss Military Man’ (2016)

Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

An unconventional genre-buster from the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Swiss Army Man is a splendidly bizarre movie a few man stranded on a abandoned island, Hank (Paul Dano), who’s about to surrender all house till he finds a corpse. It’s not simply any corpse, it’s an enchanted corpse portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe who quickly turns into the protagonist’s closest buddy.

The movie depicts a heartfelt and infrequently surreal journey that is probably not for everybody, however those that love quirky humor and a dose of weird elements ought to take into account it important viewing. It’s a implausible film that defies norms, and a touch at what the Daniels have been able to earlier than their Oscar-winning masterpiece, Everything Everywhere All at Once.

6 ‘The Pink Turtle’ (2016)

Directed by Michaël Dudok de Wit

A Studio Ghibli film unlike any other, director Michaël Dudok de Wit‘s The Pink Turtle revolves across the poignant story of a castaway who finds himself stranded on a abandoned island. Each time he tries to flee, he is stopped by a mysterious (and large) pink turtle. Quickly, magical moments assist him understand his deeper connection to the turtle and the island.

Apart from the animated film’s beautiful visuals, what makes The Pink Turtle stand out is the deliberate lack of dialogue all through the movie. As a substitute, visible cues, music, and a easy story are used to create a completely distinctive viewing expertise that may simply depart audiences with tears of their eyes.

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5 ‘Battle Royale’ (2000)

Directed by Kinji Fukasaku

The unique loss of life recreation film earlier than blockbusters like The Hunger Games and hit exhibits like Squid Game, Battle Royale is a basic Japanese movie directed by Kinji Fukasaku. The movie follows the twisted fates of a category of highschool college students who’re thrust right into a lethal recreation of survival on a abandoned island.

As probably the greatest island survival films, the film does a implausible job of portraying really horrific conditions that make audiences query their very own views on morality. The truth that such younger characters are on the forefront makes every motion sequence a high-stakes and nail-biting scene, they usually simply preserve escalating till the film’s darkish conclusion.

4 ‘Isle of Canines’ (2018)

Directed by Wes Anderson

Director Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs is a whimsical stop-motion animated film that transports viewers to a dystopian model of Japan sooner or later, the place all canines are despatched to a trash island due to an outbreak. Ultimately, a younger boy named Atari decides to go to the island to seek out his lacking canine. There, he encounters a pack of useful canines with Chief on the helm. On their journey, the odd group quickly discovers a large conspiracy that might change the canines’ fates.

Contemplating that the island is filled with rubbish and the canines solely just lately moved in (or have been thrown in), this counts as a abandoned island film. Fans of Wes Anderson’s movies have probably already seen this, however even those that are unfamiliar together with his work will probably benefit from the quirky characters, energetic soundtrack, and heartfelt story in Isle of Canines.

3 ‘Castaway on the Moon’ (2009)

Directed by Lee Hae-jun

In the magical Korean rom-com, Castaway on the Moon, a hopeless man riddled with debt decides to finish his life by leaping into the Han River. His world is shaken when he awakens washed up on a abandoned island in the midst of the Seoul River. He searches the island to seek out nothing however flora and vegetation and begins to take pleasure in his time alone there, selecting to remain. Though it’s tough, he finds something to be higher than the troubles of metropolis life.

The movie takes a flip when Kim begins sending for assist and exchanging messages with a girl who spots him whereas photographing the moon. Jung Jae-young performs the dejected Kim in such a heart-warming approach that it is laborious to not root for the completely satisfied ending he so longs for.

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2 ‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Each Jurassic Park film takes place on an island far, distant from human civilization to maintain them away from the monsters which have been created. The 1993 movie continues to be the best Jurassic Park movie, although, as Steven Spielberg confirmed a few of his most prolific work. He created actual dinosaur robotics and filmed a few of the most iconic scenes in cinematic historical past, just like the water rumbling scene.

Probably the most fascinating factor about this movie as a abandoned island film is that, realistically, they are not even on a abandoned island. They by chance create one themselves, as employees die and get eaten, and the one factor that’s left is the dinosaurs and nature.

1 ‘Forged Away’ (2000)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Forged Away is the quintessential abandoned island film – it’s the pioneer amongst films about being stranded on an island. Tom Hanks brilliantly carries the film by himself in one in every of his most legendary roles. The movie was critically acclaimed and nominated for quite a few awards.

Forged Away follows the character of Chuck and his loneliness after a aircraft crash within the South Pacific. Not solely does Chuck go just a little wild on his four-year journey on the abandoned island, he even builds himself a brand new buddy. Probably the most beloved character within the film is Wilson, the volleyball that Chuck turns right into a companion, full with the enduring bloody pink handprint. The truth is, probably the most heartbreaking a part of the movie is not watching Chuck’s infinite battle, it is when he loses poor Wilson to the waves throughout his ultimate getaway.

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