Gold is a gritty survival thriller that stars Zac Efron as an unnamed drifter who stumbles across a colossal gold nugget embedded in an unforgiving desert landscape. Determined to guard his newfound fortune, the man must endure the harsh climate and wild dogs lurking nearby, not to mention the all-consuming greed that drives him to madness.
Directed by Australian filmmaker and actor Anthony Hayes, Gold succeeds thanks to Efron’s career-best performance and a compelling minimalist approach that brings its eternal themes to the fore. It's certainly a thrilling movie but it's not the only exciting survival thriller you could check out. Here is a list of seven movies that we think fans of Gold will enjoy.
Buried (2010)
Featuring one of Ryan Reynolds' best performances, the suitably titled Buried features Reynolds as an American truck driver in Iraq who - after his convoy is ambushed - finds himself in a wooden box somewhere in the desert. Armed with only a Zippo lighter and a working cell phone, Paul desperately seeks help before time runs out.
Buried makes great use of its very specific premise thanks to Spanish director Rodrigo Corde’s tight, constrictive shots that bring a palpable claustrophobic air, not to mention a dread and grit that increases with every passing minute in this race against time thriller. Key to the film’s success is Reynold’s impressive one-man show, portraying the frustration and discomfort of a man buried alive and facing his morality as every vital second passes like grains of sand.
127 Hours (2010)
Based on a true story, 127 Hours stars James Franco as Aron Ralston, a canyoneer who, while hiking in the Blue John Canyon in Utah, finds himself in a dire predicament when his arm is pinned against a rock face by an immovable boulder. Needless to say, the arm had to go, which it does in a grueling fashion.
Director Danny Boyle brings all his visual prowess to 127 Hours, creating a mesmerizing, engrossing movie about an excruciating life-changing experience in which a powerful story where a man learns to appreciate life while in the throes of death. As Ralston, the once in-demand Franco delivers his best performance through on-point expressive acting to sell the tears, the pain, and the eventual happiness that his character endures and experiences.
Sanctum (2011)
A gritty tale of survival inspired by the true-life experiences of writer and producer Andrew Wight, Sanctum tells the story of a group of adventurers who, while exploring a cave system in New Guinea, find themselves in a life-or-death situation when the monsoon hits and the caves begin to flood.
Directed by Alister Grierson, Sanctum benefits especially from its immersive use of 3D technology, a contribution on behalf of filmmaker James Cameron who, as producer, brought to the film the very same cameras and software that made Avatar the pinnacle of 3D moviemaking. While the story and acting are clunky, Sanctum succeeds as an immersive, visually grand experience that provides a claustrophobic, thrilling adventure set in a vast, labyrinth structure.
The Grey (2011)
A gritty action thriller that pits the spirit of man against the brutality of nature, The Grey stars Liam Neeson as Ottway, a mercenary hired to protect workers at an Alaskan oil drilling site from wolves looking for slim pickings. When a plane carrying Ottway and several workers crashes in the middle of nowhere, they are left to the mercy of the elements, the brutal terrain, and the wolves who stalk them day and night.
A chase movie that features a terrific Neeson and his grizzly band of survivalists (among them Dermot Mulroney and Frank Grillo) trying to survive the elements while staying one step ahead of severely menacing wolves, the Joe Carnahan-directed The Grey is also a deeply felt drama, with every character dealing with the realization that he is about to become prey to an unmerciful land and its inhabitants.
All Is Lost (2013)
Starring screen legend Robert Redford in one of his best performances, All Is Lost tells the story of a man who finds himself lost in the Indian Ocean when his boat collides with a wayward shipping container. Battered by storms and with sharks circling, the man does all he can to keep his vessel afloat.
Director J.C. Chandor, following his impressive debut Margin Call, delivers an immersive survival thriller in All Is Lost that draws its viewers into one man’s spiritual, emotional, psychological, and physical journey as he attempts survival on the high seas. Despite minimal dialogue (only 51 words are spoken throughout the film), Chandor has created a film that is rich in theme and stirring in feeling. It is all made especially potent by Redford who delivers a soulful, thoughtful, and engrossing performance that ranks amongst his best in a storied 60-plus year career.
Cast Away (2000)
An exceptionally well-crafted and performed survival drama, Cast Away stars Tom Hanks as Chuck, a FedEx executive who crash lands on a deserted island. With no way home, Chuck must learn to adapt to his new surroundings. Four years later, Chuck decides to take a leap of faith and try to find his way back to civilization.
Shot over a year, in which time Hanks gained and lost 50 pounds for the role, Cast Away has proven to be an enduring classic mostly thanks to an incredibly compelling performance by the lead actor. The two-time Oscar winner is on the screen by himself for two-thirds of the film, during which time he even achieves chemistry with a Wilson volleyball. Director Robert Zemeckis directs Cast Away with the technical flair expected from the Back of the Future filmmaker but also brings a sense of maturity seldom seen in his previous movies.
Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
The first collaboration between prolific director Werner Herzog and the late Klaus Kinski, the 16th century-set Aguirre, the Wrath of God tells the story of Spanish conquistador Don Lope de Aguirre, who loses his mind while leading an expedition in search of the legendary city of gold, El Dorado.
A highly acclaimed cult favorite, Aguirre, the Wrath of God is a fascinating piece of historical fiction that continues to compel with its themes of greed and man's contempt for nature, not to mention Kinski’s powerfully unhinged performance. Just as infamous was the volatility behind the scenes, with Herzog and Kinksi at loggerheads about how Kinski should play his role. This led to an infamous confrontation between the pair, when a clearly out of his mind Herzog allegedly threatened to shoot Kinski and himself if Kinski made true on his threat to leave the production.