With the upcoming release of Beast, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Man v. Wild Films.
Each writer ranks his or her top 15 films in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five.
5. THE MARTIAN
One may not consider The Martian a man v. wild movie at first, but from where I sit, Ridley Scott’s brilliant adaptation of the famous novel fits the mold as much as anything else. Left with only the tools that remain, Matt Damon churns out one of his best performances ever as Mark Watney, an astronaut left to brave the Martian elements with only his wits and some disco music. Almost every moment of this movie works perfectly, both dramatic and comedic. - Jacob
4. 127 HOURS
Director Danny Boyle uses 127 Hours‘ real-life, man v. wild story to craft one of his best films yet…maybe even his absolute best, full stop. It’s tough to watch at times due to some of its more graphic moments, but it remains an inspiring story anyway, as it explores a man's will and struggle to survive. Quite frankly, that is as man v. wild as you can get. - Adriano
3. CAST AWAY
A modern-day Robinson Crusoe, Cast Away is still, in my opinion, one of Tom Hanks’ best and most memorable roles. It’s probably the most perfect depiction of not just someone trapped in isolation, but of a man fighting to survive nature. It's inspirational, beautiful, and surprisingly funny. The fact that Cast Away can make you care about a volleyball proves just how good this film is. It’s an underappreciated classic. - Joseph
2. JAWS
“You're gonna need a bigger boat” to understand how much I love this film! Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is a classic blockbuster masterpiece. It’s a well-crafted film that still brings terror to my eyes every time I watch it, and let’s not forget about the iconic score from John Williams. Once you hear that theme, you just know it’s shark time and somebody’s about to get eaten. That’s enough to keep me out of the deep blue sea. - Paige
1. JURASSIC PARK
Jurassic Park should be headlining a lot of “Top” lists, and for good reason. The characters are interesting, the pacing is great, the story is tight, and it does what every blockbuster is supposed to do - entertain you. But probably the most amazing thing is that the “wild” aspect still holds up almost 30 years later. The dinosaurs look real, feel real, act real, and most importantly, give you a reason to care about the movie. It’ll hold up for another 30 years too. - Amarú
HONORABLE MENTIONS
INTO THE WILD
THE SHALLOWS
TWISTER
THE REVENANT
THE PERFECT STORM
Photo Credits: Photo 1, 3 - 20th Century Studios; Photo 2 - Warner Bros; Photo 4, 5 - Universal Pictures