It’s All a Game. 5 Life or Death Movies Similar to Squid Game.
It’s officially the most watched Netflix series of all time, and the popularity of Squid Game seems to have no end.
If you’re hooked by the concept of a life or death game, where participants have no other choice than to play hard at all costs, you’ll enjoy these 5 movies that have similar stakes as Squid Game.
Watch them all and choose your favourite. But be careful…any wrong choice you make could cost you your life!!!
Well, no…not really.
The Hunt (2020)
The Lowdown:
A group of elites gather for the very first time at a remote Manor House to hunt ordinary Americans for sport. But the elites’ master plan is about to be derailed because one of The Hunted, Crystal, knows The Hunters’ game better than they do.
Reasons For Watching:
The Hunt caused a storm of controversy upon its release because at its heart, the film is a political satire that cut a little too close to the bone in a Trump-led America. It didn’t help that it was released mere months before the 2020 Presidential election.
It’s a wild and brutal ride, but check it out for lead Betty Gilpin’s star performance. She’s an actress always worth watching, from Nurse Jackie to the Netflix series Glow, she’s one of the most interesting and versatile actresses around.
The Running Man (1987)
The Lowdown:
A wrongly convicted man must try to survive a public execution gauntlet staged as a game show.
Reasons For Watching:
Yeah it’s dated and it’s cheesy…but it’s peak Arnie in all his ridiculous one-liner glory! We suggest you watch this one before an inevitable remake is made. There’s already talk of Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Baby Driver) helming the update.
Escape Room (2019)
The Lowdown:
A psychological thriller about six strangers who find themselves in circumstances beyond their control and must use their wits to find the clues or die.
Reasons For Watching:
If you’ve ever participated in an escape room with friends, you have no doubt stopped in the middle of it and thought, “What if this was real life?”…well, Escape Room and its equally entertaining sequel Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, answers that question with rather terrifying results.
Expect this to be an ongoing franchise with increasingly imaginative rooms to escape from…or die trying!
Cube (1997)
The Lowdown:
A student, an ex-con, an engineer, a social worker, a cop and a mentally handicapped person are caught like rats in a trap in a maze of interlocking cubes with no apparent way out. They’re clueless as to how they got there or why they were chosen. Food or water is nowhere to be found, and upon further investigation, the six discover some of the rooms are booby-trapped with destructive devices.
Reasons For Watching:
Back in 1997, Cube came along with what was then a wholly original, and intriguingly simple premise. In today’s Squid Game obsessed world, this great little Canadian thriller is looked upon as a pioneer of the survival horror genre.
Cube is more claustrophobic than Squid Game, but no less frightening.
Ready or Not (2019)
The Lowdown:
A young bride joins her new husband’s rich, eccentric family in a time-honored tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.
Reasons For Watching:
Those who enjoyed Samara Weaving in her recent role as part of 9 Perfect Strangers on Amazon Prime Video, will love her turn as a smart, sassy and hilariously funny final girl in this highly-rated Horror Comedy.
It’s witty and gory, and will have you cheering by the end. A fun and wild ride from start to finish.
Honorable Mentions…
Want more Squid Game-esque movies to get you through 2021? Do everything you can to, search, find and enjoy these other great recommendations:
Battle Royale (2000)
The Platform (2019)
Alice in Borderland (2020)
Circle (2015)
As the Gods Will (2014)
