Released on Netflix, Don’t Move (2023) is a survival thriller that has a really interesting premise at hand. The film centers on a young woman named Iris who, after sustaining severe injuries, must navigate a terrifying game of cat and mouse with a relentless, sadistic killer. Severely limited by her injuries, Iris is forced to remain as still as possible to avoid detection, relying on her sharpened senses and resourcefulness to survive. As the tension mounts, the film examines how even the smallest movements can mean life or death, creating a suspenseful, immersive viewing experience that keeps audiences on edge. If you’ve watched and enjoyed Don’t Move on Netflix, this article includes a selection of other survival movies like it, capturing similar themes of isolation and intense stakes; featuring characters who confront physical limitations and merciless adversaries.
1. Hush (2016)
Mike Flanagan’s Hush (2016) and Don’t Move (2023) share striking thematic and narrative parallels, each as tense survival horror films centered on deaf or injured protagonists who must outsmart merciless attackers. In Hush, Maddie, a deaf-mute writer, faces a masked killer while isolated in her woodland home, relying on her heightened senses and resourcefulness. Similarly, Don’t Move follows a woman struggling to survive after sustaining injuries, with her sharpened senses aiding her against a relentless killer.
Both films create suspense by isolating the protagonists with physical impairments, compelling them to improvise and survive in hostile, isolating settings. Themes of vulnerability, resilience, and desperation for survival are central in both stories, which highlight the characters’ endurance under extreme pressure. The antagonists are depicted as relentless, almost predatory figures with sadistic motives, and both films exploit the protagonists’ limitations to create inventive, high-stakes scenarios that explore human resilience and fear, leaving viewers on edge.
2. A Quiet Place: Part II (2020)
Another great example of movies like Don’t Movie is John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place: Part II, in which the Abbott family continues their silent struggle for survival against creatures that hunt by sound, forcing them to remain nearly motionless or silent to stay safe. This tension mirrors Don’t Move, where the protagonist must stay as still as possible, managing injury and evading a relentless killer.
Both films emphasize survival under extreme limitations. In A Quiet Place: Part II, Regan and Evelyn Abbott use silence and their understanding of the creatures’ weaknesses to outsmart them, relying on heightened senses and ingenuity much like the protagonist in Don’t Move. This setup creates tension rooted in restraint and fear of being discovered. The threat of sound in A Quiet Place: Part II parallels the protagonist’s limitations in Don’t Move, where small movements could mean exposure.
3. Don’t Breathe (2016)
The Stephen Lang starrer Don’t Breathe (2016) shares intense survival horror elements with Don’t Move, focusing on protagonists trapped in confined spaces. In Don’t Breathe, a group of young thieves breaks into a blind man’s house, only to realize he’s far more dangerous than they anticipated; soon, they’re hunted in silence through his darkened home. In Don’t Move, the protagonist, Iris, similarly faces life-or-death stakes as she attempts to evade a relentless killer, forced to stay as motionless and quiet as possible.
While Don’t Breathe utilizes the terrifying aspect of a blind antagonist with acute hearing and military skills, Don’t Move builds suspense by leveraging the protagonist’s physical impairment as they attempt to evade detection. The protagonists in both films must rely on cunning and quick thinking to escape a brutal game of cat and mouse. Those who enjoy movies that explore desperation, human resilience, and the terrifying experience of being trapped with a deadly force should definitely check out this title.
If you liked the movie ‘Don’t Move’, then you definitely must add Randall Okita’s See For Me for its very similar survival thriller concept. Sophie, a blind former skier, is house-sitting a remote mansion when it’s broken into by robbers. Sophie’s blindness becomes a key element of suspense as she uses a phone app called “See For Me,” where a remote helper guides her movements.
Both movies emphasize survival through creative adaptation. Sophie and Iris in Don’t Move leverage their heightened awareness, resourcefulness, and resilience, relying on outside help (the app in See For Me and situational ingenuity in Don’t Move) to navigate their high-stakes environments. Each film amplifies tension by isolating characters and casting the threat of death ever closer, building suspenseful narratives that center on characters overcoming their perceived limitations to outsmart their pursuers.
5. Crank (2006)
Crank is an action-packed thriller starring Jason Statham as Chev Chelios, a hitman poisoned by a rival gang. To stay alive, Chev must keep his adrenaline up or risk dying. The movie is a relentless, high-energy rush filled with daring stunts, intense chases, and a chaotic tone. It’s comparable to movies like Don’t Move in its exploration of survival under extreme pressure, its fast pacing, and its adrenaline-fueled thrills. Both films keep viewers on edge, using time-sensitive storylines that push their characters to extreme lengths to stay alive, creating a suspenseful and thrilling experience.
Themes of revenge, mortality, and desperation are common in Crank and Don’t Move, with both protagonists forced to face immediate and violent threats. While Don’t Move dives into horror thriller, Crank leans into campy, over-the-top action, making it a game-changer for Statham’s career and the action genre. Its exaggerated style made it a cult hit and showcased Statham’s versatility, establishing him as a major action star. As far as movies like ‘Don’t Move’ go, Crank stands out for its intensity, dark humor, and relentless pacing, offering a high-octane experience for viewers who enjoy edgy and campy action thrillers.
6. Trap (2024)
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap presents a suspenseful plotline centered around a pop star’s concert doubling as a deadly game to ensnare a serial killer. The film follows Cooper Abbott (Josh Hartnett), a firefighter revealed to be a serial killer known as “The Butcher.” The movie’s plot hinges on Cooper’s attendance at a concert with his daughter Riley, where an FBI-led trap unfolds to capture him. This setup introduces an intense, layered narrative where Cooper’s ruthless intellect and his relationship with his family complicate his entrapment by law enforcement.
Like Don’t Move, Trap delves into themes of survival, betrayal, and manipulation, especially through Cooper’s increasingly desperate strategies to outsmart his pursuers. Both films explore intense predator-prey dynamics, building suspense through close-quarters interactions. Shyamalan’s signature approach—incorporating twists and manipulating audience expectations—shapes the film’s revelations and emotional tension. For fans of psychological thriller movies, Trap offers a compelling blend of family drama and psychological tension that underscores Shyamalan’s knack for plot twists and intense atmosphere.
7. In the Tall Grass (2019)
In the Tall Grass (2019) is a horror thriller based on Stephen King and Joe Hill’s 2012 novella. Available on Netflix, it follows siblings Cal and Becky who, upon hearing a young boy’s cries for help, venture into a dense, maze-like field of tall grass. Once inside, they find themselves trapped in a reality-warping maze where time and space distort, and escaping becomes increasingly impossible. The sinister power within the grass forces them to confront twisted horrors and their own survival instincts.
Similar to Don’t Move, Vincenzo Natali’s film explores the terrifying struggle for survival in an inescapable setting. Both movies focus on characters trapped within deadly spaces, and both blend psychological tension with physical danger, creating a claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere. In both films, characters are pushed to their limits, highlighting themes of desperation and the drive to escape against near-impossible odds. For fans of survival thrillers, In the Tall Grass is highly engaging due to its supernatural twists and relentless tension making it a top pick for a list of movies like ‘Don’t Move’.
Deepshikha Deb is the publisher of High on Films. She quit her job to watch movies with her husband and occasionally write about them. She is also a social media and momo-tasting expert who loves Masala Dosa and Tilda Swinton.
