6 Best Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Movies

By Vlad Zakh · February 19, 2026

The polar regions’ brutal isolation has produced some of cinema’s most punishing survival stories, where the true enemy is often the landscape itself. In The Thing (1982): An Antarctic research team is stalked by a shape-shifting alien capable of perfectly imitating anyone it kills. Worth seeking out is Alive (1993): Survivors of a plane crash high in the snowbound Andes must make unimaginable choices to survive.

Arctic (2018)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A stranded plane crash survivor in the Arctic must decide whether to risk a dangerous trek for rescue.

Directed by Joe Penna · 1h 38m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Cinemax Amazon Channel, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Shackleton's Captain (2012)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A dramatization follows the captain who guided Ernest Shackleton's doomed Antarctic expedition to safety.

Directed by Leanne Pooley · 1h 30m

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Curiosity Stream, CuriosityStream Apple TV channel, CuriosityStream Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Grey (2011)

TMDB ★ 6.7

Oil rig workers stranded after a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness are hunted by a pack of wolves.

Directed by Joe Carnahan · 1h 57m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Alive (1993)

TMDB ★ 7.3

Survivors of a plane crash high in the snowbound Andes must make unimaginable choices to survive.

Directed by Frank Marshall · 2h 07m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Thing (1982)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 85% Metacritic 57

An Antarctic research team is stalked by a shape-shifting alien capable of perfectly imitating anyone it kills.

Directed by John Carpenter · 1h 49m · Rated R

1 win & 5 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Scott of the Antarctic (1948)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A dramatization follows the doomed British expedition to reach the South Pole.

Directed by Charles Frend · 1h 51m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, BFI Player Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Movies

Arctic (2018)

Shackleton's Captain (2012)

The Grey (2011)

Alive (1993)

The Thing (1982)

Scott of the Antarctic (1948)

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