6 Best Coast Guard Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · April 14, 2026

Rescue work at sea is dangerous and heroic, and these films capture the nerves of it. The Finest Hours has a Coast Guard crew saving sailors from a sinking tanker, The Perfect Storm and The Guardian add more sea drama, and White Squall turns a training ship into a tragedy. Adrift and 13 Lives round out a list where survival is never certain.

13 Lives (2022)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Divers attempt a daring rescue of a youth football team trapped deep in a flooded cave.

Directed by Ron Howard · 2h 27m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

White Squall (1996)

TMDB ★ 6.9

Student sailors aboard a training ship face tragedy when a violent storm strikes without warning.

Directed by Ridley Scott · 2h 09m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Adrift (2018)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A young sailing couple fights to survive after a massive hurricane wrecks their yacht.

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur · 1h 36m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Finest Hours (2016)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A Coast Guard crew mounts a daring rescue of sailors trapped on a sinking tanker in a violent storm.

Directed by Craig Gillespie · 1h 57m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Guardian (2006)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A legendary Coast Guard rescue swimmer trains a talented but arrogant new recruit.

Directed by Andrew Davis · 2h 19m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video · Buy: Apple TV Store

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Perfect Storm (2000)

TMDB ★ 6.4

A commercial fishing crew battles a monstrous, once-in-a-generation storm at sea.

Directed by Wolfgang Petersen · 2h 10m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

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. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Coast Guard Movies of All Time

13 Lives (2022)

White Squall (1996)

Adrift (2018)

The Finest Hours (2016)

The Guardian (2006)

The Perfect Storm (2000)

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