REVIEW: ‘Survive’ Can’t Seem To Capitalize On Its Strenghts

Frédéric Jardin’s Survive (2025) isn’t your typical disaster film. It features all of the staples. An event that results in widespread destruction, a race against time, and familial drama. There’s even the crazed individual whose self-centered actions lead to their own demise. Explosions, large carnivorous sea creatures, a bit of gore – Survive has all the makings to provide some popcorn movie fun. Unfortunately, this mostly by-the-numbers experience differs from other films in this genre for one major reason: it’s boring.

Of course, that’s not to say that familiarity isn’t inherently tiresome. If you’ve seen one disaster film, chances are you’ve seen them all. However, their ability to entertain through some form of violent spectacle or a fully realized, character-driven plot makes them still worth watching. Survive (2025) has both to a degree, but neither aspect is strong enough to carry the film. A shame, considering how well things go initially.

After enduring a chaotic night out at sea, Tom (Andreas Pietschmann) and Julia (Émilie Dequenne) awaken to their boat being stranded on the ocean floor. The water has receded to dry land. With little to no outside help and dwindling resources, it was up to them to get their kids (Lisa Delamar and Lucas Ebel) to safety before they die of thirst, hunger, or worse. It’s an interesting dilemma that’s bolstered by Dequenne’s solid portrayal of a desperate and emotionally spent Julia.

Survive (2025) is grounded in Émilie Dequenne’s performance.

In order to survive, this distraught family would need to get to someplace safe before the sea came rushing back. But walking on the dry ocean floor is akin to traversing a desert or rocky mountain pass. The weight of such a task is always reflected in Dequenne’s acting; her tough but caring demeanor realistically conveys Julia’s state of mind during this harrowing journey.

When her struggle to keep everyone going is exacerbated by flesh-eating crustaceans, it’s Dequenne’s convincing displays of strength and self-determination that rings true; whether she’s giving aid to a wounded family member or brutally assaulting an enemy, all of her scenes feel genuine

The rest of Survive’s cast does fairly well. Pietschmann is commendable as the well-meaning Tom. Lisa Delamar and Lucas Ebel are also decent as Julia’s kids Cassie and Ben, with Delamar stealing most of their scenes together thanks to some relatable displays of emotion.

On the other hand, Arben Bajraktaraj’s depiction of a violent stranger feels like a means to an end. While his presence adds some much-needed tension, he’s mostly there to move things along. Olivier Ho Hio Hen’s portrayal of life-saver Nao is similar; he just isn’t onscreen enough to be impactful.

Increasing stakes don’t amount to the intensity it alludes to in Survive.

The same can be said of Survive as a whole. There’s just not enough here to warrant a real sense of urgency. It’s easy to overlook the ramifications of the world’s oceans receding to dry land when any indication of the damage inflicted is held to the end. That includes the water’s inevitable return as the “race against time” never amounts to the tense situation being alluded to.

There also isn’t much in the way of danger beyond a few notable encounters; while the remnants of their attacks are apparent, the crustaceans rarely ever make an appearance. Even the familial drama isn’t all that moving, their struggle mostly amounts to aimlessly walking/running from perusers and the occasional disagreement.

Survive (2025) isn’t a terrible film. It features an interesting premise and some solid acting. And when the most harrowing of situations is showcased, it elicits a bit of excitement. That said, it doesn’t capitalize off of the unique elements presented in its plot. The villain(s) are mostly absent, there’s not much in the way of visual intrigue in relation to an ocean-destroying event, and the character focused dilemma isn’t poignant enough to anchor the film.

Survive certainly has some good moments, thanks to a strong showing by Émilie Dequenne. They just aren’t frequent enough to keep it from being a mostly boring experience.

Survive (2025) is out in theaters now and on available to rent on VOD.