Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled ride with these highly engaging action thrillers which are based on real-life rescue missions. From daring escapes to desperate battles against the clock, these movies deliver non-stop excitement as protagonists face impossible odds to save the day. Get your popcorn ready as we count down the top high-octane movies that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
7 edge-of-the-seat action thrillers that are inspired by real-life rescue missions; available on JioCinema, Prime Video, and more
1. World Trade Centre – Amazon Prime Video
This emotionally charged movie is based on the true story of two Port Authority Police Department officers, John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno, who were trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The movie begins with the officers reporting for duty on the morning of 9/11 and follows their experiences as they respond to the unfolding crisis at the Twin Towers. As the towers collapse, McLoughlin (played by Nicolas Cage) and Jimeno (played by Michael Peña) get trapped under the debris. The movie depicts their struggle for survival, as well as the efforts of their families and rescuers who work tirelessly to locate and free the officers. This inspiring movie highlights the heroism of the survivors and the first responders who risked their lives to save others on that fateful day.
2. Argo – JioCinema
Directed by Ben Affleck, this gripping thriller is based on the true story of a daring CIA operation to rescue six American diplomats during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979-1981. The plot follows CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), who makes an elaborate, risky plan to extract the diplomats from Tehran. He poses as a Hollywood filmmaker scouting locations for a fake science fiction movie called Argo. With the help of Hollywood makeup artist John Chambers (played by John Goodman) and veteran producer Lester Siegel (played by Alan Arkin), Mendez sets out to create the illusion of a legitimate film production to provide cover for the covert rescue mission. Amid escalating tensions, Mendez arrives in Iran alone to implement his plan by training the diplomats to act as his crew. The tense and suspenseful thriller combines real-life historical events with fiction and keeps us on the edge of our seats till the end.
3. Tiger Zinda Hai – Amazon Prime Video
This sequel to the 2012 blockbuster movie, Ek Tha Tiger, continues the story of the two spies from rival intelligence agencies – Tiger from India’s RAW and Zoya from Pakistan’s ISI – who fell in love during a mission. The two are called back into action when a group of Indian nurses is abducted by a terrorist organisation in Iraq. The mission becomes a high-stakes operation to rescue the hostages and eliminate the threat posed by the terrorists. The film is packed with intense action sequences, thrilling chase scenes, and dramatic confrontations as Tiger, Zoya, and the Indian and Pakistani agents team up to accomplish the joint mission. The movie is loosely based on ISIL’s kidnapping of Indian nurses in 2014.
4. Airlift – JioCinema
The film is based on the true story of the largest civilian evacuation in history, which took place during the Gulf War in 1990. The movie stars Akshay Kumar as Ranjit Katyal, a wealthy Indian businessman settled in Kuwait. The movie focuses on the chaos that unfolds when Iraq invades Kuwait and traps over 170,000 Indian expatriates, including Ranjit’s family and friends, in the war zone. As the tension intensifies, Ranjit bravely takes the responsibility of organising evacuation to rescue the stranded Indians and take them home safely. With limited resources, he works tirelessly to negotiate with government officials and implement a massive airlift operation with the help of the Indian government.
5. Apollo 13 – JioCinema
The movie brings to screen the true story of the ill-fated Apollo 13 lunar mission, which faced a life-threatening crisis while en route to the moon in April 1970. Starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton as the three astronauts — Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert, respectively — the movie depicts the tense and dramatic events that unfold when an oxygen tank explodes aboard the spacecraft, endangering the lives of the crew and jeopardising the entire mission. As the world watches anxiously, the NASA team on the ground, led by flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), works tirelessly to bring the astronauts safely back to Earth. The movie received critical acclaim for its attention to detail, realistic portrayal of space travel, compelling storytelling and noteworthy performances.
6. Mission Raniganj – Netflix
The movie spotlights the tragic Raniganj Coalfields collapse in 1989. The plot revolves around the rescue operation set in motion and spearheaded by Jaswant Singh Gill (Akshay Kumar), stationed as a manager of a neighbouring mine. He fights scepticism from his teammates who believe the coal miners to be dead. Jaswant doesn’t give up and makes a plan to reach the trapped workers and rescue them. His problems grow when a rival company sends a perpetrator to sabotage Jaswant’s rescue efforts. Jaswant risks his life and works tirelessly to bring the miners out. The tense plot keeps you on tenterhooks as you follow Jaswant, who fights against all odds to save the miners.
7. Thirteen Lives – Amazon Prime Video
This biographical survival movie tells the true story of the dramatic rescue mission of the Wild Boar soccer team and their coach, who were trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand in June 2018. The movie follows the ordeal of the boys and their coach, stranded deep inside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave after heavy rain floods the tunnels and blocks their exit. With time running out and the threat of rising water levels, an international team of rescuers, including Thai Navy SEALs, cave divers, and volunteers from around the world, worked relentlessly to locate the missing boys and bring them home safely.
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