Survival: Vendetta

Survival: Vendetta (aka Survival 5) is a 2019 American thriller film directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. The fifth film in the Survival franchise. Although billed as a reboot of the franchise, the film is a direct sequel to 2009's Survival IV: Most Wanted and the first in a series not produced by New Line Cinema before the franchise was sold to Paramount Pictures in 2016. The film stars Mikey Madison, Mason Gooding, Shannon Elizabeth, Sean William Scott, Eric Knudsen, Jack Quaid, and Matt Keeslar. The film takes place ten years after the events of the fourth film, when another group of teenagers appears who decide to visit the Himalayas, but lose communication and Internet networks, which is why they are forced to survive in the forest for 2 months without any resources or skills.
Although a fifth and sixth Survival installment were discussed following the release of Survival IV in 2009, Luait Little was hesitant to continue making the films after the fourth film's less-than-expected box office performance. Following a string of failures by The Line Cinema and a lack of development on their part, the franchise was sold to Paramount in August 2016, who confirmed that a new film would be made at a later date. Filming took place between September and November 2018 in North Carolina and at the foot of the Himalayas. To avoid plot leaks, multiple versions of the script were prepared and several additional scenes were filmed.
Survival: Vendetta was released in US theaters on April 20, 2019 by Paramount Pictures and grossed $163 million worldwide, becoming the franchise's highest-grossing film. Critics praised it for respecting the legacy of the original film and providing thoughtful meta-commentary on horror films, with some calling it the best of the Survival sequels. A sequel, Survival: Awakening, was announced in February 2020 with a release date of January 15, 2022.
== Plot ==
A group of teenagers, consisting of four best friends, decide to go on an amazing adventure to the Himalayas. They will have to conquer the top of the highest mountain and enjoy stunning views. However, during the hike, the group lost contact with the outside world due to a strong storm.
Lost in a dense forest, the teenagers found themselves on their own and forced to survive in nature. For two months they struggled with hunger, cold and unknown dangers, but did not lose hope of salvation.
Just in time, when the group was already starting to run out of supplies, help came to them. A team of rescuers found lost teenagers thanks to a response to their help signals. The rescuers turned out to be Scott, Nora and Martha. The teenagers were rescued and taken to safety.
This adventure became a real test of friendship and survival for the friends. They were able to overcome all difficulties thanks to mutual support and faith in success. Despite the challenges, they returned home with incredible memories and a new appreciation for the power of friendship and survival in the great outdoors.
== Cast ==
* Sean William Scott as Scott
* Shannon Elizabeth as Nora
* Eric Knudsen as Hal
* Jack Quaid as Stein
* Mikey Madison as Gale
* Matt Keeslar as Eddie
* Dylan Minnette as Sisel
* Mason Gooding as Chuck
* Kyle Gallner as Tobey
* Chester Tam as Victim
* Reggie Conquest as Victim 2
* Heather Matarazzo as Todd
* Roger L. Jackson as Chad
== Release ==
=== Theatrical ===
The film was released on April 20, 2019 by Paramount Pictures.
=== Home media ===
In the United States, Vendetta was released digitally on July 1, 2019. It was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on August 5, 2019 by Paramount Home Entertainment. The film grossed $6 million from home sales.
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
Scream grossed $79 million in the United States and Canada for a worldwide total of $163 million. Deadline Hollywood estimated the film's net profit at $60.2 million after all expenses and revenues were taken into account. Budget - $21 million.
Outside the United States and Canada, the film earned $17.9 million from 50 markets in its opening weekend. The film grossed $10.2 million from 54 markets in its second weekend, $6.5 million from 55 markets in its third weekend, $4.3 million from 59 markets in its fourth weekend.
=== Critical response ===
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 72% based on 214 reviews and an average rating of 6.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "In Survival: Vendetta, the franchise works harder than ever to maintain its meta -advantage". On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of A- on an A+ to F scale, and PostTrak viewers gave it an overall positive score of 82%, with 66% saying they would definitely recommend it.
The acting received particular praise. Shannon and Scott received acclaim for their performances, and were known for their fresh takes on old roles. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "it's nice to see the couple back in fine form to take care of unfinished business."
== Other Media ==
=== Sequel ===
In February 2020, the film's directors expressed interest in making future films in the series. The sixth film was officially greenlit on February 14, 2020, with the same creative team returning. Sean William Scott confirmed his participation in March of that year.
In May 2020, it was announced that Shannon Elizabeth and Eric Knudsen would also return. The next day, it was also announced that Joel Harris would reprise his role as Richard from the fourth film.
Survival: Awakening was theatrically released in the United States on January 15, 2022 by Paramount Pictures.
=== Games ===
Following the events of the fifth film, two games in the franchise were released: Survival: Origins on August 19, 2019, and Survival: Brotherhood on April 4, 2020. The games received mixed reviews from critics.