Plane crash. Survival. Cannibalism. Avalanche.
The doc starts a bit slow but stick with it — it is then (perhaps) the most incredible story I’ve ever heard directly from the people who experienced it.
More spoiler alerts are in “My Review” below…or you can dive right in with the free link below!
I rank “Stranded” #12 in my list of “Best Survival Documentaries” (I’m up to 15 of them!).
FYI — In Januay 2024, Netflix launched a dramatized version of the same event called “Society of the Snow”.
Watch “Stranded”
You can watch the full doc (with English subtitles) for free on YouTube by clicking the embed video above or this link: Stranded: I’ve Come from a Plane that Crashed on the Mountains
Ratings:
- My Rating: 98 out of 100
- IMDB Rating: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 92/100 (user rating); 97/100 (critics)
My Review of “Stranded”
“Stranded,” the 2007 documentary, unfolds slowly, like a quiet dawn before a storm, then descends into one of the most harrowing survival stories ever told.
Gonzalo Arijón’s 126-minute film delves deep into the 1972 Andes plane crash, a tale of human endurance that stretches the limits of belief.
The doc details the plight of the Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed into the unforgiving Andes.
It’s a gut-wrenching narrative, not just of the crash but of the aftermath – 16 of the 45 passengers miraculously survived after enduring 72 days in the mountains.
The search and rescue efforts were called off, leaving them stranded and invisible to the outside world.
In the face of dwindling supplies and no hope of rescue, the survivors faced an unimaginable decision: cannibalism.
They made the heart-wrenching choice to eat the flesh of their deceased teammates to survive.
It’s a raw and visceral depiction of survival, where moral lines blur in the face of life and death.
The doc doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of their situation. An avalanche adds to their nightmare, burying the fuselage they used as shelter and claiming eight more lives.
The scenes where body parts eerily emerge from the snow are haunting reminders of the tragedy’s scale.
“Stranded” is as much about psychological resilience as it is about physical survival.
The doc captures out-of-body experiences and the psychological toll of the survivors, who had to consume human flesh, including the flesh from the bodies of friends and loved ones, to stay alive.
Arijón’s storytelling is unflinching in its honesty. The reenactments and interviews with survivors bring you uncomfortably close to their pain, guilt, and unyielding hope.
For those intrigued by stories of extreme survival and the human capacity to adapt, “Stranded” offers a gripping, unforgettable experience.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc