The best adventure movies: The films that keep you on the edge of your seat
The idea of an adventure movie is pretty specialized. These are movies that exist broadly within the world of action cinema, but they are just one small corner of that world. These movies typically involve exotic locations, traps, and tunnels. Sometimes, they’re set in the jungle or the desert, and sometimes they’re set on the high seas.
Personally, I’m partial to sea-faring movies, maybe in part because I have no desire to live my life on the water. In my own life, these movies have often represented a chance to understand the world, and to appreciate its vastness, splendor, and danger.
Wherever these movies are set, though, each of them gives you a thrilling feeling of discovery. From movies meant for fairly young children to truly adult fare, these are the best adventure movies ever made.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Duration: 115m
Genre: Adventure, Action
Stars: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Few directors are more capable of eliciting raw thrills than Steven Spielberg, and he was at his best with Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film, which introduced us to Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones, is an intentional throwback to an era of adventure serials, but told with a more modern sensibility. When Indy is recruited to track down the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can get their hands on it, he sets off on a wild adventure through the Middle East that feels every bit as thrilling today as it did when it was first released.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Duration: 228m
Genre: Adventure, History, War
Stars: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn
Directed by: David Lean
The making of Lawrence of Arabia was an adventure in and of itself, but the results speak for themselves. Telling the sprawling story of T.E. Lawrence, a British lieutenant who worked with the Arabs as a liaison in their battle against the Turks, the movie is filled with incredible vistas and stunning set pieces. Interestingly, the movie has complicated feelings about its central character, understanding how complicated his relationship with the arabs is and how much he seems to enjoy putting himself in dangerous situations. It’s a captivating movie anchored by a brilliant performance from Peter O’Toole.
The Goonies (1985)
Duration: 114m
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
Stars: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen
Directed by: Richard Donner
One of the great kids adventure movies ever made, The Goonies tells the story of a group of friends who become determined to save one family’s home from developers trying to tear it down. When they discover a treasure map that leads them underground, they hope to find buried treasure and end up uncovering a number of obstacles along the way. While The Goonies is definitely a kid-friendly film, it’s a movie that people of all ages should find endearing and ultimately heartwarming.
The Mask of Zorro (1998)
Duration: 136m
Genre: Action, Adventure
Stars: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Antonio Banderas is very charismatic, and when he’s paired with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anthony Hopkins in a movie this fun, there’s basically no reason not to love it. The Mask of Zorro tells the story of an aging Zorro who, after being released from prison after 20 years, vows revenge against his old nemesis. At the same time, he takes a young drunk under his wing, teaching him everything he knows about how to be a master swordsman and also the kind of hero who he has always been.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Duration: 143m
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Action
Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
One of the great surprises of the 21st century, the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie is about as fun as movies get. Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow is an indelible creation and one of the actor’s last great performances. The movie has just the right combination of silliness and menace, and Geoffrey Rush is just as compelling as Sparrow’s nemesis Barbosa. Add in one of the best Hans Zimmer scores from a career filled with great performances, and you’ve got a recipe for a deeply rewatchable pirate adventure.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Duration: 138m
Genre: Adventure, Drama, War
Stars: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy
Directed by: Peter Weir
One of the great sailing movies ever made, Master and Commander tells the story of a ship that is tasked with hunting down a French vessel off the coast of South America during the Napoleonic wars. As the ship’s captain, played by a captivating Russell Crowe, deals with both internal dissension and a variety of external obstacles, he becomes more and more determined to see his mission completed. Directed by Peter Weir, one of the most underrated directors of the past 50 years, Master and Commander is riveting whether it’s your first watch or your 50th.
The Lost City of Z (2017)
Duration: 141m
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Stars: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller
Directed by: James Gray
Telling the true story of Percy Fawcett, an explorer who traveled to the Amazon several times in the early decades of the 20th century, The Lost City of Z is a movie about obsession. On his journeys, Fawcett becomes increasingly convinced that there is an ancient civilization hidden somewhere in the woods, even as he contends with how inhospitable the rainforest is to human life. The Lost City of Z is a movie about a man who loved adventure so much it killed him, and left his family in shambles as a result.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Duration: 119m
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black
Directed by: Jake Kasdan
One of the funnier movies on this list, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is the Jumanji sequel we never knew we needed. When four teenagers are trapped inside a vide game, each of them finds themselves inhabiting an avatar that doesn’t neatly align with their personality. Much of the film’s humor comes from the way it’s able to wring interesting things from this contrast between personality and body type, and Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and especially Jack Black are all excellent. All in all, this is really a movie that’s a lot more fun than it has any right to be.
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