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best action, adventure movies

The 36 Best Action/Adventure Movies of All Time

You're gonna need a bigger bowl of popcorn.

Every year, a slew of films starring Hollywood’s It biceps hands out tickets to their gun show. And every year, we shrug at how their attempt to get our pulses racing fell somewhere between mildly entertaining and “I’m getting more snacks.” But sometimes, a film so gripping comes along, we have to remind ourselves to breathe. These are those films and the films that inspired them.

'King Kong' (1933)

City, Aircraft, Urban area, Metropolitan area, Landmark, Metropolis, Cityscape, World, Art, Aviation,

'The 39 Steps' (1935)

Comfort, Sitting, Monochrome, Curtain, Blond, Necklace, Cabinetry,

Before we were given a welcome case of Vertigo , Alfred Hitchcock was honing his suspense mastery on a staircase in London. The chase story that introduced Hitchcock’s signature “MacGuffin,” The 39 Steps has been credited as the catalyst for the modern action thriller (think The Bourne Identity and The Fugitive ). Watch the climatic Big Ben scene and you’ll see why.

'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' (1948)

Hat, Shirt, Facial hair, Style, Sun hat, Monochrome, Headgear, Monochrome photography, Wrinkle, Black-and-white,

Humphrey Bogart submerges himself in character in this Oscar-winning western adventure that rides off into the Mexican desert. A tale about a bunch of cowboys blinded by greed for gold, the film’s themes are echoed throughout cinema— Star Wars and Indiana Jones included.

'Seven Samurai' (1954)

Interaction, Team, Player, Tackle, History, Duel, Middle ages, Contact sport, Viking, Combat,

Monochromatic. Subtitled. Lengthy. But stick with us here. Akira Kurosawa’s Japanese adventure drama, about a group of samurai protecting a village, deserves your attention. Not only is it a rewarding watch on its own, but decades later, it continues to leave its mark on the entire canon of war, heist, and battle epics—including Quentin Tarantino’s complete body of work.

'The French Connection' (1971)

Trousers, Dress shirt, Hat, Suit, Coat, Formal wear, Uniform, Blazer, Tie, White-collar worker,

Before William Friedkin was unleashing his reckless abandon on our psychological well-being ( The Exorcist , Killer Joe ), he was exercising that same recklessness with drugs, racism, and a really fast Pontiac LeMans in The French Connection , which is perhaps most celebrated for that inventive car chase sequence. You know the one .

'Jaws' (1975)

Vertebrate, Tooth, Cartilaginous fish, Jaw, Organ, Fluid, Shark, Underwater, Lamniformes, Great white shark,

Not only is Spielberg’s toothsome classic about a group of men hunting a killer shark the reason we hum “da-dum, da-dum” near a body of water, but it also marks the birth of the summer blockbuster.

'Alien' (1979)

Eye, Machine, Space, Fictional character, Astronaut,

A horror film at its core, Ridley’s Scott’s genre-bending classic still gets an A for action. Plus, it boldly went where few (if any) directors had gone before—it put a woman in the driver’s seat, thus opening the floodgates for a wave of powerhouse heroines (Beatrix Kiddo, Sarah Connor) that soon, unfortunately, crested.

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981)

Hat, Sun hat, Cowboy hat, Fedora, Still life photography, Leather, Leather jacket, Stock photography, Indian cobra,

Steven Spielberg, armed with a story by George Lucas and the rogue charm of Harrison Ford, borrowed from 1930s and ‘40s cinema to make an adventure classic that would inspire a new generation of epics. With rumors of a fifth installment arriving in 2019, it’s clear we still can’t get enough of Indy cracking that whip.

'The Empire Strikes Back' (1985)

R2-d2, Machine, Fictional character, Robot, Curtain, Astronaut, Action figure, Boot,

Sure, A New Hope introduced the world to the way of the Jedi, but Empire Strikes Back ultimately changed the game, thanks in no small part to one of the most important cinematic reveals in history. Widely regarded as the best installment of the series, it’s a fascinating familial melodrama enrobed in a science fiction chase adventure—and love it we shall.

'Terminator 2: Judgement Day' (1991)

Eyewear, Motorcycle, Vision care, Goggles, Sunglasses, Fender, Jacket, Asphalt, Motorcycling, Automotive mirror,

Though not the first or anywhere near the only, T2 is quite possibly the most noted sequel to improve upon its original: the action, drama, and taglines are all the more robust the second time around. James Cameron’s man-versus-metal masterpiece was a machine at the box office and its enduring legacy—like its cyborgs—is impossible to kill.

'Speed' (1994)

best action adventure movies

Pop quiz: Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock costar as Officer Jack and commuter Annie in a nonstop, white-knuckler from the ’90s. What do you do? Answer: You watch it on repeat. At least, that’s what this writer did when Jan de Bont’s now-essential action film hit video way back when. About a madman who sends Reeves’s LAPD cop on an explosive goose chase to dismantle a bomb he’s affixed to the bottom of a metro bus, the film spends nearly two hours speeding through one impossible pickle after another, culminating in one of the very best action films of all time.

'Bad Boys' (1995)

Denim, Jeans, Sitting, Guitar, Logo, String instrument, Plucked string instruments, Guitarist, String instrument, Folk instrument,

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, whose roles were initially intended for SNL alums Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey, won out as the Miami buddy cops slinging jokes and dodging bullets. The film’s bloated action and exorbitant production marks the introduction of “Bayhem,” the phenomenon describing the trademark style of a little action filmmaker by the name of Michael Bay.

'Braveheart' (1995)

Iron, Armour, Viking, Costume, History, Knight, Steel,

Mel Gibson’s Oscar-winning display of Scottish martyrdom has found permanent residence as one of the best historical epics of all time. Sure, it’s bookended with blows of brutality and the vengeance of war, but more than just a battle cry, Braveheart is an intimate love story, and a beautiful one at that.

'The Matrix' (1999)

Human body, Standing, Atmospheric phenomenon, Haze, Fog, Air gun, Mist, Action film, Revolver, Shotgun,

An homage to anime, comic books, and kung fu, the Wachowskis' story of a caped hero named Neo facing off against a race of computer-programmed machines dedicated to wiping out humankind is immeasurably influential in its own right. One of its most notable contributions to cinematic history: “ bullet time ,” or the use of super slo-mo visual effects and ballet wire to create those logic-defying scenes that introduced our jaws to the floor.

'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000)

best action adventure movies

It’s possible you couldn’t go to a house party in the early aughts without seeing Ang Lee’s remarkable fantasy adventure playing in the background, juxtaposing a playlist of Jay-Z, Eminem, and Destiny’s Child. A brilliant work of art, the film about a warrior, a sword, and the romantic adventure that takes him to the treetops makes for the ideal conversation starter, so we get it. But, really, the best way to take in Lee’s Oscar-winning, action-filled epic is to turn down the party jams, and turn up Tan Dun’s triumphant score.

'City of God' (2002)

best action adventure movies

The frenetic energy and pulsing action do not let up in Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund’s rapid-fire Brazilian Oscar nom for 2004. Set in a gang-controlled slum of Rio de Janeiro, the true-story-based film follows the lives of two locals: Li’l Ze, a drug lord, and Rocket, a budding photographer documenting the fall of his city. Further harrowing details, however, we’ll let you discover on your own. As for how this unrelenting film will make you feel upon first viewing, there are many words. But if we were forced to conjure just one: gutted.

'Kill Bill Vol. 1' (2003)

Performing arts, Entertainment, Performance, Artist, Acting, Stage, Performance art, Scene, Costume, Drama,

Grindhouse. Martial arts. Blaxploitation. Spaghetti westerns. You name it, Quentin Tarantino has pulled red-sauced inspo from it. A fanboy cinephile, he owes his two-volume epic about Beatrix Kiddo and her Bill-killing quest to cinema of yore. While it’s one thing to build a career out of tributes, it’s quite another to do it well. This is action-making entertainment as fearless as the film's Hattori Hanzo-wielding heroine.

'Oldboy' (2003)

Black hair, Eyelash, Service, Plastic bottle, Retail, Customer, Bangs, Water bottle, Drinking water, Hair coloring,

South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook uses the same-name Japanese manga as his springboard for telling Oh Dae-su’s harrowing story. But unlike its predecessor, Park’s film—gratuitous with its violence, gut-wrenching with its imagery, and tormenting with its narrative—steers clear of exploitation while pioneering a new genre of action-torture horror.

'The Incredibles' (2004)

Fictional character, Animation, Carmine, Sunglasses, Toy, Animated cartoon, Fiction, Red hair, Goggles, Costume,

Pixar, the production studio responsible for extending chatter about animated films from the sandbox to the water cooler, has filled its canon with hyper-intelligent crowd-pleasers, and The Incredibles , Brad Bird’s turbocharged superhero spoof, is no exception. A glossy delight with sociopolitical subtext, it shakes the kiddie stigma and takes 'toons to new heights.

'The Bourne Ultimatum' (2007)

Hair, Human body, Jacket, Winter, Bag, Luggage and bags, Logo, Handbag, Backpack, Baggage,

The finale in a cat-and-mouse trilogy that gets better with each release, Paul Greengrass's Ultimatum plays with time and place, brings Jason Bourne’s identity crisis full circle, and elevates a genre suffering from stunt overload to a higher art form, one that moves at a breakneck pace and turned Matt Damon into a grade-A superstar.

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DeAnna Janes is a freelance writer and editor for a number of sites, including Harper’s BAZAAR, Tasting Table, Fast Company and Brit + Co, and is a passionate supporter of animal causes, copy savant, movie dork and reckless connoisseur of all holidays. A native Texan living in NYC since 2005, Janes has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M and  got her start in media at US Weekly before moving on to O Magazine, and eventually becoming the entertainment editor of the once-loved, now-shuttered DailyCandy. She’s based on the Upper West Side.

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8 Netflix Original Movies to Watch to Go Globetrotting from Home

  • By Aren Bergstrom
  • On April 2, 2020
  • Read Time 6 mins

Home / Africa & Middle East / 8 Netflix Original Movies to W…

We’re all streaming movies and TV shows from home as we wait out this pandemic. Luckily, movies can be pretty good at scratching our travel itch, if only temporarily. So while we can’t head globetrotting at the moment, we can spend some time while safe at home watching movies that’ll take us across the world.

The following list comprises eight movies that take place in countries other than Canada and the United States. Most are dramas, although a few are documentaries. They’re all Netflix Originals, which means that they’re available to you regardless of whether you live in Canada or the United States. They may not be what you think of as typical travel films— The Two Popes , really?—but they showcase lands beyond the horizon and ways of living that we’re all missing out on while in self-isolation right now. If you want pure travel fluff, go watch Mamma Mia! or Eat Pray Love . If you want to watch something a bit more substantial that also showcases different regions of the world, this list is for you. Not all these movies are for all people, but everyone should find something on this list that they can enjoy. 

Here are our recommendations for 8 Netflix Original Movies to watch to go globetrotting from home.

What Netflix Original Movies Should I Watch While Self-Isolating at Home?

The boy who harnessed the wind.

Malawi Beach at Sunset, Malawi

This inspirational drama is based on the real-life story of William Kamkwamba, who remarkably built a windmill to power his small village in Malawi during the midst of a drought. The movie sticks fairly closely to William’s (Maxwell Simba) biography and focuses on his struggles with his independent father, Trywell (Chiwetel Ejiofor, who also directed), his attempts to go to school, and his construction of the windmill to power a pump to irrigate his family farm. Most inspirational true stories make for treacly movies, but The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind manages to be touching without being preachy. It doesn’t belittle William’s struggle, but it also rightfully celebrates his ingenuity and the bonds with his community. It also lets you experience quiet, rural life in Malawi, both its hardships and its joys.

Into the Inferno

Aerial view of an empty lake and Snaefellsjokull Volcano in background, Iceland

In this documentary, enigmatic German director Werner Herzog examines the field of volcanology. His main subject is Clive Oppenheimer, a volcanologist that Herzog befriended while making Encounters at the End of the World in Antarctica. Herzog follows Oppenheimer to Indonesia, Iceland, Ethiopia, and North Korea and focuses on both the science of volcanoes and the eccentric lives of those scientists that study them, who often put themselves in harm’s way to do their research. Into the Inferno serves as a science lesson on this fascinating field, but Herzog also injects it with some genuinely strange tangents and profound reflections about humanity.

The Laundromat

Avenida Balboa at Dusk in Panama City, Panama

This cheeky dramatic comedy plays like The Big Short , but for the Panama Papers, a journalistic investigation that revealed the inner workings of a vast money laundering scheme based out of a small law firm in Panama City. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, who made the Ocean’s 11 series as well as Traffic and Contagion (perhaps we shouldn’t go there right now), and starring Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, Jeffrey Wright, and David Schwimmer among others, The Laundromat jumps across the globe to Africa, China, and the Caribbean as it explains the intricacies of money laundering to the audience and recounts various fascinating stories of people involved in the scheme. The film offers a bit of globetrotting while also serving as a primer on financial crimes, so it’s both education and entertainment.

Outlaw King

Statue of King Robert I (Robert The Bruce), with National Wallace Monument in background, Stirling, Scotland

The tale of Robert the Bruce, the Scottish king and hero that fought off the English and secured Scottish independence during the Middle Ages. Starring Chris Pine as Robert, the film is a typical medieval epic, with rousing speeches, candle-lit cinematography, and massive battles in the mud. It was shot on location across Scotland and narratively serves as a kind of sequel to Braveheart , so if you liked that film, you’ll enjoy this one. As well, it lets you bask in the gorgeous Scottish landscape, which is always a bonus.

Art Nouveau architecture in Roma, Mexico City, Mexico

Roma will probably forever be remembered as the film that should’ve won Best Picture the year Green Book did. Well, it’s more than a historical footnote for movie buffs; it’s also a stunningly-beautiful cinematic memory of life in Mexico City in the 1970s. Director Alfonso Cuarón wrote the film as a tribute to his nanny who raised him and his siblings in the 1970s in the wealthy Colonia Roma neighbourhood of Mexico City. It follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), an Indigenous maid, as she cares for the children of a wealthy family and survives personal tragedies and political strife. The film is shot in painterly black-and-white and is as beautiful an ode to an individual, a neighbourhood, and a city as you’ll likely ever watch.

Singapore City Skyline at Night

This personal documentary explores Sandi Tan’s past growing up in Singapore and her experiences making movies with an enigmatic, and ultimately villainous, older man who eventually absconded with all the footage of her various projects, never to be seen again. It’s fascinating as a look into a young woman’s artistic awakening and her reflections on her past art. For travellers, it’s also an insightful look into Singapore and the burgeoning artistic scene of a city that had little-to-no movie culture in the early 1990s, when much of the events take place. Shirkers gives you an intimate look at this city nation in a way that not even the best documentary from an outsider’s perspective could manage.

Triple Frontier

Peruvian Amazon, Peru

This masculine action film takes a bunch of your favourite male actors (Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garret Hedlund, Pedro Pascal) and sends them into the jungles of South America—specifically the ‘tres fronteras’ region uniting Peru, Brazil, and Colombia—to rob a cartel boss. Much of the film takes place in the jungles of the Andes Mountains, with the characters passing through remote Peruvian villages and over stark mountaintops. It’s heavy on action and bravado, but in the midst of all the entertaining theatrics is a frequently gorgeous look at a remote part of the world.

The Two Popes

Michelangelo's The Last Judgment on altar wall of Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Italy

This dramatic two-hander focuses on the contentious relationship between Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) and the future Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce) in the brief period before Benedict abdicated and Francis was elected pope. Their conversations exclusively take place in Vatican City, but there are also flashbacks to Pope Francis’s life in Buenos Aires when he was a young man joining the Jesuits. If you’re pining for a trip to the Sistine Chapel or a stroll through the barrios of Buenos Aires, The Two Popes will tide you over until we can get back to travelling the world for real.

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Aren Bergstrom

Aren Bergstrom

Globetrotting Editor - You might say that Aren was destined to become a Globetrotter after his family took him to Germany two times before he was four. If that wasn’t enough, a term spent in Sweden as a young teenager and a trek across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand confirmed that destiny. An independent writer, director, and film critic, Aren has travelled across Asia, Europe, and South America. His favourite travel experience was visiting the major cities of Japan’s largest island, Honshu, but his love for food, drink, and film will take him anywhere that boasts great art and culture.

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10 Action Adventure Movies To Add to Your Watch List

Get your action pants on!

There is a particular spark that an action movie ignites that's hard to come by. It isn't an exaggeration to say that the arrival of Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 changed the course of blockbuster filmmaking and pop culture for the foreseeable future. This is largely due to the inimitable charisma of Harrison Ford in the leading role and the unrivaled vision of Steven Spielberg behind the camera.

The success of Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels inspired many imitators and admirers . But despite this, thrilling and inventive action-adventure films are hard to come by. While no one will ever hold a candle to Indy, many filmmakers have ventured out into the challenging world of action-adventure filmmaking and returned victorious.

10 'King Kong' (2005)

A woman is held in the hand of a giant ape atop a building

During the Great Depression an ambitious and obsessive filmmaker ( Jack Black ) gathers a film crew and an actress ( Naomi Watts ) and sets sail to make a movie on the mysterious Skull Island. Much to their shock, the ruins of Skull Island have more to offer than striking vistas and abandoned communities.

RELATED: 'The 10 Most Iconic Movie Character Costumes, From Superman to Indiana Jones'

Peter Jackson is nothing if not bold , and King Kong is evidence of that. Clocking in at almost three and a half hours, King Kong is not content with just one large monster nor is it content with one or two action packed scenes. Jackson's film is stuffed with countless thrilling set-pieces that will scratch even the most persistent adventure-itch.

9 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' (1954)

Sea monster carrying fainted woman in The Creature From the Black Lagoon

A team of scientists searching for fossils embark on a journey into the Amazon rainforest. The group get more than they bargained for when they happen upon a mysterious prehistoric creature that becomes obsessed with a member of the team ( Julie Adams ).

RELATED: 'All the Wild ‘Creature From the Black Lagoon’ Remakes We Never Got'

Few monsters are as iconic and visually striking as the titular creature in Jack Arnold 's Creature from the Black Lagoon . Similarly iconic is the film's premise, which sees an expedition of scientists indulging in hubris and being rewarded with danger. Creature from the Black Lagoon not only set a template for Hollywood creature design, it also cemented its story structure as a foundational story telling tool within the adventure genre.

8 'Big Trouble in Little China' (1986)

Big Trouble in Little China staring Kurt Russell and James Hong

Truck driver Jack Burton ( Kurt Russell ) is pulled into the mysterious and magical underworld of Chinatown when his friend's fiancée is kidnapped. Over the course of the film Jack and his allies learn about the ancient sorcerer Lo Pan ( James Hong ) and his dark intentions.

RELATED: '8 Best John Carpenter Movies That Aren’t 'Halloween' or 'The Thing''

John Carpenter 's Big Trouble in Little China is probably the most fun and charming of his many collaborations with Kurt Russell. While not all of the content has aged favorably, Russell's charisma and Carpenter's deft hand are undeniable and ever present throughout the film.

7 'Labyrinth' (1986)

Jennifer Connelly And David Bowie Dance In Labyrinth

Teenage Sarah ( Jennifer Connelly ) feels unappreciated by her father and his new wife and resents having to stay home to care for her baby half-brother. In dramatic teenaged fashion, Sarah wishes that the magical Goblin King ( David Bowie ) she has read about will come and take her brother away. Much to her surprise, he does.

RELATED: 'From 'The Shining' to 'Labyrinth': 10 Best '80s Cult Classics That Critics Hated​​​​​​​'

Labyrinth is an adventure film for lovers of whimsy, fantasy and imagination. Only a director like Jim Henson could combine teenage angst, puppets, synth-laden new wave musical performances, and David Bowie in very tight pants and have the resulting work be a singular success.

6 'The Princess Bride' (1987)

Andre the Giant Wallace Shawn and Mandy Patinkin looking down into camera

After losing the love of her life to the terrifying Dread Pirate Roberts , young Buttercup ( Robin Wright ) enters a loveless engagement to the shallow and cruel Prince Humperdink ( Chris Sarandon ), who tries to stage her kidnapping and murder. Before his plan can be carried out, Buttercup is rescued by a mysterious man in black ( Cary Elwes ).

The Princess Bride based on William Goldman 's book (Goldman also wrote the screenplay) is one of the most iconic adventure films ever made, and it's no surprise why. Stacked with an incredible cast and full to the brim with tension, action, comedy and romance, The Princess Bride tries its hand at a little bit of everything and knocks it all out of the park.

5 'The Rundown' (2003)

Two dishevelled men walking through a town

Beck ( Dwayne Johnson ) is a bounty hunter and debt collector who has dreams of getting out of the debt business and starting a restaurant. But before his powerful boss Billy Walker ( William Lucking ) will let him quit, he gives Beck one last job. Beck heads to a small mining town in Brazil, to retrieve Billy's wayward son ( Seann William Scott ) who doesn't want to come home.

RELATED: 'From Dwayne Johnson to Dave Bautista: Wrestlers Who Made the Jump to Movies​​​​​​​'

The Rundown is an often overlooked artifact of its time. The film was Dwayne Johnson's fourth ever film appearance, and his second time as a lead. While original films seem few and far between today, the early 2000s were a treasure trove of mid-budget adventure films with small-stakes and big heart.

4 'The African Queen' (1951)

A well dressed woman and a rough looking man sit in a small boat

Rose ( Katherine Hepburn ) is a missionary and a proper lady traveling through Africa with her brother. Charlie ( Humphry Bogart ) is a rough and tumble boat captain who rubs Rose the wrong way. After Rose's brother is killed by German soldiers occupying the area, Rose and Charlie must escape together.

It's no surprise that a film starring two of the most compelling and beloved actors of all time would still be vital viewing over 70 years since its release . Despite its age and the cultural differences between then and now, The African Queen feels modern in its tension and select story elements. In particular, its focus on Rose and Charlie as total opposites, forced together through circumstance, is a cliché that modern audiences return to again and again.

3 'The Lost City' (2022)

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum in The Lost City

Successful and beloved romance author Loretta Sage ( Sandra Bullock ) has lost the desire to write about love and adventure after the death of her husband. While on the promotional tour for the last book in her long-running romance series, Loretta is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire. The only person to come to her rescue is Dash ( Channing Tatum ) , the hopeless model who features on her book covers.

RELATED: 'From 'Lethal Weapon' to 'Black Widow': The Best Odd Couples In Action Movies​​​​​​​'

The Lost City borrows heavily from the adventure films that came before it. But its somewhat derivative plot and emphasis on familiar story beats is overshadowed by its charm, compelling central relationship and the magnetic performances of its leads.

2 'The Mummy' (1999)

Evelyn, played by Rachel Weisz, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and talking to a man in 'The Mummy.'

Earnest and passionate librarian Evelyn ( Rachel Weisz ) forms an unlikely partnership with wily adventurer Rick O'Connell ( Brendan Fraser ) as they search for a lost Egyptian city and undiscovered artifacts . In the process they accidentally resurrect a long dead Egyptian high-priest who uses dark magic to finish what he started hundreds of years ago.

RELATED: '10 Best Rachel Weisz Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes​​​​​​​'

The Mummy is so much more than the sum of its parts. On their own, the charismatic and gorgeous cast, the magnetic action and the unforgettable moments of body horror are all remarkable. But together, they are pure magic, and help contribute to a film that is propulsive, exciting and joyful.

1 'Romancing the Stone' (1984)

A man and woman stand in the jungle

Successful romance author Joan Wilder ( Kathleen Turner ) has her life turned upside down when her brother-in-law is murdered and her sister is kidnapped in Colombia. Joan travels to Colombia to find her sister, and along the way meets a roguish smuggler ( Michael Douglas ) who joins her on her rescue mission.

The odd couple trope is one of the most enduring story beats throughout the action-adventure genre, and has featured in multiple films on this list. Nowhere is it more thoroughly embodied than in Romancing the Stone , which sees Turner and Douglas as total opposites, thrust together in a life or death situation.

NEXT: 'The 12 Best Harrison Ford Movies, Ranked According to IMDb'

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Globetrotting Adventures

Here are some of my favorite movies that have adventures that take the heroes to multiple parts of the world and inspire wanderlust in the audience.

I decided it must be set in more than two countries, sorry Up, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Iron Man, and The Incredibles.

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Raiders of the Lost Ark

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98 Best Adventure Movies All Time Ranked

Gandalf fights

Of all the stories humans tell, there's just something about a fantastic adventure that speaks to our souls time and time again, whether it's an ancient text like "The Epic of Gilgamesh" or a more modern-tale like George Lucas' "Star Wars." The fact that we've always been drawn to stories of quests and derring-do proves the power of a good adventure to reach deep into the human spirit. 

When a great adventure comes alive on the big or small screen, it gives viewers a chance to step outside of their world and experience the potential of a transformative journey. Whether it's a journey across the sea or across all of space and time, there's nothing like sitting down with a tub of popcorn and stepping into a new world. Next time you're looking for adventure, we've got you covered with the 98 best adventure movies ever made. 

Updated on May 23, 2022: Great new adventure movies are released all the time! We'll be updating this list every so often to include the best new adventure films, so be sure to check back soon for more fantastic quests! 

98. The Count of Monte Cristo

Based on the 1844 Alexandre Dumas novel, "The Count of Monte Cristo" follows the adventures of Edmond Dantès, a man on the verge of having the perfect life ... until he's betrayed and tossed into prison by jealous enemies. From there, we watch as Edmond survives imprisonment, escapes from the notorious Château d'If, pursues treasure, and goes through the ultimate glow-up as he presents himself as the "Count of Monte Cristo" to Parisian society. And, oh yeah, the whole time, he's plotting some serious revenge. From pirates to secret tunnels, this film is brimming with equal parts swashbuckling adventure and neoclassical pomp. 

  • Starring: Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris
  • Director: Kevin Reynolds
  • Runtime: 131 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%

97. Ready Player One

In "Ready Player One," teen orphan Wade Watts lives in a miserable dystopian world where RVs are stacked like the world's saddest LEGOs. But lucky for Wade, the wi-fi is fantastic. Our hero — and most everyone else — spends their days inside the OASIS, a video game reality that's the ultimate form of escapism. But when the OASIS creator leaves his vast fortune and company ownership hidden inside his VR world in an Easter egg, Wade embarks on the ultimate virtual adventure to find it, traveling through a world populated with Gen-X pop culture references and baddies for hire. 

  • Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn
  • Director: Steven Spielberg
  • Runtime: 140 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%

96. Dora and the Lost City of Gold

In this live-action adaptation of the classic animated children's series, second-generation explorer Dora embarks on an adventure with her monkey friend Boots and cousin Diego after her parents go missing while on a hunt for a lost city filled with treasure.  A whimsical, teenage reimagining of the beloved show, "Dora and the Lost City of Gold" is a fitting tribute that offers a fair share of family-friendly comedy, whimsy, and adventure.

  • Starring:  Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña
  • Director:  James Bobin
  • Year:  2019
  • Runtime:  102 minutes
  • Rating:  PG
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  85%

95. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Adapted from Patrick O'Brian's series of historical novels, "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" is a seafaring naval adventure set during the Napoleonic Wars. Like the novels, the film follows the adventures of Royal Navy captain Jack Aubrey and his ship surgeon, Dr. Stephen Maturin. In pursuit of French privateers, Captain Aubrey leads the HMS Surprise around Cape Horn to the Galápagos Islands, where they encounter a host of maritime adventures from eerily becalmed waters to strange new species to hand-to-hand combat with unsavory mariners. 

  • Starring:  Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy
  • Director:  Peter Weir
  • Year:  2003
  • Runtime:  138 minutes
  • Rating:  PG-13

94. Fantastic Voyage

Long before "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" and "Innerspace," "Fantastic Voyage" would imagine a world where miniaturization technology was the latest front in the Cold War. Aboard the microscopic submarine Proteus, a crew of medical scientists must journey through a scientist's body in order to save him and his top-secret intelligence from a blood clot in the span of an hour. While the science probably won't help anyone through Biology 101, "Fantastic Voyage" is a fun ride through the human circulatory system with a fair share of peak Red Scare antics sprinkled throughout. 

  • Starring: Donald Pleasance, Raquel Welch, Stephen Boyd 
  • Director:  Richard Fleischer
  • Runtime:  100 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score : 91%

93. The Hidden Fortress

Set in feudal Japan, "The Hidden Fortress" finds hard-luck peasants Tahei and Matashichi setting a course for adventure by joining the powerful Yamana clan of soldiers and eventually escorting a princess and her family gold through enemy territory. Imperfect heroes that they are, Tahei and Matashichi are hardly up to the challenge of facing off with warring samurai. But with the help of a few brave allies, they manage to scrape through by the skin of their teeth. One of the biggest influences on 1977's "Star Wars," "The Hidden Fortress" is a true classic of Japanese cinema.

  • Starring:  Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki
  • Director:  Akira Kurosawa
  • Year:  1958
  • Runtime:  139 minutes
  • Rating:  NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score : 97%

92. Stagecoach

Adapted from the 1937 Ernest Haycox short story "The Stage to Lordsburg," "Stagecoach" is a Western adventure story set in 1880, where a motley group of strangers — from a drunken doctor and a dangerous gambler to a kindly outlaw and a gold-hearted saloon girl — come together aboard a stagecoach traveling from Arizona Territory to New Mexico. The journey takes place in a world where the American frontier still seems vast and dangerous, forcing the group to work together as they make their epic journey through the Wild West. One of John Ford's finest films, "Stagecoach" is the movie that launched John Wayne to superstardom.

  • Starring:  Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Andy Devine
  • Director:  John Ford
  • Year:  1939
  • Runtime:  96 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  100%

91. Captain Blood

 "Captain Blood" is a seafaring adventure set in the Golden Age of Piracy, and when it comes to adventure, no one did it better than 17th-century pirates. This high-seas adventure finds Irish physician Peter Blood sold into slavery in the West Indies. After Blood is purchased by the lovely Arabella Bishop, he later escapes Port Royal during a Spanish man-o-war attack, taking up a new life as a Caribbean buccaneer where swashbuckling adventures and romance on the high seas are the order of the day. For those not familiar with old-timey actors, Blood is played by Errol Flynn, the greatest action star of his day, and "Captain Blood" finds him at his adventurous, charming best.

  • Starring:  Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone
  • Director:  Michael Curtiz
  • Runtime:  119 minutes

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

90. The French Connection

Directed by the legendary William Friedkin, "The French Connection" recounts the true story of two NYC detectives investigating a large-scale heroin operation, one that spans from Brooklyn to Marseille. At the heart of the story, we've got Detective "Popeye" Doyle, the ultimate dirty cop who never met a rule he couldn't break. Played to ferocious perfection by Gene Hackman, Doyle and his partner find themselves going down a mafia rabbit hole that eventually leads to one of the greatest chase sequences of all time — one filmed guerrilla style by Friedkin, resulting in accidental real-life collisions and the feeling of actual danger.

  • Starring:  Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey
  • Director:  William Friedkin
  • Year:  1971
  • Runtime:  104 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  97%

89. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is widely considered one of the best and most influential wuxia films of all time, thanks in large part to its gorgeous cinematography and unique martial arts scenes. The story is set in 19th-century China during the Qing dynasty and follows the adventures of female machete warrior Yu Shu Lien and her wudang swordsman friend Mu Bai as they battle other warriors over the 400-year-old sword Green Destiny. Come for the flying duels amongst bamboo, stay for the sweeping romance and epic adventure.

  • Starring:  Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi
  • Director:  Ang Lee
  • Year:  2001
  • Runtime:  120 minutes

88. Moonrise Kingdom

"Moonrise Kingdom" is a love story and adventure about two lonely adolescents who decide to run away together on a New England island after a year of sharing romantic love letters. Suzy and Sam's plan to meet up and live off the land in a hidden cove they call "Moonrise Kingdom" doesn't go quite as planned, and they find themselves on the run from Social Services and Suzy's parents as a violent storm bears down. A charming coming-of-age story set in the mid-1960s, "Moonrise Kingdom" is a nostalgic tale of first love without the baggage of adulthood.

  • Starring:  Bruce Willis , Edward Norton, Frances McDormand
  • Director:  Wes Anderson
  • Year:  2012
  • Runtime:  94 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  93%

87. National Lampoon's Vacation

The ultimate American road comedy, "National Lampoon's Vacation" is the first film in the "Vacation" series and follows the Griswold family's adventures as they embark on a cross-country road trip from suburban Chicago to the beloved theme park Walley World. Partly due to patriarch Clark Griswold's many personality flaws, the family encounters more than their share of troubles along the way, including a hostage situation when things don't go as they planned at the park. Anyone who's taken a long family road trip will relate to the comedic miseries visited upon the Griswold's Wagon Queen Family Truckster. 

  • Starring:  Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, John Candy
  • Director:  Harold Ramis
  • Year:  1983
  • Runtime:  98 minutes

86. The Great Escape

A fictionalized tale based on the real-life escape of Allied POWs during World War II, "The Great Escape" tells the story of a large-scale prison break from a Nazi-run, high-security camp in 1942. Working together, the prisoners manage to dig a tunnel without the guards' knowledge and end up on the run in Nazi Germany. A heart-pounding tale of hope and ingenuity, "The Great Escape" is a reminder of human resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity. Plus, it features one of the all-time great motorcycle sequences, complete with the "King of Cool" himself, Steve McQueen.

  • Starring:  Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough
  • Director:  John Sturges
  • Runtime:  172 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  94%

85. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The archetypal spaghetti Western, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" follows three gunslingers on a quest to find a cache of Confederate gold hidden by a fugitive during the bloody peak of the Civil War. On one side, you've got the "Good," a marksman/bounty hunter who's always one step ahead of everybody else. Then there's the "Bad," a squinty-eyed mercenary with no remorse when it comes to murder. And finally, there's the "Ugly," a sniveling bandit who's a lot faster on the draw than you might expect. Together, these three double-cross each other, butt heads, and occasionally give each other a hand as they search for treasure. With three iconic characters and Ennio Morricone's incredible score, it's no wonder this is the ultimate Wild West adventure.

  • Starring:  Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef
  • Director:  Sergio Leone
  • Year:  1966
  • Runtime:  161 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

84. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Directed by John Huston, "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" finds two down-on-their-luck drifters teaming up with an aging prospector to dig for gold in the Sierra Madre mountains. While they find what they're looking for, trust between the party begins to quickly fray as they encounter locals, a gang of bandits with sights set on their gold, and that nastiest of human enemies — greed. Humphrey Bogart gives one of his all-time performances as Fred C. Dobbs, a man with big dreams, dollar signs in his eyes, and darkness in his heart.

  • Starring:  Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt
  • Director:  John Huston
  • Year:  1948
  • Runtime:  124 minutes

83. Jurassic Park

With a theme park chock full of cloned dinosaurs, what could go wrong? This is the central question in the film "Jurassic Park," which finds a group of survivors on the run from dinos off the coast of Costa Rica. Not long after experts paleobotanist Ellie Sattler, paleontologist Alan Grant, and chaos theory math whiz Ian Malcolm arrive to sign off on the park's safety, a storm and a disgruntled hacker descend upon the island, leaving the resident dinos to run amok after the park's electric fences lose power. Throw a couple of kids into the mix, and it's a recipe for some serious prehistoric adventure, complete with eye-popping effects, both practical and CGI.

  • Starring:  Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum
  • Director:  Steven Spielberg
  • Year:  1993
  • Runtime:  128 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

82. The Man Who Would Be King

Based on Rudyard Kipling's novella, "The Man Who Would Be King" is set in 1880s British-colonized India and the neighboring Kafiristan. Told from the perspective of a fictionalized Rudyard Kipling, the story recounts the adventures of two former British soldiers who set a course for adventure, only to find it less exciting than they pictured. So they two men — who so happen to be Kipling's compatriots — set their sights set on looting Kafiristan, a plan that gets adjusted when one of them is taken for a god by the locals.

  • Starring:  Sean Connery , Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer
  • Year:  1975
  • Runtime:  129 minutes

81. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

One of the world's few Thanksgiving films, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is part buddy comedy, part road trip adventure. The tale finds frustrating but friendly traveling salesman Del Griffith crossing paths with uptight marketing exec Neal Page as they team up in a desperate bid to get Neal home in time for his turkey dinner. Despite the short distance between New York and Chicago, the unlikely pair find themselves on something of an epic journey after their plane gets diverted to Wichita. This hilarious and heartwarming adventure should be on everyone's Turkey Day watch list, largely thanks to the incredible chemistry between comedic legends John Candy and Steve Martin.

  • Starring:  Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins
  • Director:  John Hughes
  • Year:  1987
  • Runtime:  92 minutes

80. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

A comedy adventure written and performed by the Monty Python comedy team, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" follows King Arthur and his squire Patsy as they roam around the British countryside looking for knights to join the legendary Round Table and help in their quest for the fabled Holy Grail. Along the way, they get into all sorts of Arthurian adventures from a witch trial to a bout of plague. With plenty of anachronisms and absurdist humor, the film represents everything that's great about Monty Python and everything that's not so great about medieval England.

  • Starring:  Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam
  • Director:  Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
  • Runtime:  90 minutes

79. The African Queen

"The African Queen" takes place on a steamboat in 1948 German East Africa — a unique location for a sweeping story. The film finds a pair of sibling British missionaries caught in the middle of a war between the U.K. and Germany. But after her brother's death at the hands of German troops, Rose Sayer teams up with a local steamboat captain, heavy-drinking Canadian Charlie Allnut, to upgrade his boat — the African Queen — into a massive torpedo to take on the Germans. Granted, the uptight Christian and the booze-guzzling riverman don't get along at first, but strange circumstances often lead to strange romances. This adventure story was shot on location in the Congo and Uganda, efforts that paid off in terms of the film's gorgeous Technicolor scenery. 

  • Starring:  Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley
  • Year:  1951
  • Runtime:  105 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

78. Forbidden Planet

Easily one of the most influential and iconic sci-fi films, "Forbidden Planet" takes place in the 23rd century when a United Planets starship heads to Altair IV to investigate an expedition that disappeared two decades ago. During their exploration of the planet, they encounter Robby the robot, along with Dr. Morbius and his daughter Altaira. Things turn strange pretty quickly as they often do in the sci-fi world with the crew encountering strange creatures and a powerful intellectual enhancer, among other surprises. The film has been widely discussed for its parallels to William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," and for the time, its special effects are pretty darn impressive.

  • Starring:  Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen
  • Director:  Fred M. Wilcox
  • Year:  1956

77. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

An 18th-century swashbuckling adventure, "Pirates of the Caribbean" is a fantastical tale that follows Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann as they cross paths with the infamous pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and the cursed crew of the Black Pearl. Based on the beloved Disney Parks ride of the same name, the "Pirates" film series is a surprisingly exciting adventure filled with plenty of mythology and wacky adventures. But it all started here with a film that became an instant classic, largely thanks to Johnny Depp's iconic performance as rum-loving, rock star pirate.

  • Starring:  Johnny Depp , Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom
  • Director:  Gore Verbinski
  • Runtime:  143 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  80%

76. Free Guy

In "Free Guy," even non-playable characters (NPC) get to have big adventures. In the video game world of "Free City," NPC Guy becomes self-aware thanks to a new AI code in the system. As a result, he starts to go off-script, encountering game developer Millie who mistakes him for a noob. Things get even more complicated when Guy falls in love with Millie and sparks a game-wide revolution. Despite the very heavy existential subtext and slightly chilling AI implications, the story manages to stay in its lane as a fun adventure in the virtual world.

  • Starring:  Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery
  • Director:  Shawn Levy
  • Year:  2021
  • Runtime:  115 minutes

75. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Inspired by the Homerian epic poem "The Odyssey," "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is a Coen brothers satire set in the Great Depression that follows three escaped convicts on a treasure hunt after breaking out of a chain gang. Ulysses Everett McGill leads his pals Delmar and Pete on a wild journey where they encounter figures taken straight from Homer to the tune of period folk music. Clever, fun, and more lighthearted than many other Coen brothers projects, the film is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys a great soundtrack and a solid adventure. 

  • Starring:  George Clooney , John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson
  • Director:  Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
  • Year:  2000
  • Runtime:  106 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  78%

74. The Last Starfighter

When teenager Alex is rejected for his scholarship, he turns to the only cool thing in his trailer park for comfort: the "Starfighter" arcade game. After beating the game's high score, he learns that it's really a recruitment strategy for an intergalactic space army, and as a result, he ends up aboard a real-world Starfighter. The ultimate '80s teen video game fantasy, "The Last Starfighter" has developed a cult following over the years thanks to its cheesy "Star Wars" knock-off storyline. 

  • Starring:  Lance Guest, Dan O'Herlihy, Robert Preston
  • Director:  Nick Castle
  • Year:  1984
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  76%

73. Three Musketeers

Based on the 1844 Alexandre Dumas novel of the same name, "The Three Musketeers" follows the 17th-century adventures of d'Artagnan after joining forces with the famed "three inseperables" — Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. The silent French historical adventure finds the quartet swashbuckling their way around Europe with plenty of fancy swordplay and gorgeous period costumes. 

  • Starring:  Douglas Fairbanks, Leon Bary, George Siegmann
  • Director:  Fred Niblo
  • Year:  1921

72. Seven Samurai

Perhaps the greatest Japanese movie ever made, "Seven Samurai" is an epic adventure tale set in 16th-century Japan, following the adventures of seven rōnin (masterless samurai) hired by farmers to fight off bandits who keep stealing their crops. Realizing that the farmers need to learn to defend themselves, the samurai arm and train the locals, helping them to fortify their village in anticipation of the next raid. Directed by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Akira Kurosawa, the action scenes in "Seven Samurai" blow most modern-day battle sequences out of the water. Don't be scared off by the runtime. This epic adventure flick will grab you from the start and never let go. 

  • Starring:  Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima
  • Year:  1954
  • Runtime:  207 minutes

71. Serenity

A continuation of the cult series "Firefly," "Serenity" is a space Western that picks up where the show leaves off with the smuggler crew of the Firefly-class spaceship Serenity. Like the series, "Serenity" is set in the 26th century and finds the crew harboring a pair of refugees — the psychic science experiment River Tam and her brother Simon. Plus, we've got bank robberies, we've got the cannibalistic Reavers, and we've got an obsessed government assassin who'll stop at nothing to track down our heroes. With a cast that includes Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Serenity" is an imaginative space adventure full of the magic that "FIrefly" fans came to love during the show's too-short run.

  • Starring:  Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Summer Glau
  • Director:  Joss Whedon
  • Year:  2005
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  82%

70. Gladiator

When 2nd-century Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius refuses to pledge his loyalty to the murderous Commodus, he ends up arrested while his wife and son are crucified. After escaping and burying his family, Maximus ends up enslaved to a gladiator trainer, eventually becoming a crowd favorite thanks to his gladiator skills and savvy. With loads of great Colosseum action and peak Roman violence, "Gladiator" is one of the best stories set in this period.

  • Starring:  Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix , Connie Nielsen
  • Director:  Ridley Scott
  • Runtime:  155 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  77%

69. Kong: Skull Island

Perhaps the most exciting entry in the MonsterVerse franchise, "Kong: Skull Island" finds a group of scientists and soldiers heading to the titular isle. Little do they know, they're in for a big surprise, as the place is crawling with giant insects, massive sea creatures, and one very large ape. That's right, it's King Kong, the island's protector who's engaged in a war with subterranean reptilian predators called "skullcrawlers." Half our heroes want to ally with Kong. The other half wants to kill him. Everybody wants to get off that island ... but the monsters have other ideas. The film reimagines King Kong as a lonely god figure who must be protected at all costs and adds to the mythology of the Kong universe. 

  • Starring:  Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson
  • Director:  Jordan Vogt-Roberts
  • Year:  2017
  • Runtime:  118 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  75%

68. Where the Wild Things Are

Based on the 1963 children's story by Maurice Sendak, "Where the Wild Things Are" is a live-action fantasy adventure that takes a long and soulful look at the heartache and beauty that comes with raising a child. An imaginative child of divorce, Max is acting out, unable to control his emotions in a way that's driving his mother to a state of distress, where she's literally afraid of her own child. Locked in his room, Max journeys to a faraway land of his own imagination where he meets seven wild creatures who he's able to convince he is a king. Despite being a family film, "Where the Wild Things Are" is a complex and layered story that many viewers will find meaning in. 

  • Starring:  Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini
  • Director:  Spike Jonze
  • Year:  2010
  • Runtime:  101 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  73%

67. The Spiderwick Chronicles

Based on the fantasy book series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, "The Spiderwick Chronicles" is a family fantasy-adventure centered around the Spiderwick estate and a field guide to magical fairies including brownies, goblins, fairies, and a shapeshifting ogre. After twin Jared happens across the book and encounters a brownie, he and his siblings find themselves caught up in a fantastical world where magic is real.

  • Starring:  Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker
  • Director:  Mark Waters
  • Year:  2008
  • Runtime:  97 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  81%

66. King Kong (2005)

Set during the Great Depression, 2005's "King Kong" marks the second time the original 1933 "King Kong" film would be remade. While NYC actress Ann Darrow is sacrificed to King Kong by the angry residents of Skull Island, the rest of her party find themselves face-to-face with dinosaurs and oversized insects. After they manage to escape, sketchy filmmaker Carl Denham captures Kong and puts him on Broadway, which goes exactly like it sounds it would. An exciting CGI-powered tribute to the original film, Peter Jackson's "King Kong" is a grand adventure, one that works thanks to the strong relationship that builds between Ann and Kong, who's portrayed by mo-cap legend Andy Serkis.

  • Starring:  Naomi Watts, Jack Black , Adrien Brody
  • Director:  Peter Jackson
  • Year:  2005 
  • Runtime:  187 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  84%

65. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

A Technicolor tribute to Jules Verne's classic novel, Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" is a sci-fi steampunk masterpiece. The tale finds Professor Aronnax — accompanied by sidekick Conseil and harpooner Ned Land — searching for a mysterious sea monster, all to discover the creature is actually the Nautilus — a submarine captained by the obsessive Captain Nemo. Aboard the Nautilus, our heroes encounter cannibals, warships, and even a giant squid as they explore the ocean in all its beauty. Even by today's standards, the 1954 special effects are spectacular, and James Mason's performance as Nemo might be a career best.

  • Starring:  Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas
  • Runtime:  127 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

64. Life of Pi

Adapted from the 2001 novel by Yann Martel, "Life of Pi" is a philosophical fantasy adventure following the journey of the titular Pi, a young man who survives a shipwreck. Our hero makes his way aboard a lifeboat and finds he has to sail across the ocean with a number of zoo animals, including a very hungry Bengal tiger. Surreal and meditative, the visually stunning tale explores the power of imagination in the face of great pain and loss. 

  • Starring:  Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall
  • Runtime:  125 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  86%

63. Bridge to Terabithia

When bullied and economically disadvantaged adolescent Jess meets his new neighbor, Leslie, the pair invent an imaginary world called Terabithia — a land of magic and escape. More of a story about the heartache and challenges of adolescents having to face the adult world than a simple children's story, "Bridge to Terabithia" is an emotional tale of two kids finding strength in their own creativity.  

  • Starring:  Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel
  • Director:  Gábor Csupó
  • Year:  2007
  • Runtime:  95 minutes

62. Cast Away

Equal parts survival story and extended FedEx advertisement, "Cast Away" finds globetrotting workaholic and FedEx productivity expert Chuck Noland taking an unexpected mandatory unpaid leave after his plane crashes, leaving him stranded on a deserted island for years. Stuck in the middle of nowhere, Chuck struggles to survive against incredible odds with only a volleyball to keep him company. When it comes to survival films, "Cast Away" is one of the best ever made thanks in no small part to Tom Hanks' incredible one-man performance for most of the film. 

  • Starring:  Tom Hanks , Helen Hunt, Nick Searcy
  • Director:  Robert Zemeckis
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

61. Kill Bill: Vol. 1

A genre-bending revenge fantasy, "Kill Bill: Vol. I" takes its influences from everything director Quentin Tarantino loves, including spaghetti Westerns, martial arts films, and Blaxploitation. The tale finds the Bride waking up from a years-long coma to declare revenge on her old comrades, the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, who turned her wedding day into a bloodbath and tried to kill her. A vivid and bloody odyssey, the film is mandatory viewing for anyone who loves great cinema.  

  • Starring:  Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox
  • Director:  Quentin Tarantino
  • Runtime:  110 minutes

60. The Green Knight

Inspired by the 14th-century chivalric romance poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," David Lowery's trippy film is an Arthurian tale that finds King Arthur's cousin, Gawain, on a quest to the Green Chapel, where he's meant to die at the hands of the legendary Green Knight. In his travels through the eerie, mythical forests of medieval England, he crosses paths with a talking fox and a ghost, among other strange encounters. 

  • Starring:  Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton
  • Director:  David Lowery

59. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

A sequel to "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" picks up a decade after the human population has been all but wiped out by the Simian flu. In the wreckage of what remains, intellectually enhanced apes have created a colony and are beginning to take a hard line against the remaining humans. After all, people weren't too kind to these guys before civilization fell. A violent and metaphoric look at humanity's faults, the film is considered one of the best in the "Planet of the Apes" saga. 

  • Starring:  Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman
  • Director:  Matt Reeves
  • Year:  2014
  • Runtime:  130 minutes

58. Time Bandits

When an 11-year-old with a love of history and an overactive imagination discovers a magical portal in his bedroom, he embarks on an odyssey through various historical eras with a group of ornery time-traveling dwarves who've abandoned their mission repairing holes in spacetime to rack up riches through the ages. Together, the crew travels through time and space, bumping into historical figures like Robin Hood, King Agamemnon, and Napoleon Bonaparte. A Terry Gilliam production, the film is strange and over-the-top in all of the best ways. 

  • Starring:  John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall
  • Director:  Terry Gilliam
  • Year:  1981

57. King Kong (1933)

One of Hollywood's few pre-Code films, "King Kong" is a beauty-and-the-beast tale that uses stop-motion animation to depict Kong, the monstrously large ape that makes his home on Skull Island, a mysterious land populated with prehistoric creatures. After Kong is captured and brought to New York City, the creature breaks free, absconding with actress Ann Darrow and rampaging through Manhattan. "King Kong" is the widely considered one of the most influential monster films of all time, and its legacy can be seen in many new films today. 

  • Starring:  Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot
  • Director:  Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
  • Year:  1933
  • Runtime: 100 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

56. Journey to the Center of the Earth

Based on Jules Verne's classic novel, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" finds a group of explorers traveling far into the planet's interior, where they encounter a vast subterranean world. Deep inside the Earth, they encounter many wonders, including an ocean, dinosaurs, and the lost city of Atlantis. The effects here are incredibly charming in an old-fashioned way, with oversized mushrooms and "dinosaurs" that are actually real-life lizards made to look larger than life.

  • Starring:  James Mason, Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl
  • Director:  Henry Levin
  • Year:  1959
  • Runtime:  132 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  83%

"Avatar" is set in the year 2154, when humanity's reckless environmental habits have finally taken their toll. Amid the ensuing energy crisis, the Resources Development Administration has begun mining an ore called unobtanium on the lush moon Pandora in the Alpha Centauri system. To help communicate with the Na'vi, the blue humanoids who call the planet home, the human representatives use avatars to appear like the locals. But when one human begins falling for both a Na'vi and her way of life, we're taken on the journey of a lifetime. Part "Romeo and Juliet," part critique of imperialism, "Avatar" creates a vivid and imaginative world straight out of James Cameron's sci-fi dreams. 

  • Starring:  Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang
  • Director:  James Cameron
  • Year:  2009
  • Runtime:  162 minutes

54. Swiss Family Robinson

Based on the 1812 novel by Johann David Wyss, "The Swiss Family Robinson" finds the Robinson family en route from Switzerland to their new home in New Guinea when a pirate attack leaves them stranded on a desert island with two Great Danes. The family learns to survive, in the process encountering animals ranging from an angry tiger to a baby elephant and building the world's most amazing treehouse, complete with its own water wheel.

  • Starring:  John Mills, Dorothy McGuire, James MacArthur
  • Director:  Ken Annakin
  • Year:  1960
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:   83%

53. The Mask of Zorro

If you're looking for a fun, exciting, sexy time, then you can't go wrong with "The Mask of Zorro." In this 19th-century adventure, the famed masked swordsman is ready to find a protége who's willing to take up the mask and sword in his stead. His new student happens to be Alejandro Murrieta, an uncouth bandit who has a lot to learn about high society and swordplay if he ever wants to get revenge on the man responsible for his brother's death. Of course, he'll also have to deal with the beautiful and dangerous Elena, a noblewoman with a connection to the OG Zorro. Romantic, swashbuckling adventure commences, with plenty of fencing duels, tangoes, and witty repartee.

  • Starring:  Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins , Catherine Zeta-Jones
  • Director:  Martin Campbell
  • Year:  1998
  • Runtime:  136 minutes

52. Men in Black

The '90s was a great decade for sci-fi adventure flicks. For proof, look no further than "Men in Black." Will Smith plays the enthusiastic Agent J, a New York Cop recruited to work for the Men in Black, a secret government organization that monitors and polices alien life forms. Partnered up by Tommy Lee Jones' veteran Agent K, J picks up a neuralyzer — which can erase human memories as needed — and finds himself in a world of talking pugs, coffee-loving ETs, and a cockroach-like alien wreaking havoc in New York.

  • Starring:  Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino
  • Director:  Barry Sonnenfeld
  • Year:  1997

51. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The first film in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "The Fellowship of the Ring" finds hobbit Frodo Baggins embarking on his hero's journey to return the evil One Ring to Mordor where it can be destroyed once and for all. With the Fellowship of the Ring to protect him in his task, Frodo travels through treacherous lands, with his long and arduous journey only just beginning. Featuring one of the all-time movie scores from composer Howard Shore, "Fellowship of the Ring" is set against the beautiful vistas of New Zealand and features a host of impressive practical effects, some stirring battle sequences, and plenty of heartfelt emotions.

  • Starring:  Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler
  • Runtime:  178 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

50. Flight of the Navigator

After pre-teen David Freeman disappears in 1978, he reappears eight years later without having aged at all. Shortly after, when NASA captures a spaceship, they begin to realize that David was abducted and traveled inside this alien craft to a planet hundreds of light years away. And yet despite this fairly terrifying premise, "Flight of the Navigator" is a surprisingly uplifting family adventure film with a cult following that finds Max on the adventure of his life when he decides climb back aboard the UFO and befriend the intelligent being inside.

  • Starring:  Joey Cramer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Paul Reubens
  • Director:  Randal Kleiser
  • Year:  1986
  • Runtime: 89 minutes

49. Big Fish

A lovely film brimming with imagination, "Big Fish" takes a whole bunch of tall tales and spins them into a lovely little yarn. When an estranged son returns home to see his dying dad, he recounts some of the outlandish flights of fancy his father told him over the years. The stories are beyond unbelievable, with fables touching on witches, giants, and childhood growth spurts so dramatic they left our storyteller bedridden. A tale of familial love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, the film is one of Tim Burton's more emotional ventures. 

  • Starring:  Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup
  • Director:  Tim Burton

48. Muppet Treasure Island

A Muppet mayhem-fueled reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure, "Muppet Treasure Island" is a surprisingly good introduction to the quintessential pirate tale. After an encounter with buccaneer Billy Bones, English orphan Jim Hawkins finds himself the latest owner of a pirate treasure map. Unfortunately for Jim and his Muppet pals, their journey to find said treasure gets them entangled with a crew of greedy pirates who want it for themselves. 

  • Starring:  Tim Curry , Frank Oz, Dave Goelz
  • Director:  Brian Henson
  • Year:  1996
  • Runtime: 99 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

47. Stripes

When perpetually immature cab driver John manages to lose his lady, his apartment, and his job in the span of a few hours, he and his bestie Russell decide to enlist with Uncle Sam. Despite their ridiculous antics during basic training, the pair end up stationed in Italy, where their continued shenanigans land them in the middle of some serious Berlin Wall-era Cold War hijinks. If you're a fan of "Ghostbusters," you'll definitely want to check out this hilarious flick, as it features a lot of the same talent both in front of and behind the camera.

  • Starring:  Bill Murray , Harold Ramis, Warren Oates
  • Director:  Ivan Reitman
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

46. Pete's Dragon

A reimagining of Disney's 1977 live-action animated musical, "Pete's Dragon" is the story of a child who bonds with a large green forest-dwelling dragon after losing his parents in a car crash. A metaphor for the challenge of learning to trust again after trauma, "Pete's Dragon" is a heartfelt adventure that's family-friendly and still manages to pack in plenty of depth. 

  • Starring:  Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley
  • Year:  2016
  • Runtime:  103 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  88%

45. Casablanca

Set in Morocco during World War II, "Casablanca" finds American expatriate and club owner Rick entangled in a dangerous international affair when his former lover Ilsa comes to him for help getting her Czech resistance leader husband out of the country to safety. A tale of star-crossed lovers in a world turned upside down by war, "Casablanca" is widely considered one of the most romantic films of all time.

  • Starring:  Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
  • Year:  1942
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  99%

44. Planet of the Apes

After awakening from deep-space hibernation, misanthropic astronaut George Taylor finds himself on a strange planet where humans have devolved and intelligent apes rule the world. After he's captured and enslaved, Taylor befriends two chimpanzee scientists, but he'll have to convince the all-powerful orangutan Dr. Zaius that humanity is worth saving ... something that might not actually be true. Featuring one of the most shocking endings ever put to film, "Planet of the Apes" is a true adventure classic, one that won an honorary Oscar for its impressive ape make-up.

  • Starring:  Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Maurice Evans
  • Director:  Franklin J. Schaffner
  • Year:  1968
  • Runtime:  112 minutes

43. Romancing the Stone

In "Romancing the Stone," steamy romance novelist Joan Wilder finds herself in the middle of her own real-life romantic adventure when her sister is kidnapped by a pair of skeezy treasure hunters in Colombia. After crossing paths with a bird hunter looking to make a few bucks, the couple end up on the run from corrupt cops in an adventure ripped straight from the pages of a Harlequin. Anyone looking for a lighthearted romp with a few splashy thrills will get a kick out of this very '80s flick.

  • Starring:  Michael Douglas , Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito

42. Inception

Christopher Nolan's trippy sci-fi adventure "Inception" takes a deep dive into the innerspace of the human subconscious. Dom Cobb is a thief who uses specialized technology to enter dreams and make of with prized information. But when he and his team are hired to implant an idea into the deepest regions of a businessman's mind, things get really dangerous really fast, especially as Dom is haunted by memories that literally follow him. With dreams layered inside dreams, the film is equal parts seat-gripping adventure and philosophical exploration of grief. 

  • Starring:  Leonardo DiCaprio, Elliot Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
  • Director:  Christopher Nolan
  • Runtime:  148 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  87%

41. Guardians of the Galaxy

After his 1988 alien abduction, Peter Quill is all grown up and working with the intergalactic team of criminals who absconded with him as a child. But things take a turn when he gets caught up in a fight over an orb that can destroy worlds. After crossing paths with stern assassin Gamora, vengeful Drax the Destroyer, and bounty hunters Groot and Rocket (a friendly tree and a talking raccoon, respectively), Quill teams up with the rag-tag bunch to save the galaxy from the villainous Ronan the Accuser, a zealot with big plans for that aforementioned orb. An equally lighthearted yet emotional adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "Guardians" doesn't ask its viewers to know the ins and outs of the MCU to enjoy the adventure. 

  • Starring:  Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista
  • Director:  James Gunn
  • Runtime:  122 minutes

40. Thor: Ragnarok

Thanks in large part to the whimsical brain of Taika Waititi, "Thor: Ragnarok" is a tonally different entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in all the right ways. When Thor's family troubles spin out of control, the Norse god finds himself stranded on a trash planet where the campy Grandmaster (played adorably by Jeff Goldblum) pits him against Hulk in a gladiator ring. He'll have to make peace with the big green guy pretty quickly — as well as his tricksy brother Loki and the drunken warrior Valkyrie — if he wants to get back home to Asgard to save it from his sister, the goddess of death.

  • Starring:  Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett
  • Director:  Taika Waititi
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

39. The Last of the Mohicans

Based on James Fenimore Cooper's classic novel, "The Last of the Mohicans" is a stirring adventure tale set in the 18th century. During the French and Indian War, we follow the adventures of Hawkeye, the adopted white son of the Mohican Chingachgook and adopted brother of Uncas, as he gets caught up in the fighting between the French, the British, and the Hurons. If you're a fan of movies like "Collateral" and "Thief," then it will be fascinating to see director Michael Mann trying his hand at a period piece, especially one anchored by a great Daniel Day-Lewis performance and one of the most rousing musical themes you'll ever hear in an adventure film.

  • Starring:   Daniel Day-Lewis , Madeleine Stowe, Eric Schweig
  • Director:  Michael Mann
  • Year:  1992
  • Runtime:  114 minutes

38. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The final film in the "Lord of the Rings" saga, "The Return of the King" finds Frodo finally reaching Mordor after his long and arduous journey. At the same time, Aragorn leads his armies against Sauron's dark forces in an epic battle of good against evil to assist Frodo in the final stage of his journey. A call to bravery and action in the face of darkness and death, the film is a powerful and visually moving tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien's epic tale. It also cleaned house during awards season, winning a staggering 11 Oscars, including Best Picture.

  • Starring:  Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen , Liv Tyler
  • Runtime:  200 minutes

37. The Goonies

In the world of mandatory '80s viewing, "The Goonies" reigns supreme as the ultimate coming-of-age adventure. After a group of kids in Astoria, Oregon, find themselves getting pushed out of their neighborhood by a country club, they decide to embark on a final adventure together in search of pirate One-Eyed Willie's lost treasure. The adventure leads to them into a fantastical subterranean adventure while on the run from a group of gangsters, resulting in a high-energy tale that's packing loads of laughs and genuine sense of childlike wonder. 

  • Starring:  Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Ke Huy Quan
  • Director:  Richard Donner
  • Year:  1985
  • Runtime:  111 minutes

36. Ben-Hur

Starring Charlton Heston in the title role, "Ben-Hur" is an epic tale of a wealthy Jewish nobleman who finds himself facing off against Roman imperialism in the time of Christ. After his betrayal by a childhood friend, Ben-Hur's fall from grace places him as a galley slave. But once his fortunes start turning, he makes his way back home to become a charioteer ... and to get a little revenge. At the time of its release, "Ben-Hur" was one of the most epic adventures ever made, and even today, the chariot race is an unparalleled piece of action filmmaking.

  • Starring:  Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet
  • Director:  William Wyler
  • Runtime:  203 minutes

35. Stand by Me

Adapted from Stephen King's 1982 novella "The Body," "Stand by Me" is a nostalgic coming-of-age adventure set in 1959, when four friends set out to find the body of a missing boy. On their long hike, our heroes face off with a gang of local hoodlums, a speeding train, leech-filled waters, and their own personal troubles. Lacking any of the supernatural stuff that King is usually known for, "Stand by Me" is a fun adventure flick while also be a contemplative look at grief, death, and the all-too-brief moment of childhood.

  • Starring:  Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix , Corey Feldman
  • Director:  Rob Reiner
  • Runtime:  89 minutes

34. The Jungle Book

The best among about a half-dozen adaptations of Rudyard Kipling's 1894 story collection, "The Jungle Book" is a live-action CGI remake of the 1967 Disney original. The story follows the adventures of Mowgli, who was raised by animals in the jungles of India including the black panther Bagheera, the friendly bear Baloo, and a pack of wolves. Of course, life gets a little complicated with the tiger Shere Khan shows up looking for a snack. Using songs from the original film and boasting voice talent from the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Christopher Walken, "The Jungle Book" is even better than the bare necessities.

  • Starring:  Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba
  • Director:  Jon Favreau
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

33. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

An odyssey for anyone who's dreamed big despite naysayers, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" finds the planet Earth flush with mysteries of an extraterrestrial origin, from rolling blackouts to chasing after UFOs. Those who experience encounters find themselves drawn to a mysterious site in the middle of nowhere, where the U.S. military plans on greeting Earth's new visitors. 

  • Starring:  Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon
  • Year:  1977
  • Runtime:  135 minutes

32. Lawrence of Arabia

Directed by David Lean, "Lawrence of Arabia" recounts the tale of British adventurer and officer T.E. Lawrence. Against the backdrop of World War I, Lawrence makes his way to the deserts of Arabia, where he encounters and advises Prince Faisal during the Great Arab Revolt. Along the way, he befriends the testy Sherif Ali, but as Lawrence's glory grows, so does his outsized ego. And you know what they say about the bigger they are...

"Lawrence of Arabia" is deemed by many directors and critics to be one of the greatest films ever made, with Peter O'Toole's performance lauded as one of the best dramatic performances of all time. Add on some eye-popping cinematography and one of the very best match cuts (literally), and you have an adventure classic for the ages. 

  • Starring:  Peter O'Toole,   Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn
  • Director:  David Lean
  • Year:  1962
  • Runtime:  216 minutes

31. The Peanut Butter Falcon

When Zak, who has Down syndrome, goes on the lam from a living facility to pursue a career as a wrestler, he ends up on the run with a fisherman named Tyler. Together with facility employee Eleanor, the pair build a raft and take off on an adventure to find Zak's favorite wrestler, Salt Water Redneck. The film is a touching homage to Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn," with an optimistic feel that seems rare these days. 

  • Starring:  Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson
  • Director:  Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Even the CIA needs pencil pushers, and 40-year-old Susan Cooper is one of them in "Spy." Normally stuck behind a desk assisting field agent Bradley Fine, Susan gets drawn into her own real-world espionage adventure to track down an errant nuke. Melissa McCarthy is at her best in this giddy tale of tough women taking charge in a world overrun with machismo. 

  • Starring:  Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne
  • Director:  Paul Feig
  • Year:  2015

29. The Secret of Roan Inish

"The Secret of Roan Inish" is a dreamy adventure set in 1946 Ireland in a world where Irish folklore is real. After traveling to live with her grandparents and cousin on the coast of Ulster amid a series of personal tragedies, young Fiona finds herself in a world where humans and nature live in harmony. There, she learns a family legend that an ancestor was once married to a seal-woman, also known as a selkie. A meditative film that looks for magic in a world of heartache and loss, "The Secret of Roan Inish" provides a soulful vision of a world where myth and reality blur beautifully.

  • Starring:  Mick Lally, Eileen Colgan, John Lynch
  • Director:  John Sayles
  • Year:  1994

28. Mad Max: Fury Road

The fourth "Mad Max" film, "Mad Max: Fury Road" is considered by many to be the best in the series. Set in a post-apocalyptic Australia, this standalone movie finds road warrior Max Rockatansky forging an alliance with Imperator Furiosa, a one-armed warrior who's decided to rescue the brides of the despotic Immortan Joe. More than just a dieselpunk fantasy, "Fury Road" is a complex and layered story that manages to find meaning as a feminist anthem and a reimagined Western. It's also perhaps the greatest action movie ever made, complete with wild stunt work, unbelievable worldbuilding, and the greatest 2-hour car chase you will ever see.

  • Starring:  Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
  • Director:  George Miller

27. Spirited Away

One of the most beloved Studio Ghibli films, "Spirited Away" finds 10-year-old Chihiro and her parents captured by supernatural beings who reside at an apparently abandoned amusement park. There, she encounters countless supernatural creatures including yōkai, shapeshifters, shikigami, and other various spirits. While trapped in the spirit realm, the child (renamed Sen) comes to care for a spirit named Haku while also hoping to break a curse that has turned her parents into pigs and led to her own enslavement. 

  • Starring:  Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki
  • Director:  Hayao Miyazaki

26. Big Trouble in Little China

When trucker Jack Burton and his friend Wang Chi go to pick up the latter's fiancée at the airport, the pair end up ensnared in a Chinatown gang conflict that involves a Chinese crime lord, ancient magic, and two warring factions of Chinese warriors with supernatural abilities. Wacky, over the top, and frequently nonsensical in the best way possible, "Big Trouble in Little China" offers no shortage of adventure and remains a cult favorite for many cinema lovers. Plus, it does an amazing job skewering the whole "white savior" concept, as Jack Burton is completely useless and Wang Chi is the most capable guy in the whole movie.

  • Starring:  Kurt Russell , Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun
  • Director:  John Carpenter

25. The Matrix

The film that popularized the concept of simulation theory and introduced terms and concepts like "bullet time" and (inadvertently) "the red pill," "The Matrix" is part cyberpunk reimagining of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," part philosophical exploration of cognitive dissonance, part critique of the world's overdependence on technology. The film finds computer programmer Neo traveling down an existential rabbit hole when he encounters Morpheus and Trinity, who help him realize that most of humanity lives in a virtual world where they have been enslaved by intelligent machines. If he wants to find freedom, he'll have to don a pair of sunglasses, learn kung fu, and become "the One."

  • Starring:  Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
  • Director:  The Wachowskis
  • Year:  1999
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  88%

24. Mary Poppins

Based on P. L. Travers' 1934 children's book, "Mary Poppins" is a live-action animated Disney film that follows the adventures of a British nanny with fantastical abilities and a taste for whimsy. A lesson in the importance of relating to children as intelligent beings with their own minds, "Mary Poppins" finds the eponymous nanny whisking her two young wards around London on magical adventures while at the same time teaching them the importance of responsibility and recognizing other's struggles in life. 

  • Starring:  Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson
  • Director:  Robert Stevenson
  • Year:  1964
  • Runtime:  140 minutes

23. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

In the second and easily most problematic film in the "Indiana Jones" series, the titular character takes a break from fighting Nazis and, on the run from a Shanghai crime boss, ends up narrowly escaping a crashing plane in the Himalayas with his young friend Short Round and nightclub singer Willie. The road to adventure leads the trio to northern India, where they end up stumbling onto a dangerous Thuggee cult who enjoy pastimes such as practicing human sacrifice. Despite its darker tone and the annoying persona of Willie, the film is still one of the better cinematic adventures made to date, complete with a white-knuckle mine cart chase. 

  • Starring:  Harrison Ford , Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

22. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

A sequel to the 1995 board game-themed film starring Robin Williams, "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" finds four high school kids getting full-on Breakfast Clubbed when they're sent to detention — only here, they end up getting sucked into the video game version of "Jumanji." Inside their simulated reality, they're transformed into their avatars as they try to understand the game mechanics and stay alive long enough to hopefully return to the real world. 

  • Starring:  Dwayne Johnson , Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan
  • Director:  Jake Kasdan
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score : 76%

21. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" finds the famed archaeologist on a quest to track down his lost father Henry Jones, who went missing while searching for the Holy Grail. His journey takes him through Venetian catacombs to the tomb of a First Crusade knight, from a Nazi-infested Austrian castle to the fictional Canyon of the Crescent Moon, where he encounters several traps and tests that lead him to the Holy Grail. The third "Indiana Jones" sequel coming directly after the dark, unsettling "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," this film is heavy on the lighthearted humor and adventure that made "Raiders of the Lost Ark" a classic, and the cranky yet charming relationship between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery is hilarious.

  • Starring:  Harrison Ford, John Rhys-Davies, Sean Connery
  • Year:  1989

20. Ghostbusters

When a trio of parapsychologists lose their university gig, they decide to start a new company investigating paranormal occurrences and eliminating ghosts with the help of proton packs and nuclear-powered containment tech. When business picks up, they end up hiring a fourth team member. Things are looking great until the Ghostbusters run afoul of the EPA, resulting in a mishap that floods the city with captured ghosts and supernatural beings including the demigod Zuul and Gozer, the shapeshifting god of destruction. Creative, comedic, and completely ridiculous, "Ghostbusters" is a totally '80s adventure. 

  • Starring:  Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd , Sigourney Weaver
  • Runtime:  107 minutes

19. Joe Versus the Volcano

"Joe Versus the Volcano" is one of those hidden cult gems that far too few people have had the pleasure of viewing, and it's full of hilarious quotable moments and charming banter to spare. After miserable Staten Island rectal probe factory worker/hypochondriac Joe Banks is told that he has a terminal "brain cloud," he quits his job and accepts an offer from a wealthy businessman to throw himself into a volcano on the tropical island of Waponi Woo. Along the way, he bonds with the industrialist's daughters, Angelica and Patricia (both played by Meg Ryan), and encounters the finest luggage money can buy. 

  • Starring:  Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Abe Vigoda
  • Director:  John Patrick Shanley
  • Year:  1990
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%

18. The Hunger Games

Based on the dystopian novel series by Susan Collins, "The Hunger Games" is set in Panem, a future North American nation that sees 12 districts living under the oppressive rule of the Capitol elites. Each year, the districts are forced to send tributes who fight to the death in a televised event that leaves only one remaining survivor. When Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister's place, she finds herself trapped in a deadly game where everyone is out to kill her, especially the Head Gamemaker. Drawing on mythological elements and Roman gladiatorial games, the film offers plenty of adventure yet still contains enough interesting layers to make it ripe for interpretation. 

  • Starring:  Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
  • Director:  Gary Ross
  • Runtime:  142 minutes

17. The Neverending Story

"The Neverending Story" is a love letter to anyone who's ever felt more at home in a good book than facing the mundane struggles of everyday life. Based on Michael Ende's 1979 novel, the story follows the adventures of 10-year-old Bastian Bux, who steals a magical book from a store after running inside to hide from bullies. Cutting class to hide in the school's attic and read all day, Bastian gets absorbed in the book about an evil force eating away at the magical land of Fantasia, a world built by human imagination. When Bastian's thoughts and actions as the reader begin to impact the story, he begins to realize that he holds the key to saving Fantasia. 

  • Starring:  Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach
  • Director:  Wolfgang Peterson

16. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

An adaptation of C.S. Lewis' classic tale, 2005's "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" follows the adventures of four siblings who travel through that titular enchanted wardrobe into the magical kingdom of Narnia. In the absence of its ruler Aslan, the once-glorious kingdom has been gradually turned to winter by the villainous White Witch. Heeding the call to adventure, the four siblings help lead an army against her.

  • Starring:  Tilda Swinton, Liam Neeson, Anna Popplewell
  • Director:  Andrew Adamson
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%

15. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is a magical journey into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where children with a magical aptitude are placed into one of four houses and trained in the use of magic. The story is told through the eyes of the eponymous protagonist, an abused, bespectacled orphan who learns that his parents were important in the wizarding world and died at the hands of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, whose attempt to kill the infant Harry left him with a notorious lightning bolt scar. The film, which follows J.K. Rowling's book closely, addresses the importance of finding acceptance as an outcast and of refusing to give ground to those who would harm others. 

  • Starring:  Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
  • Director:  Chris Columbus
  • Runtime:  152 minutes

14. Labyrinth

When it comes to cult classics, few are loved more feverishly than the 1986 fantasy film "Labyrinth," which stars an uncomfortably sexy David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King, a teenage Jennifer Connelly, a whole lot of freaky-looking Muppets, and one of the dreamiest costume collections in cinematic history. When the teenage Sarah is more interested in her fantasy book than babysitting her crying infant half-sibling Toby, Jareth answers her frustrated plea that goblins should steal her baby brother away. As is often the case with teenagers, Sarah immediately regrets her impulsiveness and embarks on a maddening quest through Jareth's labyrinth to get Toby back. 

  • Starring:  David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Toby Froud
  • Director:  Jim Henson
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score:  74%

13. The Fifth Element

A vivid and whimsical trip through Luc Besson's imagination, "The Fifth Element" is a 23rd-century adventure that finds rough-around-the-edges cabbie Korben Dallas assisting a strange orange-haired woman named Leeloo who falls from a building into his cab. Together with the help of priest Vito Cornelius, they work to stop an evil weapon from destroying Earth. While the film doesn't make a whole lot of sense, it's a zippy adventure through a fascinating future brimming with wild aliens and Jean-Paul Gaultier fashions. 

  • Starring:  Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich
  • Director:  Luc Besson
  • Runtime:  126 minutes
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 70%

12. The Adventures of Robin Hood

A Technicolor imagining of the Saxon legend, "The Adventures of Robin Hood" is set in 12th-century England and finds nobleman Sir Robin of Locksley leading the fight against oppressors working on the authority of pretender Prince John, who's taken over in the absence of abducted King Richard. A romantic and exciting swashbuckler of a film, "The Adventures of Robin Hood" would become the template for all future adaptations of the story, leaving an indelible mark on Western pop culture. 

  • Director:  Michael Curtiz, William Keighley
  • Year:  1938

11. Back to the Future

The ultimate time travel story, "Back to the Future" tells the tale of Marty McFly, whose adventures with his slightly mad (but in a good way) scientist friend Doc Emmett Brown leave him stranded in 1955, where he almost immediately sabotages his own future after a run-in with his parents. Teaming up with the Doc Brown of 1955, Marty has to work to send himself back to the future while making a love connection between his parents so he doesn't wipe himself out of existence. A wild and wonderful adventure, the impact of "Back to the Future" cannot be overstated, from its role in popularizing skateboarding as a mainstream activity to its influence on television shows like "Rick and Morty" and "12 Monkeys."

  • Starring:  Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson
  • Runtime:  116 minutes

10. Stardust

Adapted from the 1999 Neil Gaiman fantasy novel, "Stardust" tells the fantastical tale of romantic underdog Tristan, who travels into an enchanted land via a magical candle left for him by his mother. The motive for his quest? He hopes to retrieve a fallen star for a woman he's pursuing. Despite learning that the star is in the form of woman who calls herself Yvaine, Tristan captures the star anyway, imprisoning her with an unbreakable chain. Along their journey back to Tristan's village, the pair are pursued by three witches who plan to eat Yvaine's heart. Full of magic and Gaimanesque mythology, "Stardust" is a lovely little adventure with a fairy-tale feel and includes an outstanding performance from Michelle Pfeiffer. 

  • Starring:  Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller
  • Director:  Matthew Vaughn
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%

9. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

In a world where extra-terrestrials are often portrayed as menacing colonizers or monsters, "E.T." is a rare reminder that not everything strange is malevolent. When a group of alien botanists visits the planet Earth, one gets left behind after a run-in with the U.S. government. While hiding in a San Fernando Valley neighborhood, the creature is discovered by 10-year-old Elliott, who befriends the little guy. Together with his sister Gertie and brother Michael, Elliott hides the alien, who calls himself "E.T.," until the government intervenes. The film is a heartfelt metaphor for the importance of communication in overcoming differences.

  • Starring:  Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote
  • Year:  1982

8. Star Trek

Despite being somewhat controversial among the fandom, "Star Trek" is an enjoyable reboot of the original series that doesn't detract from the overall "Trek" canon. That's thanks to a little alternate timeline magic (dubbed the "Kelvin timeline" by "Trek" fans). So even after the Romulan ship Narada travels back in time under the command of the vengeful Nero and kills the families Kirk and Spock, this alternate yet still iconic pair still end up together aboard the USS Enterprise under the leadership of Captain Christopher Pike. Tonally darker than the original "Star Trek" series, the film is nonetheless a fitting tribute to one of the Federation's finest crews. 

  • Starring:  Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho
  • Director:  J.J. Abrams

7. The Mummy

"The Mummy" finds dreamy 1920s adventurer Rick O'Connell working with wannabe Egyptologist and librarian Evelyn Carnahan and her brother Jonathan on a quest to find Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead. When Evelyn reads from the Book of the Dead near a tomb, she accidentally awakens a long-dormant curse, unleashing the mummified high priest Imhotep on the world, who in turn unleashes ten plagues on Egypt. On the run from Imhotep, the group must work together using their collective book smarts to defeat the ancient villain. 

  • Starring:  Brendan Fraser , Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
  • Director:  Stephen Sommers
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%

6. The Wizard of Oz

A vivid and imaginative musical adaptation of Frank L. Baum's 1900 children's book, "The Wizard of Oz" is one of the most culturally influential fantasy films of all time. When Kansas teenager Dorothy and her dog Toto don't make it into the storm shelter ahead of a tornado, they're blown away to a strange land called Oz. Here, Dorothy immediately earns the ire of the Wicked Witch and the praise of the locals due to circumstances completely beyond her control. While traveling through Oz in search of a way home, Dorothy befriends the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man, who join her on her journey. The film resonates with viewers for a variety of reasons and is sometimes seen as a metaphor for the personal journey to find truth and enlightenment, and it fits perfectly with Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon."

  • Starring:  Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger
  • Director:  Victor Fleming
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

5. Spartacus

Stanley Kubrick's epic historical drama "Spartacus" recounts the tale of the titular historical figure, a Thracian slave thrust into greatness during a period when the Roman Republic is on the slippery slope to its own demise. When Spartacus is shipped off to gladiatorial school, he leads his fellow slaves in an uprising, building an army that Rome can't seem to put down no matter how many legions they send.

  • Starring:  Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons
  • Director:  Stanley Kubrick
  • Runtime:  184 minutes

4. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

"The Empire Strikes Back" represents "Star Wars" at its best. The film, set a few years after the Death Star's destruction, finds the Imperial fleet finally catching up with the Rebels on the frozen planet Hoth. After his escape, Luke travels to Dagobah, where he trains to use the Force under the guidance of Jedi master Yoda, preparing to face off against Darth Vader. Things turn from bad to worse for the Rebels, setting the stage for the epic face-off in "The Return of the Jedi," giving us one of cinema's greatest twists, and resulting in perhaps the most exciting lightsaber battle in "Star Wars" history.

  • Starring:  Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford
  • Director:  Irvin Kershner
  • Year:  1980

3. The Princess Bride

Based on the 1973 William Goldman novel, "The Princess Bride" is the romantic and comedic tale of Buttercup, who falls in love with Westley, a farmhand always answers her demands with a dreamy "as you wish." After Westley leaves to make his fortune so they can afford to get hitched, his ship comes under attack by the Dread Pirate Roberts, whose claim to fame is that he doesn't leave survivors. A few years later when the brokenhearted Buttercup finds herself forced to marry the murderous Prince Humperdinck, she finds herself kidnapped and then kidnapped from her kidnappers only to learn that Westley is still alive. Packed full of charming performances, quotable dialogue, and memorable characters, "The Princess Bride" is one of the best adventures ever filmed. 

  • Starring:  Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark

The first in the "Indiana Jones" series, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" finds archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones striving to stay a step ahead of the Nazis on their quest for global domination via the biblical Ark of the Covenant. With his mentor's hard-drinking and hard-fisted daughter at his side, Indy travels to Egypt, hoping to find the all-powerful Ark before the Germans can get their hands on it. Complete with plenty of witty dialogue-fueled romance, mysterious ancient booby traps, and some of the best stunts in cinema history, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the ultimate treasure hunters' tale. 

  • Starring:  Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The second film in the "Lord of the Rings" series and the best in the trilogy, "The Two Towers" finds the Fellowship of the Ring split, with Frodo and Sam continuing the trek to Mordor and Merry and Pippin planning an attack on Saruman's fortress. Elsewhere, Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli reunite with an old mystical friend. Spectacular and emotional, the film is a beautiful tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien's epic tale, and it all leads up to one of the greatest showdowns in cinematic history — the Battle of Helm's Deep. When it comes to battle scenes, they don't get any better than this one. Plus, the movie introduced us to the mo-cap wonder that is Gollum, a character who still haunts our memories with his calls of "my precious."

  • Year:  2002
  • Runtime:  179 minutes

The Globetrotting Teacher

101 Best Travel Movies to Watch in 2021

If you’re searching for the best travel movies to watch, you’ve landed in the right spot! 

Not only can the best movies about travel inspire you to travel to new places, but they’re also great when you’re stuck at home with a serious case of wanderlust yet unable to travel.

This ultimate list of best travel films has done just that for me! I’ve traveled to places that I’ve seen or learned about in movies plenty of times. But when I wanted to travel but couldn’t because of my strict teacher schedule, these travel movies have transported me across the world from the comfort of my living room.

So, whether you’re looking for backpacking movies, adventure travel movies, movies that take you on a journey in search of love or self-exploration or the best travel documentaries, you’re sure to find movies that inspire you to dream about the world and, of course, plan another travel adventure for when the time is right.

101 Best Travel Movies Pin

1. Eat, Pray, Love

Location – Italy India Indonesia 

Based on a best selling memoir, Julia Roberts stars as Elizabeth Gilbert, as a newly divorced woman looking to step out of her comfort zone by embarking on a journey around the world.  Her travels include mouth-watering meals in Italy, the power of prayer and silence in India & finding inner peace in Indonesia.

This classic favorite is a must-see for anyone afflicted with the travel bug. I can’t watch this movie without ordering pizza and searching for flights to Bali.

 2. Midnight in Paris

Location -Paris 

Woody Allen’s opening 3-minute montage of Paris will have you booking a flight before the movie has even begun! Owen Wilson plays Gil Pender, a successful yet uninspired Hollywood screenwriter, finds the gift of time travel and inspiration at midnight.

Going back to the roaring 20s, he parties with the likes of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Josephine Baker. Hemingway looked like such a blast to hang out with!

This is one of my favorite travel movies and I put it on any time I wish I was in Paris…which is a lot!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

3. Out of Africa

Location – Kenya 

Filmed on location in Kenya including the Shaba National Game Reserve, Out of Africa was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 7 of them for this autobiographical novel by Isak Dinesen with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in the starring roles. 

Karen Blixen is a Danish woman who comes to Kenya with her husband to farm cattle. Her marriage doesn’t work out, but she falls in love with Kenya and its people, connecting with the locals as she helps with education and medical needs.

The movie tells the story of love, heartbreak, having the strength to stay true to yourself. You had me at Africa…and of course, Meryl Streep.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

4. The English Patient

Location – Tunisia & Italy

Set in Italy during the final days of World War II, this beautiful film combines romance and adventure to tell a classic story after a man is badly burned. The movie flashes back and forth from the perspective of the patient as he shares about his life.

It was nominated for 12 Oscars, winning 9. Directed by Anthony Minghella (who also directed The Talented Mr. Ripley), the movie was shot on location in Tunisia and Italy. The scenery and cinematography are breathtaking!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

5. The Talented Mr. Ripley

Location – Italy

Two years after Good Will Hunting launched Matt Damon’s career, he showed off his acting chops by playing the diabolical and talented Tom Ripley who is impersonating another character in the movie.

The film’s talented cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, and Cate Blanchette. Aside from a few opening minutes in New York, the film is shot on location, entirely in Italy, including stunning shots of Positano, Ischia, Procida, and Anzio.

Famous locations included the Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, and the Piazza di Spagna in Rome, and Cafe Florian in Piazza San Marco in Venice. I liked Matt Damon as Will Hunting much, much better but I can’t resist gorgeous Italy!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

6. Lost in Translation

  Location – Japan

This 2003 romantic comedy-drama starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannson in Tokyo provide glimpses of local Japanese spots from Temples to karaoke bars. The movie was nominated for four Academy Awards. Director Sophia Coppola won the Oscar for best original screenplay. 

This relatively low-budget movie is about being lonely and the stress of trying to interact with others who are culturally different from what you’re used to. Bill Murray’s performance is understated, skilled acting but the city of Tokyo stole the show for me. Anyone up for some sushi?

globetrotting action adventure movies list

7. Sideways

Location – Santa Ynez Valley – Wine Country 

Paul Giamatti (who I still think of as John Adams after starring in the HBO series ) stars in this black comedy-drama along with Thomas Hayden Church. Two men in their forties take a weeklong trip to Santa Barbara wine country for a quasi-bachelor party. Giamatti is a depressed writer dealing with his own personal issues while his buddy is looking for one last fling.

Even if you don’t know Pinot Noirs from Merlots, you’ll still have that yearning to see vineyards with rows of grapes, while sipping new vintages on a wine tour.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

8. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Location – Germany 

This brilliant Wes Anderson film features a great ensemble cast and won 4 Oscars from Best Costume Design to Best Original Score.

I’m a big fan of Wes Anderson films and if you’re a movie lover you know them when you see them. Anderson captures the feel perfectly of the glory days of grand luxury hotel life during the early 20th century. The owner of the hotel is falsely accused of murder and what follows is a funny series of events as others are out to get him.

P.S. When you see the movie, just try and resist your sweet tooth calling for that bakery box from Mendl’s!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

9. Into the Wild

Location – Alaska

Thinking of planning some off-the-grid travel? This is the movie for you.

This 2007 non-fiction survival film co-produced and directed by Sean Penn is based on the story of Christopher McCandless, a guy who leaves everything behind to travel and live in the Alaskan wilderness in the early 1990s.  Although it has a tragic end, this story captures the essence of travel and the lessons learned only by experiences gained from a true adventure.

Without a doubt, this is one of the top travel movies ever.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

10. The Bond Movies

Location – All over the World 

Do you have a favorite James Bond? Mine is Roger Moore.

From 7 different actors and 26 movies, James Bond has been all over the world fighting bad guys. From the moon to Morrocco, 007 has inspired travel to just about everywhere. With so many Bond movies to choose from, start with Skyfall, The Spy Who Loved Me, From Russia with Love, Casino Royale, and Spectre. And, by the way, I’ll take that martini shaken, not stirred.

Location –  Paris 

Amelie is a 2001 French film that was nominated for 5 Academy Awards. After spending her childhood in isolation, she becomes a waitress at a Paris cafe. Her childhood experience leaves her searching for love, but also trying to help others who want to find love, as well.

The film was a critical success, and to date, it’s the highest-grossing French-language film released in the US. It’s spoken in French, so subtitles are vital here unless you’re fluent in French. It’s also a great way to practice your French language skills…or just sit back, listen, and remember how it feels to enjoy a Paris cafe.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

12. Almost Famous

Location – USA Road Trip

What’s better than a road trip? A road trip with a rock band, of course!

Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, this movie is a semi-autobiography about Crowe himself. As a teenage writer for Rolling Stone, Crowe toured with the Eagles, Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Led Zeppelin. Kate Hudson also stars as a groupie who travels with the band, although, by the end of the movie we learn she’s much more than that.

Even though this movie didn’t do well at the box office, it received Academy Awards nominations and won for Best Original Screenplay. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

13. Cast Away

Location – Deserted Tropical Island in the Pacific

Ever wish you could just get away from the world and spend time on a deserted island? What would you take? Could you build a raft out of palm trees or fish with a spear? Could you get a fire lit on a beach with just sticks? Tom Hanks teaches all the skills you need should you find yourself in a similar situation.

Shot in paradise, the ocean views and island scenes are gorgeous. As much as I like this movie and Tom Hanks, I’d much rather land on a tropical island with some lounge chairs and cocktails.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

14. Chocolat

Location –  Fictional French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes 

This film proves my longstanding theory. Chocolate makes everything better. That and hanging out in a lovely French village. Chocolat is the story of a woman who is new to town and sells the chocolates she makes in her shop.

Along the way, she changes the hearts and minds of the little town, although not without some drama which includes the arrival of Johnny Depp’s character. This part drama part romantic film was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture. The acting from Juliette Binoche and Judi Dench are stellar.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

15. Vicki Cristina Barcelona  

Location – Barcelona

This Woody Allen directed romantic comedy stars Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, and Penelope Cruz.  I felt a deep connection to this film because I love the city of Barcelona.

In the movie, you see Barcelona through the eyes of 2 American students, who both have an affair with the same Spanish artist. The artist’s ex-wife re-enters the picture for a full look at love, the institution of marriage, and the roles society expects of us…should we decide to conform. Throughout the movie, the city of Barcelona shines through its architecture, food, and culture.

16. Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Location – New Zealand 

Is there anything better than spending a winter or rainy Saturday watching the Lord of the Rings Trilogy pretending you’re Frodo and Sam trekking through the New Zealand landscape?

Based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien, Middle Earth’s only hope to avoid the shadow of darkness is in the hands of Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit from the Shire. Along the way on his quest, the sweeping New Zealand landscapes will leave you in awe. Load up on snacks for 9 hours of adventure…Minus the orcs. 😉

globetrotting action adventure movies list

17. Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Location – Iceland to the Himalayas

A feel-good movie about a man who works in an office and dreams of adventures, which ultimately takes him from Scandinavia to Central Asia in search of his destiny.

Ben Stiller’s character is on a journey of courage, whether it’s to finally ask out the co-worker he likes or to discover what the world can offer. The story is all about turning your dreams into reality. As any traveler will tell you, actual voyages usually come with an internal voyage, too. This movie will inspire all of us to find out more about ourselves as we dare to explore the world.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

18. Far and Away

Location – Oklahoma 

Far and Away is directed by Ron Howard and stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The two play Irish immigrants in the 1890s who’ve come to America for a better life. Arriving in Boston hoping for the promise of land in America, life is not as easy as imagined. With little to no money and family drama, their dream of owning land and being together seems nearly impossible.

The movie’s Land Run of 1893 scene shows the fight and spirit the American midwest is known for. The movie was actually shot in Billings, Montana, not Oklahoma and the Land Run scene included nearly 800 hundred extras, plus hundreds of horses and wagons!

This movie will leave you longing for a horseback ride across the midwest to discover the spirit of the American frontier.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

19. Up in the Air

Location – Airports / Planes 

Up in the Air was one of 2009’s best films and nominated for 6 Academy Awards. George Clooney and Anna Kendrick star in this comedy-drama. Clooney’s character is training Kendrick’s character on how to fire people from their jobs as they both work for a downsizing company. They’re constantly flying to new places for work and along the way Kendrick realizes this is not the path for her.

For points and miles aficionados, George Clooney’s character hits 10 million miles on his frequent flyer account. Is anyone else thinking upgrades?

globetrotting action adventure movies list

20. The Motorcycle Diaries

Location – South America

The trip that made Che Guevara, Che Guevara. Traveling through South America on a trip that started as a fun adventure, ultimately made Guevara the revolutionary we know today.

The movie is a dramatization of Che Guevara’s memoirs as he traveled from the Andes in Chile to the Amazon in Peru on an 8,700-mile journey. Along the way, he discovers life in Latin America, particularly the poverty so many of the indigenous population is rooted in. What he sees inspires him to fight against unfair class systems and economic hardships.

Today, tons of travelers inquire about how to follow the same trail that turned Che into a revolutionary icon.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

21. Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Location –  NYC to Chicago to Wichita

If I ever end up in a nightmare travel situation I would totally want to be with these two characters. 

This 1980s classic directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and the late great John Candy play two men trying to get home to Chicago from New York City for the Thanksgiving holiday. After Martin’s flight gets canceled due to bad weather, all means of transport become an option. He meets John Candy who plays a shower curtain salesman full of bad jokes and, as you can imagine, hysterics follow.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

22. Catch Me If You Can

Location – Airports and Airplanes

Any movie directed by Steven Speilberg, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks is already a keeper.

DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale, Jr. who by the age of 19 was already a cunning con man pretending to be a doctor, a prosecutor and my personal favorite, a Pan American World Airways pilot. Hanks plays an FBI agent pursuing him the entire movie. 

The movie is based on a true story, which is mind-blowing to think about someone impersonating a pilot.  

globetrotting action adventure movies list

23. National Lampoon’s Vacation Movies

Location – U.S. Road Trip, European Vacation

How can you not love the Griswolds? They are an American family who likes to take vacations, from a U.S. road trip to a European vacation. However, every one of which goes hysterically wrong!

From 1983-2015, the Vacation movies grossed nearly $300,000,000 and I loved every minute of the nonsense that would eventually accompany every trip.

The series is based on a John Hughes short story called “Vacation 58” that was originally published for National Lampoon magazine. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

24. Slumdog Millionaire

Location – India 

Slumdog Millionaire was a sleeper hit of 2008.

The movie stars Dev Patel in the role of Jamal Malik who’s from a Mumbai slum. Jamal had quite the journey from childhood to adulthood. He ends up being a contestant on the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” with a chance to win 20 million Rupee (=$280k)!

His experiences, as well as the love of his life, serve to help him answer the questions on the show.  

Location – Oregon – California

Starring Reese Witherspoon & Laura Dern, the film is based on a biographical memoir by Cheryl Strayed and is considered one of the best travel adventure movies of all time.

In June of 1995, Strayed left Minnesota after losing her mother and the breakdown of her marriage to hike 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail stretches from British Columbia in Canada through Southern California. It’s known to be one of the most difficult hiking trails in North America.

Strayed (played by Witherspoon) does this despite a lack of hiking experience. At some point, we can all use a journey of self-discovery & healing. Just bring enough water and the right boots.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

26. Under the Tuscan Sun

Location – Tuscany, Italy 

We all can relate to things not going as planned in life and needing a complete change to find a new path.

Frances Mayes, played by Diane Lane, discovers her husband is cheating and loses everything in the divorce. A friend convinces her to take a trip to Italy. While there, she buys and fixes up a Tuscan villa on a whim, to start again. Along the way, she gains friends and a new life in Italy.

You’ll swoon over the beautiful shots of Tuscany. They had me dreaming of Chianti and burrata.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

27. Everest

Location – Nepal – Himalayas

Based on real events from the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, this 2015 film tells the true story of 2 groups trying to summit Mt. Everest. From blizzards to high-altitude sicknesses, the story quickly becomes a fight for survival. Injuries, lack of oxygen, and exhaustion become obstacles that ultimately determine who makes it back to Everest Base Camp and who does not.

The movie’s cast is a true ensemble with actors that include Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, Robin Wright, Emily Watson, and Jake Gyllenhaal. 

Of all the films like Into the Wild, this one had me at the edge of my seat!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

28. Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil

Location – Savannah, Georgia 

The 1997 crime-drama is based on the novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt, which spent a record-breaking 216 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Clint Eastwood directs while Kevin Spacey and John Cusack star alongside the city of Savannah itself. With its beautiful architecture and all of its eccentricities, the city becomes the real attraction. An antique dealer, played by Spacey, has been arrested for the murder of a male prostitute and faces a trial. 

John Cusack’s character is a writer for a magazine and is partially based on the book’s author himself, John Berendt.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

29. Thelma & Louise

Location – Ultimate U.S. Road Trip

This 1991 classic directed by Ridley Scott stars Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. It’s considered one of the best road trip movies of all time. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and it won for Best Original Screenplay. It also launched the career of someone named Brad Pitt.

Two best friends set off for a weekend trip that quickly becomes an escape as they try to avoid the police. The authorities eventually corner them at the Grand Canyon and the 2 women are faced with a decision about what to do.

Most of the filming was done entirely in the states of California and Utah, with the primary filming locations in rural areas around Bakersfield, CA and Moab, UT. The film was met with mostly positive reviews and uncanny curiosity about a then-unknown Brad Pitt and his diet and workout routine!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

30. French Kiss

Location – Paris and the South of France

This 1995 romantic comedy stars 90s darling, Meg Ryan, and Kevin Kline. 

Ryan’s character flies to France to get back her cheating fiance, only to be swindled by a smuggler, played by Kline. Ryan and Kline follow her cheating fiance to the south of France only to have her realize she no longer wants him. 

Along the way, she learns more about Kline’s character, Luc, and the poor choices he’s made in life, only to ultimately help him in the end.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

31. The Bucket List

Location – Around the World 

Any movie that stars Morgan Freeman & Jack Nicholson has to be good. 

The Bucket List is about 2 men who are terminally ill who meet in the hospital. They decide to hit the road and travel around the world before they die. They skydive, visit the Taj Mahal, fly over the north pole, see Mt. Everest, go on Safari in Tanzania, motorcycle-ride on the Great Wall, and have a legendary dinner in France. 

On their travels, each man opens up and shares about his personal life struggles as the two become good friends.

32. P.S. I Love You

Location – Irish Countryside 

Based on Cecelia Ahern’s 2004 novel, this romance film stars Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. They play Holly and Gerry, a couple who lives in New York City. Sadly, Gerry dies of a brain tumor. 

Before his death, Gerry plans a series of messages, which Holly starts getting after his death. The messages set her on an adventure to help get her through her grief. Each message ends with P.S. I Love You.

The messages end up taking her to the beautiful Irish countryside, where Gerry was from. By the end of the movie, you’ll be crying in your Guinness.

33. Before Sunrise

Location – Vienna 

Written and directed by Richard Linklater, Before Sunrise is actually based on a real-life encounter that Linklater had with a woman he met in Philadelphia while traveling.

The movie stars Ethan Hawke as Jesse and Julie Delpy as Celine, who strike up a conversation on a train bound to Vienna from Budapest. They end up walking the city all night because Jesse, who’s due to fly back to the United States in the morning, can’t afford a hotel for the night. They visit some of Vienna’s landmarks and end in a Viennese cafe, which is exactly what you need to do when you’re in Vienna. 

As they talk, Jesse and Celine talk openly about their heartbreaks and their lives. The chemistry between the two is undeniable. But, you’ll have to watch to find out what happens…before sunrise.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

34. Before Sunset  

Location – Paris 

Before Sunset is the sequel to Before Sunrise. It’s 9 years later and Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reprise their roles as Jesse and Celine. This time they meet in Paris, where Celine lives and works as an environmental advocate and Jesse has come for the launch of his new book.

Celine goes to a bookstore where Jesse is holding a book event. Afterward, they spend the time they have walking, talking, reconnecting. Back at Celine’s apartment, time runs short and Celine worries Jesse will miss the flight he’s supposed to take.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

35. Before Midnight 

Location –  Greece

Before Midnight is the 3rd movie in the series with Jesse and Celine. Another 9 years have gone by.

Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy have taken us on a long journey through beautiful Vienna, Paris and now, Greece. The movie realistically highlights love and life and doesn’t avoid the struggles that come with loving another person while still wanting to remain true to who you are.

The ending may not be as storybook as you’ve come to expect from Hollywood but it does leave you hoping for a possible 4th movie.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

Location –  24 Countries and 6 Continents

This 1992 travel documentary highlights life, human activities, and natural events on 6 continents. With no dialogue, this film is a journey around the globe showing the planet and all of us on it from Lake Natron in Tanzania to the chanting monks in Dip Tse Chok Ling Monastery to a busy city subway terminal.

Baraka will be unlike any other film you’ve watched but one that will inspire realizations about other cultures, the world, and even yourself. Movies with beautiful scenery make you want to see the world…or transport you when you can’t travel.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

37. Samsara 

Location – 25 Countries

Samsara is the follow up to Baraka, as director Ron Fricke builds on the themes of the first movie with another visually stunning film.

Samsara was shot over 5 years in 25 countries. Again with no dialogue, the filmmakers spotlight human life and the wonders of the planet. This time, though, we see the consequences of human desires quite plainly for a more somber reflection of the planet and our role as people on it.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

38. A Room with a View

Location – England – Italy 

This film is set in Florence, Italy and Surrey, England. It stars Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Rupert Graves, Simon Callow, Judi Dench, and Daniel Day-Lewis.   

While in Florence, Bonham-Carter’s character, Lucy, meets George Emerson played by Julian Sands. They share a connection and a kiss before Lucy returns home to England with her cousin. Lucy is expected to marry a man named Cecil, played by Daniel Day-Lewis. However, George Emerson resurfaces and puts Lucy’s engagement to Cecil in doubt.

This Academy Award winning film came out in 1985 and still holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

39. The Last Emperor

Location – China 

The Last Emperor has several achievements. Director Bernardo Bertolucci was allowed by the Chinese government the right to shoot the first western movie about China in The Forbidden City. That alone makes it a must-see. After all, The Forbidden City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site all on its own.

The movie was also nominated for 9 Academy Awards and won ALL 9. The story is biographical about a man named Puyi who was chosen to be Emperor as a child. The movie begins later in life, after he’s been captured by the Red Army, and flashes back to tell the story of his life.

A fun fact about the making of The Last Emperor was the need for 19,000 extras who were played by the Chinese army.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

40. Forrest Gump

Location – USA, Vietnam, China

One of the all-time classics, Forrest Gump is the winner of 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Forrest Gump is a simple man who lives an extraordinary life that takes him to foreign countries and across the United States.

The movie includes one of my favorite scenes in movie history. It’s when Forrest describes to Jenny the different places he’s been to on his run across the country, and she says that she wishes she could’ve been there with him. He replies, that she was there. I need a tissue.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

41. Encounters at the End of the World

Location – Antarctica

The wild, frontier of the 7th continent is on full display in this Werner Herzog travel documentary. The stunning snow and ice landscapes steal the spotlight, along with the underwater footage of the marine life below the ice.

The documentary also shows some of the people who are living and working on Antarctica as they figure out how to survive in the harsh Antarctic environment. If you’re an explorer at heart, how could you not want to uncover the beauty of Antarctica…even if only on the big screen? 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

42. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Location – Bethesda, Maryland – Greece – Mexico – South Carolina 

Based on the 2001 novel, this movie is about 4 teenage girlfriends who are about to spend the summer apart. Before they go, the girls go shopping and find a pair of jeans that fits them all, despite their different shapes and sizes.

During their time away, the girls share the pants and their experiences with one another as they learn about life. The jeans are the symbolic bond that keeps them connected. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

43. In Bruges

Location – In Bruges 

This 2008 dark comedy starring Colin Farrel, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes is set in the gorgeous city of Bruges, Belgium. Located in the northwest of the country with its many canals, Bruges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and called the Venice of the North.

Farrel and Gleeson are 2 Irish hitmen who are hiding in Bruges because they botched a murder and also killed a young boy. Now, the 2 men have been told to wait in the city of Bruges posing as tourists. The debauchery that follows is dark and funny. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

44. The Godfather

Location – Italy – New York – Las Vegas

Godfather I and II follows the epic tale of the Corleone crime family from Sicily to New York. Both movies are directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie stars legendary actors like Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro.

 While the crime story is the central plot, Italian culture is heavily interwoven throughout the movie’s narrative from life in Sicily to a big, Italian wedding in New York City. You’ll surely be craving homemade pasta and meatballs every time you watch!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

45. The Descendants

Location – Hawaii

George Clooney plays an attorney and land baron who’s the trustee of a family trust that owns 25,000 acres on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. During these family discussions, Clooney’s wife has a boating accident and ends up on life support. This tragedy brings to light his wife’s affair, as well as brings him closer to his 2 daughters.

Because of Clooney’s role as a land baron, Hawaii takes center stage. It’s beaches and sweeping natural beauty transport you to the middle of the Pacific and help viewers understand Clooney’s ultimate decision about what should happen with the land trust.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

46. The Holiday

Location – LA / UK

Have you ever considered the idea of home exchange to spur your travels and escape life? The Holiday is about 2 women played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz who do just that over the Christmas holiday.

Amanda, played by Diaz heads to a quaint cottage in Surrey, England and Iris, played by Winslet, heads to a large and luxurious home in Los Angeles. The swaps end up being lucky for both women who meet men who also fall for them and treat them as they should be treated.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

47. Murder on the Orient Express

Location – Paris to Istanbul

Based on Agatha Christie’s 1934 novel about a murder-mystery that happens on the Orient Express, a luxury train travel trip. The story is a classic who-done-it after one of the passengers is found murdered. As the story progresses, it appears as though several passengers could be suspects.

The latest version sports a star-studded cast that includes Kenneth Branagh (who also directed the film) Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Judy Dench, Willem Dafoe, and Michele Pfeiffer. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

48. Mama Mia

Location – Greek Islands 

This movie transports you to the Greek island of Skopelos, although in the movie the island is called Kalokairi. Sounds pretty good right there, no?!

This movie-musical is about a girl who is soon-to-be-married who invites 3 different men who could be her father to her wedding. Meryl Streep plays the girl’s mother and doesn’t know her daughter has invited the men until she sees them as guests start to arrive for the wedding.

The movie score features classic, singable ABBA favorites like Mama Mia, Dancing Queen, and Take a Chance on Me.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

49. The Art of Travel

Location  – Central America and South America

What happens when your wedding goes south? You want to get away…which is what Connor Layne, played by Christopher Masterson, does after he discovers his high school sweetheart’s unfaithfulness. 

Connor heads to Nicaragua as an inexperienced traveler and is almost immediately robbed. Thinking he should go home, he decides otherwise and his confidence slowly grows. Weeks later in Panama, he meets a group of people who want to trek through the jungle and set the world record for crossing the Darien Gap, a swath of dangerous land between Panama and Colombia.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

50. Sleepless in Seattle

Location –  Seattle – New York City 

This 1990s romantic classic stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The screenplay was co-written and directed by the late great Nora Ephron, who also brought us the classic movie When Harry Met Sally.

Hanks plays a widower with a young son who relocates to Seattle after his wife dies. He’s heartbroken and his son calls into a radio show and persuades his father to talk about his feelings and his late wife.

Upon listening to the show, millions of women send letters hoping to be the one to fix his broken heart, one of them being Ryan’s character. What follows is one of the most romantic endings in movie history at the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

51. The Darjeeling Limited

Location – India

What would it be like to take a trip with your adult siblings? Comedy is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of traveling with my sister.

In The Darjeeling Limited, 3 brothers have drifted apart after their father’s death. They come together for a train trip through India to rebuild their relationship as brothers and friends. Each of them is also going through some personal struggles. The older brother, Francis, played by Owen Wilson, has ulterior motives for the trip. He hopes they can locate their mother who’s left them for a life of solitude.

When they get thrown off the train for disturbing other passengers, they’re forced to walk through rural India. Along the way, the brothers reconnect as friends and learn to trust each other.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

52. Six Days Seven Nights

Location – South Pacific

Are you the kind of traveler who loves movies about exploration and adventure?

In this Ivan Reitman-directed adventure comedy, Harrison Ford and Anne Heche crash land on a deserted island in the South Pacific. Heche had been vacationing with her fiance on a nearby island when she was called away for work.

Stranded and having to survive everything from the elements to Pirates, Ford and Heche initially don’t get along but grow to have feelings for each other. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

53. Big Fish

Location – Southern United States

Do you have someone in your life who travels a lot for business? Have you ever heard any of their travel stories?

Tim Burton directed this fantasy comedy flick. It’s not your typical Burton darkness but instead, a story that takes us on an incredible adventure where the main character’s travels include encounters with even more interesting people.

On his deathbed, Ed Bloom begins telling his son, Will, played Billy Crudup, extraordinary tales from his adventures as a traveling salesman. The stories are so out-of-this-world it’s difficult for Will to believe they are true. After his father passes, Will comes to realize his father’s stories weren’t as outlandish as he first thought.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

54. The Beach

Location – Thailand  

This quintessential travel movie set on the beaches of Thailand has inspired a countless number of young travelers to visit Southeast Asia whether with a travel buddy or solo. In fact, one of the beaches featured in the movie has been closed to tourists to allow the eco-system to repair itself.

The Beach stars a young DiCaprio, who learns of a secret beach where other travelers are living. He and a French couple use a map left by a friend who killed himself to find the beach. The community of travelers living there abide by a set of rules that allow them to be self-sufficient. However, what initially appears to be a utopian paradise ends up quite the opposite.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

55. The Bourne Movies

Location – The World 

Matt Damon takes us all over the globe through several installments of action-filled movie adventures. Damon plays Jason Bourne, a man who’s a secret assassin, part of an unknown government agency. Starting in the first movie, Bourne Identity, Damon’s character has suffered memory loss but soon realizes he has physical skills that surprise him. When his life is threatened, he’s forced onto a path of discovery to learn who he is and where he comes from.

Each sequel holds its own because of the continuing coherent storyline. The Bourne movies grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

56. Paris, je t’aime 

Location – Paris

This film will make you fall in love with Paris…if you haven’t already be struck by this beautiful city. 

Paris Je t’aime, meaning Paris, I Love You, is a collection of 18 short films brought to you by 18 famous directors. The film represents stories that take place in 18 of the 20 arrondissements of Paris. Each story has its own cast and is seamlessly sequenced to the ones before and after it.

If you love Paris or dream of visiting the City of Lights, Paris, je t’aime will take you on an exploration of Paris and love. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

Based on the non-fiction book A Long Way Home  by Saroo Brierley, this amazing true story stars Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, and Nicole Kidman. 

Lion tells the story of Saroo Brierley who at age 5 became separated from his family in India. Arriving in Calcutta not knowing where he is or how to get back home, he eventually lands in an orphanage. An Australian couple adopts him.

However, as an adult, Saroo is haunted by the memories of his brother calling his name and sets off on a return to India to find his biological family.

Lion received 6 Oscar nominations and grossed $140 million worldwide.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

Location – Kauai + 15 other countries

Given lets us see and experience the world through the eyes of a 6-year-old boy named Given. His parents are Aamion & Daize Goodwin, famous surfers from Kauai. Aamion traveled with his father as a young boy and sees it as a generational tradition to set off with his son and family. 

Learning about the natural world and experiencing the daily lives of people around the world, Given gets an education that only travel can teach.

If you’re dreaming of traveling the world or haven’t traveled in a while, Given shows and reminds us how incredible the world is. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

59. The Hundred-Foot Journey

Location – France

This light-hearted drama is based on the novel, The Hundred-Foot Journey about dueling restaurants in a small French village.

The Kadam family moves from India to a village in southern France and opens up an Indian restaurant directly across the road from Helen Mirren’s Michelin Star Rated French restaurant. There are several attempts to sabotage the new restaurant by Mirren and her chefs. The family also faces some discrimination as they settle into their new town.

Hassan, the Kadam’s second-oldest son is an up-and-coming chef, who attempts to impress Mirren. The resulting fusion of the 2 cuisines symbolizes how the 2 sides eventually learn to live and dine together. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

60. An American in Paris

Dreaming of being an ex-pat in Paris? In this 1951 classic movie-musical, you can live vicariously through Jerry, played by Gene Kelly, who is an American living in Paris and trying to make it as a painter. 

Interwoven with Gershwin music and choreography by Gene Kelly himself, Jerry falls head over heels for Lise Bouvier who initially rebuffs his advances but eventually reciprocates the feelings. However, Lise is supposed to marry Henri, a French singer moving to America, even though she and Jerry love each other. 

An American in Paris won 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture and is considered one of the best movie-musicals of all-time.

61. Sex and the City

Location – New York City

The plot of Sex and the City may be all about Carrie Bradshaw and her wedding to the love of her life, John James Preston (aka Big). But, in actuality, the movie is much  bigger than that. It’s a love letter all about New York City . <3

From sweeping pre-war apartments to the New York Public Library, Central Park, and the Brooklyn Bridge, you can transport yourself to the Big Apple through the eyes of the 4 female characters who love and live (except Samantha temporarily) there.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

62. One Week

Location – Canada

What would you do if you had just diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer?

Ben Tyler, played by Joshua Jackson, finds himself in this exact position. Needing treatment, he instead chooses to set off on a cross-Canadian road trip. On his motorcycle, he travels from Toronto to Vancouver Island. On the journey, Ben reflects on his life, his relationship, his career, and his dreams. 

The Canadian landscape is what has inspired me to visit parts of Canada like Banff or British Columbia. A drive across Canada is still on the bucket list!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

63. Couples Retreat

Location – Bora Bora

Need some time at an island resort in French Polynesia? Who doesn’t!

Couples Retreat isn’t a cinematic classic, but it allows you to follow 4 couples on their vacation to Bora Bora for a “couples retreat” complete with overwater bungalows, fine food, and…couples therapy!

What follows as each couple spends time exploring their relationships is entertaining and funny. Roles are played by Vince Vaughn (as himself, lol), Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Jon Favreau, and Faizon Love.

Couples therapy or not, you say Bora Bora, and I’m in!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

64. Only You

Location – Pittsburgh – Venice – Positano – Rome 

In the romantic comedy from the 1990s, Marisa Tomei stars as Faith, a girl who has grown up believing her soul mate is someone named Damon Bradley. Days before her wedding to someone not named Damon Bradley, she gets a tip she might find him in Italy. As she chases the elusive Damon Bradley from Venice to Rome, and finally Positano, Faith gets help from a man she met named Peter, played by Robert Downey, Jr.

The film oozes with romance from the storyline to Italy’s gorgeous scenery as a backdrop. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

65. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel  

With an ensemble cast of greats like Dame Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, and Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel tells the story of 7 Brits who are wooed by a brochure to retire at the opulent Marigold Hotel in the beautiful Pink City of Jaipur, India. 

Comedy and drama follow when the hotel isn’t what it appeared to be. You have an inept building manager, culture shock, relationship drama, hip surgeries, and a heart attack. But you also have characters who are coming to terms with their past in the hope of living their golden years happy and fulfilled.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

66. 7 Years in Tibet

Location – Tibet 

This 1997 biographical drama is based on the 1952 book, 7 Years in Tibet. Brad Pitt plays Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountaineer and adventurer. Despite his wife being pregnant, Heinrich leaves her behind to join a climbing buddy for a trek.

However, they are captured by the British while mountaineering in present-day Pakistan, in a wrong-place-wrong-time situation because World War II has started and they have German citizenship. The 2 men escape prison and make it to the mysterious country of Tibet where they have life-changing experiences. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

67. The Sound of Music

Location – Austria

This 1965 classic musical-movie, with songs by Rodgers & Hammerstein and starring the legendary Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, takes place in the mountains of Austria in 1938.

Andrew’s character, Maria is a novice nun, who knows in her heart, is not right for the nunnery. The Mother Abbess sends Maria to be a caretaker for Captain Von Trapp’s 7 children, whose mother has previously passed away. Maria brings music and joy back to the house, which is initially not welcomed by the Captain.

As time passes, Maria and the Captain grow closer and eventually have to flee with the children to avoid the Nazis.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

68. The Way

Location – Spain 

Is walking the Camino de Santiago on your bucket list? This historic Catholic pilgrimage has several routes that all lead to the Cathedral of the Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.

Camino Frances is one such route that begins in southern France and travels through northern Spain. It takes center stage in The Way when Martin Sheen’s character, Dr. Thomas Avery, must go to Spain after his son Daniel was killed during a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago. 

He decides to walk the pilgrimage to honor his son. The journey and the people he meets along the way help as he works through his grief.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

69. Lawrence of Arabia

Location – Middle East

Based on the life of T.E Lawrence, this 1962 classic was nominated for 10 Oscars and won 7, including Best Picture and Best Director. The movie is considered to be one of the best of all time.

T.E Lawrence was a British army officer who worked as a liaison between the British and Arabs during a revolt against the Ottoman Empire in World War I. Lawrence disobeys the orders of his commanding officer and suggests Prince Faisal plan a surprise attack on the city of Aqaba in present-day Jordan.

The movie was largely filmed in Jordan and Morocco. However, the city of Seville in Spain was also used because of the city’s Moorish influence and architecture.

The movie has inspired the likes of George Lucas, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. It’ll also undoubtedly inspire you to want to visit places like the Sahara and see the ancient historic sights in Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, and Israel.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

70. Indiana Jones Movies  

Location –  Sri Lanka – Kauai – Tunisia – France – Macau – Petra – Mexico – Spain

The Indiana Jones adventure movie series is one of the most popular of all time. The series was created in 1981 by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg, with a new movie scheduled to be released in 2021.

Indiana Jones is formally known as Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr, an archeology professor. The role in the movies has been played by Harrison Ford. Indiana Jones travels the globe in search of important artifacts to make sure they don’t end up in the wrong hands. As you can imagine, not everyone wants him to find these powerful and important relics. 

The adventures of Indiana Jones will take you to locations around the world, from Sri Lanka to France to Mexico. His adventures rival any travel bucket list out there.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

71. Chasing Liberty

Location – Washington D.C. – Prague  – Venice – Austria – Berlin – London

Mandy Moore plays the first daughter of the President of the United States. She wants to be free and live like a normal teenager. The reality is that she must be followed by Secret Service agents wherever she goes.

On a State visit to Prague, Moore’s character Anna rebels by getting away from her Secret Service detail. She desperately wants her independence and ends up on an exciting escapade, first in Prague and then across Europe. 

Ultimately, she is recognized, rescued, and brought back to the United States but not before finding the passion she’s been looking for.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

72. The Fall  

Location –  India – Europe – South Africa – Indonesia – Namibia and more…

The Fall is a passion project of filmmaker Tarsem Singh. It took 4 years to make and was shot across 20 countries. The result is a visual stunner with backdrops from the Charles Bridge in Prague to the Taj Mahal to a Botanical Garden in Argentina.

Lee Pace plays stuntman Roy Walker who is injured while making a movie. As he recovers in the hospital he meets a young Romanian girl named Alexandria to whom he starts to tells a fantastical story. Alexandria’s vivid imagination has her living the story while Roy has ulterior motives. 

If you’re stuck at home and need an escape, this one-of-a-kind movie will take you across the globe with its cinematography and storytelling.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

73. Casablanca

Location –  Casablanca 

Casablanca is an absolute classic and considered one of the best movies of all time. Humphrey Bogart plays an ex-pat living in Casablanca, Morocco during World War II. He owns a club where you can listen to music and gamble. 

Ingrid Bergman plays his former lover who suddenly shows up with her husband. Her husband is being tracked by the Germans because he’s part of a resistance group. She thinks Bogart’s character, Rick Blaine can help them escape the country. They also have unresolved feelings for each other that play out during the movie despite the need for safety.

The movie won Best Picture in 1942.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

74. Around the World in 80 Days (1956 Version) 

This adventure story is about a man named Phileas Fogg who bets a few other men that he can make it around the globe in 80 days. They don’t believe he can do it and happily make the wager. 

Using every form of transportation available at the time from hot air balloons to steamships and trains, Fogg globe-trots around the world from Europe to the Far East to America. Along the way, his many adventures include ending up in a bullfight in Spain, rescuing a Princess in India, experiencing the Wild West on the American Frontier, and fleeing from a Scotland Yard Inspector who mistakenly thinks he has robbed a bank.

If you’d like to circumnavigate the globe on a true adventure, grab your passport and stick with the original 1956 classic version, winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

75. Coco  

Location – Mexico  

Not many animated films make this list but Coco is a must! It spotlights Mexican culture and particularly the traditions surrounding Dia de Los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday.

A 12-year-old Miguel dreams of being a musician but this is not allowed in his family. Miguel’s great-great-grandfather who was a musician left Miguel’s great-great-grandmother to care for their young daughter, Coco, all alone. However, young Miguel is determined. After teaching himself to play the guitar in secret, he enters the Day of the Dead Talent Show. 

The family-friendly movie goes on to tell the emotional story of Miguel’s family while teaching about the respect Mexican families have for their ancestors. It also won for Best Animated Movie.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

76. Life of Pi

Location – India – Pacific Ocean – Canada

Young Piscine Molitor Patel, or Pi Patel, spent most of his childhood in India, where his family owns a zoo. At 16, Pi’s father says the family will move to Canada. He arranges for the family to travel with the animals on a freight ship. 

One night a terrible storm hits, sinking the ship and killing his entire family. Pi winds up in a lifeboat with a few of the family’s animals, including a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger who Pi had named Richard Parker. Pi drifts for 227 days until he finally reaches the Mexican coast and is rescued. 

The film is absolutely stunning, and when you watch, you’ll find yourself asking questions about fate, destiny, faith, courage, and survival to understand the lessons the journey teaches.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

77. Serendipity  

Location – New York City 

Do you believe in fate or having a destiny? Or do things happen just by chance?

Serendipity is a romantic film starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. Their characters, Jonathan and Sara meet at Bloomingdales in New York City while Christmas shopping and there is instant chemistry. They’re both in other relationships, yet spend the day together. At the end of the night, Sara writes her name and number inside a used book and Jonathan writes his info on the back of a $5 bill. Sara is confident fate will bring them back together if it’s meant to be.

Years later Jonathan is planning to marry but can’t get Sara out of his mind. He and his best man Dean set off on a quest to find out who Sara is and how to contact her.

Along the way, viewers can tour New York City from Central Park to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to the famed cafe, Serendipity!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

78. Titanic

Location –  UK / North Atlantic 

Sailing from the United Kingdom to New York City, Titanic was the world’s largest and grandest ship of its day. Being on its maiden voyage was supposed to be the voyage of a lifetime. 

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet star in this romantic drama, and even though their story is fictionalized, the movie is based on the real-life history and people aboard the ship. Winslet is engaged to be married to a wealthy businessman. DiCaprio is an artist and drifter who won a steerage class ticket just minutes before the ship set sail.

Fate brings them together as they speed across the Atlantic Ocean and as the ship tragically sinks in the frigid North Atlantic Waters.

Titanic was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 11, including Best Picture and Best Director for James Cameron. It was the first film ever to hit the billion-dollar mark, grossing a whopping $1.84 billion worldwide, the most ever for any movie.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

79. Leap Year

Location – Ireland

Have you dreamed of a trip to Ireland? Then, you won’t want to miss the beautiful Irish landscapes that only add to the romance in this playful comedy with Amy Adams and Matthew Goode. 

Per the Irish tradition, a woman can propose to her boyfriend on February 29th and he must accept. So, Adam’s character follows her boyfriend to Dublin. But her travels land her in Wales, instead. She’s forced to hire a ride to get her to a ferry that will take her to Cork in Ireland.

Goode’s character agrees to drive her for a price. But along the way, their adventures bring them closer. When they arrive in Dublin, though, Adam’s character, has a choice to make between her boyfriend and her surprising feelings for Goode’s character, Declan.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

80.  The Tourist

Location – Paris – Venice 

Angelina Jolie plays Elise Clifton-Ward who’s husband is wanted by both the police the mob. In a plan to help him get away from both, she heads to Venice and looks to set up an unsuspecting target, who’s played by Johnny Depp. The strategy is to have the police and the mob believe this man is actually her husband.

The Tourist is a thriller taking you from Paris to Venice as you try to figure out the plot’s twists and turns. Travel lovers who watch will want to book their luxury stays at Venice’s 5-star Hotel Danieli, which dates back to the 14th-century.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

81. Crazy Rich Asians

Location – Singapore

If you’re dreaming of everything Southeast Asia, Crazy Rich Asians takes you there in first-class and tempts you with the city’s extravagant architecture, culture, and delicious food.

Nick Young, the heir to a huge family fortune, brings his Chinese-American and native New Yorker girlfriend, Rachel Chu, home for his best friend’s wedding and to meet his mother and family. But, Nick has left out many details about his family’s wealth and his status as one of the best-catch bachelors on the island. 

This comedy-drama will have you laughing, as well as fighting for Rachel who has to figure out how to win the respect of Nick’s family. You’ll also be searching for flights to Singapore by the time the movie’s done!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

82. Ferngully

Location – Australian Rain Forest

Travel down under to Australia and one of its rain forests located in New South Wales, near Mount Warning. 

In this animated film, the fairies who inhabit the rain forest are trying to save it from human logging and a dark pollution spirit. A fairy accidentally shrinks a human logger down to fairy-size. Together, with the other fairies and the rain forest animals, they try to save the forest eco-system.

Ferngully was Robin William’s first animated voiceover role. And although Ferngully may not be as well known as some of his other animated roles, Ferngully sends an important message about how important it is to protect the planet’s natural spaces.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

83. The Way Back

Location – Siberia – Central Asia – Himalayas

This movie is based on the real-life events of a man accused of being a spy in the Soviet Union during World War II. He gets sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. 

After some time, he and a few other prisoners plan a prison escape. Using a blizzard for cover, the group takes their chance to be free and sets off through the wilderness on foot for what ultimately becomes a 4,000-mile trek through Central Asia and the Himalayas.

If you’re looking for a similar movie to Into the Wild, The Way Back should be at the top of your list.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

84. How Stella Got Her Groove Back

Location – Montego Bay, Jamaica  

Stella Payne sets off to vacation in Montego Bay with her best friend Delilah on the beautiful island of Jamaica. Stella is a single mother with a stressful stock market job who hasn’t refreshed and recharged in a long time. 

She meets a good-looking guy 20 years younger than her who lives on the island. Flirtations turn to passion and romance but Stella has doubts about this vacation fling. She questions whether their age difference is a problem and whether it’s just a fling or something more.

Not only were the hotel and beach scenes refreshing, so was the storyline of an older woman-younger guy relationship.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

85. Les Miserables

Les Miserables transports you back in time to the 19th-century in the years leading up to and during the French Revolution in France. The classic story has been told by book, on the stage, and most recently in the movie-musical produced in 2012.

The story centers around Jean Valjean who is put in jail for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. Finally out, he realizes he’ll need to break the terms of his parole to find work and make a new life for himself.

However, Javert is a police officer who never stops looking for him, believing once a thief always a thief. These encounters with Javert threaten Valjean’s new life and the daughter he is raising after satisfying the dying wish of Fantine, a former employee of Valjean’s who was forced into prostitution.

Whether you’re a fan of move-musicals or not, director Tom Hooper made the right decision to record live vocals on set so the acting matched the singing for a more realistic production. Les Miserables was nominated for 8 Oscars and won 4 of them.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

86. Love Actually  

Location – England…and few minutes in Wisconsin 

Love Actually is a lighthearted movie set mostly in London . As the title suggests, it’s all about love…in all of its glory and grief. 

The movie cleverly intertwines several storylines where the ensemble cast is experiencing everything from new love, devoted love, and love lost from infidelity and death. Hugh Grant is comical as the Prime Minister of England who’s looking for love. Liam Neeson plays a widower struggling to get over the loss of his wife. Alan Rickman is the classic middle-aged husband who’s bored in his marriage and is tempted by a co-worker’s advances. His wife, played by Emma Thompson, is devoted as a wife and mother. And, Laura Linney’s character wants love but struggles with family responsibilities.

Love Actually is a feel-good movie that’ll give you the warm fuzzies over love and your London fix, too!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

87. The Hangover

Location  – Las Vegas

If ever there was a movie where the location was the star, it would be The Hangover. Las Vegas takes center stage…the antics of the guys in the movie wouldn’t have been possible anywhere else!

Four friends travel to Las Vegas for the buddy Doug’s bachelor party. We only get to see the remnants of what’s gone on when they wake up the next morning in their trashed hotel room. 

A missing tooth, a random baby, a tiger in the bathroom, a stolen cop car, and their friend and groom-to-be missing is only just the start.

Of all the comedy travel movies on the list, this one had me dying! If you need a good laugh or a vegas weekend of partying, gambling, and drinking, put on The Hangover to get your fix.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

88. Hector and the Search for Happiness

Location – China – Africa – Los Angeles

Hector is a psychiatrist who’s feeling a bit stuck. He realizes his patients are asking him how to be happy and he doesn’t know the answer for himself. He sets off on a journey hoping to find answers to his questions about what happiness is.

He travels from China to Africa to Los Angeles meeting people along the way and learning about their happiness or lack thereof. His voyages and experiences show him it’s not the pursuit of happiness, but rather the happiness of the pursuit that’s important.

The movie is based on the best-selling novel, Hector and the Search for Happiness. Travel lovers everywhere will easily relate to the lessons Hector learns from his pursuit.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

89. Shirley Valentine

Location –  England – Mykonos, Greece

Ever considered taking a solo trip? Shirley Valentine may be just the inspiration you need.

Shirly Valentine is a 40-something housewife who lives in Liverpool, England with her husband. Things have grown quite stale between them and Shirley professes that all she wants is to travel and drink wine near the sea.

When a neighbor wins a trip for 2 to Greece, Shirley accepts, ready and willing to travel for a fantastic girls trip. But when Jane, her neighbor, ditches her at the airport after running off with someone she met on the flight, Shirley embraces her solo status determined to make her travel dreams come true.

This 1989 British comedy is a must-watch for anyone who wants to travel but is nervous about going solo or needs a reminder about any unfulfilled travel dreams.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

90. 127 Hours

Location – Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA

Inspired on Aron Ralston’s memoir, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, 127 Hours tells the story a hike that goes terribly wrong.

While hiking in Canyonlands National Park, Ralston parts ways with a couple of other hikers he met on the trail and sets off on his own. He falls into a slot canyon where his arm is trapped by a large rock. Unable to get free, Ralston starts recording his attempts to survive, which as the days pass he realizes will take every ounce of his courage.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

91. Il Postino  

Location – Italy 

This 1994 film takes place on a tiny Italian island in 1950. The local postman, Mario, gets to know Pablo Neruda the famous Chilean poet who’s been driven out of his country and has settled on the island.

Mario has always loved a woman named, Beatrice, who works at a local cafe. But, he’s never known how to tell her or express his feelings. Through his friendship with Pablo and Pablo’s poetry, he is able to win the heart of Beatrice. 

Several islands including Procida in the Bay of Naples and a small island off the coast of Sicily were used for filming. Il Postino is a layered story of travel, love, and politics that’ll stay with you long after the movie is over.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

92. Letters to Juliet

Location –  Verona, Italy

What could be more beautiful than traveling through Italy for amore?!

Amanda Seyfried plays Sophie, an American traveling with her fiance Victor. The couple visits Verona, the place where Shakespeare’s romantic heroine waited on her balcony for her Romeo. 

She discovers that thousands of letters have been left for Juliet, where visitors have asked for guidance on or confessed their romantic woes. Sophie finds one she has to answer and it sets her on a quest with the woman who wrote the letter many years ago. Each of them finds the answers about the love they’re looking for.

If you’re looking for movies similar to Eat Pray Love, give Letters to Juliet a watch. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

93. A Walk in the Woods

Location – The Appalachian Trail 

There’s nothing like hiking when you want to reflect and feel restored, right?

Robert Redford plays the author Bill Bryson who decides to hike the Appalachian Trail after attending a funeral. And lucky for us, we get to hike along with him through all the natural beauty along the trail.

Bill enlists a long-lost buddy played by Nick Nolte to make the trek with him. They gear up with backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags and set off.

The 2,200-mile journey forces the pair to reconnect and plow on despite challenges along the way from bears to bad weather to their physical limitations. For anyone who’s done a long trek or dreamed of doing one, the movie shows the journey is a metaphor for life and doing the best you can is all you can expect, even when things don’t go as planned.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

94. Romancing the Stone

Location – Columbian Jungle 

Romancing the Stone will have you pining for a jungle adventure!

Joan is a writer who’s sister, Elaine, is kidnapped. She gets a map and is told to go to Cartagena for her sister’s ransom. However, things go wrong when Joan is duped into getting on the wrong bus by a man named Colonel Zolo, who also wants the map.

After the bus crashes, Joan meets Jack, an American who agrees to get her out of the jungle for a price. All the while, Ralph, one of Elaine’s kidnappers is following Joan, too.

Throughout the movie, Jack and Joan have to avoid Zolo as they journey on through the jungle.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Romancing the Stone is a thrill for all adventure-lovers.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

95. The Davinci Code  

Location – France – England  

This popular thriller is based on Dan Brown’s book, The Davinci Code. The first scenes include a murder at the Louvre in Paris. The crime scene is full of symbolism, riddles, and codes that the murdered Jacques Sauniere left to be deciphered.

Tom Hanks stars as Robert Langdon, a symbol expert who’s called to the crime scene unaware that he is the prime suspect. With the help of Jacques Sauniere’s granddaughter, he escapes and the two of them set off across Paris, the French countryside, and onto London and the English countryside in the hopes of solving the mystery of the murder while avoiding the police.

Along the way, travel lovers watching will visit famous landmarks in both Paris and London.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

Location – Australian

Based on a memoir by Robyn Davidson, Tracks tells the true story of her journey across the Australian desert. She plans to walk 1,700 miles with 4 camels and her dog from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean. A National Geographic photographer played by Adam Driver accompanies her to document the trek.

Not only does this movie show the harsh landscape that sprawls across Australia, but Tracks will also inspire anyone watching with a love for travel and adventure. Robyn’s test of self-courage is a similar voyage of survival and perseverance as Cheryl Strayed’s Wild.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

97. The Impossible

Location – Thailand

The Impossible is based on real-life events of a husband and wife and their 3 sons who were vacationing on the beaches of Thailand when the devastating 2004 tsunami hit.

Naomi Watts was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Maria, a wife and mother, who gets swept away with the waters. She finds her eldest son in the water, too, and fights for both of them to survive. 

The family’s story is unforgettable. And as horrible as the situation is, you’ll be inspired by the kindness of strangers and the strength of the human spirit to overcome such a great natural disaster. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

98. Blue Hawaii

Who would have thought an Elvis Presley movie would make this list of top travel movies?!

The award-winning Blue Hawaii stars the King himself as a guy named Chad who lives in Hawaii. Chad doesn’t want to work at his father’s fruit company and decides to become a tour guide for Hawaii tourists. Naturally, his first group of visitors are all pretty girls, which doesn’t exactly thrill his longtime girlfriend.

The tropical Hawaiian scenery combined with the recognizable sound of Elvis’ songs makes this movie classic travel fun!

globetrotting action adventure movies list

99. A Good Year

Location – London – Provence, in the south of France

This romantic comedy had me at Provence. The south of France is on many a travelers’ bucket list! And if you’re looking for movies like Under the Tuscan Sun, A Good Year is worth a watch.

Max Skinner, played by Russel Crowe, is a financial trader in London who inherits his Uncles’ vineyard in Provence. He travels there, planning to sell the house and quickly return to London. 

But, a series of mishaps delay his return to London and, at the same time, a potential love interest unexpectedly enters his life. Another woman enters the scene claiming to be the daughter of his Uncle, throwing the sale of the vineyard into question. 

Max ultimately has to decide whether to return to his high-powered job in London or stay in Provence.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

100. View from the Top

Location – Nevada – Cleveland – Paris

Travel lovers all over the globe can relate to the urge to travel and wanting to see the world. That’s what Donna Jensen a girl from a town in Nevada, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, wants to do with her life.

While watching TV, she’s inspired by Sally Weston, a flight attendant who has written a memoir about her travels. Donna goes after her dream by starting at a commuter airline and, throughout the movie, works hard to get assigned to the route she’s dreaming of, Paris in first class.

In the end, Donna has to figure out how to balance her happiness with her love for travel and the sky.

globetrotting action adventure movies list

101. Nowhere in Africa

Location – Kenya

This autobiographical movie tells about the Redlich family who leaves Germany in 1938 to avoid Nazi persecution. Walter Redlich goes first to Kenya and then sends for his wife, Jettel and daughter Regina shortly afterward. 

Their new life in East Africa is very different from their life in Germany. The cinematography shows us what life in Kenya is like through its landscapes and people. During the movie, each member of the Redlich family faces challenges that come with their new life and we get to see how each one handled them.

When you watch, you’ll understand why this travel movie gem deserved its Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. 

globetrotting action adventure movies list

So, there you have it! 101 of the best travel movies ready to transport you around the globe…all from the comfort of your own home.

What are your favorite travel inspiration movies?

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globetrotting action adventure movies list

Best-Reviewed Action & Adventure Movies 2020

A revisionist romp through Victorian England awaits adventurous movie thrill-seekers in Enola Holmes , which fashions young star Millie Bobby Brown, a budding sleuth hot in the footsteps of her famous older brother. Then, the military movie canon gets another medal with The Outpost , depicting the most brutal American conflict out of the Afghanistan War. Tom Hanks’ Greyhound is nearby in the wings, though its presentation of the war movie is in a more decidedly classical mode. Meanwhile, the post-apocalypse is still going strong in Love and Monsters , and the surprise hit Bad Boys For Life is the best kind of action movie throwback.

The order of the rank below reflects the Adjusted Score as of February 28, 2021. Scores might change over time.

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Enola Holmes (2020) 91%

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The Outpost (2019) 91%

' sborder=

Love and Monsters (2020) 94%

' sborder=

Bad Boys for Life (2020) 76%

' sborder=

Greyhound (2020) 78%

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Uncharted Director Says the Movie Marks a Return to the Globe-Trotting Adventure Genre

Uncharted director Ruben Fleischer says that the movie brings the spirit of movies like Nationaly Treasure back to the big screen.

According to Ruben Fleischer, Uncharted will bring back the “globe-trotting adventure” genre that hasn’t been seen since National Treasure: Book of Secrets . The director of the Tom Holland video game adaptation is set to bring big action set-pieces and fun thrills to the big screen on February 18th, and while video game movies haven’t always hit the mark early reviews have all agreed that there is definitely a fair amount of spectacle in the movie.

While speaking to Uproxx , Fleischer discussed how Uncharted was his chance to build a big adventure movie around the basic premise of the video games. Although the movie will stray from the storyline of the games, the general feel of it will certainly mirror the humor and sense of jeopardy that players have come to expect from the franchise. He said:

"Well, my point being is that it’s a genre that they just don’t make that much anymore. So, I approach this more as somebody who got to make a treasure-hunting, globe-trotting adventure, more than a video game adaptation. And while it was based on a game that, lucky for us, it was incredible source material with a great sense of humor and some of the best action set pieces in all of video games. But, at the end of the day, I knew I had to make a movie that would be entertaining for people, whether or not they’ve heard of the game or anybody else. [...] I mean, National Treasure was, I think, the last one."

Related: Uncharted Star Tom Holland Struggled to Play it Cool as Nathan Drake

Uncharted Brings The Spirit of Adventure Back To The Big Screen

Uncharted

When it comes to escapism, cinema has always been the best place to allow audiences to forget their normal life and be whisked away to foreign lands for a couple of hours. From Indiana Jones , to The Goonies and National Treasure , there have been many movies that have taken cinemagoers across the world in search of treasure and mythical items, and that is certainly coming back with Uncharted . The trailer has already given a glimpse of some of the crazy set piece moments like Tom Holland’s Nathan Drake falling out of an airplane on the hood of a car and there is clearly a lot more of that kind of high-octane action to come.

Uncharted is pitched as a prequel to the game series, so this is a much younger version of Drake and along with Victor Sullivan, played by Mark Wahlberg, he will just be finding his feet as a treasure seeker on a quest to discover the whereabouts of his lost brother. Having been in development for a decade, and going through numerous script changes and directors in that time, there is no doubt that if the movie manages to bring a reasonable return when it arrives in cinemas next week, then we could be seeing a lot more adventure from Nathan Drake in the future.

Uncharted goes on general release on February 18th, and will be looking to steal the box office crown from this week’s big hitting Death on The Nile .

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The 50 Best Adventure Movies Ever Made

Adventure movies tell stories based on awe-inspiring features of our world, setting them apart from the thought-provoking setting of the future worlds of science fiction, the mythical realms of fantasy, or the alien otherworlds of horror. There might be elements of adventure in these genres, but such elements tend to be merely lightly sprinkled spices, while in adventure movies adventure is the main ingredient. This rule of thumb rules out movies depicting another world, which excludes genre-specific components of sci-fi or fantasy.

  • Movies or TV
  • IMDb Rating
  • In Theaters
  • Release Year

1. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

R | 112 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

Three trappers protect the daughters of a British Colonel in the midst of the French and Indian War.

Director: Michael Mann | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis , Madeleine Stowe , Russell Means , Eric Schweig

Votes: 186,117 | Gross: $75.51M

2. Dances with Wolves (1990)

PG-13 | 181 min | Adventure, Drama, Western

Lieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, finds himself engaging with a neighbouring Sioux settlement, causing him to question his own purpose.

Director: Kevin Costner | Stars: Kevin Costner , Mary McDonnell , Graham Greene , Rodney A. Grant

Votes: 288,286 | Gross: $184.21M

3. Into the Wild (2007)

R | 148 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.

Director: Sean Penn | Stars: Emile Hirsch , Vince Vaughn , Catherine Keener , Marcia Gay Harden

Votes: 654,801 | Gross: $18.35M

4. The Revenant (I) (2015)

R | 156 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

A frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio , Tom Hardy , Will Poulter , Domhnall Gleeson

Votes: 867,525 | Gross: $183.64M

5. Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

GP | 108 min | Adventure, Drama, Western

A mountain man who wishes to live the life of a hermit becomes the unwilling object of a long vendetta by the Crow tribe and proves to be a match for their warriors in single combat on the early frontier.

Director: Sydney Pollack | Stars: Robert Redford , Will Geer , Delle Bolton , Josh Albee

Votes: 34,778 | Gross: $47.74M

6. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

PG | 115 min | Action, Adventure

In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Harrison Ford , Karen Allen , Paul Freeman , John Rhys-Davies

Votes: 1,031,590 | Gross: $248.16M

7. Romancing the Stone (1984)

PG | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

A mousy romance novelist sets off for Colombia to ransom her kidnapped sister, and soon finds herself in the middle of a dangerous adventure hunting for treasure with a mercenary rogue.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael Douglas , Kathleen Turner , Danny DeVito , Zack Norman

Votes: 102,568 | Gross: $76.57M

8. Stand by Me (1986)

R | 89 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

A writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.

Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Wil Wheaton , River Phoenix , Corey Feldman , Jerry O'Connell

Votes: 438,221 | Gross: $52.29M

9. Little Big Man (1970)

PG-13 | 139 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, tells of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.

Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Dustin Hoffman , Faye Dunaway , Chief Dan George , Martin Balsam

Votes: 37,702 | Gross: $31.56M

10. The Mask of Zorro (1998)

PG-13 | 136 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

A young thief seeking revenge for his brother's death is trained by the once-great, aging Zorro, who is pursuing his own vengeance.

Director: Martin Campbell | Stars: Antonio Banderas , Anthony Hopkins , Catherine Zeta-Jones , José María de Tavira

Votes: 196,683 | Gross: $94.10M

11. The Three Musketeers (1973)

PG | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Romance

A young swordsman comes to Paris and faces villains, romance, adventure and intrigue with three Musketeer friends.

Director: Richard Lester | Stars: Oliver Reed , Raquel Welch , Richard Chamberlain , Michael York

Votes: 20,042 | Gross: $22.02M

12. The African Queen (1951)

PG | 105 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

In WWI East Africa, a gin-swilling Canadian riverboat captain is persuaded by a strait-laced English missionary to undertake a trip up a treacherous river and use his boat to attack a German gunship.

Director: John Huston | Stars: Humphrey Bogart , Katharine Hepburn , Robert Morley , Peter Bull

Votes: 83,909 | Gross: $0.54M

13. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Approved | 218 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

The story of T.E. Lawrence , the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.

Director: David Lean | Stars: Peter O'Toole , Alec Guinness , Anthony Quinn , Jack Hawkins

Votes: 312,035 | Gross: $44.82M

14. Cast Away (2000)

PG-13 | 143 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

A FedEx executive undergoes a physical and emotional transformation after crash landing on a deserted island.

Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks , Helen Hunt , Paul Sanchez , Lari White

Votes: 634,438 | Gross: $233.63M

15. Wild (I) (2014)

R | 115 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

A chronicle of one woman's 1,100-mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent personal tragedy.

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée | Stars: Reese Witherspoon , Laura Dern , Gaby Hoffmann , Michiel Huisman

Votes: 137,962 | Gross: $37.88M

16. Tracks (I) (2013)

PG-13 | 112 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

A young woman goes on a 1,700-mile trek across the deserts of West Australia with four camels and her faithful dog.

Director: John Curran | Stars: Mia Wasikowska , Adam Driver , Lily Pearl , Philip Dodd

Votes: 31,593 | Gross: $0.51M

17. Wildlike (2014)

Not Rated | 104 min | Adventure, Drama, Thriller

After conditions in her new home become unbearable, a teenage girl runs away and befriends an older man preparing for a hike through the Alaskan wilderness.

Director: Frank Hall Green | Stars: Ella Purnell , Brian Geraghty , Diane Farr , Nolan Gerard Funk

Votes: 5,357

18. Whale Rider (2002)

PG-13 | 101 min | Drama, Family

A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize.

Director: Niki Caro | Stars: Keisha Castle-Hughes , Rawiri Paratene , Vicky Haughton , Cliff Curtis

Votes: 43,912 | Gross: $20.78M

19. Lean on Pete (2017)

R | 121 min | Adventure, Drama, Sport

A teenager gets a summer job working for a horse trainer and befriends the fading racehorse, Lean on Pete.

Director: Andrew Haigh | Stars: Charlie Plummer , Amy Seimetz , Travis Fimmel , Steve Buscemi

Votes: 13,830 | Gross: $1.16M

20. The Aeronauts (2019)

PG-13 | 100 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

A balloon pilot and a scientist find themselves in a fight for survival while attempting to make discoveries in a gas balloon in the 1860s.

Director: Tom Harper | Stars: Felicity Jones , Eddie Redmayne , Himesh Patel , Vincent Perez

Votes: 37,136

21. Adrift (I) (2018)

PG-13 | 96 min | Action, Adventure, Biography

A true story of survival, as a young couple's chance encounter leads them first to love, and then on the adventure of a lifetime as they face one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history.

Director: Baltasar Kormákur | Stars: Shailene Woodley , Sam Claflin , Jeffrey Thomas , Elizabeth Hawthorne

Votes: 61,415 | Gross: $31.45M

22. All Is Lost (2013)

PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

After a collision with a shipping container at sea, a resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary, staring his mortality in the face.

Director: J.C. Chandor | Star: Robert Redford

Votes: 83,581 | Gross: $6.26M

23. The Perfect Storm (2000)

PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

An unusually intense storm pattern catches some commercial fishermen unaware and puts them in mortal danger.

Director: Wolfgang Petersen | Stars: George Clooney , Mark Wahlberg , John C. Reilly , Diane Lane

Votes: 177,155 | Gross: $182.62M

24. Alive (1993)

R | 128 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

After crash-landing in the snowswept Andes, a Uruguayan rugby team has no choice but to turn to desperate measures in order to survive.

Director: Frank Marshall | Stars: Ethan Hawke , Vincent Spano , Josh Hamilton , Bruce Ramsay

Votes: 63,908 | Gross: $36.73M

25. Everest (2015)

PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Biography

On May 10, 1996, mountain guides Rob Hall and Scott Fischer combine their expedition teams for a final ascent to the summit of Mount Everest. With little warning, a storm strikes the mountain and the climbers must now battle to survive.

Director: Baltasar Kormákur | Stars: Jason Clarke , Ang Phula Sherpa , Thomas M. Wright , Martin Henderson

Votes: 231,044 | Gross: $43.48M

26. Winter's Bone (2010)

R | 100 min | Drama, Mystery

An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact.

Director: Debra Granik | Stars: Jennifer Lawrence , John Hawkes , Garret Dillahunt , Isaiah Stone

Votes: 149,924 | Gross: $6.53M

27. Mountains of the Moon (1990)

R | 136 min | Adventure, Drama, History

The legendary true-story of Capt. Richard Francis Burton and Lt. John Hanning Speke's tumultuous expedition to find the source of the Nile river.

Director: Bob Rafelson | Stars: Patrick Bergin , Iain Glen , Richard E. Grant , Fiona Shaw

Votes: 4,226 | Gross: $4.01M

28. Alpha (II) (2018)

PG-13 | 96 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

In the prehistoric past, a young man struggles to return home after being separated from his tribe during a buffalo hunt. He finds a similarly lost wolf companion and starts a friendship that would change humanity.

Director: Albert Hughes | Stars: Kodi Smit-McPhee , Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson , Marcin Kowalczyk , Jens Hultén

Votes: 66,182 | Gross: $35.85M

29. The Emerald Forest (1985)

R | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

After the son of engineer Bill Markham is abducted by an aboriginal tribe on the edge of the rain forest, the engineer spends the next 10 years searching for him.

Director: John Boorman | Stars: Powers Boothe , Meg Foster , Yara Vaneau , William Rodriguez

Votes: 10,922 | Gross: $24.47M

30. The Mission (1986)

PG | 125 min | Adventure, Drama, History

Eighteenth-century Spanish Jesuits try to protect a remote South American tribe in danger of falling under the rule of pro-slavery Portugal.

Director: Roland Joffé | Stars: Robert De Niro , Jeremy Irons , Ray McAnally , Aidan Quinn

Votes: 65,300 | Gross: $17.22M

31. Windwalker (1980)

PG | 108 min | Adventure, Drama, Western

In 1797 Utah, an aged Cheyenne patriarch helps his kin to fight off a raiding party of rival Crow warriors and he tells his grandchildren the story of their family.

Director: Kieth Merrill | Stars: Trevor Howard , Nick Ramus , James Remar , Serene Hedin

Votes: 1,215 | Gross: $18.64M

32. Apocalypto (2006)

R | 139 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

As the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.

Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Gerardo Taracena , Raoul Max Trujillo , Dalia Hernández , Rudy Youngblood

Votes: 329,301 | Gross: $50.87M

33. At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)

R | 189 min | Drama, Romance

Martin and Hazel Quarrier are small-town fundamentalist missionaries sent to the jungles of South America to convert the Indians. Their remote mission was previously run by the Catholics, ... See full summary  »

Director: Hector Babenco | Stars: Tom Berenger , John Lithgow , Daryl Hannah , Aidan Quinn

Votes: 3,524 | Gross: $1.34M

34. The New World (2005)

PG-13 | 135 min | Biography, Drama, History

The story of the English exploration of Virginia, and of the changing world and loves of Pocahontas.

Director: Terrence Malick | Stars: Colin Farrell , Q'orianka Kilcher , Christopher Plummer , Christian Bale

Votes: 89,407 | Gross: $12.71M

35. A Man Called Horse (1970)

R | 114 min | Adventure, Drama, Western

In 1825, an English aristocrat is captured by Native Americans. He lives with them and begins to understand their way of life. Eventually, he is accepted as part of the tribe and aspires to become their leader.

Director: Elliot Silverstein | Stars: Richard Harris , Judith Anderson , Jean Gascon , Manu Tupou

Votes: 9,313 | Gross: $1.94M

36. The Mosquito Coast (1986)

PG | 117 min | Adventure, Drama, Thriller

An inventor spurns his city life and moves his family into the jungles of Central America to make a utopia.

Director: Peter Weir | Stars: Harrison Ford , Helen Mirren , River Phoenix , Jadrien Steele

Votes: 31,024 | Gross: $14.30M

37. The Lost City of Z (2016)

PG-13 | 141 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

A true-life drama, centering on British explorer Major Percival Fawcett, who disappeared whilst searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon in the 1920s.

Director: James Gray | Stars: Charlie Hunnam , Robert Pattinson , Sienna Miller , Tom Holland

Votes: 98,907 | Gross: $8.58M

38. Last of the Dogmen (1995)

PG | 118 min | Adventure, Western

A Montana bounty hunter and an anthropologist discover a tribe of Native Americans living in a settlement isolated from the rest of the world.

Director: Tab Murphy | Stars: Tom Berenger , Barbara Hershey , Kurtwood Smith , Steve Reevis

Votes: 5,926 | Gross: $7.40M

39. Woman Walks Ahead (2017)

R | 101 min | Biography, Drama, History

Catherine Weldon, a portrait painter from 1890s Brooklyn, travels to Dakota to paint a portrait of Sitting Bull and becomes embroiled in the Lakota peoples' struggle over the rights to their land.

Director: Susanna White | Stars: Jessica Chastain , Louisa Krause , Boots Southerland , Chaske Spencer

Votes: 8,342 | Gross: $0.06M

40. Thunderheart (1992)

R | 119 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller

A young mixed-blood FBI agent is assigned to work with a cynical veteran investigator on a murder on a poverty-stricken Sioux reservation.

Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Val Kilmer , Sam Shepard , Graham Greene , Fred Ward

Votes: 17,042 | Gross: $22.66M

41. Quest for Fire (1981)

R | 100 min | Adventure, Drama

This story takes place in prehistoric time when three tribesmen search for a new fire source.

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud | Stars: Everett McGill , Ron Perlman , Nicholas Kadi , Rae Dawn Chong

Votes: 23,950 | Gross: $20.96M

42. Sweet Country (2017)

R | 113 min | Adventure, Crime, Drama

Western set on the Northern Territory frontier in the 1920s, where justice itself is put on trial when an aged Aboriginal farmhand shoots a white man in self-defense and goes on the run as a posse gathers to hunt him down.

Director: Warwick Thornton | Stars: Hamilton Morris , Shanika Cole , Ewen Leslie , Sam Neill

Votes: 9,219 | Gross: $0.10M

43. The Bounty (1984)

PG | 132 min | Adventure, Drama, History

Fed up with their Captain's harsh discipline, a sailing ship's crew decides to take action.

Director: Roger Donaldson | Stars: Mel Gibson , Anthony Hopkins , Laurence Olivier , Edward Fox

Votes: 30,060 | Gross: $8.60M

44. Dangerous Beauty (1998)

R | 111 min | Biography, Drama, Romance

A Venetian courtesan becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft.

Director: Marshall Herskovitz | Stars: Catherine McCormack , Rufus Sewell , Oliver Platt , Fred Ward

Votes: 19,466 | Gross: $4.53M

45. Chasing Mavericks (2012)

PG | 116 min | Biography, Drama, Sport

When young Jay Moriarity discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home, he enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson to train him to survive it.

Directors: Michael Apted , Curtis Hanson | Stars: Jonny Weston , Gerard Butler , Elisabeth Shue , Abigail Spencer

Votes: 34,423 | Gross: $6.00M

46. Point Break (1991)

R | 122 min | Action, Crime, Thriller

An F.B.I. Agent goes undercover to catch a gang of surfers who may be bank robbers.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow | Stars: Patrick Swayze , Keanu Reeves , Gary Busey , Lori Petty

Votes: 200,075 | Gross: $43.22M

47. Breath (I) (2017)

TV-MA | 115 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

After developing an interest in surfing, a teenage boy and his friend forge an unlikely friendship with an older surfer.

Director: Simon Baker | Stars: Samson Coulter , Ben Spence , Simon Baker , Elizabeth Debicki

Votes: 3,827 | Gross: $0.04M

48. Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)

PG | 143 min | Adventure, Drama

A missing heir of respected Scottish family, raised in African jungles by animals, finally returns to his estate only to realize that difference between the two worlds is really significant.

Director: Hugh Hudson | Stars: Christopher Lambert , Andie MacDowell , Ralph Richardson , Ian Holm

Votes: 21,160 | Gross: $45.90M

49. Where the River Runs Black (1986)

PG | 100 min | Adventure

An orphaned boy who was raised in the Amazon jungle is brought back to civilization by a priest who knows his father.

Director: Christopher Cain | Stars: Charles Durning , Alessandro Rabelo , Ajay Naidu , Divana Brandão

Votes: 516 | Gross: $0.68M

50. The Blue Butterfly (2004)

PG | 97 min | Adventure, Drama

A dramatic adventure about courage, redemption and love being filmed in the rain forests of Costa Rica, and in Montreal.

Director: Léa Pool | Stars: Marc Donato , William Hurt , Pascale Bussières , Raoul Max Trujillo

Votes: 1,629

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  1. Sort by Popularity

    Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes ... Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "globetrotting-adventure" Refine See titles to watch instantly, titles you ... Walter takes action by embarking on an adventure more extraordinary than anything he ever imagined. ...

  2. The Greatest Action and Adventure Movies of All Time.

    A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson. Votes: 939,251 | Gross: $83.01M.

  3. Films: Globetrotting Adventure

    The Adventures of Tintin (2011) PG | 107 min | Animation, Action, Adventure. 7.3. Rate. 68 Metascore. Intrepid reporter Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock's ancestor. Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg.

  4. The 36 Best Action/Adventure Movies of All Time

    Akira Kurosawa's Japanese adventure drama, about a group of samurai protecting a village, deserves your attention. Not only is it a rewarding watch on its own, but decades later, it continues to ...

  5. Best Action & Adventure Movies 2021

    Army Of The Dead. #7. An ambitious, over-the-top zombie heist mashup, Army of the Dead brings Zack Snyder back to his genre roots with a suitably gory splash. Starring: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera. Directed By: Zack Snyder.

  6. 8 Netflix Original Movies to Watch to Go Globetrotting from Home

    The Laundromat. Avenida Balboa at dusk in Panama City. This cheeky dramatic comedy plays like The Big Short, but for the Panama Papers, a journalistic investigation that revealed the inner workings of a vast money laundering scheme based out of a small law firm in Panama City. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, who made the Ocean's 11 series as ...

  7. Best Action & Adventure Movies 2022

    The Northman. #3. A bloody revenge epic and breathtaking visual marvel, The Northman finds filmmaker Robert Eggers expanding his scope without sacrificing any of his signature style. Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke. Directed By: Robert Eggers.

  8. 60 Essential Adventure Movies

    Synopsis: Actress Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) and director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) travel to the Indian Ocean to do location shoots... [More] Starring: Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong, Frank Reicher. Directed By: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack.

  9. 10 Action Adventure Movies To Add to Your Watch List

    8 'Big Trouble in Little China' (1986) Truck driver Jack Burton ( Kurt Russell) is pulled into the mysterious and magical underworld of Chinatown when his friend's fiancée is kidnapped. Over the ...

  10. ‎Globetrotting Adventures, a list of films by Blair Cosby

    A list of 31 films compiled on Letterboxd, including Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Fall (2006), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004). About this list: Here are some of my favorite movies that have adventures that take the heroes to multiple parts of the world and inspire wanderlust in the audience.

  11. Action, Adventure Movies

    The list of action, adventure movies stored on Nick and Jo's QNAP NAS drive Refine See titles to watch instantly, titles you haven't rated, etc. Instant Watch Options; Genres; ... Globetrotting Adventure (10) Horse (10) Kiss (10) Map (10) Opening Action Scene (10) Race Against Time (10) Slow Motion Scene (10) Train (10) Based On True Story (9)

  12. 98 Best Adventure Movies All Time Ranked

    95. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. 20th Century Fox. Adapted from Patrick O'Brian's series of historical novels, "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" is a seafaring ...

  13. 101 Best Travel Movies to Watch in 2021

    Her marriage doesn't work out, but she falls in love with Kenya and its people, connecting with the locals as she helps with education and medical needs. The movie tells the story of love, heartbreak, having the strength to stay true to yourself. You had me at Africa…and of course, Meryl Streep. 4. The English Patient.

  14. Action & Adventure Movies

    65. Troll. Rebel Moon — Part One: A Child of Fire. Mr. Car and the Knights Templar. Jurassic Park. King Kong. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Blade of the 47 Ronin. The Legend of Zorro.

  15. Lists of adventure films

    This is chronological list of adventure films split by decade. Often there may be considerable overlap particularly between adventure and other genres (including, action, drama, and fantasy films); the list documents films which are more closely related to adventure, even if they bend genres. Films by decade. List of adventure films before 1920

  16. Best Action & Adventure Movies 2023

    Best Action & Adventure Movies 2023. It didn't quite reach the heights of Mission: Impossible - Fallout, but Dead Reckoning, Part One still offered plenty of intrigue, high-octane action, a few unexpected twists, and — of course — Tom Cruise performing a ridiculous, death-defying stunt, all of which led to an equally impressive reception from the critics and a win for Best Action ...

  17. Sort by Popularity

    Spitfire (1995) R | 95 min | Action, Adventure. 4.7. Rate this. A sultry assassin is the target of two separate operatives in this globe-trotting action flick shot on location in the Bahamas, Athens, Rome and Hong Kong. Director: Albert Pyun | Stars: Lance Henriksen, Debra Jo Fondren, Sarah Douglas, Kristie Phillips.

  18. Globetrotting action/adventure movies : r/MovieSuggestions

    Globetrotting action/adventure movies . REQUESTING Looking for movies with different locations in either Europe or the States. Example are: Mission Impossible, James Bond, Jason Bourne and Sherlock Holmes to name a few. ... Read our extensive list of rules for more information on other types of posts like fan-art and self-promotion, or message ...

  19. Best Action & Adventure Movies 2020

    Best-Reviewed Action & Adventure Movies 2020. A revisionist romp through Victorian England awaits adventurous movie thrill-seekers in Enola Holmes, which fashions young star Millie Bobby Brown, a budding sleuth hot in the footsteps of her famous older brother.Then, the military movie canon gets another medal with The Outpost, depicting the most brutal American conflict out of the Afghanistan War.

  20. Action & Adventure Movies

    Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) The Harder They Fall. Wonder Woman. London Has Fallen. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Cowboys & Aliens. Extraction. The Adam Project. The Batman.

  21. Uncharted Director Says the Movie Marks a Return to the Globe-Trotting

    According to Ruben Fleischer, Uncharted will bring back the "globe-trotting adventure" genre that hasn't been seen since National Treasure: Book of Secrets.The director of the Tom Holland ...

  22. 100 Best Adventure Movies

    Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown. Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover. Votes: 1,295,971 | Gross: $210.61M.

  23. The 50 Best Adventure Movies Ever Made

    50 titles. 1. The Last of the Mohicans (1992) R | 112 min | Action, Adventure, Drama. 7.7. Rate. 76 Metascore. Three trappers protect the daughters of a British Colonel in the midst of the French and Indian War. Director: Michael Mann | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, Eric Schweig.