The 150 Best Adventure Movies in History

Today I come with a list of the best adventure films for adults, adolescents, and children that you will surely enjoy if you are a follower of this genre. Among them is The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, Back to the Future, Mad Max, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, among others. 

I have tried to add all of them so that none are missing, but if you can think of any other, feel free to put it in the comments and I will include it in the list without any problem.

The adventure genre has always been one of the most demanded by moviegoers. Its shocking stories, together with a plot full of travel, action, and emotion make this type of feature film one of the most acclaimed.

Table of Contents

List of adventure movies

1- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

One of the best movies ever. Winner of 11 Oscars, The Return of the King marks the end of the trilogy created by Tolkien and adapted by Peter Jackson.

In it, it tells how the journey of Frodo and Sam concludes on their way to destroy the one ring, and thereby save Middle-earth.

Critically acclaimed, this is a film that has everything to make you enjoy.

2- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The first part of The Lord of the Rings and the second-best film. With her, a saga began that would mark the history of cinema forever.

The plot tells how a group of nine people formed by four hobbits, two men, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard decide to embark on a dangerous path to destroy the unique ring of power, a powerful object that could end their entire world.

3- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The weakest, but not for that, a bad film. It is a much darker and more serious movie than the previous one.

It delivers a totally overwhelming final battle. The Two Towers follows the story of the first film, with a separate fellowship of the ring and where each of its characters must arm themselves with the courage to move on.

4- The great escape

Feature film from the early sixties and set in the Second World War.

Its plot tells how 250 English, imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, try to escape through different escape routes. Without a doubt, one of the best adventure films I have seen in my life.

5- Ben-Hur (1959)

By now, who doesn’t know about Ben-Hur’s famous chariot race? It is another of the few films that have won 11 Oscars.

His story begins when Ben-Hur is accused of attempting on the life of the Roman governor. His conviction will lead him to run into different historical figures, including Jesus of Nazareth, but it is not until he meets a rich Arab sheikh that he will star in one of the most famous careers in film history.

6- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

The film is set in the heyday of piracy, where it is told how a strange ship reaches the shores to rob and destroy entire cities.

Baptized as the Black Pearl, it turns out to be the old ship of Captain Jack Sparrow, a peculiar character who was stolen long ago. Throughout the film, he will try to recover it with the help of a blacksmith.

7- Gladiator

Winner of the Oscar for best picture in 2001, Gladiator tells the story of a Roman general who, due to a betrayal, ends up exiled and turned into a slave.

The protagonist decides to return to Rome as a gladiator. Based on victories he manages to transform himself into a mass idol and thus carry out his revenge.

8- Lawrence of Arabia

When Lawrence is sent to take charge of the battle of the Arabs against the Turks in the middle of World War I, his life changes forever.

His affection for the Arabs will lead him to become a figure for them, something that will lead him to want to seek and crown an independent Arabia. The result? Better watch the movie if you want to know what’s going on.

9- Braveheart

The history that narrates the fight for the independence of the Scots against the English in the middle of the 14th century.

The protagonist, Willam Wallace, becomes a representative icon of the Scottish fight. The English murdered his entire family, something that he will never forgive until he achieves his goal and proclaims the independence of the Scots from their neighbors.

10- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2

One of the best films in the Harry Potter saga. In this latest installment, Harry must finish collecting the Horcruxes to defeat his arch-enemy, Lord Voldemort.

The final battle at Hogwarts between good and evil is a finishing touch for a film saga that closes with its eighth film and almost 10 years since the first release.

11- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

In my opinion, the second-best Harry Potter movie. On this occasion, the celebration of the Triwizard Tournament takes place, which brings together the best students from each magic school in the world.

And of course, Harry participates, having to perform a series of tests on how to face a giant dragon, dive in a lake full of strange creatures, or escape from a magical labyrinth.

12- back to the future

Marty Mcfly is totally thrown off his feet when he travels to 1955, the year his parents fell in love. The problem comes when it prevents their first meeting, something that must be solved if he wants his parents to end up together so that he can be born and not end up disappearing.

13- Back to the future 2

Again, the protagonist decides to travel to the future, specifically to the year 2015 to try to fix a series of legal problems that his future son will have. On this occasion, Marty’s girlfriend will also travel with him.

14- Mad Max: Fury Road

The fourth installment of the old trilogy starring Mel Gibson. The expectations with this movie were high, and they were far exceeded. Without going any further, it was nominated for best film this year.

Frantic action from beginning to end, the film depicts the pursuit of the Warlord and his minions with a Mad Max played this time by Tom Hardy driving a famous War Wig.

15- Mad Max

 

First Mad Max movie. From my point, a little weaker than the last, although it is still a great movie.

On this occasion, the origins of Max are told, a policeman who works guarding the highways of a post-apocalyptic world. Throughout 90 minutes of the film, Max will have to face one of the most violent gangs in the world.

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

The first film in a very Lord of the Rings saga. The problem was that the following were far from up to par.

In this installment, four brothers seek refuge from the war in the house of an old teacher. In the home, they will find a closet that will take them to a mystical world full of strange creatures ruled by a tyrant: the White Witch.

The boys, accompanied by the lion Aslan, put an end to the said witch and bring peace to the land of Narnia.

17- Indiana Jones in search of the lost ark

 

The first film of the most famous archaeologist of all time.

The year is 1936 and Indiana Jones will have to interfere in the plans of the Nazis. They have just learned information about the whereabouts of an ark containing the Tablets of Commandments that God gave to Moses. According to legend, whoever possesses them will acquire unimaginable power.

18- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

After a spectacular accident flight, Indiana Jones ends up in a small town in India to help some kidnapped children. To his surprise, the background of this adventure is much bigger than he thought.

19- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

 

A third feature film of the adventurer. This time he will have to save his father, kidnapped for the sole purpose of searching for the Holy Grail.

His plans will go through rescuing his father, and again, ensuring that the mystical object does not fall into the wrong hands.

20- Jumanji

What happens when some innocent children find a strange game and decide to try it?

Jumanji is the name of one of the best-known board games in history. The protagonists of the film decide to play it but soon discover that what happens on the board has fatal consequences in real life.

Totally original and implausible story.

21- Jurassic Park

From a piece of DNA found in a mosquito, a group of scientists manages to bring the famous dinosaurs back to life. For its commercialization, they decide to open a park on an island as a zoo.

The problem comes when they lose control of the animals and the situation begins to falter.

22- The Avengers

One of the best superhero movies out there. The Hulk, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Thor, the Black Widow, and Captain America must save the world from one of the greatest threats ever known.

Loki, brother Thor has attracted to our planet an army of space monsters that intend to devastate everything in their path.

23- The goonies

 

A group of friends called “The Goonies”, discover in the attic of the house of one of them a map of a lost treasure.

The boys, faced with this ancient object, are stunned, so they decide to go on an adventure in search of the pirate treasure that it claims to hide.

24- Avengers: Age of Ultron

 

The second installment of the famous group of superheroes. This time Ultron, a robot with superhuman qualities, will be the one who will put the whole in trouble.

In this action-packed, adventure-filled film, new avengers like the Scarlet Witch and SilverSurfer will join the group.

25- Spy Kids

 

Spy Kids is an original film that tells the adventures of a spy family formed by a happily married couple and their two children.

The problem comes when the parents are kidnapped by an evil enemy of the family: Floop. In this way, the little ones in the house will have to join forces to save their lives in one of the most entertaining movies for the whole family in memory.

26- King Kong (2005)

 

A crew travels to a mysterious island to shoot a movie when they find a furious gorilla who takes their lead actress.

27- Captain Blood

 

After being wrongly convicted as a traitor, Peter Blood, an English doctor, is sent into exile in the British colonies of the Caribbean, where he becomes a pirate.

28- The mask of Zorro

 

A young thief, seeking revenge for his brother’s death, is trained by the once great but now old El Zorro.

29- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

 

Harry ignores warnings not to return to Hogwarts and finds the school plagued by a series of mysterious attacks and a strange voice that haunts him.

30- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

It’s Harry’s third year at Hogwarts; He not only has a new “Defense Against the Dark Arts” teacher, but other problems to solve as well. Condemned murderer Sirius Black has escaped from the Wizards’ Prison and is after Harry.

31- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 

With the warning about Lord Voldemort’s return mocked, Harry and Dumbledore are attacked as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly takes power at Hogwarts.

32- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1

As Harry races against the clock to destroy the Horcruxes, he discovers the existence of three of the most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows.

33- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

As Harry Potter begins his sixth year at Hogwarts, he discovers an old bookmarked “the property of the Half-Blood Prince” and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort’s dark past.

34- Jurassic Park 2

A research team is sent to Jurassic Park B island to study the dinosaurs while another team comes up with another plan.

35- Jurassic Park 3

A couple convinces Dr. Alan Grant to go to Isla Sorna (the second InGen dinosaur laboratory), resulting in an unexpected landing… and unexpected new inhabitants on the island.

36- Jurassic World

A new theme park, built on the original Jurassic Park site, creates a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur, which escapes.

37- Van Helsing

The famous monster hunter is sent to Transylvania to stop Count Dracula who is using the research of Dr. Frankenstein and a werewolf for some sinister purpose.

38- The world in your hands

The captain of the schooner The Pilgrim of Salem moves from Alaska to San Francisco a shipment of valuable sealskins. At the hotel where he is staying, he meets and falls in love with the Russian countess Marina Selanova.

39- Beau Geste

Three adopted English brothers join the French Foreign Legion in North Africa after one of them steals the famous sapphire from his adoptive family.

40- The jungle in arms

A small American contingent tries to train peasant tribes to defend themselves against radical Muslim fanatics in the Philippines in 1906.

41- Gunga Din

Cutter, MacChesney, and Ballantine, three sergeants of the British army united by a close friendship, are sent to a mountainous area of ​​India to find out the causes of the strange interruption of telegraphic communications.

42- Three Bengali Spearmen

Three British soldiers on the northwestern border of India fight the enemy – and themselves.

43- The seahawk

Geoffrey Thorpe, a buccaneer, is hired by Queen Elizabeth I to harass the Spanish Armada. The Navy is waiting for the attack on England and Thorpe surprises them with attacks on his galleons where he shows his skills with the sword.

44- Rebellion on board

In 1787, the Bounty set sail from Portsmouth harbor for Tahiti to load the breadfruit. Captain Bligh, who wants to get to the island as soon as possible, imposes an iron discipline on board.

45- The four feathers (1939)

Harry, a British officer, decides to leave the army before his regiment embarks for Egypt to fight the rebels.

46- The Adventures of Jeremiah Johnson

Private Jeremiah Johnson decides to drop everything and settle in the inhospitable Rocky Mountains. He settles in a territory dominated by the violent Crow Indians, where, with the help of an old trapper, he will learn to survive in harsh conditions.

47- The queen of Africa

At the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918), Charlie Allnut (Bogart), a rude ship captain with a tendency to drink, and Rose Sayer (Hepburn), an uptight and puritanical missionary, flee the German troops in a dilapidated boat, with which they must go up a dangerous river.

48- Robin and Marian

Robin Hood, aging not too well, returns exhausted from the Crusades to woo Marian.

49- Master and Commander

During the Napoleonic Wars, an impetuous British captain guides his ship and crew to their limits in search of a French warship.

50- The treasure of Sierra Madre

The Year of 1925. Fred C. Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) decides to go to Tampico in search of gold to get out of poverty.

51- The Prisoner of Zenda

A king is kidnapped by his brother and the throne is orphaned until the men related to the crown find a replacement: a tourist with an enormous resemblance to the monarch.

52- The Prince and the Pauper

In the 16th century England, the rogue Tom crosses paths with Edward, the king’s son. They notice their enormous resemblance and decide to impersonate each other.

53- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The archaeologist Indiana Jones decides to search for a hidden treasure in Peru in exchange for helping a young rebel. The problem is that the Soviet Union is also after the valued treasure.

54- The man who could reign

Two smugglers survive in India by selling weapons. Their ambition grows and they decide to do business with the King of Kafiristan, having to overcome a series of very difficult obstacles.

55- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Three brothers discover that a magical closet door leads them to the world of Narnia, full of goblins, centaurs, talking animals, and the White Witch-Jadis.

56- The Adventures of Marco Polo

It tells the story of one of the most famous sailors of all time. Which traveled from Italy to Asia to discover the oriental mysteries.

57- Tarzan in New York

The ape-man Tarzan and his wife Jane travel to New York after discovering that their son has been abducted to perform in shows in the Big Apple.

58- The Thief of Baghdad (1924)

A skilled thief from the streets of Baghdad manages to enter the Royal Palace. There he runs into the princess, with whom he falls madly in love.

59- The Charge of the Light Brigade

The rebels have more and more weight on the northern border of India, fighting against British Imperialism. To the rescue comes the Light Cavalry Brigade.

60- The sign of Zorro

Don Diego discovers upon his return to Los Angeles that his father has been removed from his post as mayor by a corrupt and unjust politician. Don Diego, hiding his identity under a mask, will fight to regain his father’s honor.

61- The Nibelungs

The Nibelungs are strange beings who live in the mist. At the same time, in the same kingdom, a prince decides to conquer a beautiful princess Krimilda and for this, he must fight against fearsome adversaries such as dragons.

62- The fearsome mocker

63- The Lost Patrol

64- King Solomon’s Mines

65- The black swan

66- The Three Musketeers (1948)

67- Robin Hood, Prince of thieves

68- The Wind and the Lion

69- Back to the Future 3

70- Robin of the Woods (1922)

71- Robin of the woods

72- Apocalypto

73- The Mark of Zorro

74- The Jungle Book (1942)

75- Mad Max: The Highway Warrior

76- Mad Max: Beyond the Thunder Dome

77- Tarzan of the apes

78- King Kong (1933)

79- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

80- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

81- Pirates of the Caribbean Sea

82- The Thief of Baghdad (1940)

83- The gentleman of the seas

84- The salary of fear

85- The Last of the Mohicans

86- The hidden fortress

87- The Princess Bride

88- Aguirre, the wrath of God

89- Only angels have wings

90- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1960)

91- The Smugglers of Moonfleet

92- Hatari!

93- Distant Drums

94- Canadian Mounted Police

95- Target: Burma

96- Fearless Captains

97- The secret of the pyramid

98- Black bay

99- Kim from India

100- The Falcon and the Arrow

101- Count on me

102- Bloody Alley

103- The Patriot

104- The Pirate Woman

105- The barbarian and the geisha

106- The Sea Wolf (1941)

107- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

108- Moby Dick

109- Troy

110- In the heart of the sea

111- The unconquerable

112- Alexander the Great

113- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

114- Cyrano and D’Artagnan

115- China Seas

116- After the green heart

117- Spy Kids 2

118- Spy Kids 3

119- El Cid

120- The Vikings

121- Alaska, land of gold

122- Treasure Island (1934)

123- Wind in the sails

124- The Man in the Iron Mask

125- 55 days in Beijing

126- The mummy

127- Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

128- In search of fire

129- Jason and the Argonauts

130- The Wizard of Oz

131- Oz, a fantasy world

132- Lost Horizons

133- The Scarlet Pimpernel

134- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

135- The search

136- Treasure Island (1950)

137- The Black Steed

138- The return of the mummy

139- The Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

140- The Man in the Iron Mask

141- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

142- Eragon

143- Planet of the Apes

144- The Secret of the Brothers Grimm

145- Alice in Wonderland

146- Alice through the looking glass

147- Australia

148- The tourist

149- The Count of Monte Cristo

150- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Post Author: Nelson Russell