Best movies like Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
After young Kirra (Bindi Irwin) leaves her Australian home to summer with her grandfather (Beau Bridges) in South Africa, she soon discovers a baby orca stranded in the lagoon near her grandfather’s rundown seaside amusement park. She names the lonely whale Willy--and embarks on a great quest to lead the little guy back to his anxious pod.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: serious, sentimental, touching, realistic, uplifting
Best tv shows and movies like Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove (2010):
Similar in 90%
The ButterCream Gang (1992)
Plot Summary:
Unlike most gangs, the ButterCream gang does good deeds. Their leader, Pete, has to go live with his aunt in Chicago. But things don't go well in Chicago and Pete is changed when he returns. Soon Pete is hanging around with the wrong crowd. But the remaining members of the gang, especially their new leader Scott, refuse to give up on their friend Pete.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: epic, independent film, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 90%
Joey (1997)
Plot Summary:
Billy is a boy who is trying to save a baby kangaroo called Joey when it is caught and taken to Sydney. Linda, the young daughter of the U.S. Ambassador is helping Billy in his task.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 606
Genere: Family, Adventure, Comedy
Country: Australia
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious, independent film
Similar in 90%
Bigfoot (2009)
Plot Summary:
The whole family will enjoy huge laughs and giant, hairy adventures with this touching tale about a big-hearted Bigfoot. Lost in the forest, he befriends three kids, Percy, Madison and Leonard, who are determined to protect him. When two local bullies kidnap the legendary creature with plans to sell him to the highest bidder, it's up to his human buddies to rescue him and return him to his home.
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 385
Genere: Adventure, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: feel good, captivating, entertaining, light, touching, offbeat, humorous, semi serious, independent film
Similar in 78%
Running Free (1999)
Plot Summary:
The tale of the extraordinary life and times of Lucky, a horse that was born in captivity but achieves his dream of running free with the help of a stableboy.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 715
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family, History, War
Country: USA, France, South Africa
Duration: 81 min
Plot tags: sentimental, uplifting, touching, serious, independent film, realistic, feel good, wild
Similar in 75%
Flipper's New Adventure (1964)
Plot Summary:
While widowed Porter Ricks is away at school learning to be a park ranger, his teen-aged son, Sandy, under adult supervision from a neighbor, remains at the family home in the Florida Keys with his pet dolphin, Flipper. While Po (as Porter is called by most) is away, Sandy learns that the family home, built on state land, is being torn down to make way for a highway. In turn, Sandy would be sent to live with relatives, while Flipper would be sent to the seaquarium permanently. Not wanting to be separated from Flipper, Sandy, using his skiff, runs away with Flipper. A distraught Po returns home to look for his son. Meanwhile, the Hopewell family from Britain are vacationing in the area. Their sailboat is hijacked by three escaped convicts, who take the father, Halsey, hostage, and set the three Hopewell women - mother Julia, and teen-aged daughters Gwen and Penny - adrift, they who eventually land on the island where Sandy is hiding... Written by Huggo.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 626
Genere: Family, Adventure, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: exciting, realistic, suspenseful, semi serious, cult film
Similar in 85%
Mia and the White Lion (2018)
Plot Summary:
A young girl from London moves to Africa with her parents where she befriends a lion cub.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: France, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, Monaco, USA
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: captivating, sincere, scenic, inspirational, exciting
Similar in 84%
Namu, the Killer Whale (1966)
Plot Summary:
Based on the amazing true story of a marine biologist (Robert Lansing) who befriends a six-ton Orcawhale, this "honest, fascinating and vigorously wholesome film" (Citizen-News) is heartwarming fun for the whole family. Like all close pals, Hank (Lansing) and Namu love spending time together. Whether sharing a morning swim or soaking up the afternoon sun, these two are virtually inseparable. Trouble is, the local fishermen mistakenly think that Namu is a threat. Racing against time, Hank must enlist the help of a young widow and her daughter to save Namu and prove that he's a gentle giant!.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 360
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: semi serious, psychotronic
Similar in 83%
Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar (1967)
Plot Summary:
A heartwarming Disney classic in which a cougar, who was rescued as a cub and raised by a group of loggers in the Pacific Northwest, reverts back to his natural instincts, leading to hilarious (and dangerous) consequences.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 925
Genere: Adventure, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 75 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, semi serious, romantic, clever, unusual plot structure, humorous, sweet, entertaining, educational
Similar in 78%
Cheetah (1989)
Plot Summary:
An American boy and girl, spending six months in Kenya with their scientist parents adopt a cheetah, only to realize that they must set it loose so that it can learn to hunt and be free. However, when the animal is captured by poachers planning to race it against greyhounds, the two city kids, together with a young African goat herder they befriended, head off into the wild to rescue the cheetah.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: feel good, humorous, semi serious, romantic, clever, touching, unusual plot structure, sweet, melancholic, twist ending
Similar in 78%
Cowgirls 'n Angels (2012)
Plot Summary:
A group of rodeo trick-riders recruits a young girl to join them.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: sentimental, feel good, serious, realistic
Similar in 83%
Born to Be Wild (1995)
Plot Summary:
Rick Heller is a juvenile delinquent who keeps getting himself into trouble. To keep him out of trouble his mother puts him to work cleaning the cage of a gorilla named Katie which she is teaching to communicate through the use of sign language. When the owner of the gorilla takes her back to become a flea market freak Rick takes it upon himself to break Katie out and take her on an adventurous journey to get her out of the country.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious, romantic, road movie, surreal, twist ending
Similar in 89%
Silver Wolf (1999)
Plot Summary:
A ranger (Michael Biehn) and his 16 year old nephew (Shane Meier) struggle to save a wolf from a rancher (Roy Scheider), who is out to kill it.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 596
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: sentimental, uplifting, touching, feel good, independent film, serious, realistic
Similar in 84%
Saving Shiloh (2006)
Plot Summary:
In this third movie about Shiloh, Judd Travers is accused of killing a man he once fought in a bar. Everyone in the town consider Judd to be guilty except Marty Preston, but even him has some doubts. Trying to clear Judd's name Marty and his friend searches the woods to find the criminal.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 930
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: serious, sincere, touching, captivating, saga
Similar in 82%
Captains Courageous (1996)
Plot Summary:
Harvey Cheyne, Jr., second richest person in the world, orphaned and spoiled rotten, encounters a cigar and the sea on his way to England for boarding school. Seasick, over the rail for real, rescued by Dan Troop of a Gloucester fishing sailboat. Three months at sea, under a firm but fair Captain Troop (fair wages of $10.50 a month, if you don't work you don't eat). A hard life and a dangerous one, and a lot of growing up to do through hardship and tragedy.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 834
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic
Similar in 76%
Shiloh (1996)
Plot Summary:
An abused beagle runs away from his owner. On the road, he meets young Marty Preston and follows him home. The boy immediately forms a bond with the dog and names him Shiloh. His stern father won't let him keep the dog because it belongs to Judd Travers, a local hunter. After Shiloh is mistreated again, he runs away and returns to Marty. Knowing his father will once again make him bring Shiloh back to Judd, he makes a home for the dog in an old shed up the hill from the Prestons' house and hides him from his family. His secret is soon discovered when a stray attacks the dog one night and he must turn to his father for help.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: sweet, touching, emotional, semi serious, feel good, gothic, epic, independent film, fairy tale, sentimental
Similar in 83%
Flipper (1963)
Plot Summary:
Many kids might say their best friend is a puppy or a pony. But for 12-year-old Sandy, the most special pet of all is the exuberant dolphin he rescues and who returns the favor by rescuing Sandy from sharks.The dolphin named Flipper first swam into the world's minds and hearts in this 1963 film starring Chuck Connors and Luke Halpin as Sandy (a role he would continue in the 1964-68 TV series that followed.) James B. Clark, a long-time family filmmaker whose credits include "Island of the Blue Dolphins" and "My Side of the Mountain," directs the story of hard times (Hurricane Hazel and its aftermath) and joy (Sandy's dolphin-powered rides through the waves). And two fins up for Mitzie, the animal star who plays flipper.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Family, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: melancholic, touching, exciting, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious, sentimental, romantic, clever
Similar in 85%
Flipper (1996)
Plot Summary:
Sandy Ricks is sent by his mom to Coral Key, a rustic island in the Florida keys, to spend the summer with his uncle Porter Ricks. Sandy dislikes everything about his new environment until a new friend comes into his life, a dolphin named Flipper, that brings uncle and nephew together and leads Sandy on the summer adventure of a lifetime.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Adventure, Crime, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: exciting, cult classic, sincere, touching, feel good, serious, realistic, scary, sentimental, light
Similar in 79%
The Trial of Old Drum (2000)
Plot Summary:
Inspired by a true story set in Missouri, "The Trial of Old Drum" tells the story of a valiant golden retriever, Old Drum, an orphan dog that becomes a boy's best friend and is then forced to stand trial for killing a neighbor's sheep.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 377
Genere: Drama, Adventure, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, light, sentimental, captivating, independent film, serious
Similar in 87%
Wolf Summer (2003)
Plot Summary:
The young Norwegian girl Kim almost gets killed after falling from a hillside. She finds shelter and stumbles upon the territory of a wolf and her puppy. She barricades herself, but as time passes she finds the wolf less and less frightening. When she finds out three shepherds are out to kill the wolf, she decides to get across the border to Sweden, where they don't hunt for wolves.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: Norway
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: touching, sincere, serious, realistic
Similar in 86%
Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997)
Plot Summary:
Willy the whale is back, this time threatened by illegal whalers making money off sushi. Jesse, now 16, has taken a job on an orca-researching ship, along with old friend Randolph and a sarcastic scientist, Drew. On the whaler's ship is captain John Wesley and his son, Max, who isn't really pleased about his father's job, but doesn't have the gut to say so. Along the way, Willy reunites with Jesse.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, humorous, retro, epic, semi serious, exciting, romantic, feel good, unusual plot structure
Similar in 90%
Dolphin Tale 2 (2014)
Plot Summary:
The team of people who saved Winter's life reassemble in the wake of her surrogate mother's passing in order to find her a companion so she can remain at the Clearwater Marine Hospital.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: uplifting, sentimental, touching, humorous, realistic, semi serious, inspirational, saga, serious
Similar in 75%
The Young Black Stallion (2003)
Plot Summary:
When courageous young Neera becomes separated from her family in the desert, she chances upon a wild colt. Together they find friendship, trust, and their way back home only to discover her family is about to lose everything!.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 80%
Free Willy 2 (1995)
Plot Summary:
Jesse becomes reunited with Willy three years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 19000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: France, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, feel good, sweet, retro, epic, anamorphic, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 81%
Duma (2005)
Plot Summary:
An orphaned cheetah becomes the best friend and pet of a young boy living in South Africa.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sweet, sentimental, touching, captivating, inspirational, sad, atmospheric, realistic, semi serious, romantic
Similar in 75%
Alaska (1996)
Plot Summary:
Jake Barnes and his two kids, Sean and Jessie, have moved to Alaska after his wife died. He is a former airline pilot now delivering toilet paper across the mountains. During an emergency delivery in a storm his plane goes down somewhere in the mountains. Annoyed that the authorities aren't doing enough, Jessie and Sean set out on an adventure to find their father with the help of a polar bear which they have saved from a ferocious poacher. Conflict ensues.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: light, feel good, captivating, sentimental, sweet, semi serious, exciting, enigmatic, breathtaking, unusual plot structure
Similar in 80%
Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995)
Plot Summary:
Teenager Angus adopts a stray dog and names him Yellow. Several days later, while travelling along the coast of British Columbia with Angus's father, John, the boy and dog become stranded when turbulent waters capsize their boat. Angus's parents relentlessly badger rescue teams. Angus, schooled by his father in wilderness survival skills, and assisted by the intelligent Yellow Dog, tries to attract rescuers.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 81 min
Plot tags: sentimental, emotional, touching, exciting, serious, light, romantic, feel good, unusual plot structure, humorous
Similar in 85%
Andre (1994)
Plot Summary:
The true story of how a marine seal named Andre befriended a little girl and her family, circa 1962.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, sad, feel good, humorous, semi serious, fairy tale, light, inspirational, romantic
Similar in 79%
Free Willy (1993)
Plot Summary:
When maladjusted orphan Jesse vandalizes a theme park, he is placed with foster parents and must work at the park to make amends. There he meets Willy, a young Orca whale who has been separated from his family. Sensing kinship, they form a bond and, with the help of kindly whale trainer Rae Lindley, develop a routine of tricks. However, greedy park owner Dial soon catches wind of the duo and makes plans to profit from them.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 82000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, uplifting, feel good, sweet, light, inspirational, retro, sexy, epic
Similar in 83%
Benji: Off the Leash! (2004)
Plot Summary:
Benji and his friends try to save his mother from a puppy mill.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 668
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, feel good, humorous, semi serious
Similar in 75%
Fly Away Home (1996)
Plot Summary:
Amy is only 13 years old when her mother is killed. She goes to Canada to live with her father, an eccentric inventor whom she barely knows. Amy is miserable in her new life... until she discovers a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when a local forest is torn down. The eggs hatch and Amy becomes "Mama Goose". When Winter comes, Amy, and her dad must find a way to lead the birds South.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 27000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: uplifting, emotional, touching, serious, inspirational, sentimental, thought provoking, feel good, epic, sad