Last updated March 2024
On the hunt for sensationally awesome Best Adventure Movies? See our compilation of 30 marvelous, universally beloved Best Adventure Movies handpicked for your viewing pleasure. Critically celebrated by revered IMDB reviewers and widely adored by our own legion of savvy users, these world-class titles simply have no equal. Lend fellow viewers a hand by voting up the titles you feel are keepers. We appreciate your stellar contributions showcasing the finest entertainment available!
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Plot Summary:
Aragorn is revealed as the heir to the ancient kings as he, Gandalf and the other members of the broken fellowship struggle to save Gondor from Sauron's forces. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam bring the ring closer to the heart of Mordor, the dark lord's realm
Duration: 201 min
IMDB Rating: 9.0/10
IMDB Votes: 19000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: New Zealand, USA
Plot tags: sword fight, wizard, magic, magical, battles, creature, courage, monster, friendship, sword and sorcery, good versus evil, medieval, sorcerer, ancient, middle earth, heroic mission, race against time, hobbit, imaginary kingdom, imaginary, journey, army, warrior, elf, save the world
The Message (1976)
Plot Summary:
The story of prophet "Muhammad" and the delivery of the message of God "Allah"
Duration: 207 min
IMDB Rating: 8.9/10
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
Plot tags: camel, arabic history, prophet, muslim, islam, muslim woman, medieval, religion, ancient, arab, horse, historical event, historical character, dancing, travel, spy, combat, revenge, women, army, desert, hunter, water, death, torture
777 Charlie (2022)
Plot Summary:
Dharma is stuck in a rut with his negative and lonely lifestyle and spends each day in the comfort of his loneliness. A pup named Charlie who is naughty and energetic which is a complete contrast with the Dharma’s character enters his life and gives him a new perspective towards it
Duration: 164 min
IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
IMDB Votes: 38000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: India
Plot tags: dog, human animal relationship, dog training, puppy, loneliness, animal human communication, owner dog relationship, human dog relationship, relationships, loner, pets, life is a bitch, opposites attract, pet dog, alone, animal, road trip, life, snow, lifestyle, animals
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Plot Summary:
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed
Duration: 178 min
IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
IMDB Votes: 20000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: New Zealand, USA
Plot tags: sword fight, friendship, fantasy world, wizard, sword and sorcery, magic, good versus evil, monster, mythology, middle earth, magical, river, hobbit, medieval, lord of the rings, journey, magical ring, heroic mission, creature, imaginary kingdom, imaginary, sorcerer, save the world, castle, ancient
Inception (2010)
Plot Summary:
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious
Duration: 148 min
IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
IMDB Votes: 25000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Plot tags: dream, virtual reality, memory, alternate reality, twists and turns, imagination, subconscious, philosophy, existentialism, fictional reality, heist, architecture, mind control, lucid dream, puzzle, teamwork, parallel world, fantasy world, kidnapping, trippy, sleeping, time, psychological manipulation, manipulation, redemption
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Plot Summary:
Frodo and Sam are trekking to Mordor to destroy the One Ring of Power while Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn search for the orc-captured Merry and Pippin. All along, nefarious wizard Saruman awaits the Fellowship members at the Orthanc Tower in Isengard
Duration: 179 min
IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
IMDB Votes: 17000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: New Zealand, USA
Plot tags: sword fight, wizard, magic, fantasy world, creature, friendship, magical, monster, mission, sword and sorcery, mythology, good versus evil, middle earth, elf, siege, hobbit, imaginary kingdom, army, lord of the rings, warrior, imaginary, heroic mission, swords and armor, medieval, save the world
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Plot Summary:
While the Civil War rages between the Union and the Confederacy, three men – a quiet loner, a ruthless hit man and a Mexican bandit – comb the American Southwest in search of a strongbox containing $200,000 in stolen gold
Duration: 161 min
IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
IMDB Votes: 797000
Genere: Adventure, Western
Country: Italy, Spain, West Germany
Plot tags: old west, civil war, treasure hunt, american civil war, greed, gunfight, moral ambiguity, wild west, anti hero, shootout, cowboy, hitman, heroes, beautiful scenery, betrayal, desert, gold, vengeance, treasure, cons and scams, outlaw, twists and turns, storytelling, great ending, music
Who's Singin' Over There? (1980)
Plot Summary:
On April 5, 1941, a day before Nazi attack on Yugoslavia, entourage on a country road board Krstic's bus heading for Belgrade: two Gypsies who occasionally sing about misery, an aging war veteran, a Nazi sympathizer, a dapper singer, a consumptive, and a man with a shotgun. Krstic is a world-weary cynic, out for a buck; the driver is his son, the simple, cheerful Misko. En route they pick up a more people and head towards their destiny
Duration: 86 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, War
Country: Yugoslavia
Plot tags: world war two, on the road, gypsy, bus, road trip, nature, racism, european, badass, war, heroes, anti war, newlyweds, passenger, clergy, wartime life, hapless, horse, musician, army, forest, female nudity, sex scene, soldier, swimming
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Plot Summary:
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair
Duration: 124 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 14000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: star wars, space opera, outer space, alien, sword fight, space travel, space and aliens, creature, space battle, good versus evil, training, jedi, heroic mission, spacecraft, androids, space wars, spaceship, rebellion, swamp, snow, space, intergalactic, robot, rescue, duel
The Chaos Class Is Waking Up (1976)
Plot Summary:
No overview found
Duration: 94 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy
Country: Turkey
Plot tags: turk, high school, football, teacher, student, friendship, bullying, fire, theft, director, war veteran, private school, egg, dormitory, cigarette smoking, military service, punishment, idealist, night watchman, school band, prank, history teacher, new student, camaraderie, caught cheating
Interstellar (2014)
Plot Summary:
Interstellar chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage
Duration: 169 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 20000000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, UK, Canada
Plot tags: space travel, time travel, outer space, father daughter relationship, nasa, astronaut, end of the world, space, survival, distopia, apocalypse, science, space exploration, time paradox, space station, time loop, robot, quantum physics, space and aliens, scientist, race against time, natural disaster, distant planet, black hole, time
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Plot Summary:
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered
Duration: 140 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 312000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, peter parker character, african american, villain, alternate universe, teen superhero, alternate dimension, fight, police, laboratory, father son relationship, superheroine, death of friend, teenager, superhero team, superpower, spider man, child, anthropomorphism, loss of son, parallel universe, secret identity, multiverse, revenge, escape
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
Plot Summary:
Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the evil Imperial forces in their effort to take over the galactic Empire. Venturesome Luke Skywalker and dashing captain Han Solo team together with the loveable robot duo R2-D2 and C-3PO to rescue the beautiful princess and restore peace and justice in the Empire
Duration: 121 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 14000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: space opera, star wars, outer space, rebellion, robot, spaceship, intergalactic, space wars, wilhelm scream, sword fight, space, space travel, rebel, princess, heroic mission, planet, evil empire, space station, good versus evil, space and aliens, jedi, lightsaber, spacecraft, weapon of mass destruction, alien
Anbe Sivam (2003)
Plot Summary:
Nalla Sivam and Anbarasu meet under different circumstances and their lives are changed as they take the journey of their life
Duration: 160 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Country: India
Plot tags: life changing experience, communism, atheism, odd couple, accident, self discovery, social differences, introspection, tragic love, terrorism, destiny, fall in love, social relations, capitalist, secret, disability, compassion, recovery, motivation, discovery, adventurer, slice of life, self awareness, innovation, airport
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Plot Summary:
In postwar Japan, a new terror rises. Will the devastated people be able to survive... let alone fight back?
Duration: 124 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Plot tags: godzilla, kaiju, monster, giant monster, airplane, post war japan, world war two, ocean, giant, island, escape, water, death, running, hospital, orphan, mine, post war, boat, baby, photograph, city, kamikaze, disappearance, little girl
Gladiator (2000)
Plot Summary:
In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences
Duration: 155 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 16000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama
Country: USA, UK, Malta, Morocco
Plot tags: revenge, ancient rome, roman empire, vengeance, sword fight, ancient history, gladiator, freedom, slavery, courage, warrior, ancient world, battlefield, pride and honor, emperor, lone hero, roman, tragic hero, violence, knight, peplum, death of protagonist, combat, master warrior, swords and armor
Back to the Future (1985)
Plot Summary:
Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985
Duration: 116 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 13000000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: time travel, time machine, mad scientist, destiny, time loop, inventor, teenager, changing the past or future, scientist, time, high school, race against time, fish out of water, time paradox, alternate reality, paradox, small town, suprisingly clever, alternate history, car, love and romance, teenage life, chases and races, escapades, skateboard
The Lion King (1994)
Plot Summary:
A young lion cub named Simba can't wait to be king. But his uncle craves the title for himself and will stop at nothing to get it
Duration: 88 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 11000000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Musical
Country: USA
Plot tags: jungle, lion, friendship, betrayal, love, good versus evil, tragedy, pride and honor, exile, hyena, uncle, rivalry, revenge, murder, king, father son relationship, loss, talking animal, redemption, prince, journey, hopes, post traumatic stress, cheating death, loss of father
Coco (2017)
Plot Summary:
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history
Duration: 105 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 568000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Music, Mystery
Country: USA, Mexico
Plot tags: day of the dead, afterlife, musician, music, life after death, life & death, death, childhood, memory, good versus evil, boy, dog, child protagonist, betrayal, singer, skeleton, ghost, love, fantasy world, murder, twists and turns, father son relationship, customs, singing, cemetery
Aliens (1986)
Plot Summary:
When Ripley's lifepod is found by a salvage crew over 50 years later, she finds that terra-formers are on the very planet they found the alien species. When the company sends a family of colonists out to investigate her story, all contact is lost with the planet and colonists. They enlist Ripley and the colonial marines to return and search for answers
Duration: 137 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 750000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Plot tags: alien, space travel, strong female character, survival, outer space, female warrior, space, space and aliens, creature, human versus alien, monster, deadly creature, alien invasion, evil alien, spacecraft, spaceship, female hero, female protagonist, space colony, soldier, trapped, heroine, mysterious planet, strong female lead, alien monster
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Plot Summary:
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers
Duration: 153 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 15000000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, War
Country: Germany, USA
Plot tags: world war two, vengeance, nazi, war, nazism, violent, revenge, dark humor, alternate history, violence, working undercover, brutality, racism, mission, soldier, gunfight, blood, heroes, squad, fascist, military, shooting, dialogue, hitler, nazi hunter
WALL·E (2008)
Plot Summary:
WALL·E is the last robot left on an Earth that has been overrun with garbage and all humans have fled to outer space. For 700 years he has continued to try and clean up the mess, but has developed some rather interesting human-like qualities. When a ship arrives with a sleek new type of robot, WALL·E thinks he's finally found a friend and stows away on the ship when it leaves
Duration: 98 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 12000000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Japan
Plot tags: loneliness, robot, space travel, ecology, outer space, post apocalypse, love, technology, artificial intelligence, society, happy ending, ecological disaster, androids and robots, imaginary, distopia, environmental, earth, determination, space station, space, post apocalyptic, environment, abandoned, end of the world, dystopia
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Plot Summary:
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store
Duration: 181 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 12000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, time travel, heroes, alternate timeline, invasion, superhero team, alien, outer space, tony stark character, revenge, fight scenes, epic battle, humanity in peril, final battle, army, battlefield, time machine, good versus evil, supernatural power, superheroine, spacecraft, super villain, father daughter relationship, super powers, mission
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Plot Summary:
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime
Duration: 115 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 10000000
Genere: Action, Adventure
Country: USA
Plot tags: treasure hunt, archaeologist, indiana jones, treasure, adventurer, archaeology, nazi, artifact, chase, villain, desert, escapades, jungle, shootout, secret place, good versus evil, ancient, journey, supernatural, adventure hero, courage, archeological dig, peril, damsel in distress, expedition
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Plot Summary:
In the "classic Spider-Man mold", Miles Morales must juggle his high school life with his status as a superhero. Until he learns by Peter Parker, the original Spider-Man, that there is a multiverse, called the "Spider-Verse", in each reality has their own Spider theme hero
Duration: 117 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 645000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Canada, USA
Plot tags: superhero, multiverse, teenager, alternate universe, peter parker character, school, superheroine, teenage life, teenage superhero, super powers, father son relationship, love, physics, secret identity, comic book, superpower, african american, spider man, martial arts, giant monster, robot, giant, good versus evil, teacher, police
Attack on Titan: Chronicle (2020)
Plot Summary:
In the fourth recap movie, episodes 1-59 of the anime are retold, compiling the first three seasons of the anime into one two hour event
Duration: 122 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Country: Japan
Plot tags: monster, extinction, catastrophe, fight, violence, friendship, macabre, murder, alternate reality, destiny, brutality, mutation, vengeance, danger, life philosophy, fictional war, violent, survival, military, post-apocalyptic future, lone hero, blood, titan, giant, post apocalypse
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Plot Summary:
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain
Duration: 149 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 12000000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Norway
Plot tags: superhero, super powers, fight scenes, team, invasion, supernatural power, alien, power, universe, tragedy, good versus evil, end of the world, battlefield, superhero team, comic book, super villain, raccoon, heroes, save the world, hand to hand combat, final battle, murder, outer space, battles, flying superhero
Up (2009)
Plot Summary:
Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life
Duration: 96 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 11000000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA, Japan
Plot tags: dog, loneliness, unlikely friendships, friendship, follow your dream, hopes, friends, animal life, journey, obsessive quest, aging, wilderness, talking animal, dream, children, talking dog, giant bird, balloon, cartoon dog, human dog relationship, adventurer, mischievous children, love, animal, sadness
The Diamond Arm (1969)
Plot Summary:
Semyon Gorbunkov goes on a cruise with a smuggler on board. In Istanbul, he slips and breaks his arm. What he didn't know is that this was a signal for the gang of smugglers
Duration: 94 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Country: Soviet Union
Plot tags: gem, cons and scams, police investigation, smuggling, farce, nothing goes right, mistaken identity, smuggler, goofy hero, police station, secret mission, chases and races, disorder, espionage, friendship between men, disguise, neighbor neighbor relationship, false friend, male objectification, undercover agent, marital crisis, seduction, criminal, taxi driver, secret
Toy Story (1995)
Plot Summary:
Led by Woody, Andy's toys live happily in his room until Andy's birthday brings Buzz Lightyear onto the scene. Afraid of losing his place in Andy's heart, Woody plots against Buzz. But when circumstances separate Buzz and Woody from their owner, the duo eventually learns to put aside their differences
Duration: 81 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 10000000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, Japan
Plot tags: friendship, toys, wilhelm scream, rescue, toy story, rivalry, toy comes to life, friends, childhood, teamwork, anthropomorphism, birthday, child, birthday present, birthday party, dinosaur, redemption, kids and family, buddy, mission, alien, fight, escape, doll, soldier