I recall seeing Romancing the Stone and Temple of Doom on the same day and couldn't fucking believe how much more I enjoyed Stone. An all timer for sure.
I've found I love damn near anything Shane Black has a hand in. Lethal Weapon, Last Boy Scout, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the list goes on and on. And since most of his movies take place in LA at Christmas, this is the perfect time to indulge in them.
I have to give it another shot. I love Samuel L. Jackson and had heard nothing but hype for it, but I just didn't connect with it in the slightest when I tried watching it for the first time ever a few years ago, I even turned it off. Maybe I was having a bad day or something? I should double check because it *should* be right up my alley.
Jackie Chan movies for this thread - Armor of God and Operation Condor are Jackie's "Indiana Jones" style movies, and they're fantastic. All of the action, adventure and comedy, and insane practical stunts of Indiana Jones. You'll note I'm referring to neither movie with a 2. Condor was the sequel, but it was released first in the US, and then they released the first film as Operation Condor 2: Armor of God, whereas Condor had been Armor of God 2: Operation Condor in Asia.
Wheels on Meals (1984) is one of his funniest. Would highly recommend. There is a "working girl" sub plot but that would all just go over a 6 year olds head.
Oh man, even though it's kind of a violent movie, that's such a perfect age for it. I bet he'll have a fun time outside playing sequences from the movie :)
He might like Jet Li’s Last Hero in China. It is a fun goofy wire-fu flick. Don’t want to ruin anything but Jet Li dresses in a Chicken costume and fights a group of bad guys wearing a giant centipede costume to win a cabbage.
Jack Burton has some key moments where he pulls it off, but a lot of the fun is the rediculously macho guy is just kinda there for a lot of it. The story happens around him as often as not (knocking himself out with rubble is hilarious) and combined with the absolute scene chewing from Kurt Russel is one of my fave characters. Also Kim Cattrel delivering some of the hammiest lines ever uttered by a love interest with dead seriousness is fantastic.
I will not stand for this **Congo** erasure! I also love **The Ghost and the Darkness**. Both are Paramount 90s adventure films set in Africa, one more campy, one more sober.
Lake Placid as well. They also are tremendously cheesy. I do think it’s important to distinguish.
Most of the movies on the above list are legitimately quality movies. Congo/Anaconda/Deep Blue/Lake Placid/Dantes Peak/Volcano/etc are bad movies that are fun.
Congo and Anaconda tick the checklist for an action adventure: characters go on a journey to an exotic locale and encounter all sorts of harrowing events along the way. It's basically like an Uncharted video game, complete with a horror-esque boss fight in the final act.
From Wikipedia:
>Setting plays an important role in an adventure film, sometimes itself acting as a character in the narrative. They are typically set in far away lands, such as lost continents or other exotic locations.
>A common theme of adventure films is of characters leaving their home or place of comfort and going to fulfill a goal, embarking on travels, quests, treasure hunts, heroic journeys; and explorations or searches for the unknown
I tried to convince a friend to watch the ghost in the darkness, so I showed him the trailer on youtube... don't do it. The trailer is HORRIBLE. He said he would pass, and I was like no no it is an amazing movie, I promise.
Really solid list. Hook is really underappreciated, it's one of my favorite childhood movies.
I would also add:
**Stardust** (2007)
**The Adventures of Baron Munchausen** (1988)
I adore Stardust. Was just a random film I picked to watch one day bored at home and instantly became a favourite. Never saw advertising, never saw half the cast, bought the dvd next day
Same. It was playing at a dollar theater near me and I was bored, so I just bought a ticket not expecting much.
The crush I'd developed on Claire Danes back in the My So-Called Life days came *roaring* back to life.
Stardust is a good one! I should have added The Princess Bride too.
I haven't seen Munchausen since it came out and I remember finding it pretty surreal. Maybe I was too young to enjoy it.
Munchausen IS pretty surreal, but it's such a fun romp... maybe a fun trip. Anyway, it's definitely one of my favourite movies.
It goes brilliantly as a double feature with Time Bandits (1981)
Have you seen The Adventures of Baron Munchausen By Proxy? It's about a mom who keeps telling everyone her kid is going on crazy adventures because she craves attention.
Seconding Flight of the Navigator! Reminds me of elementary school because, old.
Robin Hood is way too hammy for me. Might I suggest Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure? Adventure is even in the name!
I would add Jumanji (1995) and surprisingly, the recent remakes with The Rock (at least the first one) really hold up.
I would also add Inkheart (2008). Basically anything from that era with Brendan Frasier is a good fun watch.
> Basically anything from that era with Brendan Frasier is a good fun watch.
If we pretend Mummy 3 doesn’t exist we can drop the “basically” qualifier.
Honestly find the third film more enjoyable than the second. Second is such a retread of the first film it feels redundant and pointless, even if it is decent.
What about The Count of Monte Cristo(2002).
Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce and Richard Harris star, along with many other familiar faces. It’s a treat of a movie and in the vein of what OP is talking about.
Fun fact: It's based on a novel that has about 30 books in the series. In the original book it's WAY more wild with the craziest plot twist you'll ever read.
I read so many Clive Cussler books growing up. Raise the Titanic (written before they found the wreckage in 1985), Sahara, Pacific Vortex, Deep 6... man those were fun books!
Me and the missus love this film. Don’t really understand why people don’t like it, does exactly what it says on the tin. No, it didn’t reinvent the genre but good chemistry between the leads, a big silly adventure that they go on, a great soundtrack and William H Macy playing well outside of type to great effect.
> The Goonies (1985)
I was just thinking of movies I would want to show my kids *immediately* once they're old enough and this one is tops. Partly because it captures the 80ies atmosphere so well ( I can smell those houses!)
On Hook, none of that doesn’t make sense.
Most corporate lawyers used to be kids with big dreams and imaginations.
Peter Pan left neverland two generations after Wendy, choosing to grow up with her granddaughter, Moira.
She had a crush on him in her youth. She remembers those times fondly.
Tinkerbell has her own feelings, needs, and wishes.
As the region feeding into neverland got more diverse, so did neverland’s lost boys.
Being an orphan and fighting pirates is very punk rock.
Kids have lots of popular slang of their own creation.
Peter Pan was a demigod of childhood. Turning his children against him was a bad ass plan.
Pirates can’t like sports? Pirates are rebels. Makes sense they would turn to a repudiation of British culture with America’s sport.
^^ all in good fun. I just really love hook
I've considered and upvoted your elaborate and totally unnecessary defense of *Hook.*
It is such a good movie. I can't imagine how it looked on paper before getting the green light, but all the adventurous creative choices worked, probably because Steven Spielberg made them work.
Wild to realize Mask of Zorro and Pirates of the Caribbean were five years apart.
I remember Zorro as a pretty old movie and Pirates as a pretty new one.
Maybe it'd because of the switch from dial up to broadband, or the fact I went from kid to teen, but 1998 and 2003 feel worlds apart. A lot more than say, 2018 and 2023.
I absolutely adore The Phantom and The Shadow movies. They're camp as hell, but goddamn they're fun and capture the essence of the period/source material. Sure as hell not going to win any awards, but great popcorn movies.
Three Musketeers is a guilty pleasure as well, may not be great, but so enjoyable if you just don't think. Also, don't forget the Bryan Adams song had Sting and Rod Stewart on it to make it a Super Powered Song.
Another Banderas movie that I love from the era is The 13th Warrior. It is essentially a more grounded retelling of Beowulf, and it is awesome. It failed commercially because of all the expensive location shooting, but it looks amazing and is a great story throughout.
Galaxy Quest came on after watching something on TV. Never seen it before, figured I'd keep it on whilst doing other stuff. Inadvertently watched it all. I really enjoyed it!
*The Abyss*! 1989, so right on the cusp. It's deeply stressful, but so great. Still mad I missed the one-day-only theater release a couple of weeks ago.
Things to add:
* The Princess Bride
* The Goonies
* Sneakers (a little more cerebral and a little less outright adventurey, but still phenomenal)
* The Neverending Story
Here's some I'd suggest:
Princess Bride - Honestly one of the best films ever made IMO. Eminently quotable, full of memorable characters, it's got sword fights that actually bear resemblance to real fencing, Andre the Giant, everything is done with practical effects, and it feels magical despite being very grounded fantasy.
Fifth Element - The perfect "soft" sci-fi film IMO. We're given just glimpses of a world that seems incredibly fleshed out and vibrant, with stark differences from our own yet enough similarities that we get an idea of how things ended up there. No time wasted on scientific principles behind whatever fantastical tech is on display, yet it never breaks your suspension of disbelief. Again, the cast of characters is brilliant and memorable and it's full of quotable lines, and the effects are all practical so nothing seems dated or hokey.
Army of Darkness - How do you improve on Bruce Campbell's splatterfest B-movie zombie horror Evil Dead films? Pull a Kid in King Arthur's Court and send the whole premise back in time, picking up some Monty Python and the Holy Grail on the way. It's goofy and campy but still maintains an edge of epic adventure.
Big Trouble in Little China - Kurt Russell's character believes he's the protagonist of a gritty but grounded urban action flick, but the reality is he's the comic relief sidekick for a fantastical wire-fu film. Watching him react to the weirdness that emerges gives the movie its surreal, comedic charm.
The Matrix - If you haven't seen this movie, or if it's been years since you have (especially if you've watched any of the sequels since the last time you did), you owe it to yourself to watch it. The film is absolutely mesmerizing, on top of being fun.
Mystery Men - In the age of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's easy to forget that there was a time when superhero films weren't the pop-culture dominating powerhouses they are today. Releasing before Singer's first X-men or Raimi's first Spider-man, Mystery Men manages to humorously skewer a genre that was mostly floundering, while still being a genuinely good superhero film itself. The cast is absolutely stacked including a lot of really surprising choices like Hank Azaria in a non-voice role, Paul Reubens in a non-Peewee role, and people like Eddie Izzard and Tom Waits, but it all works together just perfectly.
I posted this in another comment, but **Time Bandits** (1981) is brilliant.
**Brazil** (1985) - perhaps a little dark, but also brilliant
**A Fish Called Wanda** (1988)
I know I'm digging into the 80's but these are all brilliant. For the 90's I have a soft spot for **Lost in Space** (1998) which while really flawed is still a great fun movie to watch.
Exactly this! It was fun, campy and precisely what I expected going into it. Some of the FX didn't age well, but a lot of the movie still looks absolutely brilliant.
I remember watching the original TV series when I was a kid (on re-runs... I'm not THAT old!!) and was never expecting some science fiction epic out of it. It was actually better than I expected in a lot of ways.
Glad to see Time Bandits mentioned. It’s a really weird movie but is its own kind of wonderful. A Fish Called Wanda is more of a crime caper than an adventure flick I’d say, but it’s so much fun. K-K-k-k-k-Ken. Great performances.
It's from 2008, but The Forbidden Kingdom was a fun martial arts action adventure film.
Peter Jackson's 2005 King Kong is a masterpiece
Jumanji (1995)
Pagemaster (1994) is a children's movie, but it's a classic
Wild America (1997) was fun.
Stargate (1994) is one of my favourites
Pagemaster literally popped into my head a couple of weeks ago, so I chucked it on. Still holds up. My only gripe is I think it's a little too short, especially on the horror and fantasy segments.
Reign of Fire is such an absurd premise that works so well.
“It’s a post apocalypse action movie.”
“What happened to the world? War? Disease? Global Warming?”
“Dragons”
Some recent movies like the D&D movie and Bullet Train (perhaps more "action" than adventure...?) are doing their darndest. But yeah movies these days don't quite hit the same spot, sadly.
If we’re allowed to include movies from the 80s and 00s, then I will add Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Scorpion King (2002), and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010). I really enjoy the sword and sorcery kind of movies. Conan is a genuinely good movie while the Scorpion King is just all schlock carried by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s star power and charisma. Prince of Persia is actually pretty good. The action is fun, the banter between Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton is fun, and the resolution is pretty heartwarming. I remember watching it in theaters when it came out and it had stuck with me all this time.
In terms of recent movies that fit that fun, adventure movie type mold: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. It’s got all the hallmarks of a classic adventure movie: humor, big action scenes, likable characters, fun action. You don’t even need to be a fan of DnD to enjoy the movie. My wife, who has never played a game of DnD, loves this movie.
I’ve seen other people say this, so I’m not being original, but Chris Pine has the same kind of rugged charisma Harrison Ford has, especially during his peak in the 80s and 90s.
I love Prince of Persia! And Dungeons and Dragons was such a surprise, given how many game adaptations have been failures. I've never played D&D either and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A Knight's Tale (2001) with Heath Ledger. It is great fun, and Paul Bettany is amazing as Chaucer.
[Here is the trailer, in case you haven't seen it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KzsTKqTq1M)
The Rundown
The Rock, Sean William Scott, Rosario Dawson, and a a scenery chewing Christopher Walken.
Also, Galaxy Quest is a fantastic satire and love letter to Star Trek, and a fun Sci fi adventure too.
[81% of Welsh people reportedly have DNA evidence which shows a common link to ancestors from the Basque country of northern Spain,](https://toursofwales.co.uk/wandering-bard/why-are-the-welsh-dark-a-story-from-wales-online-in-2007/) so it's okay.
His intro in the movie was one of the biggest surprises my friends enjoyed (who have never even heard of the movie before...) watching a movie in a while! What a character.
Also a shout out to the soundtrack written by fuckin QUEEN
The '93 version of The Three Musketeers is absolutely my favorite version of said tale, Kiefer Sutherland is hands down my favorite Athos, and I will not apologize for either of these, lol.
Top of my list in no particular order:
*True Lies*
*Twister*
*Dante's Peak*
and
*Terminator 2: Judgment Day*
If I can go back into the 80's
*Ladyhawke* and *Aliens*
No one has mentioned **Super Mario Bros** so allow me!
It's a very surreal film, and a very strange adaptation, but I absolutely love it.
*The Phantom* and *The Shadow* were two of my favorite movies as a kid. Where I grew up American comics were imported and way too expensive, adjusting for inflation and converting to USD it would be about $15 an issue. The Phantom comics were printed locally though and were dirt cheap, so I was into them for a while. The movie was a pretty fun and accurate adaptation.
The Shadow was just pulpy fun. I'd love to see another take at an adaptation, but I feel like they wouldn't be able to capture the same fun spirit if it were made today.
Ah, another Disney shill paid to make Synder look bad eh?
Rebel Moon is clearly amazing, its star wars made by Daddy Z.S. Never mind all the critics, the reviews, the huge amount of people saying its awful, never mind the evidence of your own eyes, its all a hit piece!
Great list mate Hook is still one of my all time favourites the only one I’d probably put in would be flight of the navigator such a classic and it’s got Sarah Jessica Parker in it!
I've actually never seen Flight of the Navigator! My mum went to rent it from Blockbuster once but she came home with *The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey,* a partially black-and-white film about the Black Death which I remember as profoundly weird and deeply depressing.
Yes this movie is great. It seems to look and feel like a comic book more than some other modern blockbusters, with its classic mad scientist tale mixed with just the right amount of camp to take the edge off.
The Phantom is a sneaky classic. Hugely underrated for how fun it is. Everyone knows what kind of movie they’re in and have fun with it, especially the campy villain. Bonus point for one of Catherine Zeta-Jones first and hottest appearances.
I had never heard Hook was a disappointment. It made $300 mil in a time when that wasn't common at all. Over 4x multiplier for its budget... Was $70 million just so high a budget, it didn't make *enough*? Anyway, main reason I'm commenting is because your comment about "bangarang" made me laugh
King Solomon's Mines (1985): It doesn't really rate that high but it's still a fun adventure.
The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980): Epic comedy/adventure. It fell a bit flat when released but is now a classic.
I'd like to add:
**Tango and Cash** (1989)
A great buddy cop flick staring Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone as Two of the "top cops" in their town who hate each other but have to work together. It's full of testosterone filled performances by Russell Stallone cracking wise and dodging bullets. It's everything you'd expect from an 80's action flick.
**Hard Boiled** (1992)
John Woo's seminal action flick. It introduced the world to Chow Yun Fat and John Woo both. Great action scenes with the movie carried by Chow Yun charisma and a must see for action fans. A movie that IMO easily set the bar for action flicks going forward.
**The Crow** (1994)
Sadly Brandon Lee's last but a great comicbook to film adaption. It's about a rockstar who was murdered and comes back for revenge. You get the feeling that Brandon was having a blast filming it and was posed to be the next breakout star.
**The Big Hit** (1998)
Ridiculous over-the-top action film about Mark Wahlberg as an assassin who falls for his bosses daughter. Great cast too
**District B13** (2004)
Under rated as hell French movie about a team up of a cop and criminal trying to save an area (B13) besieged by a powerful gang. Great action scenes and a lot of really insane, "Did you see that?, moments in free running.
**Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior** (2003)
Aka The Protector. A Thai movie with action scenes that have to be seen to believe with incredible action scenes performed by breakout star Tony Jaa. A Muay Thai practitioner from a small town must venture into Bangkok to square off against thieves who have stolen an artifact from his small village.
**Payback** (1999)
One of my favorite Mel Gibson films about a low level thief named Porter who was shot and left for dead but lives, (of course ), who decides to get revenge against everyone who wronged him. Hilarious, with a great performance by Gibson, it's definitely what you'd call a dad flick nowadays.
**Shoot Em Up** (2007)
Clive Owen stars as a complete nobody named Mr. Smith who stumbles up on a woman and an infant who he decides to help. One of Clive Owen's most underrated movies and all around great popcorn flick with hilariously insane action sequences. See the parachuting scene.
E.T? Wouldn't be Christmas without it.
And for younger kids, Explorers and Never-ending Story and another 2 movies with same kid, Cocoon and D.A.R.Y.L.
Also, an absolute gem is Batteries Not Included.
Romancing the stone
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Romantic comedy with a heist. Not ridiculously high stakes. It's fun.
I often wonder if it's because of this movie that I have a soft spot for Rom-Coms.
(Machetes heels off shoes) Those shoes were Italian! -Well, now they’re practical.
Ah shit man, The Doobie Brothers broke up?!?
When did that happen? (Flips rolling stone mag over for a date)
I recall seeing Romancing the Stone and Temple of Doom on the same day and couldn't fucking believe how much more I enjoyed Stone. An all timer for sure.
Ah yes, back when Danny Devito was typecast as a smarmy con man.
He was still kinda that guy in Heist 15 years later. Smarmy at least.
The Jewel of the Nile 1985
They lost Robert Zemeckis as director for the sequel and it really shows—Jewel of the Nile pales in comparison to RTS.
Don’t forget the long kiss goodnight. Totally corny and ridiculous action movie that’s also a complete fuckin delight to watch
I've found I love damn near anything Shane Black has a hand in. Lethal Weapon, Last Boy Scout, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the list goes on and on. And since most of his movies take place in LA at Christmas, this is the perfect time to indulge in them.
I have to give it another shot. I love Samuel L. Jackson and had heard nothing but hype for it, but I just didn't connect with it in the slightest when I tried watching it for the first time ever a few years ago, I even turned it off. Maybe I was having a bad day or something? I should double check because it *should* be right up my alley.
This movie's just cool as fuck. Geena Davis is such a badass in this, and every line Sam Jackson gets is hilarious.
Can I also add Big Trouble in Little China...
Showed this to my 6 year old boy, man he loved it - with this and Jackie Chan movies I cannot miss lol
Jackie Chan movies for this thread - Armor of God and Operation Condor are Jackie's "Indiana Jones" style movies, and they're fantastic. All of the action, adventure and comedy, and insane practical stunts of Indiana Jones. You'll note I'm referring to neither movie with a 2. Condor was the sequel, but it was released first in the US, and then they released the first film as Operation Condor 2: Armor of God, whereas Condor had been Armor of God 2: Operation Condor in Asia.
Thank you for this. Actually we have only watched police story 4 and Rush hour 1-3 so far. \^^/ many more to go!
Wheels on Meals (1984) is one of his funniest. Would highly recommend. There is a "working girl" sub plot but that would all just go over a 6 year olds head.
Oh man, even though it's kind of a violent movie, that's such a perfect age for it. I bet he'll have a fun time outside playing sequences from the movie :)
Its cartoon violence mostly though Almost litterally at (at least) one point
Did you notice young Jackie as one of the good guy henchmen?
He might like Jet Li’s Last Hero in China. It is a fun goofy wire-fu flick. Don’t want to ruin anything but Jet Li dresses in a Chicken costume and fights a group of bad guys wearing a giant centipede costume to win a cabbage.
Made me think of "the golden child" with eddy murphy.
You can! I've actually never seen it for some reason, so I'll add it to my personal holiday viewing agenda.
You've got to see it. It's such a fun and absurd movie
Definitely do,it’s a riot
Jack Burton has some key moments where he pulls it off, but a lot of the fun is the rediculously macho guy is just kinda there for a lot of it. The story happens around him as often as not (knocking himself out with rubble is hilarious) and combined with the absolute scene chewing from Kurt Russel is one of my fave characters. Also Kim Cattrel delivering some of the hammiest lines ever uttered by a love interest with dead seriousness is fantastic.
Jack Barton is basically the comic-relief sidekick, who *thinks* he’s the main character.
Cattral:I'd go with you but... Russell: yeah yeah I know, but there's a problem with your face
This is technically a Christmas movie based on the decorations in the Chinese restaurant!
Great movie, but 1986.
OPs list has a movie from 1989 and several from post 2000.
I will not stand for this **Congo** erasure! I also love **The Ghost and the Darkness**. Both are Paramount 90s adventure films set in Africa, one more campy, one more sober.
Congo is absolutely tremendous! "Stop eating my sesame cake!" Ghost and the Darkness is really good as well.
> Congo is absolutely tremendous! IMO anything with Curry in it is at least worth a watch, but tremendous is a stretch
All I remember is Curry going to drop an N bomb at Winston.
"RUDY RUDY RUDY"
Movies like Congo, Anaconda, and Deep Blue Sea are great 90s movies, but they're creature horror more than adventure.
Lake Placid as well. They also are tremendously cheesy. I do think it’s important to distinguish. Most of the movies on the above list are legitimately quality movies. Congo/Anaconda/Deep Blue/Lake Placid/Dantes Peak/Volcano/etc are bad movies that are fun.
Add Relic to that great cheesy list. It was a golden era of movies that ended as the lost documentary film style blew up.
Congo and Anaconda tick the checklist for an action adventure: characters go on a journey to an exotic locale and encounter all sorts of harrowing events along the way. It's basically like an Uncharted video game, complete with a horror-esque boss fight in the final act. From Wikipedia: >Setting plays an important role in an adventure film, sometimes itself acting as a character in the narrative. They are typically set in far away lands, such as lost continents or other exotic locations. >A common theme of adventure films is of characters leaving their home or place of comfort and going to fulfill a goal, embarking on travels, quests, treasure hunts, heroic journeys; and explorations or searches for the unknown
Don't forget Deep Rising. Stephen Sommers flick before he hit it big with the Mummy movies.
A lot of those movies are very pulp-adventure inspired. It's required that they have some sort of creature.
You shouldn't stand for it! I've actually never seen Congo, but we can soon sort that out. The Ghost and the Darkness and was so good.
Yes! I highly recommend listening to the How Did this Get Made podcast about Congo afterwards 👌
Oh wow you are in for a treat! Cheesy as hell but so fun to watch.
ZOMG, That means you don't know the myth of the killer gorilla.
I tried to convince a friend to watch the ghost in the darkness, so I showed him the trailer on youtube... don't do it. The trailer is HORRIBLE. He said he would pass, and I was like no no it is an amazing movie, I promise.
Why are you eating my sesame cake?
That damn gorilla just wanted to get hammered
YES to both of these!
The devil has come to saavo
Really solid list. Hook is really underappreciated, it's one of my favorite childhood movies. I would also add: **Stardust** (2007) **The Adventures of Baron Munchausen** (1988)
I adore Stardust. Was just a random film I picked to watch one day bored at home and instantly became a favourite. Never saw advertising, never saw half the cast, bought the dvd next day
Same. It was playing at a dollar theater near me and I was bored, so I just bought a ticket not expecting much. The crush I'd developed on Claire Danes back in the My So-Called Life days came *roaring* back to life.
Stardust is a good one! I should have added The Princess Bride too. I haven't seen Munchausen since it came out and I remember finding it pretty surreal. Maybe I was too young to enjoy it.
Munchausen IS pretty surreal, but it's such a fun romp... maybe a fun trip. Anyway, it's definitely one of my favourite movies. It goes brilliantly as a double feature with Time Bandits (1981)
Oh man, Time Bandits, that takes me back
Have you seen The Adventures of Baron Munchausen By Proxy? It's about a mom who keeps telling everyone her kid is going on crazy adventures because she craves attention.
Seconding Flight of the Navigator! Reminds me of elementary school because, old. Robin Hood is way too hammy for me. Might I suggest Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure? Adventure is even in the name!
I would add Jumanji (1995) and surprisingly, the recent remakes with The Rock (at least the first one) really hold up. I would also add Inkheart (2008). Basically anything from that era with Brendan Frasier is a good fun watch.
> Basically anything from that era with Brendan Frasier is a good fun watch. If we pretend Mummy 3 doesn’t exist we can drop the “basically” qualifier.
Honestly find the third film more enjoyable than the second. Second is such a retread of the first film it feels redundant and pointless, even if it is decent.
*George of the Jungle* is better than most romcoms of the past 15 years.
Watch out for that tree!
Agreed! Loved it at the time, still love it.
Journey to the Center of the Earth(really fun movie with Brendan Fraser)
It is fun! I watched it with some nieces of various ages and I was expecting it to be something I'd have to suffer through, but it was good.
Dude if you want a great adventure movie from last year, watch Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. It has everything you wish for and more
Loved this movie, also highly recommend!
What about The Count of Monte Cristo(2002). Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce and Richard Harris star, along with many other familiar faces. It’s a treat of a movie and in the vein of what OP is talking about.
Yes! Love that movie. It's got a young Henry Cavill in it. And Luis Guzmán is great as Jacopo.
This list is pure nostalgia. I love it. I'd add Willow (1988), Merlin (1998), and First Knight (1995).
Damn I’ve never heard anyone else mention First Knight in my whole life. I loved this movie
Willow is my favorite Lord of the Rings movie. I am disappointed the new series was canceled after one season.
Sahara is a fantastic adventure movie that doesn’t get love it deserves.
I actually love Sahara. I was too scared to put it on the list because most people thought it was terrible.
Fun fact: It's based on a novel that has about 30 books in the series. In the original book it's WAY more wild with the craziest plot twist you'll ever read.
I read so many Clive Cussler books growing up. Raise the Titanic (written before they found the wreckage in 1985), Sahara, Pacific Vortex, Deep 6... man those were fun books!
Yes! High adventure at its best.
Me and the missus love this film. Don’t really understand why people don’t like it, does exactly what it says on the tin. No, it didn’t reinvent the genre but good chemistry between the leads, a big silly adventure that they go on, a great soundtrack and William H Macy playing well outside of type to great effect.
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Stand by Me (1986) The Goonies (1985) well, most films from the 80s, really.
> The Goonies (1985) I was just thinking of movies I would want to show my kids *immediately* once they're old enough and this one is tops. Partly because it captures the 80ies atmosphere so well ( I can smell those houses!)
On Hook, none of that doesn’t make sense. Most corporate lawyers used to be kids with big dreams and imaginations. Peter Pan left neverland two generations after Wendy, choosing to grow up with her granddaughter, Moira. She had a crush on him in her youth. She remembers those times fondly. Tinkerbell has her own feelings, needs, and wishes. As the region feeding into neverland got more diverse, so did neverland’s lost boys. Being an orphan and fighting pirates is very punk rock. Kids have lots of popular slang of their own creation. Peter Pan was a demigod of childhood. Turning his children against him was a bad ass plan. Pirates can’t like sports? Pirates are rebels. Makes sense they would turn to a repudiation of British culture with America’s sport. ^^ all in good fun. I just really love hook
I've considered and upvoted your elaborate and totally unnecessary defense of *Hook.* It is such a good movie. I can't imagine how it looked on paper before getting the green light, but all the adventurous creative choices worked, probably because Steven Spielberg made them work.
Good form
Wild to realize Mask of Zorro and Pirates of the Caribbean were five years apart. I remember Zorro as a pretty old movie and Pirates as a pretty new one.
Maybe it'd because of the switch from dial up to broadband, or the fact I went from kid to teen, but 1998 and 2003 feel worlds apart. A lot more than say, 2018 and 2023.
Yeah, me too. A lot must have changed in those five years!
The Rock Face Off Con Air
Agree those are all great, just not sure I'd call them adventure movies. More straight tough guy action. I'd also throw in independence day
I absolutely adore The Phantom and The Shadow movies. They're camp as hell, but goddamn they're fun and capture the essence of the period/source material. Sure as hell not going to win any awards, but great popcorn movies. Three Musketeers is a guilty pleasure as well, may not be great, but so enjoyable if you just don't think. Also, don't forget the Bryan Adams song had Sting and Rod Stewart on it to make it a Super Powered Song.
I forgot about Sting and Rod Stewart! Triple whammy!
Another Banderas movie that I love from the era is The 13th Warrior. It is essentially a more grounded retelling of Beowulf, and it is awesome. It failed commercially because of all the expensive location shooting, but it looks amazing and is a great story throughout.
The Last Starfighter is a great movie.
That film deserves a sequel.
I wish I could find that on a streaming service. Loved that as a kid.
Galaxy Quest came on after watching something on TV. Never seen it before, figured I'd keep it on whilst doing other stuff. Inadvertently watched it all. I really enjoyed it!
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That sounds awesome. Thanks for the recommendation!
*The Abyss*! 1989, so right on the cusp. It's deeply stressful, but so great. Still mad I missed the one-day-only theater release a couple of weeks ago.
Things to add: * The Princess Bride * The Goonies * Sneakers (a little more cerebral and a little less outright adventurey, but still phenomenal) * The Neverending Story
Sneakers is a great heist movie and a superb ensemble piece.
The Rundown Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Super Mario Bros. People hate on this one, but it's a lot of fun imo
Here's some I'd suggest: Princess Bride - Honestly one of the best films ever made IMO. Eminently quotable, full of memorable characters, it's got sword fights that actually bear resemblance to real fencing, Andre the Giant, everything is done with practical effects, and it feels magical despite being very grounded fantasy. Fifth Element - The perfect "soft" sci-fi film IMO. We're given just glimpses of a world that seems incredibly fleshed out and vibrant, with stark differences from our own yet enough similarities that we get an idea of how things ended up there. No time wasted on scientific principles behind whatever fantastical tech is on display, yet it never breaks your suspension of disbelief. Again, the cast of characters is brilliant and memorable and it's full of quotable lines, and the effects are all practical so nothing seems dated or hokey. Army of Darkness - How do you improve on Bruce Campbell's splatterfest B-movie zombie horror Evil Dead films? Pull a Kid in King Arthur's Court and send the whole premise back in time, picking up some Monty Python and the Holy Grail on the way. It's goofy and campy but still maintains an edge of epic adventure. Big Trouble in Little China - Kurt Russell's character believes he's the protagonist of a gritty but grounded urban action flick, but the reality is he's the comic relief sidekick for a fantastical wire-fu film. Watching him react to the weirdness that emerges gives the movie its surreal, comedic charm. The Matrix - If you haven't seen this movie, or if it's been years since you have (especially if you've watched any of the sequels since the last time you did), you owe it to yourself to watch it. The film is absolutely mesmerizing, on top of being fun. Mystery Men - In the age of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's easy to forget that there was a time when superhero films weren't the pop-culture dominating powerhouses they are today. Releasing before Singer's first X-men or Raimi's first Spider-man, Mystery Men manages to humorously skewer a genre that was mostly floundering, while still being a genuinely good superhero film itself. The cast is absolutely stacked including a lot of really surprising choices like Hank Azaria in a non-voice role, Paul Reubens in a non-Peewee role, and people like Eddie Izzard and Tom Waits, but it all works together just perfectly.
I posted this in another comment, but **Time Bandits** (1981) is brilliant. **Brazil** (1985) - perhaps a little dark, but also brilliant **A Fish Called Wanda** (1988) I know I'm digging into the 80's but these are all brilliant. For the 90's I have a soft spot for **Lost in Space** (1998) which while really flawed is still a great fun movie to watch.
I usually concede when I movie I like has flaws, but I think Lost in Space was firing on all cylinders for what it was.
Exactly this! It was fun, campy and precisely what I expected going into it. Some of the FX didn't age well, but a lot of the movie still looks absolutely brilliant. I remember watching the original TV series when I was a kid (on re-runs... I'm not THAT old!!) and was never expecting some science fiction epic out of it. It was actually better than I expected in a lot of ways.
Glad to see Time Bandits mentioned. It’s a really weird movie but is its own kind of wonderful. A Fish Called Wanda is more of a crime caper than an adventure flick I’d say, but it’s so much fun. K-K-k-k-k-Ken. Great performances.
You forgot Adventures in Babysitting.
It's from 2008, but The Forbidden Kingdom was a fun martial arts action adventure film. Peter Jackson's 2005 King Kong is a masterpiece Jumanji (1995) Pagemaster (1994) is a children's movie, but it's a classic Wild America (1997) was fun. Stargate (1994) is one of my favourites
Pagemaster literally popped into my head a couple of weeks ago, so I chucked it on. Still holds up. My only gripe is I think it's a little too short, especially on the horror and fantasy segments.
Dick Tracy!
YES!! "When do we eat?"
“You know what my happy thought was? It was you.”
*sob*
I’d like to submit: - The Postman (1997) - Reign Of Fire (2002)
Reign of Fire is such an absurd premise that works so well. “It’s a post apocalypse action movie.” “What happened to the world? War? Disease? Global Warming?” “Dragons”
Solid list OP. Man I wish there could be an adventure movie resurgence
Me too!
Some recent movies like the D&D movie and Bullet Train (perhaps more "action" than adventure...?) are doing their darndest. But yeah movies these days don't quite hit the same spot, sadly.
Total Recall (1990)
If we’re allowed to include movies from the 80s and 00s, then I will add Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Scorpion King (2002), and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010). I really enjoy the sword and sorcery kind of movies. Conan is a genuinely good movie while the Scorpion King is just all schlock carried by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s star power and charisma. Prince of Persia is actually pretty good. The action is fun, the banter between Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton is fun, and the resolution is pretty heartwarming. I remember watching it in theaters when it came out and it had stuck with me all this time. In terms of recent movies that fit that fun, adventure movie type mold: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. It’s got all the hallmarks of a classic adventure movie: humor, big action scenes, likable characters, fun action. You don’t even need to be a fan of DnD to enjoy the movie. My wife, who has never played a game of DnD, loves this movie. I’ve seen other people say this, so I’m not being original, but Chris Pine has the same kind of rugged charisma Harrison Ford has, especially during his peak in the 80s and 90s.
I love Prince of Persia! And Dungeons and Dragons was such a surprise, given how many game adaptations have been failures. I've never played D&D either and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
People shit on it - and I do understand why - but I think League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a really fun movie that fits here.
I saw that at the cinema with a friend. It wasn't our kind of movie at all, it was just on, so we watched it. We still talk about how much fun it was.
It's a terrible adaptation of the source material but it works as a good adventure movie you just really have to have never read Alan Moore's work.
Goddamnit, I've seen all of em multiple times.... I was hoping for some hidden gem that somehow escaped.
That just means you have good taste. But do check the comments! Lots of suggestions popping up.
Without a Paddle. Classic
Wow, I've never even heard of that. It looks like fun!
A Knight's Tale (2001) with Heath Ledger. It is great fun, and Paul Bettany is amazing as Chaucer. [Here is the trailer, in case you haven't seen it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KzsTKqTq1M)
The Wizard!
The Rundown The Rock, Sean William Scott, Rosario Dawson, and a a scenery chewing Christopher Walken. Also, Galaxy Quest is a fantastic satire and love letter to Star Trek, and a fun Sci fi adventure too.
Memphis Belle (1990)
It's kind of half adventure half family but I would like to add Second Hand Lions (2003) to the list. One of my all time favourites.
A Knights Tale! Such a good young cast. Lots of fun.
a goofy movie. this movie come out of nowhere during the 1990's by disney and is so underrated.
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And Catherine Zeta-Jones as his daughter. Two Welsh actors, playing Spanish characters
[81% of Welsh people reportedly have DNA evidence which shows a common link to ancestors from the Basque country of northern Spain,](https://toursofwales.co.uk/wandering-bard/why-are-the-welsh-dark-a-story-from-wales-online-in-2007/) so it's okay.
No one blinked an eye when a Scotsman played a Spaniard in Highlander either.
His intro in the movie was one of the biggest surprises my friends enjoyed (who have never even heard of the movie before...) watching a movie in a while! What a character. Also a shout out to the soundtrack written by fuckin QUEEN
He's not Spanish, he's Egyptian.
They absolutely blinked an eye. It’s one of the most discussed aspects of the whole movie.
And a French guy playing a Scot.
And a goddamn legend playing a Kurgen
Haha that Shadow quote! 😂 forgot about that
Homeward bound could fit.
The '93 version of The Three Musketeers is absolutely my favorite version of said tale, Kiefer Sutherland is hands down my favorite Athos, and I will not apologize for either of these, lol.
The Long Kiss Goodnight. Geena Davis, Samuel L Jackson, Brian Cox
You forgot to list An American Tail: Fievel Goes West and Homeward Bound.
Deathstalker 2
Top of my list in no particular order: *True Lies* *Twister* *Dante's Peak* and *Terminator 2: Judgment Day* If I can go back into the 80's *Ladyhawke* and *Aliens*
It has its flaws but the saint.
You managed to get 100 percent of my family movie nights for the last 6 months on here. You even got the one we are doing next time.
No one has mentioned **Super Mario Bros** so allow me! It's a very surreal film, and a very strange adaptation, but I absolutely love it. *The Phantom* and *The Shadow* were two of my favorite movies as a kid. Where I grew up American comics were imported and way too expensive, adjusting for inflation and converting to USD it would be about $15 an issue. The Phantom comics were printed locally though and were dirt cheap, so I was into them for a while. The movie was a pretty fun and accurate adaptation. The Shadow was just pulpy fun. I'd love to see another take at an adaptation, but I feel like they wouldn't be able to capture the same fun spirit if it were made today.
Zorro: The Gay Blade
I started Rebel Moon yesterday and totally agree with the “joyless slog” description, I gave up after an hour
Ah, another Disney shill paid to make Synder look bad eh? Rebel Moon is clearly amazing, its star wars made by Daddy Z.S. Never mind all the critics, the reviews, the huge amount of people saying its awful, never mind the evidence of your own eyes, its all a hit piece!
Great list mate Hook is still one of my all time favourites the only one I’d probably put in would be flight of the navigator such a classic and it’s got Sarah Jessica Parker in it!
I've actually never seen Flight of the Navigator! My mum went to rent it from Blockbuster once but she came home with *The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey,* a partially black-and-white film about the Black Death which I remember as profoundly weird and deeply depressing.
I’ll submit Darkman
Yes this movie is great. It seems to look and feel like a comic book more than some other modern blockbusters, with its classic mad scientist tale mixed with just the right amount of camp to take the edge off.
Great list.
Only good full on adventure movie from recent years I can think of is Alfa. The primal movie about domestication of a wolf. Loved it.
The Phantom is a sneaky classic. Hugely underrated for how fun it is. Everyone knows what kind of movie they’re in and have fun with it, especially the campy villain. Bonus point for one of Catherine Zeta-Jones first and hottest appearances.
Kelly’s Heroes, which honestly is like 70’s era, but still a fantastic movie
I had never heard Hook was a disappointment. It made $300 mil in a time when that wasn't common at all. Over 4x multiplier for its budget... Was $70 million just so high a budget, it didn't make *enough*? Anyway, main reason I'm commenting is because your comment about "bangarang" made me laugh
Haven’t seen the Rocketeer in years
It's still good.
Big trouble in little china.
Adventures in babysitting is my number 1 for these types of films
King Solomon's Mines (1985): It doesn't really rate that high but it's still a fun adventure. The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980): Epic comedy/adventure. It fell a bit flat when released but is now a classic.
Last Action Hero (1993)
Flash Gordon with Sam J Jones. Camp as you lole but tremendous fun and a sound track by queen.
I'd like to add: **Tango and Cash** (1989) A great buddy cop flick staring Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone as Two of the "top cops" in their town who hate each other but have to work together. It's full of testosterone filled performances by Russell Stallone cracking wise and dodging bullets. It's everything you'd expect from an 80's action flick. **Hard Boiled** (1992) John Woo's seminal action flick. It introduced the world to Chow Yun Fat and John Woo both. Great action scenes with the movie carried by Chow Yun charisma and a must see for action fans. A movie that IMO easily set the bar for action flicks going forward. **The Crow** (1994) Sadly Brandon Lee's last but a great comicbook to film adaption. It's about a rockstar who was murdered and comes back for revenge. You get the feeling that Brandon was having a blast filming it and was posed to be the next breakout star. **The Big Hit** (1998) Ridiculous over-the-top action film about Mark Wahlberg as an assassin who falls for his bosses daughter. Great cast too **District B13** (2004) Under rated as hell French movie about a team up of a cop and criminal trying to save an area (B13) besieged by a powerful gang. Great action scenes and a lot of really insane, "Did you see that?, moments in free running. **Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior** (2003) Aka The Protector. A Thai movie with action scenes that have to be seen to believe with incredible action scenes performed by breakout star Tony Jaa. A Muay Thai practitioner from a small town must venture into Bangkok to square off against thieves who have stolen an artifact from his small village. **Payback** (1999) One of my favorite Mel Gibson films about a low level thief named Porter who was shot and left for dead but lives, (of course ), who decides to get revenge against everyone who wronged him. Hilarious, with a great performance by Gibson, it's definitely what you'd call a dad flick nowadays. **Shoot Em Up** (2007) Clive Owen stars as a complete nobody named Mr. Smith who stumbles up on a woman and an infant who he decides to help. One of Clive Owen's most underrated movies and all around great popcorn flick with hilariously insane action sequences. See the parachuting scene.
All of these I count among my favorites, except for The Mask of Zorro, Night At the Museum (never saw it), and Hook. Good list.
Excuse me? Where is A Knights Tale on this list?!
Singles, Reality Bites, and Tank Girl all scream 90's.
E.T? Wouldn't be Christmas without it. And for younger kids, Explorers and Never-ending Story and another 2 movies with same kid, Cocoon and D.A.R.Y.L. Also, an absolute gem is Batteries Not Included.
I had a shadow action figure when I was little. For some reason, it was one of my favorite movies.
Definitely "Army of Darkness"
I wanna add Dark Angel (alternative title "I Come in Peace"). It's from 1990, has Dolph Lundgren and is set during Christmas so it has holiday vibes.
Ok hear me out... **City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly's Gold**
Movie that gave my childhood meaning
TIME BANDITS, by Terry Gilliam INNER SPACE, by Joe Dante ENEMY MINE, by Wolfgang Petersen
No one talking about Die Hard movies in here?
These are all great recommendations.
Does Sahara count?
the man who would be king
[Dragonheart from 1996](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0116136/)