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Most Underrated Adventure Movies of All Time

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12 November 2024
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Adventure movies have served as one of the most enduring, successful, and versatile corners of cinema since the earliest days of swashbuckling, campy heroes like Zorro and Robin Hood. The genre has gone on to house some of the best stories and characters in cinema, with Indiana Jones and Jack Sparrow headlining the genre. However, as with any genre of film, some films go overlooked or are left with negative reputations they don’t always deserve.




Adventure offers moviegoers family-friendly treks into distant lands, often following heroes in their quest to recover ancient relics or lost treasures. Following in the footsteps of the genre’s most iconic heroes and stories, the major studios are always producing copycats and new tales of adventure in the hopes of becoming the next big thing. Despite the efforts of filmmakers and the studios, some fantastic adventure movies simply don’t catch on with fans — but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth a watch.

This article was updated on November 11, 2024, by Christopher Raley: Adventure movies are the ultimate staple of cinema escapism. Why go on a messy adventure when you can experience one by proxy and still be home in time for dinner? Five more underrated adventure films were added to this list, and the article was updated to conform to CBR’s current publishing standards.



15 The Adventures of Tintin Is a Classic Adventure Story

It’s Reminiscent of Spielberg’s Classic Adventure Films

The Adventures of Tintin was well-received and continues to be well-rated, but it doesn’t seem to get much attention these days. Tintin brought the old books by the cartoonist Hergé to the forefront of mainstream appeal and also brought back the rollicking sense of adventure that characterizes movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by him and Peter Jackson with Kathleen Kenedy.

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Composite image Immortan Joe, John Wick, Eggsy in Kingsman

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The Adventures of Tintin focuses on the titular reporter (Jamie Bell) and his dog Snowy as they become involved in a generational fight between Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) and Ivan Ivonovitch Sakharine (Daniel Craig). The ancestors of these two fought over treasure back in the day, and now the race is on to discover where the gold of the Lost Unicorn ended up. The voice acting talents of Bell, Serkis, and Craig shine in this delightful adventure film.

14 Master and Commander Is an Underrated Classic

It Features One of Russel Crowe’s Great Performances

Russel Crowe looks out over the water in the movie Master and Commander.


Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is one of the great naval war films that is, at its heart, an adventure odyssey set on an early-nineteenth-century ship that follows a French Privateer to the far side of South America. The chase begins off the coast of Brazil when the French vessel, Acheron, ambushes the HMS Surprise, doing the ship a great deal of ship. It only escapes by sailing into a fog bank.

Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) intends to follow the ship as he doesn’t want it to attack the British whaling fleet. Making repairs along the way, the Suprise sails around Cape Horn and to the Galápagos Islands. Meanwhile, the ship’s surgeon, Steven Maturin (Paul Bettany), wants to study the islands. Keeping a balance between adventure and some of the heavier themes to do with sacrifice, superstition, and lessons offered by nature, Master and Commander is the perfect seafaring adventure.


13 Hidalgo Tells the Story of an Epic Horse Race

This American In Arabia Story Scratches the Adventure Itch

A Frank Hopkins rubs his head on his horse, Hidalgo.

Fresh off the fame he garnered through his portrayal of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings, Viggo Mortensen signed up to portray Frank Hopkins. Hopkins is a historical character whose assertions of winning 400 horse races have been doubted by some historians who think that man was a con artist but defended by others. Whatever the case, Hidalgo is a fun adventure set around the Ocean of Fire horse race across the Najd Desert.


The race has more than Hopkins’ reputation as a rider at stake. The reputation of the American Mustang horse breed sits on the saddle of Hopkins’ Mustang, Hidalgo. The race (set in the late 1800s) takes days with Hopkins and Hidalgo facing grueling heat and other dangers. But the desert is not Hopkins’ only concern as he also faces danger from fellow competitors who think he shouldn’t be in the race. Hidalgo did poorly at the box office, which is a shame because it features a new side of Mortensen and the Mustang breed. The horse that plays Hidalgo is unironically one of the best actors in the film.

hidalgo-poster-viggo-mortensen.jpg

Hidalgo


12 Dragonslayer Is a Dark Fantasy Adventure

Released In 1981, This Movie Still Hits Hard

Split images of the Disney movie Dragonslayer

Fantasy movies were about two decades away from hitting their stride when Dragonslayer was released. In 1981, a movie about killing a dragon had one huge liability: the dragon itself. Vermithrax Pejorative is a 400-year-old dragon who terrorizes the realm of Urland and is only appeased by a lottery that selects virgin girls twice a year to be fed to it. Smaug, Vermithrax is not, but the same method of stop-motion used in The Empire Strikes Back makes the dragon on par with what movie makers were capable of in their day.


More than just creating a flying dragon, Dragonslayer, directed by Mathew Robbins, established a tone of dark fantasy that was ultimately influential, even though the film did not perform well at the box office. A rating of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes shows that the film has retained a cult following. And with good reason. With magic and exciting fights against the wicked beast, Dragonslayer still pleases audiences despite the limitations of the special effects.

11 Treasure Planet Is an Underrated Disney Adventure

This Sci-fi Film Combines 19th-Century Ships and Space

Jim Hawkins hangs onto ship's rigging in space in Treasure Planet.


Based on the Robert Louis Stevenson novel and the original Disney adaptation, Treasure Island, Treasure Planet takes the familiar story and puts it in a sci-fi setting. More than just adapting the story, it imports the aesthetics of 19th-century sailing ships into a sci-fi setting. So the young protagonist, Jim Hawkins, is seen scampering up and down the rigging of a sailing ship with a supernova in the background.

When it was released in 2002, Treasure Planet was only known as the most expensive box office failure ever. It’s easy to see why this movie didn’t resonate with audiences. The 70/30 percent rule of “traditional” versus “new” appeared to be taken too literally at the time. Nevertheless, it is worth a rewatch. The strangeness of Treasure Planet is actually what makes it such an appealing adventure story, going completely out of the box for the retelling of a classic story.

Treasure Planet Film Poster

Director
Ron Clements , John Musker

Release Date
November 27, 2002

Cast
Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Emma Thompson , Martin Short , Corey Burton


10 Doc Savage Is Campy Fun

It Portrays One of the Original Pulp Heroes

Picture shows Doc Savage bust with black background.

Doc Savage began as the face of pulp adventure magazines throughout the 1930s and became something of a template for later heroes, such as Indiana Jones and Batman. Accompanied by his friends, the Fabulous Five, Doc Savage finally received a feature-length film in 1975, where he was played by Ron Ely. The film follows him and his companions as they head down to South America to solve the death of Savage’s father, as well as an assassination attempt upon Savage himself. Along the way, they encounter the ruthless international criminal, Captain Seas, who is involved in the plot against Savage.


Captain Marvel, Jane Foster as Thor and War Machine

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Doc Savage is very much a film targeted at the younger viewers of the 1970s, never taking itself too seriously with a script full of irony, cheeky humor, and campy fights. While adults may find it too cheesy to watch in the modern day, kids will enjoy its silly story and adventurous hero. Doc Savage has many flaws that prevented it from earning popular status, but it is worth a watch for people who want a look at one of the most influential and underrated characters in adventure films.


9 Jungle Cruise Didn’t Deserve the Hate It Got

This Is a Fun Adventure Movie With Cheesy Dad Jokes

Jungle Cruise follows two sibling adventurers, Lily and McGregor Houghton during the First World War as they present a theory of the mythical Lagrimas de Cristal Tree to the Royal Society. Lily believes that the tree holds the secret to revolutionizing medicine. Despite being denied permission to pursue the tree, the Houghtons set off on a quest to find it. They are rivaled by Prince Joachim of Germany, who seeks the tree for his nation’s victory. After arriving in Brazil, the Houghtons meet Frank, a tour guide with a cheesy sense of humor who agrees to take the pair into the heart of the jungle.


Jungle Cruise makes for an entertaining Disney adventure movie and, for kids, is a whimsical experience — which is exactly what it was meant to be. It may have fallen short of expectations, with viewers quickly comparing it to Pirates of the Caribbean, but it’s worth a second look. While Dwayne Johnson’s constant cheesy dad jokes in the movie took away its seriousness, it was a fun jungle adventure that played into some of the genre’s best tropes. The film isn’t without its problems, but it remains worth a watch for the whole family.

Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson on the poster of Jungle Cruise

Based on Disneyland’s theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles but with a supernatural element.

Director
Jaume Collet-Serra

Release Date
July 24, 2021

Cast
Dwayne Johnson , Emily Blunt , Edgar Ramirez , Jack Whitehall

Runtime
2 hours 7 minutes

Main Genre
Adventure

8 Journey to the Center of the Earth is a Classic

The Jules Vern Classic Receives an Update

An image from Journey To The Center Of The Earth shows characters shining flashlights.


Journey to the Center of the Earth begins when a boy, Sean Anderson, visits his uncle, Trevor. While spending time together, the pair look through a box of items belonging to Sean’s father Max, who disappeared a decade prior. When they find his copy of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, they find some of Max’s notes inside, indicating that the novel may be more than fiction. The pair set off for Iceland, where they hire a local guide, Hannah, the daughter of a scientist who believed the same theory as Max.

When they get trapped inside some caves, they descend into a hole and find themselves at the center of the Earth. Journey to the Center of the Earth was surpassed by the popularity of its sequel, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, but it remains a fun movie. As one of the last films to feature Brendan Fraser headlining an adventure story, the film is a must-watch for fans of the charismatic actor. The movie follows Sean, Hannah, and Trevor as they use their wits to survive the perils of the center of the Earth, including a dinosaur.


journey to the center of the earth poster

Journey to the Center of the Earth

7 The Lone Ranger Is a Great Example of Bloated Budgeting

But It Updated a Hero Trapped In Old Western Tropes

Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp are The Lone Ranger and Tonto.

The Lone Ranger was once a popular TV hero who, along with his Native American friend, Tonto, brought vigilante justice to the Old West. In 2013, the duo received an origin story. Disney’s The Lone Ranger begins with the arrival of John Reid in his hometown of Colby, Texas. A well-meaning but naive lawyer, Reid joins his Texas Ranger brother Dan to track down local outlaw Butch Cavendish. However, when the villain and his gang kill the rest of the posse and murder Dan, John assumes the identity of the Lone Ranger to avenge him. Joined by Native American outcast Tonto, the hero works diligently to uncover a plot involving a corrupt industrialist, and rescue Dan’s widow and son.


Split Images of Hidalgo, Forsaken, and Tell Tale

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Despite being an excellent kids’ movie, The Lone Ranger is also a great example of how overspending on a movie can lead to its failure at the box office. The film remains one of the most expensive flops in movie history. As a result of both its box office woes and obscurity for the new generation, the Western adventure fell by the wayside for moviegoers and received a negative reception from audiences and critics alike. That said, The Lone Ranger is an exciting movie that should be enjoyed as the kid-friendly Western adventure-comedy it is.


6 Secret of the Incas Helped Inspire Indiana Jones

This Rollicking Adventure Is Time-Tested Watch

Secret of the Incas features Charlton Heston as Harry Steele.

Secret of the Incas revolves around the life of Harry Steele, an American living in Peru who works as a tour guide. Steele does the job in the hopes of one day finding a lost treasure of the Incas — a precious sunburst relic. In possession of a clue that will lead to the artifact’s location, the American explorer meets a Romanian defector, Elena, and steals a plane for her under the pretense of taking her to Mexico. Instead, he brings her along to Machu Picchu, where he continues his hunt for the relic.


Secret of the Incas and Harry Steele are obvious inspirations for Indiana Jones, but the movie and character have faded into obscurity. This is unfortunate because it shows that the great films of the modern era didn’t come from nothing. For audiences who want to see a movie that provides the roots for several modern classic adventure films, this 1954 film is a must-watch.

5 The Rundown Is a Modern Adventure Romp

Rundown Melds Guns and Gangsters With Treasure Hunting Adventure

Dwayne the Rock is in Rundown and wears a torn shirt

The Rundown tells the story of Beck (Dwayne Johnson), a bounty hunter who works for a gangster. When his employer sends him to Brazil to find his son, Travis, Beck heads to the town of El Dorado. There, he is confronted by a tyrant, Hatcher, who is also looking for the gangster’s son so he can find a lost golden idol. When Travis shows up, he and Beck are forced to team up to escape Hatcher and his henchmen, fleeing into the jungle for cover.


The Rundown was one of Dwayne Johnson’s first forays into the action-adventure genre and makes for a great action shooter and a treasure hunt. In Hatcher, the film has a compelling antagonist, who ruthlessly pursues his enemies and rules his town with an iron fist. When Travis and Beck recover the idol, they take on Hatcher directly in a showdown that cements The Rundown‘s status as a woefully overlooked adventure.

the_rundown.jpg

The Rundown

4 The Phantom Merges Superhero and Adventure

The Film Portrays One of the Earliest Superheroes

Billy Zane is The Phantom by an airplane.


Based on Lee Falk’s comic strip hero, The Phantom tells the story of its titular hero, Kit Walker, the protector of a small African nation, Bengalla. The mantle of the Phantom was first adopted by Walker’s ancestor, and it’s been passed down from father and son ever since, ensuring the country always has a protector. The hero is responsible for safeguarding the nation’s treasures from looters, its creatures from poachers, and its people from criminals and oppressors. The movie follows the hero as he sets out to face the Singh Brotherhood, a band of pirates who have been an enemy of the Phantom from the start.

The Phantom is a fun action-adventure movie that works well for fans of superhero movies and people who enjoy a vibrant adventure story. The film casts Billy Zane in his most heroic role, following Kit Walker as he sets out on a journey to America, where he rekindles an old romance and hunts for the man who murdered his father. The Phantom is an upbeat tale of old-school heroism, honoring the character’s pulpy origins.


3 Firewalker Turns Chuck Norris Into an Adventurer

This Film Combines Buddy Comedy and Adventure

Louis Gossett Jr, Melody Anderson and Chuck Norris are in Firewalker.

Firewalker tells the story of two treasure-hunting friends, Max and Leo, who despite their endless searches, keep coming up short. They walk into danger when the pair are handed a treasure map by a psychic woman, Patricia, leading them to a Native American reservation. The pair must contend with kidnappers and would-be assassins. When they head into the jungle, the trio discover an ancient temple that they believe houses the treasure. There, they are confronted by their rival, El Coyote.


Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee trade blows in The Way of the Dragon

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Firewalker is a good combination of buddy comedy and adventure, focusing on the star power and charisma of Chuck Norris and Louis Gossett Jr in the leading roles. The film borrows from Indiana Jones, buddy cop movies and old-school pulps to deliver a fun, cross-country adventure that follows its heroes deep into the jungle. Due to its low budget,Firewalker isn’t known by most, but it is more than worth a watch.

2 The Librarian Franchise Offers Fun Escapism

The Movie is a Great Indiana Jones-like Adventure

Flynn Carsen in The Librarians


The Librarian tells the story of Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle), a perpetual college student with around twenty degrees, but no girlfriend or job, who interviews for a position working at the prestigious Metropolitan Library. After taking the job, Flynn is charged with protecting a treasure trove of artifacts from history and mythology including things like Pandora’s Box. The first movie follows the Librarian as he heads out to recover a stolen piece of the fabled Spear of Destiny from a cult. The Librarian franchise is expanding to new stories as it gets a new lease on life.

The Librarian is a great, low-budget adventure franchise styled after Indiana Jones for the modern age, leaning more on comedy than special effects. An overlooked gem from the 2000s, the original trilogy of films follows Flynn in his missions to recover various relics, fight off spies, and explore faraway lands. Carsen is sent on quests to recover the Spear of Destiny or to find King Solomon’s Mines, all of which never fail to bring adventure to audiences.


1 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Shouldn’t Have Bombed

It’s a Fun Adventure That Adds to the Franchise

Indy is undoubtedly the king of cinematic adventure, especially thanks to the original Indiana Jones trilogy. After a much-derided fourth movie, Harrison Ford’s tenure as the hero concluded with 2023’s Dial of Destiny, which followed Indy hunting for Archimedes’ Antikythera device. This device is believed to have time-based powers. Pursued by the federal government and racing against a group of Nazis led by the ageless Dr. Voller, he teams up with his adventurous goddaughter to find the dial of destiny


Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny may not have been on par with the original trilogy, but it did make for a far superior film to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The film is arguably the best adventure movie of the 2020s, and it honors the tone of the original movies with Nazi villains and a reverence for history. Nonetheless, the film flopped at the box office, becoming yet another one of Disney’s most expensive failures. The film is perfectly enjoyable, but, understandably, many fans have checked out after the disappointment of the fourth film.

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