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Calling All Thrill-Seekers, Here Are 10 Movies That Promise A Dose Of Adventure

Kevin Costner in “Robin Hood” from Warner Bros.

Classifying adventure movies isn’t easy and they can blur into other genres. What every adventure movie should have in common, however, is a heavy dose of excitement and thrilling story. You won’t find any slow-burning storylines here. The adventure movies on our list run the gamut from medieval sword-fighting excitement to science fiction epics set far in the distant future, and everything in-between. Whether you’re looking for big explosions or big, man-eating lizards, there’s something for every thrill-seeker on our list.

So, kick back, get comfortable, and get ready for an adrenaline rush with 10 of the best adventure movies now available for streaming.

1. Cliffhanger
Type: Adventure, Action
Release Date: 1993
Director: Renny Harlin
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow

When you think about it, action movies that take place on mountain tops are kinda lacking. Enter Sly Stallone in this early 90s thriller about a high stakes heist that goes wrong in the Rocky Mountains. If you have a fear of heights, then this movie is sure to have you on the edge of your seat.

2. True Grit
Type: Adventure, Western
Release Date: 2010
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld

A reboot of the popular John Wayne classic of the same name, the Coen brothers brought both humor and action to this western. Jeff Bridges is perfect as the curmudgeonly Rooster Cogburn and then-newcomer Hailee Steinfeld received an Oscar nomination for her role as the stubborn youngster who enlists a U.S. Marshal to track down her father’s killer.

3. Mad Max
Type: Adventure, Sci-fi
Release Date: 1979
Director: George Miller
Starring: Mel Gibson

Before Tom Hardy was cruising around the apocalyptic desert in Fury Road, it was Mel Gibson fighting for justice in a world gone mad. George Miller’s original film might not have the modern special effects, but it’s got all the grit, and the gangs who will do anything to stop Max are just as fierce.

4. Last Action Hero
Type: Adventure, Action
Release Date: 1993
Director: John McTiernan
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger could do no wrong in the 1990s, but sadly this movie was overlooked at the box office. A young child finds a magical movie ticket that puts him in the world of his favorite action movie hero. Needless to say, lots of explosions and over-the-top car chases soon follow. If you’re a fan of blow ’em up 90s action, this movie is a must-watch.

5. Premium Rush
Type: Adventure, Crime
Release Date: 2012
Director: David Koepp
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon

The fast pace energy of New York City lends itself perfectly to adventure and Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars in this movie about bicycling. That’s right, we said bicycling. Only this is no leisurely ride and Levitt’s character is a bike messenger who must outwit and out-ride a crooked cop after he picks up a suspicious package.

6. Timeline
Type: Adventure, Sci-fi
Release Date: 2003
Director: Richard Donner
Starring: Paul Walker, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly

Part Back to the Future, part Knights of the Round Table, Timeline follows a group of archeologists who are transported back to France in the middle of the Hundred Years War. If you’re willing to put historical inaccuracies aside — because there are plenty of those — this is an incredibly fun romp through medieval history. Expect swords, flaming arrows, and plenty of castle plundering.

7. The Saint
Type: Adventure, Crime, Romance
Release Date: 1997
Director: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue

The Saint has been kicking around Hollywood for years. First as a TV series, then as two different movies (1997 and 2017). For this article, we’re talking about the far superior 90s movie starring Val Kilmer. Kilmer stars as a jewel thief who can’t be caught thanks to his uncanny knack for slipping into the perfect disguise. With a story that moves fast, it will keep you guessing about Kilmer’s next move to the very end.

8. Pirates of the Caribbean
Type: Adventure
Release Date: 2003
Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley

Mix in a few cheesy one-liners courtesy of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, some creepy special effects, lots of swashbuckling, and what you get is a really fun movie. The blockbuster movie inspired by the Disneyland ride has become one of the most successful franchises in movie history and delivers over two hours of swashbuckling action.

9. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Type: Adventure
Release Date: 1991
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Starring: Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Alan Rickman

There have been numerous film adaptations of Robin Hood over the years, but this one arguably stands as the best. Kevin Costner and cast deliver plenty of sword fighting action, along with a little romance thrown in for good measure. Alan Rickman arguably steals the show and delivers another top-notch villain performance as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

10. Jurassic Park
Type: Adventure
Release Date: 1993
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern

From one of the kings of the summer blockbuster comes this visually stunning epic that finally gave movie audiences some worthy big screen dinosaurs. The Stephen Spielberg film follows the story of what happens when humans try to bring dinos back to life. If you’ve only seen the numerous sequels that followed, do yourself a favor and watch the original. You won’t regret it.

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