10 Greatest Adventure Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
One could make an argument that the adventure movie genre is a rather vague one, but it can also be seen as a vast umbrella term that covers several of the greatest movies in history. These are films about heroic protagonists embarking on thrilling journeys of exploration, survival, and danger. They can be action-packed, lean more toward the comedic side, or can be family movies made for cinephiles of all ages to enjoy.
Whatever the case, throughout the 21st century, the adventure genre has offered cinematic gem after cinematic gem. Following in the footsteps of 20th-century adventure movie masterpieces like the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises, modern films like Paddington 2 and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise have redefined what adventure cinema can do with the resources available to filmmakers nowadays.
10
‘Project Hail Mary’ (2026)
Based on Andy Weir‘s 2021 novel, Project Hail Mary hasn’t even finished its theatrical run, and it has already grossed over a billion dollars worldwide, setting it on a path to becoming one of the highest-grossing hard science fiction films of all time once it exits theaters. As one of the highest-rated movies of the 2020s on both IMDb and Letterboxd, it’s clear why it has made as much money as it has.
Project Hail Mary is, indeed, a delightfully imaginative crowd-pleaser that shows the full extent of the wonders that sci-fi can achieve in modern Hollywood. It’s one of the biggest sci-fi movie masterpieces of the 2020s so far, a delectably smart and visually jaw-dropping space epic with a ton of heart. It’s pure movie magic, an adventure popcorn flick anchored by the endearing friendship between its two main characters.
9
‘Shrek 2’ (2004)
It was Shrek, the winner of the first-ever Best Animated Feature Academy Award, that really put DreamWorks Animation on the map as one of the leading animation studios in Hollywood. How do you follow up on such a huge cultural phenomenon? With an even better film, of course, and Shrek 2 is nothing if not that. Set all the memes aside, and what you’re left with is one of the best family movies of the 2000s.
Shrek 2 may just be the best animated sequel in movie history. Its satirical sense of humor and the way it pokes fun at traditional fairy tale movies is hilarious, the expansion of the fun world-building of its predecessor is commendable, and the story is genuinely packed with emotional and thematic depth. It’s a moving, funny, exciting, family-friendly masterpiece full of memorable moments, including one of the most thrilling third acts in all of animated cinema.
8
‘Paddington 2’ (2017)
Based on the stories of Michael Bond‘s Paddington Bear, Paul King‘s Paddington was an instant sensation when it came out in 2014. Three years later, King topped that with Paddington 2, which is truly one of the best movie masterpieces of the last 10 years. It excels at everything that a good family movie should aim to do, and it’s a delight for viewers of all ages.
Its message of kindness, hope, and respect may seem simple on paper, but it’s so incredibly effective and moving that it’s easy to learn something from it, regardless of one’s age. Visually exquisite and full of fantastic performances (Hugh Grant‘s standing out as one of the best villainous performances of the 2010s), it’s the kind of film that feels like a warm hug after a cold, rainy day.
7
‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ (2022)
The winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Everything Everywhere All At Once was an indie sensation that nobody saw coming. This action sci-fi dramedy is one of the greatest epics of the 2020s, and it achieved that with a budget of about $25 million, making it one of the least expensive Best Picture winners of the 21st century.
As wild and ambitious as it may be, Everything Everywhere All at Once somehow manages to do virtually everything right, making it one of the most perfect sci-fi movies of the 21st century. As funny as it is heartfelt, as philosophically profound as it is silly, and as action-packed as it is full of emotional character moments, this multiverse adventure set a new gold standard for sci-fi action films that has rarely been met since.
6
‘The Incredibles’ (2004)
The Incredibles is one of the best animated movies of all time, a superhero masterpiece that redefined the genre years before the birth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008. Though it may seem far ahead of its time, it’s actually very much a product of its era, serving as a sharply mature political thriller that appears to directly respond to the post-9/11 mood in the United States.
Indeed, The Incredibles feels like a film made for adults that just so happens to be kid-friendly, rather than the other way around. It’s thematically complex, also dealing with topics like marriage and suburban family life, all while never neglecting its adrenaline-pumping action scenes and badass superheroic moments. It’s an example of a superhero film that does absolutely everything right, which keeps becoming ever-rarer in the modern day.
5
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006)
Back in 2003, Disney released Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. It wasn’t their first attempt at making a movie based on one of their iconic theme park rides, but it was the first time that such a concept saw tremendous financial success. Three years later, the movie’s first sequel, Dead Man’s Chest, came out to unprecedented box office success but a lackluster critical reception. Suffice it to say that the critics got it wrong because Dead Man’s Chest is Disney’s best live-action film ever.
Dead Man’s Chest is the last true swashbuckling epic masterpiece that Hollywood ever produced.
Full of grand action sequences, delightfully fun detours and non sequiturs, and impactful character moments, Dead Man’s Chest is the last true swashbuckling epic masterpiece that Hollywood ever produced. It’s one of those movies that is a masterclass in spectacle, with a truly intimidating villain and what is somehow still, a whopping two decades later, the best CGI that Hollywood has ever seen. Sea-faring adventures don’t get any better than this.
4
‘Casino Royale’ (2006)
Pierce Brosnan‘s final outing as James Bond, Die Another Day, was a commercial success, but critics and fans tend to consider it the lowest point of the franchise. It was clear that a reinvention of the series was seriously needed. Casino Royale came in as not only a reinvention but a complete deconstruction of the James Bond mythos, and that’s why many would doubtlessly call it the greatest Bond film ever made.
For one, Daniel Craig brought a kind of grit and serious elegance to the role that fans had never seen before. Coupled with a perfect script and Martin Campbell‘s thrilling direction, Casino Royale is one of the best spy movie masterpieces of the last 100 years. It’s intense, edgy, and action-packed, a masterpiece that loudly states that 007 will never be the same again.
3
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
After three decades away from the franchise, George Miller didn’t just revitalize Mad Max with Fury Road; rather, he completely reinvented it. One of the best dystopian movies of the last 100 years, this high-octane action epic is composed of two hours of non-stop action, adrenaline, and explosions. Perfectly directed, perfectly shot, and perfectly edited, it’s a masterclass in sci-fi action filmmaking.
Fury Road is also an adventure film, thanks to its premise and execution, which basically amounts to a feature-length chase across the desert. The adventure that it follows its characters through is one of the most intense that the genre has seen in years. The character work and the performances are all unexpectedly compelling and layered, but the action is most definitely the main attraction here, and saying that it lives up to the hype would be an understatement.
2
‘Dune: Part Two’ (2024)
No one would have blamed people before 2021 for thinking that it was impossible to make a movie that truly lived up to the legacy of Frank Herbert‘s seminal sci-fi novel Dune. But as soon as Denis Villeneuve came into the picture, there was no doubt left in anyone’s mind that they were in the presence of what would surely be remembered as two of the greatest sci-fi classics of the 2020s, a few decades from now. 2021’s Dune was great enough, but Dune: Part Two is on a tier all of its own.
This sequel is this generation’s The Empire Strikes Back, a true space epic unlike any other that we’ve seen over the 21st century. It’s one of the best sci-fi action movie masterpieces ever, Villeneuve’s imagination paired with the essence of Herbert’s source material, beautifully. Grand, exciting, imaginative, action-packed, and thematically profound and thought-provoking, Dune: Part Two is everything that the adventure genre should aim to be in the 2020s.
1
‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy
J. R. R. Tolkien‘s Lord of the Rings trilogy was another literary classic that, for a long time, was believed to be impossible to turn into an equally great cinematic adaptation. It turns out that all it took was Peter Jackson and one of the most talented teams of creatives ever assembled for a movie trilogy. From The Fellowship of the Ring to The Two Towers to The Return of the King, there has never been a fantasy film franchise more impressive, iconic, or beloved than this one.
All three installments are among the best blockbusters of the last 50 years, Return of the King being tied for the biggest Oscar winner in history with its whopping 11 Academy Award victories. The entire trilogy adapts the spirit of Tolkien’s work wonderfully, while still adding plenty of uniqueness and creativity to the whole thing. The action scenes are stunning, the visuals have aged like fine wine, the performances are all amazing, and the writing is shockingly flawless for such an ambitious project. Throughout the 21st century, cinema hasn’t seen a single adventure movie better than any of these three masterpieces.
