In a world filled with routines and responsibilities, sometimes all you need is a little escapade to reignite the spark of adventure within you. Adventure movies have a magical way of transporting us to lands unknown, allowing us to live vicariously through the characters. If you’re yearning for a dose of inspiration to embark on a thrilling journey, these movies will awaken the explorer in you.
7 adventure movies that’ll transport you to unknown, magical places; available on Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and more
1. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – Amazon Prime Video
This family-friendly adventure film is a thrilling follow-up to Journey to the Center of the Earth. Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) receives a distress signal from a mysterious island that, technically, does not exist. Determined to find his missing grandfather, Sean embarks on a journey with his stepfather (Dwayne Johnson), seeking help from a helicopter pilot, Gabato (Luis Guzmán), and his daughter Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens). After landing on the island with much difficulty, Sean finds his long-missing grandfather, Alexander (Michael Caine). As the team unravels the secrets of the mysterious island, they discover incredible phenomena and encounter legendary creatures. The movie takes us on a visually stunning expedition, which makes you want to go on a swashbuckling adventure in the Nautilus and to Atlantis. This sequel is also based on Jules Verne’s 1875 novel The Mysterious Island. The first movie, too, was an adaptation of the author’s 1864 novel, Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
2. The Lost City of Z – Amazon Prime Video
This biographical adventure movie is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by David Grann. The movie follows the true-life journey of British explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam). Set in the early 20th century, Fawcett is a determined and ambitious officer in the British military. Frustrated with his perceived lack of advancement in his career, he seizes an opportunity to lead a survey expedition to map the border between Brazil and Bolivia. During his travels, Fawcett discovers evidence of an advanced civilisation, which he dubs ‘Z’, that exists deep within the Amazon jungle. Despite scepticism from the scientific community and the British establishment, Fawcett makes multiple dangerous journeys into the Amazon with his son Jack (Tom Holland) in search of the elusive city. The plot also focuses on the psychological impact Fawcett’s increasingly perilous expeditions have on his family.
3. National Treasure – Disney+ Hotstar
The adventure begins with the young Ben Gates hearing a family legend that suggests the Founding Fathers of the United States encoded a hidden treasure’s location on the back of the Declaration of Independence in order to protect it. As an adult, Gates (Nicholas Cage), now a treasure hunter and a cryptologist, embarks on a quest to find this treasure, which is rumoured to be protected by a series of elaborate clues and puzzles. He teams up with computer expert Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) to save the map from falling into his rival’s Ian Howe (Sean Bean) hands. They are later joined by National Archives conservator Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), who wants to keep the map safe. She, however, helps them in decoding the hidden map on the back of the Declaration. This fast-paced adventure movie makes clever use of historical elements and a mix of action and humour. The emphasis on the importance of preserving history and the pursuit of noble ideals adds depth to the adventure. It became a popular and iconic movie spawning a sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
4. The Mummy – Jio Cinema, Amazon Prime Video
Set in 1926, the story follows Rick O’Connell, played by Brendan Fraser, an adventurer and former soldier. He is recruited by librarian Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) and her brother Jonathan (Hannah) to lead them to the lost city of Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead. The trio accidentally awakens Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), an ancient mummy of an Egyptian priest who was cursed and buried alive for attempting to resurrect his forbidden lover, Princess Anck-su-Namun. Imhotep, now a powerful and vengeful mummy, seeks to bring his lover back to life by using Evelyn, whom he believes to be the reincarnation of Anck-su-Namun. The characters race against time to stop Imhotep’s evil plans, they encounter various supernatural challenges, including scarab beetles, plagues, and animated mummies. There are two sequels and the series infuses the curiosity of travelling to Egypt to see these fascinating mummies – but not of the ‘cursed, dead but alive’ kind!
5. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark – Disney+ Hotstar
The movie introduces audiences to the iconic archaeologist and adventurer, Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) who arrives in India at a remote settlement in 1936. The villagers ask Jones for his help in finding the Ark of the Covenant, a biblical artefact, and kidnapped children. Indy’s journey is set in motion when the U.S. government learns that the Nazis, led by the sinister Colonel Dietrich and the enigmatic archaeologist Dr. René Belloq, are also searching for the Ark. The quest takes Indiana Jones across various exotic locations, including Nepal, Cairo, and a hidden temple in the Well of Souls. Steven Spielberg’s direction and Ford’s iconic performance as Indiana Jones make this movie a masterpiece that defined the action-adventure genre. There are four sequels to satiate the inner explorer within you that might awaken while watching the movie.
6. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
Headlined by Angelina Jolie, this action-adventure movie is based on the popular video game series of the same name. The story revolves around the fearless and athletic archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft (Jolie) embarking on a quest to find two halves of an ancient artefact called the Triangle of Light. When combined, it grants its possessor the power to control time. Along the way, she learns that the Illuminati, a secret society, seeks to reunite the Triangle to harness its supernatural abilities for their nefarious needs. Lara races against time to save the artefact from the Illuminati. The movie blends elements of fantasy, mythology, and high-octane action, capturing the essence of the video game series.
7. Chronicles of Narnia (three movies) – Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video
How can we list out adventure movies and not have Chronicles of Narnia? Based on the beloved fantasy book series The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, the movies invoke a yearning to find an ancient cupboard and escape to a memesrising land. The first part, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, introduces the Pevensie siblings — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy — who are evacuated to the English countryside during World War II. While living with an old professor, Lucy discovers the magical land of Narnia when she hides inside an antique cupboard. She takes her sceptical siblings to Narnia and the four get embroiled in a battle against the evil White Witch, who has plunged Narnia into eternal winter. Aslan, the noble lion, becomes their guide and ally in their quest to defeat the White Witch. The two sequels – Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader – see the siblings returning to Narnia when the place is entangled in crisis.
