There’s nothing more escapist from the doldrums of life than an adventure film. The excitement of being whisked away to exotic locations and solving intricate mysteries instantly transports you to someplace different. It’s also probably safer to partake in these pictures rather than trekking through the Amazon or scaling large cliffs.

Prime Video has its fair share of adventure movies to choose from. Whether you’re in the mood for treasure-hunting thrills or wondrous explorations of unknown lands, there’s an adventure film to suit any tone. Mark your maps (or watchlists) for these rousing adventure films streaming on Prime Video.

The Lost City of Z (2016)

Based on David Grann’s book, The Lost City of Z centers around the true story of Percy Fawcett and his explorations of South America. Played by Charlie Hunnam, Percy ventures into the wilderness of Brazil, hoping to discover the ancient lost city in the Amazon. While his son, Jack (Tom Holland), explores with him, his adventures will near a grim conclusion.

There’s a genuine sensation of wonder to how writer and director James Gray crafts this adventure picture. While highlighting the drive of Percy’s thirst for discovery, there’s also a beauty evoked from his travels that makes it easy to understand why he’d risk his life for a chance at unearthing something profound. If you’re seeking an adventure film heavier on the joy of exploration than the action that comes with it, The Lost City of Z is one of the few adventure films that feels so magical for being bound by history.

Bagdad Cafe (1987)

When visiting the Mojave Desert of America, Jasmin Munchgstettner (Marianne Sägebrecht) is a German tourist frustrated with car and romance problems. Fed up with her husband, she seeks refuge at the Bagdad Cafe, run by the feisty Brenda (CCH Pounder). While they don’t get along at first, a bond soon forms with their similar situation, proving you can find friends in the most unorthodox situations with different nationalities.

While most adventure films center around Americans visiting international locations, Bagdad Cafe presents the inverse of a German woman exploring America’s deserts. German director Percy Adlon makes the intriguing aspect of a European’s reaction all the more authentic. It’s an adventure film that showcases America’s vast space while featuring some fine performances from Sägebrecht and Pounder. This is an underrated gem of the 1980s worth taking the trip.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

The adventuring Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) brings along his father, Henry (Sean Connery), for his latest quest. Tasked with retrieving the Holy Grail, the father and son bicker as they try to avoid the vicious Nazis, once more targeting Indy. Their adventures will take them from infiltrating castles to traversing a hidden temple of an ancient knight.

The Last Crusade was another rousing Indiana Jones adventure from Steven Spielberg, but it had better chemistry between Ford and Connery, making them such a lovable duo for their differing perspectives on the world. In addition to the charming characters, there are some impressive chase sequences in the air and on the road, along with some mesmerizing special effects for the finale. The result of somebody choosing the Grail poorly is a death that comes close to being as gruesome as the first Indiana Jones film.

Hundreds of Beavers (2024)

Jean Kayak had his entire empire of apples destroyed by beavers. Left with nothing, he seeks to survive in the wilderness and eventually earn the love of a merchant’s daughter. His price for a blessing: Hundreds of beaver pelts! Thus, Jean sets out to kill as many beavers as possible in the most violent and adorable of slapstick.

Hundreds of Beavers is the little film that could. It is a low-budget adventure-comedy that comes closest to a live-action Looney Tunes. While the wilderness is portrayed as dangerous, the beavers, with their felt costumes and big heads, look like sports mascots. The many beaver kills are gruesome, but also hilarious for an adventure that will take Jean from the darkest of woods to a beaver dam that has progressed to the level of launching space rockets. With some clear video game inspiration that harkens to The Oregon Trail, this is easily one of the funniest adventure films of the 2020s.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) specializes in teaching archeology while seeking out artifacts across the globe in the 1930s. For Raiders of the Lost Ark, he teams up with his old flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) to track down the mythical Ark of the Covenant. Recovering it, however, will require outsmarting the dangerous Nazis pursuing them through busy alleys of dangerous figures and snake-filled pits of dig sites.

Crowned as a rejuvenating adventure film for the 1980s, Raiders of the Lost Ark remains one of the most robust adventure films ever made. Director Steven Spielberg infuses this globetrotting ode to classic adventure serials with a good mix of action, romance, humor, and even some horror in the iconic opening of the Covenant scene of melting flesh and exploding heads. When it comes to adventure films, Spielberg’s first Indiana Jones is one of the most perfect pictures in the genre.

Adventure movies present one of film’s most powerful aspects: their ability to take us somewhere we’ve never been. We may never venture around the entire globe, but movies like these can grant us a digital passport to excitement in all places lush, mysterious, and loaded with wonder. Check out my article on films exploring the afterlife for more adventurous films.