Summer is here, and it’s the perfect time to venture out into the world and explore! (A guy in a suit whispers in my ear about current world events.) Ahem… It’s a great time to stay inside to beat the heat and enjoy some amazing adventure movies from the comfort of your couch. No need to dangle off a cliff or wander out into an oppressive desert when you can gather your friends, grab some ice cream from the freezer, and get all the thrills and chills you need without breaking a single bone or eating a wild berry that will ruin your precious tummy. So, strap in, do your stretches, and lock in to these great adventure movies on Netflix.
For more recommendations, check out our ranked lists of The 30 Best Jungle Adventure Movies and The 30 Best Treasure Hunting Movies & TV Series.
Disclaimer: These titles are available in the US.
‘The Wild Robot’ (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 8.2/10
Writer and director Chris Sanders adapts the first novel in Peter Brown’s dynamic sci-fi book trilogy to create a visually stunning and heartwarming film that captures the beauty of nature with a unique art style. The Wild Robot is an Academy Award-nominated feature with a star-studded cast that follows a service robot that gets lost in a storm, only to be activated on a remote island where it bonds with the local wildlife. Taking on the role of the delightful voice of the titular wild bot is Lupita Nyong’o, who delivers a stunning performance as she transforms throughout the film from a bundle of programming and code to a caretaker who fights for the animals of the island.
‘White Fang’ (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: 80% | IMDb: 6.9/10
- Language
-
English, French
- Run Time
-
1 hr 25 min
- Director
-
Alexandre Espigares
- Release Date
-
July 6, 2018
- Actors
-
Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Paul Giamatti, Eddie Spears, Dave Boat
Another great animal-centric adventure tale with a unique visual style, White Fang is the latest adaptation of Jack London’s novel about a lone wolf-dog and its journey through the human world. Although I generally advise watching stories in their original language, the English dub for this film features a great cast, including Eddie Spears, Paul Giamatti, and an indirect reunion between Parks and Recreation alums Nick Offerman and Rashida Jones. The brushstroke textures of the character design, along with the wonderful use of color for emotional emphasis, elevate this retelling of the classic novel while still leaving room for the relationships between the titular White Fang and the humans he encounters, which people have enjoyed for over 100 years.
‘True Spirit’ (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 74% | IMDb: 6.8/10
Teagan Croft embarks on a journey around the world as she steps into the shoes of Jessica Watson, the Australian sailor who was the youngest to attempt a solo voyage across the seven seas. Director Sarah Spillane captures the danger, isolation, and mental strength of this 16-year-old girl who left her home and family to sail across the oceans all by herself. If you thought the oceans were scary before, wait until you see them through the eyes of a frightened young teen facing down violent, crushing waves. True Spirit is an inspirational story that reminds the audience that the pursuit of one’s dreams starts with a small breeze but can soon become a full sail gale.
‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 7.2/10
Anyone who is a fan of Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson’s popular tabletop RPG will tell you that Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves rolled a natural 20 on its storytelling check. Directors and co-writers Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley manage to pull off the impossible task of creating a film that captures the essence of a D&D campaign that is accessible to everyone, whether this is your first foray into the tropes and styling of fantasy roleplay or you’re a veteran who’s been in the dice trenches for decades. Not only does the film capture the vibe of the ragtag group of adventurers thrust together to stop a world-ending threat that is the cornerstone of the RPG, but it does so with the perfect cast. Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, and Sophia Lillis feel like they hopped on the screen straight off a character sheet.
‘Barbie’ (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 6.8/10
A slightly different type of adventure from the usual traversal through treacherous territory that people typically associate with the genre, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s Barbie is a journey of self-discovery. The film takes place in a world where all the Barbies and Kens (and Allan) exist in a realm all their own, but as the real world starts to seep into their perfect plastic play place, the top Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, has to venture out to find her place in the world, what her existence represents, and the unfair hierarchies that exist within patriarchy. I know, heavy themes for a doll movie, but they pull it off and still manage to have so much fun. This is another one with a superstar cast list that would take too long to list, but I will shout out America Ferrera and Ryan Gosling for their wonderful performances.
‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 7.7/10
- Release Date
-
November 3, 2023
- Runtime
-
124 minutes
- Director
-
Takashi Yamazaki
-
Ryunosuke Kamiki
Koichi Shikishima
-
Minami Hamabe
Noriko Oishi
In a similar vein, Godzilla Minus One is a reimagining of the origins of Godzilla, written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, which is also a deeply internal journey. It follows survivors in post-WWII Japan wrestling with their place in society as their government leaves them behind during demilitarization. This is explored through Ryunosuke Kamiki, who gives a stunning and heartbreaking performance as a former kamikaze pilot with severe PTSD who struggles to feel worthy of building a new life, so he joins a crew hunting down the nuclear monster that traumatized him during the war. Sure, there are amazing sequences of destruction at the hands of a giant lizard and devastating moments of loss, but the real emotional arcs revolve around the tension between giving one’s life for a cause and living for the people we love.
‘The Old Guard’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 80% | IMDb: 6.8/10
Adapting his popular graphic novel for the screen, writer Greg Rucka brings his elite squad of immortals to life in this daring action adventure with loads of lore. Charlize Theron takes on the role of the leader of the mercenary group that has been working to protect the world from the shadows for centuries, and she has a great team backing her up, including KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, and Luca Marinelli. The Old Guard has some fantastic set pieces and top-tier fight choreography, but the standout aspect of the film is the chemistry between the central cast, which makes you root for them from start to finish.
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 7.5/10
It would be easy to dismiss Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as a soulless cash grab if you just gave it a cursory glance, but you should know by now that director George Miller doesn’t do anything without putting his whole heart into it. This prequel to the award-winning film Mad Max: Fury Road not only gives us the backstory for the breakout character of that story but fleshes out the political landscape of the post-apocalyptic wastes while introducing a host of unique characters — the primary antagonist played by Chris Hemsworth being one of the best additions to the world of Mad Max. But it still doesn’t beat Anya Taylor-Joy as the titular Furiosa, who captures all the presence of the character while still showcasing her growth into the warrior we would come to love in Fury Road.