15 Best Adventure Movies of the 90s That Still Hold Up in 2024
Despite all the recent attempts to cash in on franchises from the past, there's no denying that the 90s were a golden era for adventure movies; it was the era of some of the most thrilling and unforgettable films – films that are just as exciting to watch today as they were back then.
They're the kind of films that make you feel like you're discovering a secret world, where every corner turned reveals a new danger or a magical moment; it's like being a kid again, sitting on the edge of your seat.
Cutthroat Island (1995)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%
Box Office: $10 million
Pirate Morgan Adams, inheriting a portion of a map to a hidden treasure from her father, embarks on a perilous quest across the seas with a captured con artist as her navigator; together, they face off against her villainous uncle and rival pirates in a race to find the treasure on Cutthroat Island.
The Mummy ( 1999)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 61%
Box Office: $416,4 million
Adventurer Rick O'Connell, librarian Evelyn Carnahan, and her brother accidentally awaken Imhotep, a cursed high priest from ancient Egypt, leading them on a frantic quest to stop his wrath and supernatural forces from consuming the world.
Jumanji (1995)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%
Box Office: $263 million
When two kids find and play a magical board game, they release a man trapped in it for decades—and a host of dangers that can only be stopped by finishing the game, leading them on a wild adventure through their town to save it from destruction.
The Mask of Zorro (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%
Box Office: $250,3 million
Aging Zorro passes his mask to a young thief, Alejandro, to train him as his successor, embarking on a mission of revenge against the corrupt governor and his army who seek to conquer California, intertwining Alejandro's personal quest for redemption and love.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%
Box Office: $390.5 million
After escaping imprisonment in Jerusalem, Robin of Locksley returns to England, discovers his father murdered by the Sheriff of Nottingham, and gathers a band of outlaws to fight back, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and protect the kingdom from tyranny.
The Rocketeer (1991)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%
Box Office: $46 million
In 1938 Los Angeles, pilot Cliff Secord discovers a top-secret jetpack that thrusts him into a daring adventure to save his girlfriend and stop a Nazi plot, becoming the masked hero known as The Rocketeer.
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Box Office: $90.7 million
The washed-up cast of a once-popular space TV show are mistaken for real heroes by an alien race and whisked away into space to help fight an evil overlord, embarking on a real-life adventure that mirrors their fictional roles.
Baby's Day Out (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%
Box Office: $30.2 million
After being kidnapped by three bumbling criminals, baby Bink escapes and embarks on a city-wide adventure across Chicago, outwitting his captors at every turn, while his frantic parents and the police race to find him.
Stuart Little (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%
Box Office: $300,1 million
The Little family adopts a charming, witty mouse named Stuart, but their cat and Stuart's new brother, George, are less than welcoming; Stuart's adventures lead him to navigate the challenges of family life and acceptance, culminating in a daring rescue mission to save a friend.
Hook (1991)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 29%
Box Office: $300,9 million
A grown-up Peter Pan, now known as Peter Banning, returns to Neverland to rescue his children from Captain Hook, rediscovering his lost youth and the joy of flying with the help of Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys in a battle against his old nemesis.
Hudson Hawk (1991)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%
Box Office: $97 million
Master cat burglar Eddie "Hudson Hawk" Hawkins is coerced into one last heist, stealing Da Vinci works around the globe, only to uncover a plot to take over the world with a machine that turns lead into gold, leading to a series of comedic escapades.
Three Kings (1999)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%
Box Office: $107.8 million
At the end of the Gulf War, four American soldiers set out to steal gold hidden in a bunker but are confronted with the harsh realities of war and moral dilemmas, leading them on a dangerous mission to help Iraqi rebels.
Waterworld (1995)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 46%
Box Office: $264 million
In a future where Earth is completely submerged in water, a drifter known as the Mariner fights off pirates and seeks dry land, ultimately helping a woman and a young girl who may hold the key to finding it.
DragonHeart (1996)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%
Box Office: $115,3 million
A disillusioned knight forms an unlikely alliance with the last dragon to defeat an evil king, sharing a bond through a shared heart, leading to battles that test their friendship and the fate of the kingdom.
Jurassic Park (1993)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Box Office: $1 billion
A wealthy entrepreneur secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA, but when a group of visitors and his grandchildren tour the park, a power failure allows the dinosaurs to escape, leading to a struggle for survival.