The 12 Best Jungle Adventure Movies, Ranked

Are you brave enough to venture into the wild?

Movies in the adventure and suspense genre tend to get our hearts racing with the fast-paced action and the mysterious wilderness setting. No one knows what will pop up on the screen from which direction to startle their senses. Whether it’s a quest to unearth lost treasures, or a journey to find the center of the earth, the best jungle movies always have loads of entertainment for the audiences in store.

Some might think this genre is a little over-explored with various movies finding their own jungle to get lost in, but the charm of having an unknown wild adventure never ceases to amuse. It’s always fun to see filmmakers come up with an engaging backstory and hilarious characters to make the jungle adventure movie one heck of a ride. Fans of this genre find comfort in such forest movies and strive to live vicariously through them. There's no shortage of the best adventure movies that heavily use the jungle setting to tell their fun and exciting stories. Which are the ones worth seeing at least once?

12 'Journey 2: The Mysterious Island' (2012)

Directed by brad peyton.

Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson in Journey 2 The Mysterious Island

An ambitious sequel to the 2008 blockbuster Journey to the Center of the Earth , this feature film stars wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson , Josh Hutcherson , and Vanessa Hudgens , who set out in response to a cryptic signal received from deep within the forest. They venture in pursuit of Sean’s lost grandfather.

Both movies are adapted from epic stories written by Jules Verne . Watch Journey 2: The Mysterious Island for golden comedy, amusing sequences, and obviously the awesome Dwayne Johnson . Its cheesy comedy and formulaic plot aren't for cinephiles, but it's likely one of the guilty pleasure movies that some viewers watch for an uplifted mood.

journey 2: the mysterious island

Watch on USA Network

11 'Uncharted' (2022)

Directed by ruben fleischer.

Tom Holland in 'Uncharted'

Starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg , Uncharted follows the undiscovered ventures of Ferdinand Magellan with a desire to find the lost treasure. Existing fans of the game were very excited to see a feature film explore the world of the beloved game, but Uncharted 's adaptation turned out to be nothing like the source material.

While Holland managed to capture Nate's charm, wit, humor, and heart in a way that was uniquely his own, it couldn't make up for the boring plot, missed opportunities, and questionable deviations from the game's story that the creators decided to include. Still, for fans looking for a mindless flick on a boring night, Uncharted offers its fair share of fun action sequences, but not much else .

Rent on Apple TV

10 'The Lost City' (2022)

Directed by adam nee, aaron nee.

the-lost-city-sandra-bullock-channing-tatum-social

Nestled in the plot of the adventure movie The Lost City is a romantic arc that brings together an author and her cover model who goes overlooked otherwise. This modern take on the genre finds Sandra Bollock and Channing Tatum in the wild with an evil Daniel Radcliffe hampering their every move. The unlikely pair must learn to work together if they hope to survive long enough to find the treasure.

The wild plot certainly managed to capture the attention of the viewers, even though most of the jokes didn't land. The Lost City reels you in with the mystic fonts and the legend of a hidden treasure that delighted the kings and queens for centuries, even if many of these hooks are unfortunately predictable clichés. If for nothing else, the movie is a perfect watch just for the unexpected Brad Pitt cameo .

The Lost City

Watch on Amazon Prime

9 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' (2008)

Directed by steven spielberg.

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones and Shia LaBeouf as Mutt shining a flashlight and examining something in a cave in 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.'

The fourth installment in the beloved adventure franchise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull follows the exhilarating journey of the titular archaeologist ( Harrison Ford ), who pursues an artifact with immense power. Alongside an old flame, Marion Ravenwood ( Karen Allen ), Indy travels to the depths of the forests of Peru before being captured and taken to the Amazon.

Although not the best in the massive Indiana Jones franchise , The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull still offers exciting action and gut-busting humor for fans who love the character . It’s also just nostalgic to revisit the legendary films now that its final installment had its disappointing premiere. If anything, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is worth watching just for that one epic motorcycle scene.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Watch on Disney+

8 'Jungle Cruise' (2021)

Directed by jaume collet-serra.

Jungle Cruise Cast

Jungle Cruise was highly anticipated as it brought two very talented and amazing actors together on screen – Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson . In this adventurous escapade, fans see a doctor and her brother embark on a trip to the lush Amazon forests to find a lost tree with supposed magical powers.

Of course, their journey has hindrances caused by evil villains who want to use the tree for their malicious purposes and spread their villainous agenda. Jungle Cruise is a fun way to enjoy the marvelous setting and get lost in the world of the Amazon. Don't expect any innovative twists or brilliant writing, though, as it's a basic jungle adventure movie that doesn't try to be anything else. For those looking for a family-friendly flick, this is the perfect one – enjoy it enough and there's a sequel available to watch, too!

Jungle Cruise

7 'jumanji: welcome to the jungle' (2017), directed by jake kasdan.

Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson in 'Jumanji: The Next Level'

Even with a simple plot, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is so hilarious that it's impossible not to laugh. The film embraces the ridiculous concept of being sucked into a video game – which the original Jumanji game transformed into to fit modern times – but never insults the intelligence of the audience. Adult avatars from the present play alongside other players stuck in the game since the '90s, and they all desperately try to escape.

Featuring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart , Jack Black , Karen Gillan , and a sweet cameo by Nick Jonas , this film is an action extravaganza made to entertain. It does take inspiration from the vintage classic Jumanji game but comes out with a clearer direction and plot. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle may not live up to its predecessors, but there's no denying it's at least decently entertaining.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Four teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.

Watch on Hulu

6 'Tropic Thunder' (2008)

Directed by ben stiller.

The cast of Tropic Thunder

Tropic Thunder has failings, but at its core, it is an absurd and deliciously wicked satire movie that exposes everything that is wrong with Hollywood. Parodying many classic films based on the Vietnam War, Tropic Thunder follows a group of obnoxious actors shooting their own war movie. When their director accidentally dies in an accident after leaving them in a jungle, the actors have to use what little skills they have to make it out alive.

Tropic Thunder is packed with hilarious and endlessly quotable lines , as well as two scene-stealing performances by Matthew McConaughey and Tom Cruise . Some of the best comedians and actors of the twenty-first century kicked off the century with a bang in this massive ensemble production that lived up to the hype at the time of its release and is still beloved by fans today.

Tropic Thunder

5 'king kong' (2005), directed by peter jackson.

King Kong roaring in King Kong (2005)

King Kong has been remade multiple times by different filmmakers with more diverse perspectives on the portrayal of the magnificent Gorilla aka King Kong. The movie follows Carl Denham and his crew as they come across a giant ape on Skull Island and imprison it in order to bring it to New York. They run into trouble when the giant ape is released into the city.

A fantastic and exciting film on the whole, King Kong 's plot is epic, with more action and new astounding creatures. This remake contains more action than the original, and obviously maximizes CGI (even though it hasn't aged entirely well). While definitely not director Peter Jackson 's best work (an honor that remains with the Lord of the Rings trilogy), it's a decent enough modern adaptation of the classic story.

4 'Tarzan' (1999)

Directed by kevin lima, chris buck.

Tarzan 2x1

A beloved Disney classic, Tarzan is an animated film that needs no introduction. The movie tells the tale of the titular protagonist (voiced by Tony Goldwyn ), a human orphan left in the jungle who is adopted by his gorilla family. He struggles with his identity and place in the world growing up, which becomes even more prominent with the arrival of a group of humans – including the vibrant Jane Porter ( Minnie Driver ).

The rewatchable animated Disney film has everything, from groundbreaking animation to catchy musical numbers to an inspiring heartfelt story. Its story about identity and the meaning of family is wonderfully told against the backdrop of a gorgeous (and sometimes unforgiving) jungle. While some of its aspects haven't aged well, the classic is still worth revisiting with family members today.

3 'The Jungle Book' (1967)

Baloo, Mowgli, and Bagheera looking in the same direction with different expressions in The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is an evergreen classic that has been one of the most widely read and watched movies in the history of cinema. The adventures of Mowgli, the hunger of the iconic animated villain Shere Khan, and a pack of wild animals come together to create this masterpiece of a story.

Heartwarming soundtracks and lessons about bravery, friendship, and life, in general, are some of the inspiring takeaways from The Jungle Book . With various animated and live-action iterations, this movie has been made and remade a lot of times over the years, but still manages to maintain the old-school charm of a Disney movie. The 1967 version is undoubtedly still the best, with as much heart and humor as it did when it first premiered.

2 'Jurassic Park' Movies (1993 - 2001)

A T-Rex standing a few meters away from a man holding a flare to distract it

Spanning seven thrilling movies over almost two decades, the Jurassic Park franchise has nothing but the best in store. A first-of-its-kind plot that explored the comeback of dinosaurs to disrupt the modern world was loved by all and immediately became a huge part of cinematic history.

Along with rampaging monsters and scientific experiments gone wrong, the movies have continuously featured a strong star cast that managed to attract audiences from across the world. The most recent movie, Jurassic Park: Dominion , seemed to be the end of the franchise, which has seen a steady decline in quality. That said, those looking for a nail-biting jungle survival movie may want to check out the first three entries in this award-winning film series.

Jurassic Park

1 'predator' (1987), directed by john mctiernan.

Predator-Arnold Schwarzenegger

Predator was part of Arnold Schwarzenegger 's string of 1980s hits : half testosterone-drenched shootout movie, half sci-fi horror that dismantles (limb by limb) the action genre and the men who feature in them, who find all their guns and unified body mass completely pointless against a superior warrior who hunts humans for sport.

Predator became an instant action classic thanks to the dreaded creature, one-liners, sweltering jungle setting , and John McTiernan 's directorial style. It's the ultimate jungle movie that birthed a legendary franchise that's still going strong today, with Prey marking a great move forward for the classic film series.

Watch on Max

NEXT: The Best Adventure Movies of All Time, Ranked According to IMDb

Wander-Lush

18 Epic Adventure Travel Movies Like Into the Wild

A good travel film can transport you to a far-flung location without the need to leave your living room. But the best travel movies often lead you on a different journey: One of self-discovery.

Here are 18 adventure travel movies like Into the Wild that are guaranteed to leave you feeling contemplative, energised, and ready for your next journey into the unknown.

All of these terrific travel films are available on Amazon Prime and some can be streamed on Netflix. I’ve included a link to access each one – plus, for a bit of fun, I’ve also added my favourite inspirational quote for every movie on the list!

More movie inspiration: 25 travel movies like Eat Pray Love .

Love the 2007 biopic 'Into the Wild'? These 15 travel movies like Into the Wild explore similar themes and are bound to inspire your wanderlust.

Please note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.

Movies like Into the Wild – quick reference

  • The Loneliest Planet
  • The Peanut Butter Falcon
  • 180 Degrees South
  • Inside Llewyn Davis
  • Swiss Army Man
  • Leave No Trace
  • The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
  • The Life of Pi
  • The Way Back
  • Seven Years in Tibet

18 epic adventure travel movies like Into the Wild (biopics, dramas and comedies)

Travel has a way of expanding the limits of your comfort zone – and these 18 movies like Into the Wild prove it. Live vicariously through these spirited, bold protagonists who push themselves to their physical and mental limits in search of something (or in some cases, nothing) beyond the ordinary.

Some of these films are about overcoming adversity ; others are about escaping reality . Some document journeys that must be taken alone while others tell of individuals who are humbled by nature or form unlikely friendships on the road.

If you liked Into the Wild , Sean Penn’s classic biopic about a young man who hitchhiked across the US, chances are you’ll love these 18 travel films like Into the Wild that explore similar themes of escapism, isolation, adventure, and self-discovery .

Jungle movie trailer.

One of my favourite lesser-known movies similar to Into the Wild , Jungle (2017) is a biopic based on true events that unfolded in Bolivia in 1981.

“This is the last frontier on earth. The jungle shows us what we really are.” Karl, Jungle

The film follows Israeli adventurer, Yossi Ghinsberg (played by Daniel Radcliffe), as he attempts to trek deep into the Amazon Rainforest. After a series of unfortunate events leaves Yossi stranded and disoriented, he must fight to find his way back.

Jungle is a story of mental endurance and physical survival in the harshest conditions. Filmed in Colombia and Australia, the majestic backdrop is a reminder of nature’s wild and unpredictable beauty – the very thing that drew Yossi to the Amazon in the first place.

How to watch it: Rent or buy on Amazon Prime .

Wild movie trailer.

One of my favourite films like Into the Wild , Wild (2014), is yet another adventure biopic that brings a seemingly impossible journey to life on the screen. Based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir of the same name, the film follows her quest to walk the Pacific Crest Trail.

“I was amazed that what I needed to survive could be carried on my back. And, most surprising of all, that I could carry it.” cheryl, wild

For Cheryl (played by Reece Witherspoon), it’s a deeply personal voyage of self-discovery and healing. She puts her body on the line, but in the end, her biggest triumphs are all psychological as she overcomes self-doubt and makes peace with her mother’s death and the breakdown of her marriage.

Despite numerous challenges, she digs deep and after more than 90 days, completes what she set out to achieve. This movie also touches on the theme of solo female travel and the particular challenges women often face when travelling alone.

3. The Loneliest Planet

The Loneliest Planet movie trailer.

Instead of a single protagonist, this adventure movie centres on a young couple, Alex and Nica (‎Gael Garcia Bernal‎ and ‎Hani Furstenberg)‎ – both of whom discover a lot about themselves, and each other, as the story unfolds.

The Loneliest Planet (2011) has mixed reviews, but it’s truly one of the most haunting and memorable travel films I’ve ever watched. The plot is simple: Whilst on holiday, the couple hire a guide to take them backpacking through a remote mountain pass.

When things go array, survival mode kicks in, resulting in some unexpected consequences. Both characters are forced to examine themselves (and their relationship) and their priorities.

I watched The Loneliest Planet long before I visited Georgia for the first time, not realising it was filmed in the Caucasus mountains ! The film’s extremely sparse dialogue (no quote to mention for this one!) and slow pace underscores the stunning setting and sharpens the themes it explores.

It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s uncomfortable at times – but hey, that’s what transformational travel is all about.

4. The Peanut Butter Falcon

The Peanut Butter Falcon movie trailer.

One of my favourite travel films of late, The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) is a comedy-drama set in North Carolina. It’s a classic adventure tale with Mark Twain vibes and nostalgic undertones of Americana.

“Yeah, you’re going to die. It’s a matter of time. That ain’t the question. The question is whether they’re going to have a good story to tell about you when you’re gone.” tyler, the peanut butter falcon

In the film, Zak (Zack Gottsagen) and Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) each set out on independent courses not so far from home before they cross paths and strike up an unlikely friendship. Travelling across the state by foot, the two travel buddies come to realise how much they have in common – including the fact that they’re both running away from something. Their journeys were bound to become intertwined.

In the end, both characters have some resolution – although it’s not what you might expect at the outset. This indie film is a bit of a tearjerker and absolutely heartwarming.

It will leave you in awe of travel’s uncanny ability to bring people together through adversity, and is a good reminder to always venture out with an open heart and mind.

5. 180 Degrees South

180 Degrees South movie trailer.

180 Degrees South (2010) is one of only two documentary films like Into the Wild that appear on this list. If you don’t know the names Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, you’ll surely recognise the name of the brand they founded – Patagonia.

A classic in the canon of adventure films, 180 Degrees South retraces a formative expedition the duo took in 1968 from California to Chile overland.

“The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life. It’s so easy to make it complex.” yvon chouinard, 180 degrees south

The movie intersperses Chouinard and Tompkins’ home video with new footage filmed when adventurer Jeff Johnson emulated the journey. As he follows in his heroes’ footsteps, Jeff explores the rugged landscape that inspired the duo to found their ethical outerwear brand and invest their savings in protecting the environment for future generations.

Interviews with Chouinard and Tompkins also appear in the film.

This travel movie captures the pure spirit of adventure while recalling the fascinating history behind one of the world’s most recognisable brand names.

6. Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis movie trailer.

Written and directed by the Coen brothers, Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) is a black comedy that toes the line between biopic and drama epic. Partially set in Greenwich Village and with energetic nods to Jack Kerouac and Bob Dylan, it’s a gritty film that channels some of Into the Wild ‘s darker undertones.

“In my experience, the world’s divided into two kinds of people. Those who divide the world into two kinds of people…” llewlyn, inside llewyn davis

The movie is partially based on folk singer Dave Van Ronk’s autobiography. Llewyn (Oscar Isaac) is a struggling musician with many mountains to climb in his personal life. The film peaks with his cross-country journey to Chicago by car, a fraught journey that brings yet more dilemmas his way.

Grungy New York City circa-1961 is the perfect setting for this earthy, stirring film.

Lion movie trailer.

I distinctly remember the first time I saw the preview for Lion (2016) at my local cinema. I bawled! In anticipation of the release, I rushed out and bought a copy of the autobiographical novel it’s based on. Although I preferred the book to the film, Lion is still one of my favourite movies of any genre.

“Every night I imagine that I’m walking those streets home and I know every single step of the way, and I whisper in her ear, ‘I’m here’.” saroo, lion

The story is breathtaking – it’s difficult to believe it’s all true. It begins with a young Saroo Brierley (played by Dev Patel), born and raised in a small town in India, who through some very sad circumstances becomes separated from his family after falling asleep on an intercity train.

Saroo tries, but he can’t get back home. In the end, he finds his way into an orphanage and is adopted by an Australian couple.

As an adult, Saroo revisits India to embark on the most important journey of all: The quest to find his hometown and reconnect with the family he lost all those years ago. How he goes about it beggars belief… You’ll just have to watch the film to find out what happens!

8. Swiss Army Man

Swiss Army Man movie trailer.

I have to admit, it took me a couple of tries before I could get through the first 15 minutes of Swiss Army Man (2016). This film is pretty offbeat (especially in the beginning) and won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it’s worth persevering.

“I just had a thought about a thought. How do you hide your thoughts, and why do we have to hide everything?” hank, swiss army man

The story follows a classic plot: Man gets stranded on deserted island (in this case, it’s Hank – Paul Dano) and is ready to throw in the towel when all of the sudden, he discovers he’s not alone. Only it’s not another person, but rather a human corpse with superpowers (in this case Manny – Daniel Radcliffe).

Hank and Manny form a strange and macabre friendship as they navigate together through various trials. Peculiar and unlike any other movie I’ve seen, this one should definitely be on your watch list if you enjoy eccentric indie films.

9. Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace movie trailer.

If complete isolation in the wilderness strikes a chord with you, Leave No Trace (2018) will remind you of Into the Wild and the main character’s quest to go beyond the ‘regular’ world in search of a more idyllic existence.

“They don’t think I was where I was supposed to be… They just don’t understand that it was my home.” tom, leave no trace

This movie focuses on Will (Benjamin Foster) and his daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie), who extricate themselves from their community to live alone in a forest in Oregon. After the duo is spotted one day by a passerby, their reality crumbles around them as they’re forced to return to civilian life.

Father and daughter grapple to hold onto their old lifestyle while realising their beliefs and needs are diverging. If you think it’s too far-fetched to be real, this movie, like Into the Wild , is also based on a true story.

Love the 2007 biopic 'Into the Wild'? These 15 travel movies like Into the Wild explore similar themes and are bound to inspire your wanderlust.

10. Free Solo

Free Solo movie trailer.

The second documentary on this list of movies similar to Into the Wild is Free Solo (2018). Over the course of several months, filmmakers follow Alex Honnold as her pursues his dream of scaling El Capitan, the iconic 3,200-foot vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking about fear. For me the crucial question is not how to climb without fear-that’s impossible – but how to deal with it when it creeps into your nerve endings.” alex, free solo

Alex is a free climber, thus he needs to complete the climb without a safety rope – something that’s never been done before. To reach his personal summit and push himself to the absolute limit, he must overcome other barriers in his personal life first.

As the camera rolls, his blind ambition – and at times, foolhardiness – is captivating to watch. This doco is painful at times, but you can’t look away.

Alex’s off-the-grid lifestyle, comfort with complete isolation, his stoicism and single-mindedness as he works towards the goal he is so fixated on reminds me a lot of Christopher in Into the Wild . Does he achieve his goal? You’ll just have to watch to find out!

Tracks movie trailer.

As far as adventure travel movies go, Tracks (2013) is hard to beat. One of my top choices for movies like Into the Wild , this biopic recites the 9-month overland journey taken by young Brisbane woman, Robyn Davidson (played by Mia Wasikowska), as she attempts to conquer one of the planet’s harshest landscapes: The Australian Outback.

“The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision.” robyn, tracks

Joined by National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan (played by Adam Driver) and several animal companions (including a troupe of camels and a loyal pup), Robyn ends up walking 2,700km from Alice Springs to Australia’s west coast.

The actual journey took place in 1977; after several failed attempts to turn Robyn’s story into a movie, Tracks was finally put into production and filmed in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The themes of this movie will remind you of Into the Wild : Solitude, being an outsider in a foreign land, and the unexpected acts of kindness one often encounters on the road.

12. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty movie trailer.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) is a travel film with cult status – and for good reason. Adapted from a pithy short story, the film follows one man on his spirited quest across the planet in search of a photographer and a missing film negative.

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” walter, the secret life of walter mitty

Walter (Ben Stiller) works a corporate job at Life magazine and daydreams of travel and adventure in his spare time. When he’s accidentally thrust into a real-life treasure hunt, he’s forced to confront his biggest fears, learning many poignant lessons about travel and life in the process.

This movie, like Into the Wild , proves that the greatest journeys of one’s lifetime often come from looking inward, not outward. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a heartwarming and uplifting film – I promise you’ll want to re-watch it at least once!

13. The Way

The Way movie trailer.

While some of the adventure travel movies that feature on this list have an abstract backdrop, the location plays a leading role in The Way (2011). If you haven’t guessed from the title, this film pays homage to the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage (AKA The Way) that stretches across Spain and France.

“Most people don’t have the luxury of just leaving it all behind.” tom, the way

The story begins under tragic circumstances when the lead character, Thomas Avery (Martin Sheen), is forced to travel to France to recover the body of his son (played by his real-life son, Emilio Estevez – also the film’s director) who died while walking in the Pyrenees.

As a salve for his grief, Thomas decides to complete the trail and honour his son’s final wish by carrying his ashes with him.

Thomas falls in with a group of other pilgrims, all with their own personal reasons for attempting the Camino. Some are searching for something; others are trying to escape. Interestingly, aside from the main actors, everyone who appears in The Way is a real-life traveller who just happened to be on the trail at the time of filming.

14. The Life of Pi

The Life of Pi movie trailer.

With four Academy Awards to its name, The Life of Pi (2012) is considered a classic in its genre. This fantastical story follows Pi Patel (played in the film by Suraj Sharma), a young boy stranded at sea.

“To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.” the life of pi

After a shipwreck claims his entire family and leaves Pi stranded in the Indian Ocean with only a menagerie of wild animals for company, he must struggle to overcome the various challenges nature throws at him.

This movie is philosophical, introspective and beautifully poetic, with ‘believeability’ emerging as one of the key themes. When Pi is finally rescued, his saviors don’t buy a word of his story – but he doesn’t mind at all. The Yann Martel novel that the film is based on won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and is definitely worth reading.

15. The Way Back

The Way Back movie trailer.

Not to be confused with the 2020 Ben Affleck basketball flick, The Way Back (2010) is a survival film created by legendary Australian director Peter Weir. Another stranger-than-fiction story, it’s based on the memoirs of Sławomir Rawicz, a Polish lieutenant who was held as a prisoner of war during WWII.

“Survival was a kind of protest. Being alive was my punishment.” mr smith, the way back

The film begins when Janusz (Jim Sturgess) is sent to a Gulag deep in Siberia. When he arrives, he meets several other prisoners who are planning a great escape. After making a break for it, they trek for months across Siberia before finally reaching their destination, the Mongolian border.

Their salvation from communism is short-lived, however, and the group must continue on foot to the Himalayas, eventually finding refuge in Tibet.

Questions remain as to the accuracy of the story – is it truth or fiction? – but the heroism and camaraderie of the characters as they persevere on their walk to freedom is epic.

16. Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years in Tibet movie trailer.

Seven Years in Tibet (1997) is the oldest adventure movie on this list, yet it’s another absolute classic. As much a historical document as a travel film, it chronicles the traumatic political, social and cultural events that took place in China during the 1940s and 50s.

“The absolute simplicity. That’s what I love. When you’re climbing, your mind is clear and free from all confusions. You have focus. And suddenly the light becomes sharper, the sounds are richer, and you’re filled with the deep, powerful presence of life.” heinrich, seven years in tibet

When Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer (played by Brad Pitt) set out on a climbing expedition, he had no idea he would bare witness to one of the most significant chapters in China’s modern history.

Like The Way Back , the movie begins as a tale of escape when Heinrich and his companion give the guards of the POW camp where they’re being detained the slip.

After an epic journey by foot across the Himalayas, the pair end up in Lhasa where Heinrich forms a bond with a young 14th Dalai Lama (Tibet’s current spiritual leader). As Heinrich witnesses the Chinese invasion, themes of responsibility, loyalty and freedom bubble to the surface.

The movie was filmed in Argentina, Nepal, Austria and Canada – but it features about 20 minutes of ‘secret footage’ shot in Tibet. It was enough to get Brad Pitt, his co-star David Thewlis and the film’s director banned from ever visiting China.

17. Cast Away

Cast Away movie trailer.

We can’t talk about adventure travel movies without mentioning Cast Away (2000) – the original tale of physical and mental transformation through overcoming adversity.

“Now I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” chuck, cast away

Like the protagonist in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , Chuck (Tom Hanks) leads a normal life in corporate America. That’s until a plane crash leaves him stranded on a deserted island, thrusting Chuck into the unknown and pushing him to the brink. He befriends a volleyball, and… Well, you probably know how the rest of the story goes!

Even if you saw it when it first came out, Cast Away is worth a re-watch, if only for the nostalgia factor.

18. 127 Hours

127 Hours movie trailer.

If you’re looking for an adventure film that speaks to mental fortitude and human endurance, look no further than 127 Hours (2010). The plot of this true story is the stuff of legend.

“I’ve been moving towards it my entire life. The minute I was born, every breath that I’ve taken, every action has been leading me to this crack on the out surface.” aron, 127 hours

Described as ‘painfully accurate’, 127 Hours is a film adaptation of Between a Rock and a Hard Place , a memoir by mountaineer Aron Ralston (played in the movie by James Franco).

When Aron’s hiking adventure turns bad and his arm becomes wedged between a boulder and a cliff wall, he grapples with an impossible decision and starts rethinking his life decisions – all the while narrating his inner thoughts in a soliloquy captured on video.

This film is an enriching story of triumph over adversity and a good reminder that even the most pressing trials can shape us into better people. If this movie like Into the Wild doesn’t ignite your passion for the great unknown, I don’t know what will!

Which of these adventure travel movies like Into the Wild is your favourite? Are there any other films you’d like to add to the list?

Movies like Into the Wild: Pin it

Excellent list but for some reason Paris Texas is my fav in this genre.

Thanks for your list

Thank you very much, very good selection for free spirits in quarantine 🙂

Into the wild is quite amazing

Thanks for giving us the best movies list.

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The 40+ Best Jungle Adventure Movies, Ranked

Ranker Film

Exploring the depths of the jungle has always been a thrilling theme in cinema, and jungle movies bring these adventures to life with vivid storytelling and captivating visuals. This jungle movies list celebrates the most enthralling films set in these dense, mysterious environments, where characters face the untamed wilderness. From the classic King Kong to the exciting Romancing the Stone and Six Days Seven Nights , this collection showcases a diverse range of jungle films, including adventure movies in the jungle and even funny jungle movies.

Each film on this list offers a unique glimpse into the heart of the jungle. Apocalypse Now , a standout in war jungle movies, presents a darker journey set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War in Cambodia. In contrast, Predator is a jungle adventure movie that combines science fiction with survival, featuring a battle between Arnold Schwarzenegger and an extraterrestrial threat in Central America. Other notable films that make this list include Jumanji , The Blue Lagoon , and The African Queen , each offering a different perspective on movies set in the jungle.

What makes this list special is its crowd-ranked nature, shaped by movie enthusiasts like you. It's a compilation not just of titles but of experiences and memories associated with these jungle adventures. Do you have a favorite among these jungle movies? Elevate it by giving it a thumbs up and share your most memorable scenes in the comments. Dive into this list and rediscover the wild, untamed beauty of the jungle through the lens of cinema.

Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

This thrilling jungle adventure, directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg, follows paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), as well as mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), on an exclusive tour of a dinosaur-populated island theme park. Despite assurances from the park's creator, billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), that everything is under control, chaos erupts when these ferocious prehistoric creatures break free and start hunting. Jurassic Park stands out as one of the best jungle adventure movies due to its groundbreaking visual effects, captivating storyline, and unforgettable suspenseful moments.

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  • # 2 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
  • # 2 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s

Predator

In this thrilling adventure, Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) leads a team of mercenaries on a covert mission to rescue trapped politicians in Guatemala. As they navigate the treacherous terrain, they discover a string of gruesome deaths and soon realize that they are being hunted by an incredibly powerful and stealthy extraterrestrial creature. With its heart-pounding action and iconic predator antagonist, this film has become one of the best jungle adventure movies ever made.

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  • # 28 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked

King Kong

Peter Jackson breathes new life into the timeless tale with his epic retelling of King Kong, taking audiences deep into the mysterious Skull Island. The story follows filmmaker Carl Denham (Jack Black), playwright Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), and actress Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) as they embark on an ambitious movie project only to encounter the colossal ape known as Kong. Combining stunning visuals with high-stakes adventure among prehistoric creatures, this captivating film showcases both tender moments between Ann and her gargantuan captor while delivering edge-of-your-seat action sequences that make it a standout in jungle adventure cinema.

  • # 107 of 324 on The Best Movies Of The 2000s
  • # 65 of 138 on The 100+ Best Disaster Movies Of All Time
  • # 94 of 133 on The Most Utterly Depressing Movies Ever Made

Romancing the Stone

Romancing the Stone

Romancing the Stone is a thrilling tale of an unassuming romance novelist who finds herself embarking on a daring quest in the wilds of Colombia to rescue her sister from ruthless kidnappers. With the aid of a fearless mercenary, they must navigate treacherous terrain and overcome countless obstacles to locate a priceless gem hidden within a mysterious treasure map.

  • # 53 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
  • # 247 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
  • # 130 of 279 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime

Apocalypto

Apocalypto showcases the Mayan civilization's peak while highlighting its impending downfall. The rulers' desperate attempts to maintain power lead them to capture Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), a serene hunter from a distant tribe and his entire village, for sacrificial purposes. As one of the best jungle adventure films, Apocalypto follows Jaguar Paw's daring escape and nail-biting journey back to his pregnant wife and son amidst an unforgiving landscape teeming with danger.

  • # 138 of 261 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
  • # 172 of 324 on The Best Movies Of The 2000s
  • # 16 of 101 on The Best Movies Of 2006

Jumanji

This exciting adventure movie revolves around siblings Peter (Bradley Pierce) and Judy Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst), who stumble upon a mysterious, jungle-themed board game called Jumanji in an old mansion's attic. As they begin to play, they inadvertently release Alan Parrish (Robin Williams), a man trapped within the game for years. In this captivating film filled with giant bugs, mischievous monkeys, and stampeding rhinos, the children must win the game to free Alan permanently and survive its treacherous challenges.

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  • # 32 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s
  • # 21 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Kong: Skull Island

Kong: Skull Island

This thrilling 2017 monster film, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, breathes new life into the King Kong franchise as it takes its place as the second installment in Legendary's Godzilla-Kong cinematic universe. Set in the 1970s, viewers follow a daring group of explorers and soldiers who journey deep into an uncharted Pacific island filled with both breathtaking beauty and perilous danger. Little do they know that they've entered the realm of monsters, including the legendary Kong himself, who rules over this wild jungle kingdom.

  • # 81 of 172 on The Best Science Fiction Action Movies
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  • # 7 of 11 on 11 Horror Adventure Movies That Expertly Combine Both Genres

The African Queen

The African Queen

Journey through war-torn Africa with a headstrong spinster (Katharine Hepburn) and a rough-around-the-edges steamer captain (Humphrey Bogart) as they embark on a daring mission to take down a German gunboat. This classic jungle adventure film keeps you on the edge of your seat, as the duo battles both external enemies and their own clashing personalities.

  • # 13 of 45 on 50+ Quirky Romance Movies With Unique Love Stories
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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Four high school students stumble upon an ancient video game console and find themselves transported into its wild world, taking on the personas of their chosen adult avatars. Quickly realizing that Jumanji isn't just a game but a fight for survival, they embark on a perilous journey to uncover secrets left behind by Alan Parrish two decades prior. Along the way, they learn valuable lessons about themselves and must adapt in order to conquer the game and return home or risk being trapped within Jumanji forever.

  • # 11 of 78 on The Greatest Movies To Watch Outside
  • # 6 of 155 on The 150+ Best Classic Tween Movies
  • # 24 of 200 on The 195+ Greatest Adventure Movies

Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes

Three astronauts find themselves stranded on a futuristic planet dominated by highly intelligent apes. These remarkable simians not only walk upright and communicate verbally but have also established a complex social hierarchy and political system. As one of the best jungle adventure films, Planet of the Apes captivates audiences as it explores thought-provoking sociological themes while showcasing the astronauts' struggle to survive in their newfound roles as imprisoned members of an inferior species.

  • # 348 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
  • # 22 of 160 on The 150+ Best Futuristic Dystopian Movies
  • # 25 of 138 on The 100+ Best Disaster Movies Of All Time

Jurassic Park III

Jurassic Park III

Alan Grant (Sam Neill) is enticed by a wealthy businessman to embark on an aerial tour of Isla Sorna, the second site of InGen's failed Jurassic Park experiment. However, he soon uncovers the real motive behind his invitation as a disastrous accident leaves their party of seven stranded amidst prehistoric predators. As one of the best jungle adventure movies, Jurassic Park III will keep you on the edge of your seat as they battle to survive and escape from the terrifying island.

  • # 250 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
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Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now

Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War in 1970, this gripping jungle adventure follows Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) as he embarks on a dangerous and surreal quest upriver to locate and eliminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), an officer who has allegedly lost his sanity. Alongside a motley crew of street-smart kids, a surf-loving Air Cavalry officer (Robert Duvall), and an unhinged freelance photographer (Dennis Hopper), Willard delves deeper into the heart of darkness with each passing moment.

  • # 17 of 261 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
  • # 493 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
  • # 99 of 234 on The 200+ Best Movies Based On A True Story

Anaconda

Join Terri Flores (Jennifer Lopez) and her crew as they venture deep into the Amazon jungle in search of a lost tribe. Along the way, they encounter a mysterious man named Paul (Jon Voight), who offers to guide them but raises suspicions with his secretive actions. This thrilling jungle adventure takes an unexpected turn when it's revealed that Paul is actually using the group to hunt down a legendary, highly valuable anaconda – leading to heart-pounding suspense and action amongst the lush tropical backdrop.

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  • # 55 of 95 on The 100+ Best Movies Of 1997
  • # 13 of 70 on The Scariest Animal Horror Movies Ever Made

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Set amidst the tense atmosphere of the Cold War, renowned archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) faces potential job loss at Marshall College after returning from a thrilling adventure. He soon encounters Mutt (Shia La Beouf), an eager young man seeking Indy's help in locating the fabled Crystal Skull of Akator in Peru.

  • # 150 of 177 on The 150+ Best Movies With Aliens
  • # 39 of 158 on The Best Movies of 2008
  • # 29 of 35 on Every Steven Spielberg Movie, Ranked By Fans

King Kong

Venture into the thrilling world of Skull Island, where a research team sets sail to uncover its rumored oil-rich lands. Along the way, they rescue shipwreck survivor Dwan (Jessica Lange) and encounter an indigenous tribe living in fear of a mysterious beast known as Kong. This captivating jungle adventure film takes you on an emotional rollercoaster as our heroes save Dwan from being sacrificed to the colossal ape, only for him to be captured and put on display in a spectacular exhibition.

  • # 33 of 64 on The Best Horror Movie Remakes Of All Time
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  • # 133 of 199 on The Best Movies Of The '70s, Ranked

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

When John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) reveals to chaos theorist Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) that there's a hidden second island housing more dinosaurs, the stage is set for an exhilarating jungle adventure. As one of the best in its genre, this film showcases thriving and breeding dinosaurs on this secret island, with Hammond urging Malcolm to document these magnificent creatures before corporate interests take over.

  • # 36 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
  • # 111 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s
  • # 114 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Rambo: First Blood Part II

Rambo: First Blood Part II

John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself offered a chance at redemption by his former boss, Col. Troutman (Richard Crenna). Tasked with traveling to Vietnam to locate American prisoners of war, Rambo's criminal record hangs in the balance as he embarks on a dangerous reconnaissance mission. However, when tragedy strikes and his Vietnamese lover Co Bao (Julia Nickson) is killed by American forces, Rambo abandons his initial promise and takes justice into his own hands in this unforgettable action-packed film set deep within the wild jungles of Vietnam.

  • # 222 of 261 on The 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
  • # 156 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
  • # 241 of 279 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime

Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise

Join the thrilling adventure as Dr. Lily Houghton teams up with the charming and witty skipper Frank Wolff to embark on a daring journey down the Amazon River in his rickety boat. As one of the best jungle adventure movies, they navigate through treacherous waters and face countless dangers in their quest for an ancient tree that possesses incredible healing powers.

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  • # 35 of 116 on 50+ Movies That Need Sequels
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Jumanji: The Next Level

Jumanji: The Next Level

In this thrilling sequel, Spencer unexpectedly returns to the perilous realm of Jumanji, prompting his friends Martha, Fridge, and Bethany to dive back in and rescue him. As one of the best jungle adventure movies, this film cleverly elevates the stakes with a malfunctioning game that challenges its players like never before. With unexpected twists and heightened danger around every corner, our heroes must adapt and overcome new obstacles in their quest to save their friend while navigating an ever-changing world.

  • # 19 of 78 on The Greatest Movies To Watch Outside
  • # 47 of 155 on The 150+ Best Classic Tween Movies
  • # 55 of 163 on The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made

Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider

Meet Lara Croft, the tenacious and fearless daughter of a missing eccentric adventurer. Determined to uncover her father's mysterious disappearance, she embarks on a treacherous quest to his last known location: a legendary tomb on an enigmatic island potentially near Japan's coast. Tomb Raider showcases Lara's wit, unwavering faith, and unyielding spirit as she navigates the unknown with everything at stake.

  • # 37 of 78 on The Greatest Movies To Watch Outside
  • # 98 of 200 on The 195+ Greatest Adventure Movies
  • # 17 of 17 on The Most Overqualified Villain Performances In Action-Adventure Movies

The Rundown

The Rundown

Bounty hunter Beck (The Rock), known for his aversion to guns and no-questions-asked attitude, is sent deep into the Amazon rainforest to locate his employer's son Travis (Seann William Scott). However, they soon find themselves entangled in a battle against an oppressive treasure hunter (Christopher Walken) controlling local inhabitants.

  • # 525 of 623 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
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  • # 4 of 14 on The Most Underrated Action Movies Of The 2000s

Predators

In this thrilling jungle adventure, a group of lethal killers led by a mercenary (Adrien Brody) find themselves on an unknown planet being hunted by a new breed of fearsome aliens. As they navigate through the dense jungle, the team must band together to survive or risk becoming trophies for their intergalactic predators.

  • # 45 of 177 on The 150+ Best Movies With Aliens
  • # 76 of 172 on The Best Science Fiction Action Movies
  • # 61 of 104 on The 100+ Best Third Movies In A Film Series

Congo

Embark on a treacherous journey into the heart of the African jungle in Congo, where a group led by expert guide Kelly searches for a missing diamond-hunting team. Alongside primatologist Dr. Peter Elliot and treasure hunter Herkermer Homolka, they uncover dangers far beyond their wildest imagination. This gripping tale combines mystery, suspense, and unexpected twists for an exhilarating jungle adventure like no other.

  • # 79 of 99 on The Best 1990s Action Movies
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The Emerald Forest

The Emerald Forest

When his son Tommy is abducted by a native tribe during a family trip to design a dam project, Bill Markham (Powers Boothe) embarks on an intense decade-long search for him. As Bill finally reunites with Tommy (Charley Boorman), now fully immersed in tribal life, they face new challenges when another group attacks their newfound family – making The Emerald Forest one unforgettable journey through cultural clashes and self-discovery.

  • # 1 of 8 on The Best Movies About Uncontacted Tribes
  • # 4 of 25 on The Best Movies Directed by John Boorman
  • # 5 of 10 on The Best R-Rated Jungle And Jungle Horror Movies

The Legend of Tarzan

The Legend of Tarzan

In this thrilling 2016 adventure film, we follow the story of Tarzan as he returns to his jungle roots. Having adapted to life in London, Tarzan is summoned back to investigate suspicious activities at a mining encampment.

  • # 6 of 20 on Hollywood's Tarzan Movies List
  • # 61 of 78 on The Greatest Movies To Watch Outside
  • # 124 of 200 on The 195+ Greatest Adventure Movies

Jungle

Based on a true story , Jungle follows adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) as he joins an expedition into the perilous Bolivian jungle with a group of fellow travelers. When things take a dangerous turn, survival becomes their top priority in this gripping biographical drama. The lush setting and harrowing tale make Jungle not only captivating but also one of the most memorable jungle adventure movies.

Six Days Seven Nights

Six Days Seven Nights

Embark on a thrilling jungle adventure with Harrison Ford and Anne Heche in this 1998 comedy film, directed by Ivan Reitman. The duo finds themselves stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes, leading to unexpected twists and turns as they navigate the wild terrain. Filmed amidst the breathtaking beauty of Kauai, Six Days Seven Nights is an exhilarating ride that showcases the perfect blend of action, humor, and romance.

  • # 63 of 98 on The Best Movies Of 1998, Ranked
  • # 8 of 27 on The Best Desert Island Movies
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King Solomon's Mines

King Solomon's Mines

Experience an epic African expedition based on H. Rider Haggard's novel as you follow a daring rescue party searching for a missing explorer who vanished while seeking King Solomon's legendary treasure trove. Traversing through treacherous jungles swamps and deserts across Africa; this team encounters unimaginable dangers while being driven by hope for unimaginable wealth hidden within Solomon's mines. A classic example of jungle adventure storytelling at its finest.

The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon

Anchored by Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins' compelling performances, the film unravels the saga of two young cousins shipwrecked on a tropical island with no supervision. Through a unique blend of survival drama and coming-of-age romance, it depicts their growth from innocence to adolescent love and finally to parenthood. This iconic 1980 film garnered worldwide attention for its bold depiction of young love and naturalism, making an indelible mark on the genre of romantic survival dramas.

  • # 186 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
  • # 23 of 64 on The Best Movies Of 1980
  • # 182 of 462 on The 400+ Best Chick Flicks Ever

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

Dive into the enchanting world of Mowgli as he navigates life among his animal family in the Indian jungles. Under the guidance of wise Baloo and cunning Bagheera, Mowgli faces numerous challenges including confronting fearsome tiger Shere Khan who despises him. As one of the best adaptations exploring self-discovery amidst nature's beauty and perils, Mowgli: Legend of The Jungle offers both heartwarming moments and edge-of-your-seat excitement throughout its compelling narrative.

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15+ Best Jungle Adventure Movies

15+ Best Jungle Adventure Movies

Table of Contents

Adventure movies have always held a special place in the hearts of movie enthusiasts, and when it comes to the genre of jungle adventure movies, the excitement and adrenaline rush reach unparalleled heights. With captivating plots set in the heart of the untamed wilderness, these films take us on thrilling journeys where danger, mystery, and exploration go hand in hand.

In this comprehensive guide, we present you with the best jungle adventure movies that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. From iconic classics to modern masterpieces, let’s embark on an epic cinematic adventure like no other.

18. Midnight Special (2016)

Midnight Special (2016)

Written and directed by Jeff Nicholas Midnight Special is a 2016 American science fiction film.

The movie follows Alton Meyer a boy unlike any other in the world with bizarrely powerful abilities and strange weaknesses.

In the middle of the night, his father Roy spirits him away from an isolated cult that practically worships him and is determined to regain him at all costs.

At the same time, Alton’s abilities have been noticed by US Government as well and they are equally insistent on getting to the bottom of this mystery.

Paul Severe of the national security agency led the federal pursuit with his own question.

These rival hunts forced father and son into a desperate run toward a looming date with destiny that could change everything.

17. Apocalypse Now (1979)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Being a fan of war films, “Apocalypse Now” has long been one of my favorites. The film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is set during the Vietnam War and follows Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen) on a mission to assassinate a rogue Army colonel called Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has organized his own army deep in the jungle.

The film is a gripping character study of Willard, as he journeys upriver on a Navy patrol boat with a crew of eccentric soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore (Robert Duvall) who delivers the iconic line “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” During their journey, they encounter various obstacles and dangers, such as a tiger attack, an ambush by the Viet Cong, and a chaotic USO show.

As Willard gets closer to Kurtz’s compound, he begins to question his own sanity and the morality of his mission. Willard finally meets Kurtz in the film’s climax, compelling him to make a decision about what to do next.

“Apocalypse Now” is a spectacular cinematic feat, complete with stunning cinematography, a frightening score, and outstanding performances from the entire cast. The film explores themes of war, imperialism, and the human psyche, and remains a landmark in American cinema.

16. The Revenant (2015)

The Revenant (2015)

Based in part on Michael Punk’s 2002 novel of the same name, The Revenant is a 2015 American epic revisionist western survival drama film directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Impurity.

While exploring the uncharted wilderness in 1823 legendary frontiersman Hugh Glass sustains injuries from a brutal bear attack.

When his hunting team leaves him for dead glass must utilize her survival skills to find a way back home while avoiding natives on their own hunt.

Grief-stricken and fueled by vengeance glass trucks through the wintry terrain to track down John FitzGerald the former confidante who betrayed and abandoned him.

15. Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)

Best Jungle Adventure Movies Of 2008

An adaptation of Jules Verne’s 1864 novel Journey to the Center of the Earth is a 2008 American 3d science fiction fantasy action adventure film directed by Eric Breivik.

In the movie professor, Trevor Anderson receives his teenage nephew Sean Anderson who will spend 10 days with his uncle while his mother Elizabeth prepares to move to Canada.

She gives a box to Trevor that belongs to his missing brother Max and inside Trevor finds a book with references to the last journey of his brother.

So he decides to follow the steps Max with Sean and they travel to Iceland where they meet the guide, Hannah Harrison.

While climbing a mountain there is a thunderstorm and they protect themselves in a cave, however, lightning collapses the entrance and the trio is trapped in the cave.

After that, they seek an exit and fall into a hole discovering a lost world in the center of the earth.

14. The Jungle Book (2016)

The Jungle Book (2016)

“The Jungle Book” is a 2016 live-action adventure movie directed by Jon Favreau. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic novel, the movie follows the story of Mowgli (played by Neel Sethi), a young boy who is raised by a pack of wolves in the jungles of India.

As Mowgli grows older, he realizes that he is not like the other animals and that his life is in danger from the villainous tiger Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba), who sees Mowgli as a threat to the balance of the jungle.

Mowgli embarks on a journey to find his place in the world, with the help of his friends Bagheera the Panther (voiced by Ben Kingsley) and Baloo the Bear (voiced by Bill Murray).

The movie is a visual spectacle, with stunning CGI effects that bring the animals to life. The voice acting is also top-notch, with a star-studded cast that includes Scarlett Johansson as the seductive snake Kaa, and Christopher Walken as the intimidating King Louie.

“The Jungle Book” is a heartwarming and exciting adventure that will delight both children and adults alike. The film explores themes of family, identity, and the importance of protecting the natural world, making it a must-see movie for all ages.

13. Death In The Garden (1956)

death In The Garden (1956)

“Death in the Garden” is a 1956 adventure drama movie directed by Luis Buñuel. Set in a South American village, the movie follows a diverse group of characters who are forced to flee into the jungle when a violent revolution breaks out.

The main character, a prostitute named Djin (played by Simone Signoret), is joined by a small band of other outsiders, including a thief, a priest, and an adventurer. As they make their way through the jungle, they must confront not only the dangers of the environment but also their own conflicting motivations and desires.

The movie is a gripping examination of human nature under extreme circumstances and features a strong cast of actors. Signoret’s performance as Djin is particularly noteworthy, as she imbues the character with both toughness and vulnerability.

“Death in the Garden” is not without its flaws, however. Some critics have noted that the plot is somewhat convoluted and that the movie can be slow-moving at times. Nevertheless, it remains an interesting and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition in a hostile environment.

12. Triple Frontier (2019)

Triple Frontier (2019)

Based on a story by Bull Triple Frontier is a 2019 American action-adventure film directed by JC Chandra the movie received positive reviews from all over the world and earned a score of 71 on rotten tomatoes.

The movie tells the story of five former special forces operatives who reunite on planet Heist and a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America.

For the first time in their prestigious careers, these unsung heroes undertake this dangerous mission for themselves instead of the country.

But when events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control their skill their loyalties and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival.

11. Red Dawn (1984)

Red Dawn (1984)

1984 American action film directed by john miles titled Red Dawn and was the first film to be released in the u.s with a PG-13 Rating .

The story follows a group of American high school students who resist the occupation with guerrilla warfare naming themselves the Wolverines after their high school mascot.

In the movie from out of the sky soviet Nicaraguan and Cuban troops begin landing on the football field of the colorado high school and in a matter of few seconds the paratroopers attacked the school and sent a group of teenagers fleeing into the mountains.

Armed only with hunting rifles pistols and bows and arrows the teens struggle to survive the bitter winter and the Soviet kgb patrols hunt for them.

Eventually, trouble arises when they kill a group of Soviet soldiers on patrol in the highlands and soon after that, they waged their own guerrilla warfare against the invading Soviet troops under the banner of Wolverines.

10. Hold the Dark (2018)

Hold the Dark (2018)

Based on the novel of the same name by William Geraldine Hold the Dark is a 2018 American action thriller film directed by Jeremy Sooner with a score of 71 on rotten tomatoes the movie became a major hit film of 2018.

The movie tells the story of a retired naturalist and wolf expert named Russell Core who journeys to the edge of civilization in northern Alaska.

At the pleading of Madras Sloan a young mother whose son was killed by a pack of wolves core attempts to help Medora track down the wolves who took her son.

A strange and dangerous relationship develops between the two lonely souls but when Medora’s husband Vernon returns home from the Iraq War the news of his child’s death ignites a violent chain of events because as a local cop.

Donald Mariam races to stop Vernon’s vengeful rage core is forced on a perilous odyssey into the heart of darkness.

9. Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

A 2019 American fantasy adventure comedy film Jumanji The Next Level is directed by Jake Kazda.

It is a sequel to the 2017 Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle which is the second follow-up to the 1995 Jumanji and is the fourth installment in the Jumanji franchise.

The gang is back but the game has changed the film’s plot takes place two years after the welcome to the jungle.

The same group of teenagers along with an old friend and two unwilling additions become trapped in Jumanji once again as they return to Jumanji to rescue one of their own.

They discover that nothing is as they expect the players will have to brave parts unknown and unexplored from the arid deserts to the snowy mountains in order to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

Bonus Jungle Action Movies With Full Adventure

Here Is Another List Of Jungle Adventure Movies That will be a bonus for you guys.

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

The intrepid archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones, portrayed by the legendary Harrison Ford, ventures into the South American jungles in search of the biblical artifact, the Ark of the Covenant.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, this action-packed film brings together history, mythology, and stunning action sequences. The movie’s iconic scenes, including the boulder chase and the face-melting climax, have become timeless in the realm of adventure cinema.

7. Jurassic Park (1993)

While not entirely set in the jungle, “Jurassic Park” deserves a spot on our list for its thrilling and adventurous jungle segments. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film transports viewers to an island where cloned dinosaurs roam freely.

With breathtaking special effects and intense action, the characters must navigate the treacherous terrain of the island while trying to survive the prehistoric predators. “Jurassic Park” remains a groundbreaking cinematic achievement that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

6. Tarzan (1999)

Disney’s animated masterpiece, “Tarzan,” tells the tale of a young boy raised by gorillas in the African jungle. The film beautifully captures the essence of the wild while exploring themes of identity and belonging.

Tarzan’s journey to embrace both his human and animal roots is heartfelt and inspiring. The movie’s soundtrack, featuring Phil Collins’ memorable songs, adds an extra layer of emotional depth to this timeless adventure.

5. Predator (1987)

In this action-packed sci-fi thriller, a group of elite soldiers led by Dutch, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, find themselves hunted down one by one by a formidable extraterrestrial creature in the Central American jungle.

“Predator” is an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster that blends elements of survival horror and military action. The suspenseful atmosphere and memorable quotes, including “Get to the chopper!”, have made it a cult classic over the years.

4. The Emerald Forest (1985)

John Boorman’s “The Emerald Forest” takes us on a journey deep into the Amazon rainforest. The film follows the quest of a father, played by Powers Boothe, as he searches for his young son who was abducted by an indigenous tribe.

Combining adventure with cultural exploration, the movie offers a gripping narrative that delves into themes of environmentalism and the clash of civilizations.

3. The Lost City of Z (2016)

Based on a true story, “The Lost City of Z” is a mesmerizing adventure drama that follows the exploits of British explorer Percy Fawcett, portrayed by Charlie Hunnam, as he ventures into the uncharted Amazonian jungle in search of a mythical civilization.

The film provides an immersive experience, delving into the challenges and allure of exploration in the early 20th century.

2. King Kong (2005)

Peter Jackson’s epic remake of “King Kong” combines thrilling adventure with a heartfelt tale of love and sacrifice. Set in the mysterious Skull Island, the movie showcases the colossal ape’s bond with the courageous Ann Darrow, played by Naomi Watts.

The visually striking and emotionally charged film explores the consequences of exploiting nature and the significance of empathy in an untamed world.

1. The African Queen (1951)

Starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, “The African Queen” is a classic adventure film set against the backdrop of World War I in Africa. The unlikely duo finds themselves navigating through dangerous waters in a makeshift boat named “The African Queen.”

The movie’s blend of romance, humor, and perilous escapades makes it a timeless gem in the realm of jungle adventure movies.

The world of TV cinema has produced some of the most thrilling and exciting jungle adventure movies Ever.

Jungle adventure movies have the power to transport us to untamed realms, where courage and resilience are put to the test. The films listed above are just a glimpse of the vast and diverse world of jungle adventures that cinema has to offer. Whether you seek heart-pounding action, heartwarming tales, or thought-provoking narratives, these movies deliver unforgettable experiences.

So, the next time you’re in the mood for an adrenaline rush and a thrilling escapade, make sure to grab some popcorn and immerse yourself in the wild wonders of jungle adventure movies!

What movie is Mowgli based on?

“Mowgli” is based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic collection of stories called “The Jungle Book.” It offers an alternative and darker interpretation of the beloved tale about a young boy named Mowgli who grows up in the jungle and is raised by a pack of wolves.

What jungle movies is Dwayne Johnson in?

Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock,” stars in the jungle movie “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” (2017) and its sequel “Jumanji: The Next Level” (2019). He also plays a major role in “Jungle Cruise” (2021), which takes audiences on a thrilling adventure through the Amazon rainforest.

What should I watch if I like Jungle Cruise?

If you like “Jungle Cruise,” you may enjoy watching movies like “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003), and “The Mummy” (1999).

Which Jungle Action Movie features the most breathtaking cinematography?

“Fitzcarraldo” (1982), directed by Werner Herzog, is renowned for its stunning cinematography, capturing the grandeur and beauty of the Peruvian jungle.

Do Jungle Action Movies always feature wild animals as antagonists?

Not necessarily. While some Jungle Action Movies may include dangerous wildlife as antagonists, others focus on human adversaries or natural elements as the primary sources of conflict.

jungle travel movies

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You’re In The Jungle, Baby: The Top 12 Movies About Jungles (But No, Not Forests)

Best Jungle Movies

Where to Stream:

  • Aguirre The Wrath Of God
  • Decider Lists

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With the launch of Disney’s Jungle Cruise , the time felt right to compile a list of the best jungle-set films currently streaming across all platforms. In making this list, I was guided by certain parameters like: a forest is not a jungle and, almost as importantly, the jungle needs to play a role in what happens. It doesn’t need to be a character in the film, whatever that means, but it does need to matter that it’s in the jungle.

I also wrestled with whether or not to include Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust which is as inarguably influential as it is inarguably vile in its documentary footage of the torture and mutilation of animals. I don’t have a lot of lines in movies that I don’t cross, but animal snuff is one of them. This is not to say one shouldn’t watch it if one desires a complete accounting for Italian Mondo Cane exploitation fare, and a particularly effective one at that – only that I’m going to leave it off this list because it makes me sick.

Special mention to John Woo’s incredible Bullet in the Head , not currently available for streaming in the United States, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Tropical Malady , Sam Fuller’s The Steel Helmet and Angelina Jolie’s great First They Killed My Father , that just narrowly miss the cut.

With that, all aboard, keep your hands inside the boat, and join me as we gaze upon these twelve marvels of the savage, untamed wilderness.

'Romancing The Stone' (1984)

Romancing-the-Stone

Robert Zemeckis’ warm up for Back to the Future was this action/romance featuring Kathleen Turner at the height of her popularity paired with Michael Douglas at the peak of his. What results is this grand, bawdy, sexy tale of romance-writer Turner who flies to Columbia to rescue her kidnapped sister only to herself be rescued from a band of treasure-hunting jewel thieves by Douglas’ exotic bird smuggler. That’s right. The world’s dirtiest mudslide, rounds of fisticuffs, and a crocodile pit that suggests Romancing the Stone is maybe a Peter Pan story ends with a brand new best-seller for our courageous wordsmith, and a new boat for the guy selling parrots to suburbanites. The ’80s!

Where to stream Romancing The Stone

'The Lost City of Z' (2016)

THE LOST CITY OF Z, Charlie Hunnam, 2016. ph: Aidan Monaghan /© Bleecker Street Media /Courtesy

James Gray’s epic biopic of British explorer Percy Fawcett, sent on a doomed errand to the Brazilian rainforest in pursuit of a mythical city and for the kind of social esteem that he’s denied at home. Grey is an acquired taste and has a tendency to narrate where his images don’t require it but there’s a scene early on when one of the native slaves pressed into service on his expedition tells him about the Lost City’s wonders: the multicultural eutopia thriving along streets lined with gold, that casts a shadow over the horrors of the rest of the film. “I feel sorry for you English. I am free. You will never escape the jungle” and while he may not mean it literally, the way that the natural defeats our attempts at civilization is indeed the seed of all of our inevitable destruction. It’s a beautiful film perhaps too in love with the sound of its own voice (see also Gray’s Ad Astra which would have been one of the best films of the year had it had a quarter of the monologues), but full of extraordinary moments that are difficult – some would say impossible – to shake.

Watch The Lost City of Z on Amazon Prime

'Apocalypto' (2006)

APOCALYPTO, Rudy Youngblood, Morris Bird, 2006. ©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett Collection

Certifiable insane person Mel Gibson’s certifiably insane Apocalypto represents the expenditure of a good portion of his Passion of the Christ giallo gains in the pursuit of a jungle adventure film featuring a cast of all Mayan actors, exclusively speaking Yucatec, in an approximation of early-sixteenth century Yucatan. It opens with, of all things, a tapir hunt and ends with one of the most horrific “twist” reveals in the long and storied history of such things while, between, warrior Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), after having his village raided and his pregnant wife abducted as fodder for human sacrifice, races across the mesoamerican jungle in desperate pursuit. Relentless, violent, absolutely lawless and unpredictable, it is one of the finest works of cinematic madness of all time: a film that should not exist, should not have been told by this person (who probably thinks the film has a happy ending) and, at the end, shouldn’t be nearly as fantastic as it is. 

Where to watch Apocalypto

'Fitzcarraldo' (1982)

FITZCARRALDO, Klaus Kinski, 1982, © New World/courtesy Everett Collection

The first of two Werner Herzog films on this list and already the second biopic, find here Klaus Kinski as Irishman Brian Sweeney “Fitzcarraldo” Fitzgerald who, for whatever reason, wants to pull a steamship over a mountain pass in the Amazon Basin in order to open an opera house in a rubber-rich area. In real-life, Fitzcarraldo disassembled the ship for the journey, in Herzog’s version, he drags it up and over using native bearers and logs. If you listen to the commentary you’ll hear Herzog marvel that what we are witnessing is impossible and indeed there’s a sense of the doomed conquistador in Herzog’s maniacal insistence to capture things that should not be. Started with Jason Robards and Mick Jagger (almost half was completed), the production had to start from scratch when dysentery claimed his star and a world tour claimed the Rolling Stones frontman. Rumor has it that one of the native extras in the film offered to murder Kinski on behalf of Herzog and lose the body in the jungle. All behind the scenes drama aside, there’s something almost religious about Fitzcarraldo : mesmeric, hallucinogenic, and shockingly, only the second best jungle movie in Herzog’s career.

Where to stream Fitzcarraldo

'Death In The Garden' (1956)

DEATH IN THE GARDEN, (aka LE MORT EN CE JARDIN, aka THE DIAMOND HUNTERS, aka EVIL EDEN, aka GINA), C

The film is a parable of Franco’s Spain from which surrealist Luis Bunuel had exiled himself in Mexico for a brief, productive, few years: a cruel, ironic satire the venal brokenness of men that leads inevitably to intractable classism and fascism. We’re just monkeys in clothes and however we use civilization to disguise that, our behaviors are only ever driven by the desire to accumulate resources in the pursuit of sexual access and material resources. Opening with a miners’ revolt against a government annexation, what at first appears to be a socialist parable quickly becomes a far more thorny, more interesting too, tale of hypocrisy and betrayal. Georges Marhcal is a mercenary who leads a small band of refugees fleeing the government suppression of the labor uprising. His charges include a prostitute (Simone Signoret), a priest (Michel Piccoli), and an old miner and his hearing-imparied daughter (Charles Vanel and Michèle Girardon). After finding themselves near-starving deep in the jungle, they discover a plane wreck and begin to reestablish a civilization every bit as corrupt and divided as the one they fled. A precursor to Bunuel’s own Viridiana as well as American New Wave classics like Night Moves , really, everyone should have known better as soon as they discovered the mercenary’s name was “Shark.”

Watch Death In The Garden on Kanopy

'The Mosquito Coast' (1986)

THE MOSQUITO COAST, Hilary Gordon, River Phoenix, Harrison Ford, 1986, © Warner Brothers/courtesy Ev

Harrison Ford and Peter Weir, the world as their oyster after Witness , follow-up with this pitch-dark Paul Schrader adaptation of Paul Theroux’s cautionary tale about a guy just smart enough about Capitalism and its ills to destroy his family in the jungle where he takes them to escape it. An urgent picture that would’ve been more at home ten years earlier, it’s only now being resurrected (and remade as a multi-part limited television series on Apple TV+) as our anti-hero’s warnings begin to ring like prophecy in our pandemic-broken age. I’ve written about it previously in greater detail in these pages, here .

Where to watch The Mosquito Coast

'Red Dust' (1932)

RED DUST, from left, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, 1932

Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Mary Astor are three points of a torrid love triangle in Victor Fleming’s pre-code Red Dust . Released during that two-year period between Hollywood promising to behave itself and actually behaving itself, Harlow plays a prostitute working Gable’s Indochinese rubber plantation. She sets her eyes on Gable as a way out of her life of “not sleeping at night, anyway” and Gable, for his part, sets his eyes on well-to-do socialite Astor who represents for him the same sort of social upgrade. The natural world acts as analogue to the passions roiling between these three, very sweaty, performers in a brew so combustible Gable was partnered with Harlow for another five outings. And folks who think Harlow was just a pretty face, note her heartbreak when she discovers that her hopes are being dashed. She’s the predecessor in a lot of ways to Giulietta Masina’s Cabiria. I should mention, too, that what some see as a horrifying depiction of Asians in this film, I see as an accurate reflection of how Asians are still viewed in America. There’s a scene in the new Jungle Cruise where a character is mocked for bringing tennis rackets to the jungle – it could be a reference to Red Dust .

Watch Red Dust on The Criterion Channel

'Predator' (1987)

Predator

The quintessential film of the 1980s is this John McTiernan jungle actioner in which all the wrath of the American military complex (secret weapon: arrogant sense of invincibility) is undone by an invisible extraterrestrial sport hunter. Arnold Schwartzenegger, the unlikeliest of the stable of unlikely beefy ’80s matinee idols, stars as “Dutch,” sent into the jungles of Central America on a rescue mission to find themselves the most dangerous game for one of the decade’s key bogeys. A re-litigation of the Vietnam War in which we lead with our sense of superiority to be sent packing with our tails between our legs, again, the victim as we always are of our exceptional hubris. Broadly considered the blockbuster era, a reconsideration of the films of the ’80s finds it thick with these revolutionary salvos. Nowhere more than in this film where the jungle, at times, seems to literally come alive.

Where to stream Predator

'Sorcerer' (1977)

SORCERER, 1977

William Friedkin’s jungle adventure finds a band of miscreants and outcasts in a Latin American backwater, the beneficiaries, if you’d call them that, of a sequence of events including a Palestinian rebellion, Irish gang activity, Nazis and charges of insider trading. It seems a jumble until you realize that Sorcerer is about greed and the stain of colonialism, all rolled into the metaphor of a treacherous 200 mile truck ride transporting a shipment of nitroglycerin across, among other things, a rotted out wood bridge. With the jungle literally on fire because of their avarice and desperation, the only quiet part of the film comes in a last dance. It’s home to Roy Scheider’s best performance in a career packed with superlative performances – and though derided at the time, it’s since been acknowledged as one of the great films of the greatest decade of American film.

Where to stream Sorcerer

'Princess Mononoke' (1997)

Princess Mononoke

Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki’s ecological fantasy is epic in scope and absolutely stunning in execution. It’s as incredible an action film as it is a sociological document and the key moment in which the story moves involves a band of former prostitutes who prove to be formidable in the face of intimidation. In it, a cursed Prince, dying of a deadly contagion, meets a spirit of the wood – well, lots of them – but namely Princess Mononoke with whom he forges an uneasy alliance to combat the corrupting influences of industrialized pollution. It’s a Romanticist tract in that way – an adaptation in spirit of William Blake’s “Tyger Tyger” where the natural world stands in terror of the encroachment of man. Its images are profound and indelible.

Watch Princess Mononoke on HBO Max

'Apocalypse Now' (1979)

Apocalypse Now

Francis Ford Coppola famously said that he wasn’t making a film about Vietnam, that Apocalypse Now was Vietnam. Ridiculous and a little offensive, the spirit of this statement does capture the madness and scale of a machine that has jumped its tracks and ended up somehow as something very much like a diary of hallucinatory doom and madness. By turns epic and intimate, this loose adaptation of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness can also be read as the shadow of The Wizard of Oz in which various aspects of the American unconscious are sent upriver to find a soldier, Marlon Brando, who has gone far, far off the reservation. One of the most transformative movie-going experiences of all time, one can mark their experience as the time before they’ve seen this film and the time after. Though I place myself in the deep minority on this, I prefer the “Redux” version that adds a soul-sick sequence with Playboy Bunnies stranded by typhoon and the derided “French Plantation” scene that, for me, works as an uncanny, almost surrealistic, reprieve in the middle of all this incredible weight of evil. We never left the jungle. We died there.

Where to stream Apocalypse Now: Redux

'Aguirre The Wrath Of God' (1972)

AGUIRRE WRATH OF GOD MOVIE

Herzog’s masterpiece is one of the world’s masterpieces as mad Aguirre (Kinski) betrays his conquistador Pizarro to found the “purest nation” under heaven for Spain and God. Like Apocalypse Now , natural disasters plagued the production and, like Coppola’s film again, Aguirre incorporated the disasters into the body of the film. Its first shot, of an endless train of Spaniards and their native bearers traversing an impassable mountain pass, is unearthly, insane, and Kinski’s performance – which he modeled after a crab – matches the chaotic evil of it note for note. As the doomed expedition progresses, the jungle seems to come alive, picking off our antiheroes one after another. An image of horse abandoned by a corpulent, petulant nobleman, is one that I have never been able to shake. Popul Vuh provides one of world cinema’s great scores and the stories of its making are as fascinating and engaging as the film itself. No small feat as Aguirre the Wrath of God is a foundational picture for any film education. Oh – curiously enough, Jungle Cruise appears to be a part of the Aguirre cinematic universe, so whatever you think of the film, it’s done some research.

Walter Chaw is the Senior Film Critic for filmfreakcentral.net . His book on the films of Walter Hill, with introduction by James Ellroy, is due in 2021. His monograph for the 1988 film MIRACLE MILE is available now.

Where to watch Aguirre Wrath of God

  • Prime Video

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Top 18 Safari Movies to watch before your African Safari

  • January 29, 2020
  • Author & Photographer: Teri Didjurgis

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. ( Disclosures )

Films to inspire your African Safari

My earliest memory of opening up a National Geographic magazine was seeing elephants, lion, zebras, rhinos and other animals in Africa along with tribes and cultures so distant to mine.

Going on safari has been a dream to have a unique experience of seeing this wildlife adventure, experiencing different cultures and spectacular scenery! 

Until my first trip to Africa, I explored through these safari films featuring the breathtaking landscapes, historical events of locals and human interactions with wildlife and the stars of the savannah featuring conservation programs and struggles to preserve them.

Out of Africa Movie

Out of Africa (1985)

  • Available on Amazon

The movie, Out of Africa , inspired many a traveler to take a trip to Africa and specifically Kenya. The movie features breathtaking scenery of Kenya including the areas around Nairobi and the Maasai Mara.

The movie, based on the book by Karen Blixen , is a memoir of her life in the early 1900’s in Kenya, then known as British East Africa to colonists. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford play the lead characters for this romance, though I believe the true romance of the film is Karen falling in love with the land and people of Kenya.

Karen writes and reveals in the movie her own personal experience as a woman in this time period running a coffee plantation in spite of her absent husband and interactions with locals many of which were part of the infamous Happy Valley Set of the Kenya Colony in the 1920’s. The story touches on events of the time including colonialism, World War I, shooting safaris and her interactions with the local Kikuyu tribe. A distance time.

On a trip to Kenya, you can visit her home and conversations with the locals will reveal that the love went both ways. Karen introduced Kenya to many in the world both through her 1937 book and the subsequent 1985 Academy Award winning film.

Gorillas in the Mist Movie

Gorillas in the Mist (1988)

Gorillas in the Mist is another true story based on the life of Dian Fossey. The story tells the tale of the naturalist, played by Sigourney Weaver, and her relationship with the group of primates she studies in the Congo.

Studying them at close quarters, Fossey develops a means of communicating with the gorillas, and in so doing becomes obsessed with the beasts’ well-being. Appalled by the poaching of the gorillas for their skins, Fossey complains to the Ugandan government, which dismisses her by explaining that poaching is the only means by which some of the Ugandan natives can themselves survive.

With the threat of poachers hovering in the background and strife all around in Rwanda, there’s high drama as well as some magnificent footage of real gorillas in their natural habitat.

BBC Africa

BBC Africa (2013)

The BBC created this incredible six-part mini series, BBC Africa , on Africa’s wild places and wildlife.

Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, he takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through on of the most diverse places on earth including the Kalahari desert, the Sahara Desert, the savannah of East Africa, and jungles of the Congo as well as diverse wildlife including black rhinos, mountain gorillas, and much more of Africa’s amazing wildlife.

The Last Lions Movie

The Last Lions (2012)

From the lush wetlands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, this documentary focuses on one lioness, named Ma di Tau (“Mother of Lions”), as she tries to protect her cubs against the many threats they face in the wild including poaching.

The Last Lions is a documentary film about the heartbreaking decline of the lion population in Africa. Fifty years ago there were close to 500 million lions in Africa. Today there are around 20,000.

Lions, unlike elephants which are far more numerous, have virtually no protection under government mandate or through international accords. The safari eco-tourist industry brings in over 200 billion dollars per year with lions being a top “must-see” and yet little is done to protect the lions. In addition, big cats are at the very top of the food chain and their elimination would wreak havoc on all species below them in ecosystem collapse.

The documentary was made in collaboration between National Geographic and their Explorers-in-Residence, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, who are filmmakers from Botswana. The film is narrated by Jeremy Irons.

The Ivory Game

The Ivory Game

  • Available on Netflix

It takes 2 seconds seeing a parade of elephants in the wild to be enthralled by these highly intelligent and emotional beasts. The interactions between the young bulls and then groups of mothers and their calves show the complexity of their family relationships.

The movie, Ivory Game , is a documentary revealing the Ivory Trade industry endangering the elephants. The filmmakers show all side of this Ivory industry from the insatiable Chinese market and the local poachers to the wildlife conversationalists and government programs to save the elephants.

I watched this movie on the night before I went on a week long safari in Tanzania where the documentary is partially filmed. As a tourist, I just in awe of seeing these animals, but the documentary provided the rich context of ecosystems in Africa where local poachers living in poverty are enticed to sell off the expensive ivory by dealers and also local people are losing crops when the elephants migrate.

The filmmakers looks at all sides working on solutions to save both the elephants and locals interests while stopping the Ivory Trade.

Born Free Movie

Born Free (1966)

Born Free  is a 1966 British drama film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy and George Adamson, a real-life couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood, and released her into the wilderness of Kenya.

At a national park in Kenya, English game warden George Adamson (Bill Travers) and his wife, Joy (Virginia McKenna), care for three orphaned lion cubs. The lion cubs parents were killed after attacking villagers.

After the two larger lions are shipped off to a zoo in the Netherlands, the smallest of the three, Elsa, stays with the couple. When Elsa is blamed for causing an elephant stampede in the nearby village, head warden John Kendall (Geoffrey Keen) demands the young lion either be trained to survive in the wilds of the Serengeti or be sent to a zoo.

The making of the film was a life-changing experience for actors Virginia McKenna and her husband Bill Travers, who became animal rights activists and were instrumental in creating the  Born Free Foundation .

To Walk with Lions Movie

To Walk with Lions (1999)

To Walk with Lions  is a 1999 film directed by Carl Schultz and starring Richard Harris as George Adamson. 

It follows the later years of wild game preserver/naturalist Adamson whose life was transformed into an animal activist after his experience saving a lion cub shown in the movie Born Free .

After his marriage to Joy Adamson ended, Adamson spent the latter part of his life protecting the lions and other wildlife in the Kora National Reserve, Kenya. His program helps ease zoo-bred lions into their natural habitat. The fact-based film focuses on his struggle against poachers and government corruption blocking his quest for wildlife preservation.

The Ghost & the Darkness Movie

The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)

Set in 1898 and starring Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas, The Ghost and the Darkness is based on the true story of two lions in East Africa that killed dozens of people working on a railroad.

Sir Robert Beaumont (Tom Wilkinson) is behind schedule on a railroad in Africa. Enlisting noted engineer John Henry Patterson (Val Kilmer) to right the ship, Beaumont expects results. Everything seems great until the crew discovers the mutilated corpse of the project’s foreman (Henry Cele), seemingly killed by a lion. After several more attacks, Patterson calls in famed hunter Charles Remington (Michael Douglas), who has finally met his match in the bloodthirsty lions.

Don’t let this movie put you off safaris. This true story will highlight the struggles in Africa between local populations, development and wildlife that has been a part of their story for over a hundred years.

The Lion King Movie

The Lion King (1994)

When you think of safaris and big game, it’s hard not to immediately imagine the Circle of Life scene from the beginning of Disney’s epic African adventure,  The Lion King . It might be animation and talking lions rather than real life nature scenes, but adults and kids alike can’t fail to be inspired to take a safari holiday after watching Simba on screen.

The Disney imagineers definitely did their homework. On safari, you will find many of the names of the animals are Swahili and the characteristics of the animals is spot on. I especially saw it in cranky old bachelor lions and the Pummba.

The Legends of Tarzan Movie

The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

Everyone’s favorite jungle hero has been the subject of many films over the Hollywood years.

In The Legend of Tarzan , it’s been nearly a decade since Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård), also known as John Clayton III, left Africa to live in Victorian England with his wife Jane.

Danger lurks on the horizon as Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz), a treacherous envoy for King Leopold, devises a scheme that lures the couple to the Congo.

Rom plans to capture Tarzan and deliver him to an old enemy in exchange for diamonds. When Jane becomes a pawn in his devious plot, Tarzan must return to the jungle to save the woman he loves.

Other Disney Animated versions

  • Tarzan (2014)
  • The Jungle Book (2016)
  • The Jungle Book (1967)

I will always be partial to The Jungle Book (1967) for the music.  You can’t help but hum “The Bare Necessities”  or “I wanna be like you” after hearing it.

Road to Zanzibar Movie

Road to Zanzibar (1941)

Road to Zanzibar is a trip back to old Hollywood. 

After the success of contemporary films in the safari genre, Bob Hope parodies African adventures with this farce.

The movie is classic Hollywood with ridiculous scenarios including love triangles, races through the jungle, swimming with leopards and plenty of jewels, the fast-paced comedy is a fun trip.

The African Queen Movie

The African Queen (1952)

Another one from old Hollywood, Th e African Queen focuses on life in Africa during World War II.

After religious spinster’s (Katharine Hepburn) missionary brother is killed in WWI Africa, dissolute steamer captain (Humphrey Bogart) offers her safe passage. She’s not satisfied so she persuades him to destroy a German gunboat. The two spend most of their time fighting with each other rather than the Germans. In true Hollywood fashion, time alone on the river leads to love.

The movie, shot in Uganda and the Congo, was one of the first movies to use real locations and backgrounds.

White Hunter Black Heart Movie

White Hunter Black Heart (1990)

Clint Eastwood’s film is based loosely on the experiences of writer Peter Viertel and director John Huston on the set of The African Queen . 

Love trumps in the 1950s classic The Africa Queen, but White Hunter Black Heart is much darker and explores the morality of hunting wild animals.

Hard-living, macho movie director John Wilson (Clint Eastwood) arrives in 1950s Zimbabwe to prepare for his next film. Accompanied by screenwriter Pete Verrill (Jeff Fahey), Wilson becomes far more interested in shooting an elephant than getting ready for the shoot.

Determined, Wilson moves production to a village where a native hunter helps him in his quest. Obsessed with this goal even as filming grows ever more chaotic, the director begins to question the ethics and origins of his fixation.

King Solomon's Mines Movie

King Solomon’s Mines (1950)

King Solomon’s Mines , based on H. Rider Haggard’s novel is about a rescue party that sets out to find an explorer who has disappeared on an African treasure hunt.

The search leads the party across the continent and through the terrors of jungle, swamp, and desert.

Their ultimate destination is the fabled lost mine of Solomon, a source of unimaginable wealth and deadly danger.

There is also a 1985 version of King Solomon’s Mines starring Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone, which has a more Indiana Jones feel.

Mogambo Movie

Mogambo (1953)

In M ogambo , Victor Marswell (Clark Gable) is a big-game hunter in Kenya. After Eloise Kelly (Ava Gardner) is stood up by a friend there, she falls in with Marswell.

Shortly thereafter, the Nordleys (Grace Kelly, Donald Sinden) arrive for a gorilla safari. Mrs. Nordley, disillusioned with her husband, takes a liking to Marswell, and the two have a brief affair. Kelly grows jealous, and the two women engage in a battle of wills over the hunter, while Mr. Nordley remains oblivious to it all. 

This is an old classic Hollywood triangle filmed in Kenya and Uganda. The music featured in the film was mostly performed by local native tribes.

Hatari Movie

Hatari! (1962)

Hatari , meaning “Danger” in Swahili , stars the legendary John Wayne takes the cowboy from the Old West to the African landscape. Filmed in Tanzania in the Ngorongoro Crater, this old Hollywood film is about a group of who traps animals for zoos. While not an activity I endorse today, this was the historical reality at the time.

A female wildlife photographer joins the group to document and finds herself the mother of baby elephants she tries to save.

The movie features the amazing scenery and wildlife of Tanzania and I recognized many of the places still from my recent safari.

The Naked Prey Movie

The Naked Prey (1966)

The Naked Prey is set in the South African veld. This eerie movie starring Cornel Wilde is a dark tale that switched the traditional roles of a hunting safari.

The guide leads a troop of hunters through a tribe’s colony to start the hunt, but when the group offends the locals, he finds himself in the role of the animals – naked and being chased through the landscape by warriors from the tribe.

Young Indiana Jones Chronicales

Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Passion for Life

The Young Indiana Jones is a TV series, created by Steven Spielberg, featuring a 10 and later 17-year-old Indiana Jones on his adventures in his early year.  The set includes 3 seasons and 24 episodes

The “Passion for Life” episode focuses on a 10-year-old Indiana Jones as he goes on safari with his parent in British East Africa in September 1910.

Young Jones befriends a Massai boy named Meto who helps him in his search for the rare Fringe-Eared Oryx for former US President Teddy Roosevelt.

The scenery is spectacular and in typical Indiana Jones style, an adventure ensues as Indy finds himself in the middle of it all.   The episode is one hour, but the DVD set also has a complimentary disc with documentaries exploring the themes in each episode with historical clips and commentary.

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Top 11 Movies About the Amazon Jungle

Spotlights Illuminate In The Forest At Night

Looking for movies about the Amazon Jungle? The largest rainforest in the world, at over 2.3 million miles squared, is home to over 5,000 species of known fish (including the infamous piranha!), over 1,800 species of known birds, and the largest river in the world. The unknown of this vast wilderness intrigues film directors and movie producers alike, often experimenting with stories about the mythical giant anaconda or the traditional healing powers of Amazonian shaman. Browse through our list of films about the Amazon jungle and set a few aside for your next Netflix binge!

1. Embrace of the Serpent

The Embrace of the Serpent had a very successful year on its launch in 2016. The film won various film festival awards and was nominated at the Oscars for Best Foreign Picture. The movie is a beautifully depicted story of the relationship between Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and last survivor of his people, and two scientists who work together over the course of 40 years to search the Amazon for a sacred healing plant.

2. Medicine Man

Another great movie, starring Sean Connery, tells the tale of an eccentric scientist working on a research project in the Amazon rainforest, for the large drug company he works for. When he believes he is close to finding the cure for cancer, he sends for a research assistant, who in his terms, is a “mere woman.” Eventually bulldozers get closer to the area in which they are conducting research so they learn to work together, and begin falling in love.

3. The Emerald Forest

Based on a true story, after the son of engineer Bill Markham is abducted by an aboriginal tribe on the edge of the Brazilian rainforest, the engineer spends the next 10 years searching for him. When he finally finds him, he discovers that his son is part of a tribe which has raised him and molded him into a man. He does not want to leave.

4. Fitzcarraldo

An obsessed opera lover, Fitzcarraldo wants to build an opera in the jungle. To accomplish this he first has to make a fortune in the rubber business, and his cunning plan involves hauling an enormous river boat across a small mountain with aid from the local Indians.

5. The Mission

A Spanish Jesuit goes into the Amazon jungle wilderness to build a mission in the hope of converting the Indians of the region. Robert DeNiro plays a slave hunter who is converted and joins in on the mission. When Spain sells the colony to Portugal, they are forced to defend all they have built against the Portuguese aggressors.

6. End of the Spear

This is a story about Mincayani, a Waodani tribesman from the jungles of Ecuador. When five young missionaries, are speared to death by the Waodani in 1956, a series of events unfold to change the lives of not only the slain missionaries’ families, but also Mincayani and his people.

7. The Forest

Alberto is a young Portuguese monarchist who in 1912 is exiled to Brazil. There, he is contracted by Velasco, a Spanish overseer, to work in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Alberto discovers a strange and wild world, in which the tribesmen, the fever and the madness of the men are daily dangers.

8. Anaconda

For those of you who enjoy cheesy horror flicks, Anaconda is for you. This movie is about a film crew who travel to the Amazon rainforest in order to shoot a documentary about the Shirishamas, a long-lost Indian tribe. The crew’s director, Terri Flores (Jennifer Lopez), gets taken hostage by a snake hunter who is going after the legendary, Giant Anaconda. Despite receiving negative reviews from critics, the movie was a box-office hit.

9. Amazonia

Amazonia is an educational film that takes place in the Amazon jungle. It follows the story of Sai, a capuchin monkey who was born and raised in captivity. After a plane crash, Sai finds himself alone and lost deep in the wilderness of the Amazon rainforest.

10. The Sacred Science

This is a documentary film about 8 people who travel from the Western world to live in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest for one month. They came to the jungle in hopes of finding a cure for their physical or personal illnesses that modern medicine did not heal. These men and women take part in powerful healing practices from traditional indigenous medicine men, who work with old plant remedies and spiritual disciplines.

11. David Beckham Into the Unknown

Before his fellow countrymen took to the field to face Italy in the 2014 World Cup in Manaus, the host city in the Brazilian Amazon, his Showtime documentary, “David Beckham Into the Unknown,” premiered, following the retired footballer on a motorcycle journey of self-discovery in the Brazilian rainforest, traversing the Amazon on a quest for freedom and adventure. Beautifully-shot and directed by award-winning director Anthony Mandler, this humbling documentary portrays the impact a rainforest experience can have on all of us, no matter how rich or famous.

Have you seen any of these movies about the Amazon jungle? Feeling curious and hoping to visit the rainforest, perhaps on one of our Amazon river cruises ? Contact us for more information.

While Rainforest Cruises aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information herein or found by following any link on this site. Rainforest Cruises cannot and will not accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies, or for any consequences arising therefrom, including any losses, injuries, or damages resulting from the display or use of this information.

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19 Inspirational Safari Movies

Watch a classic safari movie before you go.

Getting excited about an upcoming African safari holiday? Hollywood has a long history of creative safari movies about all things Africa and wildlife – dating back to 1932’s “Congorilla” documentary of jungle and savannah wildlife activity in Belgian Congo (now D.R. Congo).

The genre has evolved over the decades, meaning there is now a good choice of films available to bring the magic of the safari experience into your living room. Check out our list below of the most inspirational safari movies to watch before you go – the first section of the list features traditional movies, and the latter section focusses on documentary safari movies. All are highly recommended and well worth viewing!

Out of Africa

A Hollywood classic, Out of Africa is one of those rare films that you can’t fail to fall in love with. Whether you’re watching it for the dazzling scenery of the Kenyan landscapes or the drama and romance, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford make for compelling viewing in this tale of Africa, war, and wildlife.

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Gorillas in the Mist

Like Out of Africa , the movie is based on a true story, but here the similarities end. Instead of a romantic interest, Gorillas in the Mist tells the tale of naturalist Sigourney Weaver’s touching relationship with the group of primates she studies in the Rwandan jungle . With the threat of poachers hovering in the background and strife all around in Rwanda, there’s high drama as well as some magnificent footage of real gorillas in their natural habitat.

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The Lion King

When you think of safaris and big game, it’s hard not to immediately imagine the Circle of Life scene from the beginning of Disney’s epic African adventure, The Lion King. It might be animation and talking lions rather than real-life nature scenes, but adults and kids alike can’t fail to be inspired to take a safari holiday after watching Simba on screen!

Lion King fan? Read our take on Hakuna Matata meaning .

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The African Queen

An old fashioned tale of action, romance, and daring exploits in the wilds of the jungle, The African Queen is a fantastic romp with two of the era’s best-loved actors – Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Shot in Uganda and the Congo, it was one of the first movies to use real locations and backgrounds which adds an unparalleled realism to the story.

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White Hunter Black Heart

Clint Eastwood’s film is based loosely on the experiences of writer Peter Viertel and director John Huston on the set of The Africa Queen. But whilst love triumphs over all in the 1950s classic, this movie is much darker and explores the morality of hunting wild animals. When filmmaker John Wilson becomes obsessed with the safari and elephants, disaster begins to stir. White Hunter Black Heart is a must watch!

[amazon box=”B003AWRMCY” template=”vertical”]

This interesting film starring the legendary John Wayne removes the cowboy from his favourite setting and transports him to a vast African landscape. Filmed in Tanzania , it’s a dramatic story about a group of hunters, a female wildlife photographer and the race to save a group of baby elephants from a terrible fate – life in a zoo. With exhilarating wildlife chases and magnificent Mount Meru providing a dramatic backdrop, Hatari! is a thrilling romp of a safari movie.

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Road to Zanzibar

After the success of contemporary films in the safari genre, Bob Hope parodies African adventures with this comic farce. Involving love triangles, races through the jungle, swimming with leopards and plenty of jewels, the fast-paced comedy is a fun trip set in 1940’s Africa.

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The Naked Prey

Set in the veld of South Africa, The Naked Prey is an eerie movie starring Cornel Wilde in a dark tale that switches the traditional roles of a hunting safari. The guide (Wilde) leads a troop of hunters through an African tribe to start the hunt, but when the group offends the locals, he finds himself in the role of the animals – naked and being chased through the landscape by warriors from the tribe.

[amazon box=”B07FMQ2H51″ template=”vertical”]

Everyone’s favourite African jungle hero has been the subject of many films over the Hollywood years, but in 1999 Disney gave him a 3D makeover and plenty of animated jungle action before the happy ending with Jane. Featuring a paranoid elephant and a smart-mouthed gorilla, Tarzan   is a family film that brings the jungle to life with sweeping scenes.

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Married couple George Adamson and Joy Adamson live in northern Kenya for George’s work as a senior game warden. After George’s team have to kill a man-eating lion and its lioness, their three young female cubs being orphaned. Although difficult to begin with, George and Joy wean and take care of the three cubs, who they adopt as pets. Born Free is a classic film about safari life in Africa, heartwarming, and with stunning human – big cat interaction.

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To Walk With Lions

To Walk With Lions follows the later years of the life of George Adamson who was featured saving a lion cub in the safari movie Born Free . His life was transformed with this action, and he went on to become a lifelong animal activist. Well worth a watch in tandem with Born Free .

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Something of an amusingly naff found footage film set in the South African bush. In a wild corner of the country, a young Zulu girl teams up with an American tourist group on safari. The group enters an uncharted area where they are forced to face the untamed wild.

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Documentary Safari Movies:

The six-part mini-series, narrated by David Attenborough, takes an in-depth look at various African habitats and the wildlife that inhabit them. Each episode is wonderful, and the highlights for pre-safari viewing are on the African deserts – the Kalahari, Namib, and Sahara, the savanna of East Africa, and the rainforests of the Congo Basin.

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The Last Lions

This is a feature-length National Geographic documentary filmed in Botswana’s Okavango Delta region  and narrated by Jeremy Irons. It focusses on one lioness raising her cubs and protecting them against the many threats they face, including poaching. Whilst the film is about this one mother, it deals more broadly with the decline of the African lion from a population of many millions in the 20th century to just 20,000 today.

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The Ivory Game

This 2016 documentary examines the global ivory trade and the various actors sustaining and fighting it, examine the actions of governments, environmental preservationists, poachers, and ivory merchants. The film takes viewers from the elephant’s home ranges in Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia to China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam where ivory is seen as a status symbol, and demand is rife. As with so many other movies on this list, it’s one that’s well worth watching if you hope to see elephants on your next safari.

Watch now on Netflix

the ivory game

Battle at Kruger

OK, we know it’s not actually a safari move, but no list of this nature would be complete without reference to the most epic homemade safari video ever! If you’ve not yet seen it, set aside eight minutes right now to watch this confrontation between a herd of buffalo , a pride of lions and a crocodile . (Read up on battle at Kruger .)

Any classic safari movies we’re missing from the list? Please let us know in the comments below! Made it to the end of our safari film list and still have itchy feet? Check out these 50 movies to inspire wanderlust .

Other significant African movies

Whilst not specifically safari movies, these films listed below are all set – and filmed – in Africa, where the landscape and culture play a significant part. All well worth adding to your ‘to watch’ list before you take a safari!

Blood Diamond (2006)

Leonardo DiCaprio stars in a  war thriller smuggling diamonds, set against the backdrop of the Sierra Leone civil war.

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Hotel Rwanda (2004)

This moving drama is based on the true story of Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager of  Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali during the Rwandan civil war.

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The Last King of Scotland (2006)

A historical drama about Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan who becomes the personal physician and close confidante of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

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19 Inspirational Safari Movies To Watch Before You Go 1

BORN FREE should also be included in this list. One of the best African / Kenya / Safari movies ever!!

19 Inspirational Safari Movies To Watch Before You Go 2

Great shout Vince – added!

19 Inspirational Safari Movies To Watch Before You Go 3

My candidate for the single best safari film of all time is King Solomon’s Mines, the one with Debra Kerr and Stewart Granger (it made him an international star). It was the third of five filmings of H. Rider Haggard’s novel.

It had the most authentic tribesmen, and its iconic drum music was recycled in countless safari “B” movies as well as in John Ford’s Mogambo, another good African movie.

I’m going to have to check that one out David, thanks for the recommendation!

19 Inspirational Safari Movies To Watch Before You Go 5

Nowhere in africa

19 Inspirational Safari Movies To Watch Before You Go 6

Safari movies: Mogambo, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, The Ghost and the Darkness

All around Africa movies: The Power of One,Tarzan: The Legend of Greystoke, Cry Freedom, Hotel Rwanda, Sometimes in April, Blood Diamond

Hey Mark – some excellent choices there, and a couple I haven’t seen yet. Will check them out, thanks!

19 Inspirational Safari Movies To Watch Before You Go 8

Pls I want to know the name of a comedy movie in Africa jungle where in one occasion in the movie African man was squatting then a helicopter with rope hanging catched his pants and continue flying then the man eventually got his head straight into a hippopotamus’s anus.

19 Inspirational Safari Movies To Watch Before You Go 9

One I enjoyed from my childhood was A Far Off Place, starring Reese Witherspoon.

Thanks for the tip – I’ve not heard of that one, will check it out!

Oh, and George of the Jungle and Sahara. I realize they’re not Safari films, but set in Africa, at least.

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34 Movies That Will Make You Want to Get Off the Couch and See the World

From "The Holiday" to "Romancing the Stone" to "Eat Pray Love," these travel movies will inspire some serious wanderlust.

jungle travel movies

There's nothing like an epic on-screen adventure to get you acquainted with some place new and dreaming up an enviable vacation itinerary. For me (and basically all my childhood friends), this first happened following a viewing of Disney's "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" back in 2003, when Hilary Duff's character traveled to Rome to live out every teen's parent-free European fantasy. Though I've graduated to more mature travel movies over the last 18 years, one thing hasn't changed: films with gorgeous backdrops give me an unruly case of wanderlust.

From classics like "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Roman Holiday" to modern masterpieces such as "Wild" and "Crazy Rich Asians," travel films tend to ignite a longing for freedom and excitement. Maybe it's the sight of beaches on your screen triggering a phenomenon known as Blue Mind , or maybe watching a couple of pals take to the open road for a life changing road trip just makes you want to feel unconfined. Whatever it is, sometimes a travel film is all you need to provoke that feeling. That's why we've rounded up, in no particular order, 34 of the best travel movies that inspire wanderlust. Maybe they'll be cause for a change of scenery — or maybe they'll incite the adventure of a lifetime.

'Thelma & Louise' (1991)

Widely regarded as one of the best road trip movies of all time, this buddy film follows best friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) as they drive through the American Southwest after Louise kills a man in Arkansas.

'The Holiday' (2006)

A Hollywood movie trailer producer (Cameron Diaz) and a London reporter (Kate Winslet) decide to switch homes for a few weeks after finding out their respective boyfriends have been cheating on them. The results offer enough glamor shots of Los Angeles and cozy footage of England's countryside to make you want to pack up and head to either city immediately.

'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018)

Though this movie revolves around the conflict between New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and her boyfriend's wealthy family, "Crazy Rich Asians" could pass as a tourism film for Singapore . If the Southeast Asian country wasn't on your bucket list before, this film's dazzling shots of Singapore, specifically the acclaimed Marina Bay Sands Hotel , may convince you.

'Wild' (2014)

Based on a true story, "Wild" sees Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) hike more than a thousand miles from California to Washington on the Pacific Crest Trail following her divorce and the death of her mother. On her journey, Cheryl treks through the Mojave Desert , the Sierra Nevada, and Mount Hood National Forest while reflecting on her life.

'Eat Pray Love' (2010)

After her divorce, Elizabeth (Julia Roberts) sets off to explore the world with hopes of finding herself in the process. Elizabeth's inspiring and uplifting journey takes her — and viewers — to Italy , India , and Indonesia where she discovers the pleasure of nourishment, prayer, and romance.

'La La Land' (2016)

Admittedly, this musical doesn't feature much traveling (save for a brief road trip to Mia's hometown in Nevada), but the dreamy, oversaturated shots of Los Angeles in nearly every scene are enough to make anyone want to book a flight to the City of Angels.

'Before Sunrise' (1995)

Two strangers meet aboard a train from Budapest. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) is hoping to catch a flight home to the United States while Céline (Julie Delpy) is en route to Paris . Instead of sticking to their plans, the two disembark in Vienna and spend the entire night exploring the city and falling in love. A viewing of this movie will leave you longing for an epic adventure in the picturesque Austrian capital .

'National Lampoon’s Vacation' (1983)

National Lampoon 's classic comedy series is now six films strong, but it was 1983's "Vacation" that started it all. Unlike the franchise's most famous film, "Christmas Vacation," the original movie sees the Griswolds actually hit the road for a trip to Walley World, an amusement park several states away. After you watch Chevy Chase's hilarious hijinks unfold in this film, let sequels "European Vacation" and "Vegas Vacation" inspire further travels.

'The Darjeeling Limited' (2007)

After the death of their father, three estranged brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman) decide to hop aboard a train in India called The Darjeeling Limited to reconnect and experience spiritual self-discovery. Viewers catch glimpses of the Indian countryside, Hindu temples, and eventually the Himalayas — but not without a few jokes along the way.

'Up' (2009)

Arguably the most heart-wrenching animated film of all time, "Up" earns a spot on our list thanks to adorably grumpy widower Carl Fredricksen's determination to fulfill his own wanderlust. With the help of thousands of balloons and a young sidekick named Russell, Carl and his house soar across the world on an incredible journey that culminates at Paradise Falls (based on Angel Falls in Venezuela).

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981)

"Raiders" kicks off the iconic Indiana Jones series with a quest to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant. On his journey, Indy (Harrison Ford) makes stops in Nepal , Egypt , and the Aegean Sea , and, of course, famously runs from a giant rolling boulder in a temple in Peru . Follow up this film with its sequels, "Temple of Doom" (1984), "Last Crusade" (1989), and "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008), to see Indy travel to Jordan , the Amazon jungle, and beyond.

'Mamma Mia!' (2008)

Few movies offer the kind of gorgeously colorful beach imagery "Mamma Mia!" and its 2018 sequel, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" provide. If you haven't seen the films, you likely know them as "the movies with all the ABBA songs." But if you have seen them, you know they're actually about three men who travel to the impossibly beautiful, albeit fictional, Greek island of Kalokairi, each believing they're the father of a young bride-to-be.

'Nomadland' (2020)

After losing her job in the town of Empire, Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) decides to sell her belongings, buy a van, and drive across the country working odd jobs. Fern travels through deserts, small towns, and nomad communes where she works, makes new friends, and learns about life. If you've ever fantasized about dropping everything and taking to the open road, "Nomadland" will probably either convince or deter you.

'Romancing the Stone' (1984)

When New York City-based romance novelist Joan Wilder's sister is kidnapped in Cartagena , Joan (Kathleen Turner) ends up on a rescue-mission-turned-treasure-hunt with adventure-seeking Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas). Don't be surprised if a viewing of this movie makes you want to trade in your annual beach vacation for a wild ride through the Colombian jungle .

'Paris, Je T’aime' (2006)

Paris, Je T'aime is different from the other films on this list in that it's not one film — it's 18 short films that all feature Paris as a central theme. Because the project is made up of 18 different stories in 18 different arrondissements around the city, viewers get a true, unfiltered sense of Paris, and may even find themselves inspired to visit lesser-known locales in the City of Light.

'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1994)

If you've ever longed to take a laughter-fueled road trip with your best friends, this film is worth a watch. In the flick, pals Tick (Hugo Weaving), Adam (Guy Pearce), and Bernadette (Terence Stamp) head out on a cross-country road trip through the Australian outback to perform their successful drag act in a new town. The trio takes up residence in an oversized tour bus called Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in this fun, ahead-of-its-time dramedy.

'RV' (2006)

While plenty of road trip movies have been made over the years, "RV" might be the only one that takes place in, well, an RV . Though the main characters in this movie face more bad luck than fun, family bonding, the film does feature generous desert , mountain , and wilderness scenery, as well as an all-star cast (Robin Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Cheryl Hines, and Josh Hutcherson are just a few that appear).

'Point Break' (2015)

Yes, we're talking about the "Point Break" remake rather than the original film from 1991, but hear us out: the imagery in this movie inspires some serious wanderlust. The story takes viewers to several of the wildest places on Earth (Mexico's Cave of Swallows, Venezuela's Angel Falls, etc.) and though the plot is slightly different from the original (think eco-terrorism rather than bank robberies), it is quiet possibly the most visually stimulating travel movie ever made.

'Girls Trip' (2017)

When was the last time you took a trip with just your core group of girlfriends? A quick watch of this comedy will have you planning your next gal pal getaway faster than you can say "PTO." In the film, a group of friends (Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, Regina Hall, and Jada Pinkett Smith) head to New Orleans , but you'll be ready to travel anywhere with your best buds after watching "Girls Trip" — even if it's just to the next town over.

'The Way' (2010)

After his son is killed walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route to Galicia, Spain, Tom Avery (Martin Sheen) sets out on the trail himself to retrieve his son's body. Along the way, Tom meets several other travelers who are walking the trail in hopes of changing their own lives for one reason or another. This inspiring film may just persuade you to make the famed pilgrimage yourself, or to book a similarly reflective trip.

'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' (2005)

If you were a teen or pre-teen in 2005, you have likely seen this movie and its 2008 sequel, and can attest that both inspire major wanderlust. The first film follows best friends Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby (who share a magical pair of jeans that fits them all perfectly) as they spend a summer in different parts of the world. Lena (Alexis Bledel) travels to Santorini, Greece , which makes for some seriously dreamy backdrops. In the sequel, the whole gang heads to Greece, but not before Bridget (Blake Lively) spends some time in Turkey .

'Up in the Air' (2009)

This George Clooney-led comedy-drama makes business travel and airports look glamorous — hospitable, even. Boasting just as many cityscape shots as it does plane scenes, "Up in the Air" will have you longing to be in the skies, jet setting off to some place new. Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga also star in this critically-acclaimed film about a man who lives out of a suitcase.

'Around the World in 80 Days' (1956)

If this classic adventure film doesn't inspire daydreams of traveling somewhere new, we're not sure what will. In 1872, Englishman Phileas Fogg makes a bet with several members of his gentleman's club that he can travel around the globe in just 80 days. On his journey, he and sidekick Jean Passepartout bring viewers along as they travel by gas balloon to France , Spain , Italy , India, Hong Kong , the United States , and more.

'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York' (1992)

The Home Alone movies usually fall under the comedy or holiday categories, but if you think about it, the second installment in the series is totally a travel movie. The film does a fantastic job of showing off the glamorous side of New York City , the place young Kevin McCallister accidentally ends up while the rest of his family vacations in Florida. From shots of the Rockefeller Christmas tree to the Manhattan skyline , this film is sure to inspire a trip to the Big Apple.

'Under the Tuscan Sun' (2003)

You won't find shots of northern Italy as serene as the ones in this feel-good film about independence, love, and friendship. After losing everything in her divorce, American writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) suddenly finds herself beginning a new life in the small Tuscan town of Cortona. And if you're anything like us, Googling "Tuscan villas for sale" will become a regular part of your life after watching this film.

'Angels & Demons' (2009)

Though "Angels & Demons" is classified as a thriller, it'll definitely make you want to head to Rome and dig up some history, both figuratively and literally. Based on the Dan Brown novel of the same name, the story follows Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) as he discovers secrets of the Vatican and faces off against the supposed Illuminati. If you're a fan, check out other Dan Brown adventure travel films, "The Da Vinci Code" (2006) and "Inferno" (2016).

'Easy Rider' (1969)

Our list features travel by plane, train , RV, and even hot air balloon , but "Easy Rider" is the only movie that follows a journey via motorcycle. In the film, drug smugglers Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) ride from Los Angeles to New Orleans in hopes of reveling at Mardi Gras to celebrate their latest score. On their journey, they stop in several small towns, make a few friends, and unsuccessfully try to evade trouble.

'Out of Africa' (1985)

If Africa doesn't currently have a spot on your bucket list, this film might make you rethink that. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this true story about Karen Blixen, a Danish woman who moves to Nairobi with her new husband, and builds a life there despite their many marital issues. "Out of Africa" features sweeping panoramic shots of Nairobi in nearly every scene, leaving it no wonder the drama won seven Academy Awards, including one for Best Cinematography.

'Johnson Family Vacation' (2004)

This family comedy starring Cedric the Entertainer, Vanessa Williams, and Solange Knowles follows the mildly dysfunctional Johnsons as they road trip to their family reunion in Missouri. On the drive, the family hilariously encounters just about every road trip cliché, from picking up a problematic hitchhiker to running out of gas, before making it to the reunion and performing a musical number to nab the coveted Family of the Year trophy.

'Midnight in Paris' (2011)

Set in present-day Paris , this Oscar-winning film is typically a favorite among art and literature lovers. At midnight each night, screenwriter Gil (Owen Wilson) is transported back in time through different eras of Paris, where he befriends Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Pablo Picasso, and even strikes up a romance with a 1920s woman named Adriana. The film offers plenty of inspiration for a culturally rich trip to France.

'The Parent Trap' (1998)

"The Parent Trap" is another film that may not immediately stand out as a travel flick, but once you take into account the film's many settings ( London , San Francisco, Napa Valley , and the northeastern U.S.), it's easy to see that this family classic has been a travel film all along. Plus, the main characters spend lots of time on planes, boats, and camping trips throughout the movie.

'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)

Carefully spliced between disturbing revelations and suspenseful plot twists are luxurious shots of Italian beaches in this Matt Damon-led film. When Tom Ripley (Damon) is paid to travel to Italy and bring Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) back to the States by Dickie's father, Tom ends up befriending — and later becoming obsessed with — Dickie. Despite the plot quickly darkening, viewers are treated to bright, colorful scenes in Rome and glamorous seaside villages .

'Roman Holiday' (1953)

Romance? Check. Stunning visuals of Rome ? Check. Audrey Hepburn? Check. This classic travel comedy lands at the top of many movie buffs' all-time favorite lists, and for good reason. Bored with her mundane life as a European princess while on a trip to Rome, Ann (Hepburn) ditches her duties and hits the town with journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). The two take viewers on a tour of the Eternal City and fall in love in the process.

'Pee-wee’s Big Adventure' (1985)

Before you roll your eyes, take a moment to acknowledge that this film essentially sends happy-go-lucky Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) on the great American road trip in search of his stolen bicycle. In this comedy for adults and children alike, Pee-wee stops at the Alamo, the Cabazon Dinosaur park in California , and Hollywood . Traveling by car, truck, and train, Pee-wee befriends a biker gang, competes in a rodeo, and of course, famously dances to "Tequila" before his journey is through.

Hillary Maglin is a digital editor who splits most of her time between New York City and Pittsburgh. You can find her on Instagram @hillarymaglin , where her DMs are always open to discuss travel gear, wine bars, and Taylor Swift's latest record.

ONE CHEL OF AN ADVENTURE

41 Best Travel Movies: Films That Inspire Wanderlust

Looking for some awesome travel films to fuel your wanderlust? Check out this list of 41 of my favorite and best travel movies to add to your watch list:

41+ Wanderlust Travel Movies

Eat, Pray, Love

One of my favorite books and movie, Eat, Pray, Love is the ultimate wanderlust/travel to find yourself kind of movie!

Watch on: Amazon , Apple TV , Google Play

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

“When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.” – IMBd

Into the Wild

“After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.” – IMDb

jungle travel movies

Photo from IMBd

Midnight in Paris

“This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. It’s about a young man’s great love for a city, Paris, and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better.” – Apple TV

jungle travel movies

“ With the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her mother, Cheryl Strayed has lost all hope. After years of reckless, destructive behavior, she makes a rash decision. With absolutely no experience, driven only by sheer determination, Cheryl hikes more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone. WILD powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddens, strengthens, and ultimately heals her.” – Google Play

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“Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young American backpacker, willing to risk his life for just one thing: the mind-blowing rush he can only get from braving the ultimate adventure. After hearing the improbable tale of a secret island – the perfect beach, unsullied by tourists – Richard sets off on a journey to find paradise on Earth. But Richard soon discovers that what seems like paradise can hide a deadly secret. Now desperate to escape, Richard explores the hidden perils and dark places that lurk just beyond the shores of paradise” – Apple TV

Best Travel Movies - The Beach

Photo from IMDb

The Darjeeling Limited

“A year after their father’s death, three American brothers who haven’t spoken since the funeral embark on a soul-searching journey across India. Their “spiritual quest”, however, veers rapidly off-course and a new, unplanned journey suddenly begins.” – Google Play

jungle travel movies

“180° South: Conquerors of the Useless follows Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia. Along the way he gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life – and prepares himself for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado. Jeff’s life turns when he meets up in a rainy hut with Chouinard and Tompkins who, once driven purely by a love of climbing and surfing, now value above all the experience of raw nature – and have come to Patagonia to spend their fortunes to protect it.” – Google Play

jungle travel movies

“Embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this visual masterpiece from Oscar winner Ang Lee*, based on the best-selling novel. After a cataclysmic shipwreck, an Indian boy named Pi finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with a ferocious Bengal tiger. Together, they face nature’s majestic grandeur and fury on an epic journey of discovery.” – Google Play

jungle travel movies

Life in a Day

“Life In A Day is a historic film capturing for future generations what it was like to be alive on the 24th of July, 2010. Executive produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald.” – on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Lost in Translation

“Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson star in this flat-out hilarious film about two Americans who develop a surprising friendship while venturing through Tokyo.” – Google Play

Traveling Movies - Lost in Translation

Maybe not a movie you’d normally find on a list of best travel movies, but I love Up! “Carl Fredrickson, a retired balloon salesman, is part rascal, part dreamer who is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, Russell, an overeager 8-year old Wildnerness Explorer who has never ventured beyond his backyard, is in the wrong place at the wrong time — Carl’s front porch! The world’s most unlikely duo reach new heights and meets fantastic friends like Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, the rare 13-foot tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life’s biggest adventures aren’t the ones you set out for.” – Google Play

jungle travel movies

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Up in the Air

“Ryan Bingham (Academy Award® winner, George Clooney) is truly living the high life. Flying all over the world on business, he never stops moving…until he meets Alex, a fellow passenger and learns that life isn’t about the journey, but the connections we make along the way.” – iTunes

Travel Movies - up in the air

Out of Africa

“Hoping to forge a better life, Denmark native Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) enters into a marriage of convenience with a womanizing baron. But when the couple moves to Nairobi, Karen falls in love with a free-spirited hunter (Robert Redford) who can’t be tied down. Director Sydney Pollack’s lush period drama earned seven Academy Awards, including statues for Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography.” – Google Play

Roman Holiday

“Roman Holiday was nominated for ten Academy Awards®, and Audrey Hepburn captured an Oscar® for her portrayal of a modern-day princess rebelling against her royal obligations who explores Rome on her own. She meets Gregory Peck, an American newspaperman who, seeking an exclusive story, pretends ignorance of her true identity. But his plan falters as they fall in love. Eddie Albert contributes to the fun as Peck’s carefree cameraman pal.” – Google Play

Travel Movies - Roman Holiday

Watch on: Sony Crackle (free) , Apple TV , Google Play

“From the producers of THE KING’S SPEECH comes this remarkable true story of Robyn Davidson, a young woman who leaves her urban life to trek through almost 2,000 miles of sprawling Australian desert . Along her journey of self-discovery, she meets National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan, who begins to photograph her life-changing voyage.” – Apple TV

Under the Tuscan Sun

“UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN follows San Francisco writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) to Italy as a good friend offers her a special gift — 10 days in Tuscany. Once there, she is captivated by its beauty and warmth, and impulsively buys an aging, but very charming, villa. Fully embracing new friends and local color, she finds herself immersed in a life-changing adventure filled with enough unexpected surprises, laughter, friendship, and romance to restore her new home — and her belief in second chances.” – Google Play

jungle travel movies

Before Sunrise

“Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star as two young people who meet–and whose lives are forever changed–on a train from Budapest to Paris. They may have only one night, but when soul mates find each other, anything can happen Before Sunrise.” – iTunes

The Endless Summer

“They call it The Endless Summer, the ultimate surfing adventure, crossing the globe in search of the perfect wave. From the uncharted waters of West Africa, to the shark-filled seas of Australia , to the tropical paradise of Tahiti and beyond, two California surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson, accomplish in a few months what most people never get to do in a lifetime – they live their dream.” – iTunes

Movies with Travel - The Endless Summer

Watch on: Amazon , Apple TV

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

“Two young American women, Vicky and Cristina come to Barcelona for a summer holiday. Vicky is sensible and engaged to be married; Cristina is emotionally and sexually adventurous.  In Barcelona, they’re drawn into a series of unconventional romantic entanglements with Juan Antonio, a charismatic painter, who is still involved with his tempestuous ex-wife Maria Elena. Set against the luscious Mediterranean sensuality of Barcelona, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA is Woody Allen’s funny and open-minded celebration of love in all its configurations.” – Google Play

Two For the Road

“ On their third identical voyage from London to the French Riviera , Joanna Wallace (Audrey Hepburn) and husband Mark (Albert Finney) explore their 12-year marriage in a series of wry and illuminating flashbacks. They reminisce about the glorious beginning of their love affair, the early years of marriage and the events that led to their subsequent infidelities. As they try to understand their relationship, they must accept how they have changed if they are to rekindle their original love… The film is arguably one of the most stylistically influential movies from the ’60s.”

Movies with Travel in it - Two for the Road

“From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.” – Disney

Watch on: Amazon , Apple TV , Google Play , or on Disney+

“John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) star in the heartfelt film that explores the comedic twists and turns in one couple’s journey across contemporary America. Anticipating the birth of their first child, longtime couple Burt and Verona embark on an ambitious itinerary to visit friends and family in order to find their perfect home.” – Universal Studios

jungle travel movies

The Bucket List

 Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star in the comedic drama The Bucket List, a touching, no- holds-barred adventure that shows it’s never too late to live life to its fullest. “Two terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die.” – IMDb

“A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.” – IMDb

Crazy Rich Asians

“This contemporary romantic comedy, based on a global bestseller, follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family.” – IMDb

This is another movie that is not necessarily about travel, but after watching it, Singapore jumped to the top of my bucket list so I had to add it to this Best Travel Movie list!

Best Travel Movies - Crazy Rich Asians

Watch on: Amazon ,   Google Play , Hulu

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The Motorcycle Diaries

“Based on a true life story, The Motorcycle Diaries is an inspiring and thrilling adventure that traces the youthful origins of a revolutionary spirit. The film follows two daring friends, Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Gael Garcia Bernal, Y Tu Mama Tambien) and Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna), who hop on the back of a beat-up motorcycle for a breathtaking and exciting road trip across Latin America.” – Google Play

jungle travel movies

Letters to Juliet

“In Verona, Italy – the beautiful city where Romeo first met Juliet – there is a place where the heartbroken leave notes asking Juliet for her help. It’s there that aspiring writer Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) finds a 50-year-old letter that will change her life forever. As she sets off on a romantic journey of the heart with the letter’s author, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave), now a grandmother, and her handsome grandson (Christopher Egan), all three will discover that sometimes the greatest love story ever told is your own.” – Google Play

The Art of Travel

“Conner Layne  is about to embark on an adventure – just not the one he had planned. After discovering his fiance is having an affair with his best friend, he leaves her at the altar and heads off on his honeymoon alone. 

While experiencing the wonders that South America offers, he meets a friendly couple – Darlene and her husband, Christopher, who are planning a dangerous trip across the Darien Gap. Along with a ragtag group of foreigners, they venture on a 100-mile long journey through the undeveloped jungle that separates Panama and Columbia. Ready to leave his past behind, Conner joins the unknown for the quest of a lifetime.” – Apple TV

jungle travel movies

Rio + Rio 2

Laugh if you want, but after seeing this movie in theaters, I have been dying to go to Rio adn explore South America! 

Hector and The Search for Happiness

“Hector is a quirky psychiatrist who has become tired of his humdrum life, yet he’s offering advice to patients who are just not getting happier. So he embarks on a global quest in hopes of uncovering the elusive secret formula for true happiness.”

jungle travel movies

Couples Retreat

Couples Retreat is another romantic comedy movie that’s set in such a beautiful place, I just had to include it!

A Map for Saturday

“On a trip around the world, every day feels like Saturday. A MAP FOR SATURDAY reveals a world of long-term, solo travel through the stories of trekkers on four continents. The documentary finds backpackers helping neglected Thai tsunami victims. It explains why Nepal’s guesthouses are empty and Brazil’s stoplights are ignored. But at its core, SATURDAY tracks the emotional arc of extreme long-term travelers; teenagers and senior citizens who wondered, “What would it be like to travel the world?” Then did it.”

Watch on: Amazon

“Through the open country and desert lands, two bikers head from L.A to New Orleans , and along the way, meet a man who bridges a counter-culture gap they are unaware of.” – IMDb

jungle travel movies

“ONE WEEK tells the story of 20-something Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson), who flees from an impending marriage, a ho-hum job, and a recent diagnosis in an attempt to live life to the fullest. His misguided road trip on a vintage motorcycle becomes an adventure of self-discovery set against the great Canadian landscape.”

Encounters at the End of the World

“Welcome to Antarctica – like you’ve never experienced it. You’ve seen the extraordinary marine life, the retreating glaciers and, of course, the penguins, but leave it to award-winning, iconoclastic filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn) to be the first to explore the South Pole’s most fascinating inhabitants…humans. In this one-of-kind documentary, Herzog turns his camera on a group of remarkable individuals, “professional dreamers” who work, play and struggle to survive in a harsh landscape of mesmerizing, otherworldly beauty – perhaps the last frontier on earth.”

jungle travel movies

“A powerful and inspirational story about family, friends, and the challenges we face. Martin Sheen plays Tom, an irascible American doctor who comes to France to collect the remains of his adult son (played by Emilio Estevez), killed in the Pyrenees while walking The Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of Saint James. Rather than return home, Tom decides to embark on the historical pilgrimage to honor his son’s desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn’t plan on, is the profound impact the journey will have on him. Inexperienced as a trekker, Tom soon discovers that he will not be alone on this journey.”

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

“An award-winning, all-star cast, led by Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson, lights up this “buoyant comedy laced with genuine emotion”. When seven cash-strapped seniors decide to “outsource” their retirement to a resort in far-off India, friendship and romance blossom in the most unexpected ways. Smart, life-affirming and genuinely charming, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a “true classic that reminds us that it’s never too late to find love and a fresh beginning at any age”.”

jungle travel movies

The Tourist

“Frank (Johnny Depp), a mild-mannered American on vacation in Venice, Italy, is befriended by Elise (Angelina Jolie), a breathtakingly beautiful woman with a mysterious secret. Soon, their playful romantic dalliance turns into a complicated web of dangerous deceit as they are chased by Interpol, the Italian police, and Russian hit men in this suspense-filled, international action thriller.”

The Grand Budapest Hotel

“THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of legendary concierge Gustave H. and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft of a priceless painting; a raging battle for an enormous family fortune; and a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds, and skis – all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing continent.”

jungle travel movies

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

“Resplendent in flamboyant ballgowns, looking down over the vast red Australian desert : for three showgirls it was the dream of a lifetime, a four week cabaret engagement in Alice Springs. The problem is simply getting there intact, along with their bus Priscilla.”

jungle travel movies

Phew! There ya go, my list of the 41 best travel movies to fuel your wanderlust! Any ones I missed?  Drop a comment below or  DM me on Instagram !

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Here’s Every Movie in Which Dwayne Johnson Walks into a Jungle

We can’t get enough of The Rock glistening and swinging machetes in a tropical forest

Man riding motorcycle with flame thrower

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

When I was laid up with COVID-19 earlier this summer (a two-week period that I like to call “Netflix and ill”), I noticed something: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appears in a lot of jungle-themed movies. They’re almost a natural habitat for his typical on-screen personas: he swings machetes, he fights dangerous wildlife, he raises one eyebrow very high and makes deadpan jokes while he sweats and glistens. In fact, of the 44 feature-length films in which he is listed as an actor on his IMDb page , I identified nine that involve a jungle. Even assuming I haven’t missed any, that’s more than 20 percent!

There was only one thing to do next: watch every one of them. Here they all are, assessed for both their overall jungle-y-ness and the sheer charm of their muscled megastar:

The Rundown (2003)

These were the early days of Johnson’s movie career, when he was still officially performing as “The Rock” and the world was just starting to realize how funny and charming the wrestling star could be on a big screen. In The Rundown , he plays a bounty hunter sent by a wealthy client to retrieve his wayward son (Seann William Scott, still in his post- American Pie heyday) from a gold-mining town in the Amazon. There are fights and jokes and lots of sweaty jungle scenery. Along the way, our hero takes notes on local recipes, hoping to open a restaurant when he finally quits the bounty hunting business. But the lighthearted buddy-action vibes sometimes sit awkwardly alongside a genuinely bleak and brutal storyline about the mine owner who controls and exploits the area.

Jungle Cred: 5/5 Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Charm Factor:  5/5

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)

Unless you have kids or are particularly into Jules Verne, this sequel to the 2008 Brendan Fraser film, Journey to the Center of the Earth , may have passed you by. Our hero plays Hank, stepdad to angsty teenage Verne-obsessive Sean (a baby-faced, pre- Hunger Games Josh Hutcherson). The pair journey to Palau, first, and then on to a, uh, mysterious island (Hawaii stands in for both), where big animals are tiny and small animals have grown large. The plot details don’t bear thinking too hard about, but Johnson is endearing as the stepfather working hard to earn a teen’s approval. Witness him offering valuable life advice about the “ pec pop of love ,” a scene that I’m sure helped seal his win for “favorite male buttkicker” at the Kids’ Choice Awards in 2013. Bonus: he sings in this one .

Jungle Cred: 3/5 Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Charm Factor: 5/5

Moana (2016)

Admittedly, Moana is more an ocean story than a jungle story, and Johnson’s character, the roguish demi-god Maui, never sets foot on the lushly forested tropical island of Motunui that Moana is trying to save. But this is a great movie, and The Rock is great in it. If you haven’t watched it in a while, watch it again. You’re welcome .

Jungle Cred: 2/5 Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Charm Factor: 5/5

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

Solidarity to all my fellow millennials who were mildly traumatized by the original 1995 film , but I promise the 2017 iteration is much less sinister. Updated for the video game era, it involves four high-schoolers who get sucked into an old gaming console, where they drop into new bodies and become their Jumanji-world avatars. They are led by The Rock (who makes the most of the joke that his body is now inhabited by an asthmatic nerd ), along with Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and the very funny Karen Gillan. To win and escape the game, they have to navigate a jungle (once again, Hawaii gets tapped for set duty) full of threatening wildlife and retrieve a gem from a bad guy. I had low expectations for a reboot, but the movie is really pretty sweet and a lot of fun.

Jungle Cred: 4/5 Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Charm Factor: 5/5

Rampage (2018)

A science experiment goes very wrong, and a wolf, a crocodile, and a gorilla—who happens to be The Rock’s best friend—are transformed by CRISPR gene editing into super-sized super-predators. Somehow this movie manages to be utterly absurd and kind of upsetting (if you love animals) at the same time. The only jungle is a manmade one at the San Diego wildlife sanctuary where George, the gorilla, lives. But The Rock’s love for George feels pure and real.

Jungle Cred: 0/5 Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Charm Factor: 5/5

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

If you haven’t followed the F&F saga, some necessary backstory: in Fast 5 , Luke Hobbs (The Rock) was introduced as a federal agent chasing our very fast and very furious gang of heroes through the favelas of Brazil before eventually becoming a reluctant ally. Furious 7 brought us Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw—a serious baddie who, by F8 , had also kind of come around. In this spinoff from the main series, they both move to center stage. Most of the story takes place in Europe, but eventually, the characters are forced to flee to Hobbs’s homeland of Samoa (where Johnson’s family is actually from, though Hawaii plays Samoa here). And although technically the grassy area where The Rock makes his final stand —gathering his brothers and friends against the invading techno-baddies—looks to my untrained eye more like Hawaiian tropical low shrublands than Samoan tropical moist forests , it’s at least jungle-adjacent. We’re counting it.

Jungle Cred: 1/5 Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Charm Factor: 5/5

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

Dr. Smolder Bravestone is back—and, OK, true, the gang leaves the jungle behind after only a few minutes to battle wildlife and steal a gem from a bad guy in a desert this time (plot twist!). But, again, the movie is a pleasant surprise, funnier and sweeter than any sequel to a reboot has a right to be.

Red Notice (2021)

The Rock is an FBI profiler, Ryan Reynolds is an art thief, Gal Gadot is also an art thief, and this action-heist-comedy about their convoluted plotting against each other is one part Ocean’s Twelve , one part Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark , one part Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol , and one part Fast 5. If that sounds like too many flavors to you, well, you might be onto something. But it’s worth watching just to see Johnson and Reynolds play the odd couple—Reynolds does his Deadpool nonstop banter thing , while The Rock is his straight man, and somehow keeps a straight face. Jungle-wise, there’s an early scene on Bali, with visible tropical foliage, and a later one in the Argentinian jungle that is a bit more substantial: people swing machetes and sweat.

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Adapted from the vintage Disneyland ride of the same name, Jungle Cruise features Emily Blunt as an adventure-seeker in World War One-era London, hoping to travel to the Amazon to locate the mythical “Tears of the Moon,” a flower that cures all sickness. Her eventual riverboat captain? The Rock. Trying to turn any amusement park ride, let alone one that’s known for its racist caricatures of Indigenous people , into a compelling movie is a challenge—and the meta approach the filmmakers take to addressing that history doesn’t always land. But Blunt and Johnson have real chemistry, great actors like Paul Giamatti and Jesse Plemons have fun with the secondary characters, and that alone is almost enough to float the boat along.

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Jungle Cruise

Paul Giamatti, Dwayne Johnson, Jesse Plemons, Edgar Ramírez, Emily Blunt, and Jack Whitehall in Jungle Cruise (2021)

Based on Disneyland's theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles but with a supernatural element. Based on Disneyland's theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles but with a supernatural element. Based on Disneyland's theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles but with a supernatural element.

  • Jaume Collet-Serra
  • Michael Green
  • Glenn Ficarra
  • Dwayne Johnson
  • Emily Blunt
  • Edgar Ramírez
  • 1.2K User reviews
  • 296 Critic reviews
  • 50 Metascore
  • 5 wins & 9 nominations

Skipper Frank Trailer

  • Frank Wolff

Emily Blunt

  • Lily Houghton

Edgar Ramírez

  • MacGregor Houghton

Jesse Plemons

  • Prince Joachim

Paul Giamatti

  • (as Quim Gutierrez)

Dan Dargan Carter

  • Sir James Hobbs-Coddington

Raphael Alejandro

  • Chief's Daughter

Sebastian Blunt

  • Society Guard

Mark Ashworth

  • Society Member

Allan Poppleton

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  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Dwayne Johnson & Emily Blunt Answer Burning Questions

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Did you know

  • Trivia Many of the puns Frank uses are taken directly from the Disney Parks attraction on which the movie is based. These "so bad they're good" jokes are one of the reasons why Jungle Cruise skippers are so important to the ride experience.
  • Goofs Prince Joachim knows where the trapped Spanish are located. There was no record of this because only Skipper knew where he trapped them.

Frank Wolff : If you're lucky enough to have one person in this life to care about, then that's world enough for me.

  • Crazy credits The bay in the Disney logo is seen to have the water glowing purple, and after the Disney logo fully appears the camera dives into the water and leads to the Tree of Life, which opens the film.
  • Connections Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: D23 Expo 2019 Extravaganza (2019)
  • Soundtracks Nothing Else Matters Reimagined by Metallica and James Newton Howard With featured performances by James Hetfield , Lars Ulrich , Kirk Hammett , Robert Trujillo Written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich Associate Producer and Engineer Greg Fidelman

User reviews 1.2K

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  • Oct 14, 2021
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  • Will 'Weird Al' Yankovic's song 'Skipper Dan' about Disney's Jungle Cruise ride be featured in this movie?
  • July 30, 2021 (United States)
  • United States
  • New Zealand
  • United Kingdom
  • Czech Republic
  • Official Facebook
  • Thám Hiểm Rừng Xanh
  • Kaua'i, Hawaii, USA
  • Davis Entertainment
  • Flynn Picture Company
  • Seven Bucks Productions
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro
  • $200,000,000 (estimated)
  • $116,987,516
  • $35,018,731
  • Aug 1, 2021
  • $220,889,446

Technical specs

  • Runtime 2 hours 7 minutes
  • Dolby Atmos
  • IMAX 6-Track

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All 6 movies where dwayne "the rock" johnson is in the jungle.

Dwayne Johnson has an impressive resume of many unique movies, however, his career does include one strange trend: movies taking place in the jungle.

  • Dwayne Johnson has a tendency to act in films set in the jungle, and this trend has been ongoing for two decades.
  • The movies range from action-packed to family-friendly, but all feature the beautiful and humid jungle as a backdrop.
  • From his early role in "The Rundown" to the recent "Jungle Cruise," Johnson has consistently found himself battling bad guys and navigating the dense foliage of the jungle.

From famous wrestler to iconic actor, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson boasts a long list of roles, in movies ranging from pure action to heartwarming kids movies, however, one of the weirdest trends that appears in Johnson's resume in his tendency to act in films taking place in the jungle. So far, with over twenty years in the industry, Johnson has appeared in an astounding six jungle movies. While all of these films bring something different to the table, they are all set in the humid and beautiful jungle and have Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson on their roster.

It's unclear why so many of Dwayne Johnson's movies take place in the jungle. What's even stranger is that this trend is not just a recent phenomenon among his newest projects, but started as early as 2003. In this way, Johnson has been traversing dense jungles in movies for two decades now. Either way, it seems that Hollywood enjoys throwing the wrestler-turned-actor into the foliage, and he doesn't seem to mind too much either. The list of every Dwayne Johnson jungle movie in chronological order is as follows:

6 The Rundown (2003)

jungle travel movies

One of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's earliest starring roles, The Rundown follows Johnson as Beck, a reserved and physically menacing bounty hunter who is tasked with retrieving his employer's son from the Amazon rainforest. Unsurprisingly, this seemingly simple task is made more complicated when a controlling treasure hunter and his lackeys try to prevent Beck from leaving. With the help of a beautiful rebel, the Beck and his ward must fight to get back home. Not only does this film show off a very young Dwayne Johnson, but it is also the first example of Johnson fighting bad guys in a gorgeous green jungle background.

5 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)

Dwayne Johnson looking up in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Nine years later, Johnson made his return to the jungle in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Acting as a sequel to 2008's, Journey to the Center of the Earth, this film depicts Josh Hutcherson's Sean, a brainy teenager, noticing a distress signal coming from an island that shouldn't exist. Alongside his step-father, Dwayne Johnson, and a local helicopter driver and his daughter, Sean travels to this island to uncover the mystery of its single human inhabitant. With this fictional island supposedly set in the South Pacific, Johnson is back in the jungle for a more kid-friendly experience. Plus, this jungle includes strange occurrences like tiny elephants.

4 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

The Jumanji reboot cast in the jungle

After two separate films set in the jungle, Dwayne Johnson's newest franchise , the Jumanji sequels, ironically, also took place in the jungle. In it, Johnson plays Dr. Xander "Smolder" Braveheart, otherwise known as Spencer. The premise of the film is that a group of teens opens the Jumanji game and are dragged into the same jungle that Alan Parrish escaped from in the original 1995 film. However, this time they take on the form of video game avatars, i.e. Dwayne Johnson. In this film, the jungle is most definitely a major part of the story, but more than that, it represents the artificial setting of a video game.

Related: Why The Rock Is Hollywood's Highest Paid Actor Ever Despite Recent Box Office Struggles

3 Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

Jumanji The Next Level pic

The Jumanji franchise quickly released a sequel two years later, bringing Johnson back to his favorite setting. Jumanji: The Next Level begins when Spencer mysteriously returns to the Jumanji jungle, reinstating his Dwayne Johnson avatar, and his friends must follow him in. However, the game isn't what it once was, and in fact, is fighting the teens, forcing them onto a collision course they never expected. As a sequel, this film brings back the jungle setting it established in the previous film along with some new terrain like the desert and snowy mountaintops.

2 Red Notice (2021)

Red Notice scene pic

In the year 2021, Dwayne Johnson appeared in two separate jungle movies. The first was Red Notice, an action comedy wherein Johnson's character is FBI agent John Hartley. While investigating the location of a missing ancient artifact, he gets sucked into a competition between two art thiefs. Although this movie has plenty of globetrotting, it does eventually land in a jungle in Argentina, where Johnson must once again cut through the branches and vines to find what he is looking for. Despite being a brief foray into the jungle rather than an entire film dedicated to it, Red Notice is definitely still a part of this trend.

1 Jungle Cruise (2021)

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in Disney's Jungle Cruise - July 2021

The sixth and final jungle movie Dwayne Johnson appears in even has jungle in the name. Disney's Jungle Cruise movie follows Emily Blunt's Dr. Lily Houghton as she recruits sarcastic boat captain, Johnson's Frank Wolff, to help her travel down the Amazon River in search of a tree with healing properties. Once again, Johnson is placed in the wild terrain of the Amazon Rainforest, and this time, the jungle is something of its own character. Plus, the Amazon River is actually something of a new and exciting addition to Johnson's typical jungle themes. Although this is the latest Dwayne Johnson jungle movie, it most likely won't be his last.

The real story behind the movie Jungle - heroic survival and mysterious disappearances

yossi Ghinsberg

Revised October 2023

In 2017, the movie “Jungle”, based on Yossi Ghinsberg's 1981 journey into the Amazon rainforest, was released. It was directed by Greg McLean and starred Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame as Ghinsberg. The film was based on Yossi’s 2006 book, “Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Adventure, Danger and Survival”.

The true story behind the film is shocking and heroic, which left two men surviving a terrible ordeal and two others lost in the Bolivian rainforest forever—vanished with no trace for over 40 years.

As Yossi said, “I have to tell you, usually, movies are bigger than life. This movie is smaller than life. Everything you see is on a smaller scale than what really happened.”

The story behind the Amazon group

In November 1981, Yossi Ghinsberg, 22, had just finished his military training at the Israeli Defense Forces (I.D.F.) and had served three years in the navy. He wanted to explore the world, “I wanted an adventure. I was naive, bright-eyed, everything is possible”.

The book Papillon by Henri Charrière had inspired Yossi. Charrière was a French writer, convicted as a murderer by the French courts, who always denied his guilt. He wrote the novel, a memoir of his incarceration in and escape from a penal colony in French Guiana on Devil’s Island. While Charrière claimed that Papillon was largely true, modern researchers believe that much of the book’s material came from other inmates rather than Charrière himself.

In the 1970s, Yossi became determined to find Charrière and asked for his blessing to follow in his footsteps by traveling to the Amazon rainforest. Ghinsberg had briefly returned from an Africa to Mexico trip, and he worked several jobs to save the money to travel to South America. But by the time Ghinsberg was finally able to travel, Charrière had passed away on 29 July 1973, and the tribes Ghinsberg was interested in discovering had been "civilized".

In late 1981, Ghinsberg hitchhiked from Venezuela to Colombia and then on to Bolivia. There, he met Marcus Stamm from Schaffhausen in Switzerland, and the pair became good friends. Markus was a primary school teacher in Dörflingen and was well-known as a multi-region tennis champion. At the time, Marcus was going through a personal crisis as his long-time girlfriend, who had followed him to South America, had just separated from him.

Yossi and Marcus traveled together to La Paz in Bolivia. At 3,650 m (11,975 ft) above sea level, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world.

Yossi and Marcus met Karl Ruprechter, an Austrian who claimed to be an expert geologist. Karl told Yossi that he was planning an expedition into the uncharted Amazon in Bolivia in search of gold in a remote, indigenous Tacana village.

Ruprechter told stories about visiting an ancient indigenous village hidden deep within the Bolivian rainforest, inhabited by an indigenous tribe who had seen few white men in their lifetime and tantalizing stories of gold and riches.

Yossi also persuaded Kevin Gale, an American photographer from Oregon they had met on their travels, to join them on the trip. Kevin was about to fly back to the U.S. to spend Thanksgiving with his parents but decided to return for Christmas instead.

Kevin Gale (2018)

Kevin Gale (2018)

Marcus Stamm

Marcus Stamm

The journey into the Amazon

Ghinsberg, Gale, and Stamm followed Ruprechter by plane to Apolo, La Paz, and from there traveled down to the Tuichi River and then to a village called Asariamas, at the confluence of rivers Tuichi–Asariamas.

Then, the group began moving up the Asariamas River and across the mountains on their way to Ruprechter’s fabled destination with promises of gold.

Karl Ruprechter

Karl Ruprechter

After packing some supplies in their backpacks, the four men headed deep into the Bolivian jungle. They headed away from civilization, with Karl leading the way.

There was animal life everywhere around them, including birds, monkeys, spiders, snakes and insects.

Karl told them they wouldn’t carry food apart from rice, beans, and salt, and they would kill wild animals in the jungle to survive. Yossi said of Karl when he killed a monkey, “It was gruesome. You could see the wilderness in his eyes”.

Things start to go wrong, and the group separates

The group trekked for several days and began to run out of food as Yossi, Marcus, and Kevin expected to be at their destination within a few days.

Eventually, low on supplies, they had to eat monkeys. Stamm refused to eat them and inevitably grew physically weaker. And he had gotten trench foot, a fungal infection so that he couldn’t keep up with the rest of the men. After a week, he said he was in tremendous pain, but the others didn’t believe him as he was always complaining.

Yossi said, “We were constantly hungry. We would walk long days, having eaten nothing at all. We shot at monkeys and ate them. I would have put anything in my mouth. If you’d offered me human flesh, I wouldn’t have refused to indulge. When you get that hungry, nothing is disgusting.”

The four men decided to abandon their journey and return to Asariamas, as Marcus was adamant he could not walk any further. They headed back to the Tuichi River. Kevin and Yossi were distraught with Marcus as their dream had been shattered, and they blamed his unwillingness to eat the wild game as the cause of their problems.

The river rafting plan

When the four men arrived back at the village of Asariamas, Karl told them about his new plan to raft down the Tuichi River to a small gold quarry called Curiplaya, on the river bed, and from there downriver to Rurrenabaque, near the Beni River, and then return to La Paz.

With the villagers' help, they built the raft and headed downriver, and arrived at the confluence of rivers Tuichi–Ipurama.

There, Karl Ruprechter told them about the rapids in the San Pedro Canyon, which were unsuitable to pass through using a raft. He told the others he could not swim and refused to continue on the water.

Yossi said, “On the raft, Karl argued with the others, even though he didn’t know anything about rafting. There was no cooperation, no friendship, it was hell”.

So Kevin Gale and Yossi Ghinsberg decided to continue rafting downriver to Rurrenabaque. At the same time, Karl Ruprechter and Marcus Stamm planned to walk up the Ipurama River to Ipurama village, near the river's source, and return to Apolo. The four men agreed to meet before Christmas in La Paz.

Karl said if the others wanted to live, they should walk, but Kevin was adamant they should continue with their plan and walk around the San Pedro Falls, build a new raft and then continue their journey down the river.

Yossi wanted to go with Karl and Marcus, but Yossi had built a relationship with Kevin, and he decided to join him on the raft. Yossi was concerned as he wanted the group to come out together, and Marcus was upset to be left behind with Karl on foot. In hindsight, it was a crazy decision to split the group in the jungle. It would, theoretically, take Karl and Marcus a week to walk out, but they were never seen again.

Kevin and Yossi and the San Pedro Canyon

As Kevin and Yossi neared the waterfall in the San Pedro Canyon on the raft, they lost control in the raging rapids and separated. The river was narrow and fast-flowing. The two men lay down on the raft as they hit the white water and then they had a catastrophic collision with a large rock. The two men were thrown into the water. Gale made it to the bank safely, but Ghinsberg floated down the river and over the waterfall.

Yossi fought hard and kept afloat until the waters had calmed down. He then swam to shore, realising he was all alone, hungry, exhausted, and scared. Fortunately, he found the pack with some essential supplies, which would later be critical in keeping him alive in the jungle.

Kevin Gale is rescued

Kevin was rescued by local fishermen after having been stranded for five days floating on a log in the river and returned to La Paz. He visited the Israeli and Austrian consulates to request their help in preparing rescue missions for the missing men. He was told by the authorities at the Austrian consulate that Ruprechter was actually a criminal wanted by Interpol. He was no geologist.

Kevin Gale (left), Tico Tudela (center) and Yossi Ghinsberg (right) two days after rescue by the Beni River 1981

Kevin Gale (left), Tico Tudela (center) and Yossi Ghinsberg (right) two days after rescue by the Beni River 1981

Yossi Ghinsberg lost in the jungle

Yossi spent the next three weeks lost without supplies or equipment. He quickly ran out of rice but occasionally found berries and fruits in the forest, foraged for eggs from nests, and even waited for a monkey to fall so he could eat it.

He faced attacks from wild boar, the constant threat of poisonous snakes, termite bites, and, on his sixth night alone in the jungle, a hungry jaguar.

Yossi said, “The nights, without doubt, were the worst of all. As darkness descends, there is no light whatsoever, the canopy swallows the stars and moon and the darkness is as thick as velvet. At night all the noises emerge, the screeches and roars and barks and calls, and things are moving around. It was simply overwhelming and I had no fire or gun to protect myself. If not for my ability to daydream, I would have consumed myself during these nights of horror.”

One night, Yossi had been asleep when he was awoken by rustling and woke up face-to-face with a jaguar. He grabbed a can of mosquito repellent and a lighter and improvised a flame-thrower. Yossi said: “I learnt the trick from a James Bond movie.” This was Roger Moore as 007 in “Live and Let Die”, killing a snake that was placed in his hotel room to kill him.

But the worst experience of all as he hiked day after day in what he hoped was the direction of the ­nearest settlement was the flesh and skin tearing from his feet. They became so infected that soon he had no skin left on his soles, leaving nothing but bloody, fleshy stumps.

He said: “They were just chunks of exposed flesh. I couldn’t take the pain. I dragged myself to a tree full of fire ants and shook it on my head. The waves of pain and adrenaline distracted me from my feet.”

He also discovered worms embedded under his skin and impaled his rectum on a broken stick after sliding down a mud slope.

One morning, Yossi woke up with aches and pain all over his body, only to realize he had spent the night on a termite nest.

Thoughts of suicide and the mysterious girl

On the 17th day of his ordeal, a plane flew overhead, but they did not see him. The canopy of the jungle means that anyone on the ground cannot see up to the sky and vice versa. He recalled: “When the plane passed it just broke me, that surge of hope was the worst thing that happened to me.”

Yossi was sobbing in the mud, contemplating suicide, when he looked up and saw what seemed to be a young girl, “For two days, I had the company of a girl. She appeared next to me. It was no less of a miracle if it was my imagination that had summoned her up because it happened at the very moment I had broken down and given up. She appeared in the worst moment when I really gave up. I talked to her all the time but she didn’t talk back. I built a camp for us both and made a space for her to sleep next to me.”

But then, one night, the girl vanished, “I was trying to hug her and I realized there was nobody there. I freaked out because if she’s not there it means I’m crazy. I thought I’d lost my sanity. I was very scared. I don’t know exactly how to explain it. Maybe my subconscious pulled it out?”

Yossi believed the “girl” saved his life because she needed him, “That’s something very deep about human nature. We’ll do more to save someone else’s life than our own because I couldn’t help myself anymore. I felt it was over. But the moment she was there, suddenly I had responsibility.”

Yossi also nearly drowned twice after the worst storm in a decade hit the area. He said: “The second swamp I fell in, I couldn’t pull myself out. I was thinking of committing suicide, but then I thought that if I was going to kill myself I should have done it in the first couple of days. After 19 days of struggle, there was no way I was dying then.”

The rescue of Yossi Ghinsberg

After nearly three weeks, Yossi was rescued the next day, barely clinging to life.

Upon hearing the sound of an engine, Yossi returned to the nearby river and amazingly bumped into Kevin, who was with indigenous people who had organized a search and rescue mission led by Abelardo "Tico" Tudela. They found Ghinsberg three days into their search, three weeks after he was first declared missing, and close to the search being abandoned. He spent the three months following his rescue recovering in a hospital.

Yossi Ghinsberg 2 days after rescue

Yossi Ghinsberg 2 days after rescue

The disappearance of Ruprechter and Stamm

Ruprechter and Stamm were never seen or heard from again. Despite attempts by several search and rescue missions involving Kevin and Yossi, they were never found, and there was no sign of any campfires, human waste or evidence of animals being killed or vegetation being disturbed.

Marcus’ mother in Switzerland believed a story from a spiritualist that he was living in Peru, and Yossi agreed to try and locate him there with no success. None of the communities in the area had ever seen a gringo living there. They completely vanished into the jungle.

What happened to the two men remains a mystery. Did Reprechter leave Stamm to his fate, given his trench foot and then get lost himself? Or, as a criminal, did he just vanish into the Bolivian jungle or further afield in Latin America? Yossi said in his book he thought a falling tree might have killed them in a storm or that Ruprechter had succumbed to an accident, and both men had died as Marcus would have been unable to get out of the jungle unaided.

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Read other survival stories from around the world

The amazing survival story of Gia Fuda - found alive after 9 days in the wilderness

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The amazing story of Shannon Fraser and her survival in the Australian wilderness

https://www.glossyfied.com/what-happened-to-marcus-stamm/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yossi_Ghinsberg

https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/daniel-radcliffe-film-jungle-reveals-miracle-survival-of-israeli-backpacker/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_(2017_film)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/yossi-ghinsberg-horrific-true-story-daniel-radcliffes-jungle/

https://boredomtherapy.com/s/yossi-ghinsberg-amazon?as=799&bdk=0

https://www.amimagazine.org/2018/03/14/lost-in-the-jungle/

https://www.shn.ch/region/kanton/2018-01-27/er-brach-zu-einer-reise-auf-und-kam-nie-wieder

CinemaBlend

Jungle Cruise 2 Is Still Up In The Air, But Looks Like Dwayne Johnson And Emily Blunt Will Reunite For Another Movie

B ack in 2021, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt successfully fronted the latest adaptation of a classic Disney theme park ride with Jungle Cruise . After the adventurous film brought the two Hollywood actors together as co-leads, they are reportedly working out details on their next project, but no, it’s still not Disney’s Jungle Cruise 2 . 

Emily Blunt is reportedly currently in discussions to be part of A24’s The Smashing Machine , which is set to have Dwayne Johnson portray MMA and UFC champion Mark Kerr. Per Variety , Blunt is in talks to play Kerr’s wife Dawn Staples, who faces a great deal of difficulty finding her place in Mark Kerr’s “chaotic and contradictory world” during the film. The Smashing Machine will take place in the year 2000, which had Kerr both at the height of his career and dealing with his addiction to painkillers. 

The Smashing Machine was officially announced back in December, with Uncut Gems ’ Benny Safdie set to write and direct the biopic. Should Emily Blunt join the movie, it will not only bring her back together with her Jungle Cruise co-star, but with a member of her Oppenheimer cast since Safdie was in Christopher Nolan’s sprawling array of talents. 

Per the source, before Emily Blunt was approached to play Mark Kerr’s wife, she actually heavily encouraged The Rock to make the movie. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Benny Safdie had originally started working on the project back in 2019, but the pandemic placed it on pause. However, once Blunt heard about the project from Johnson and watched the 2002 documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr , she suggested that he “must” make the biopic. 

Following Jungle Cruise ’s runaway success back in 2021, Disney quickly greenlit a sequel, but almost three years later, we’ve yet to hear about much movement on it. Instead, we’ve heard about multiple other projects for which Johnson and Blunt have been trying to reunite. Back in 2022, it was reported that the pair were signing up for a movie called Ball And Chain , where they’d play a married couple who get superpowers amidst plans to divorce. 

Then this past October, it was reported they were both working on a movie with Amazon Studios and their Jungle Cruise director Jaume Collet-Serra called Kate Warne . The movie will reportedly see Blunt playing the titular woman, who is known as the United States’ first female detective. Of all the projects we’ve heard about in the past few years regarding Blunt and Johnson, The Smashing Pumpkin seems to be picking up steam the quickest, especially considering it’s reportedly going to begin shooting this summer. 

Clearly Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson enjoyed working together, and while nothing seems to be official just yet, we definitely expect to see them reunite on the big screen again. Check out what other upcoming A24 movies are in the works here on CinemaBlend. 

 Jungle Cruise 2 Is Still Up In The Air, But Looks Like Dwayne Johnson And Emily Blunt Will Reunite For Another Movie

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COMMENTS

  1. 12 Best Jungle Adventure Movies, Ranked

    3 'The Jungle Book' (1967) The Jungle Book is an evergreen classic that has been one of the most widely read and watched movies in the history of cinema. The adventures of Mowgli, the hunger of ...

  2. Best Jungle and Forest Movies

    Best Jungle and Forest Movies. From Predator to Tears of the Sun are jungle movies. From The Last of the mohicans to Surviving the Game are forest movies. 1. Predator (1987) A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.

  3. 18 Epic Adventure Travel Movies Like Into the Wild

    1. Jungle. Click to watch the Jungle trailer on YouTube. Screenshot via YouTube. One of my favourite lesser-known movies similar to Into the Wild, Jungle (2017) is a biopic based on true events that unfolded in Bolivia in 1981. "This is the last frontier on earth. The jungle shows us what we really are.". Karl, Jungle.

  4. The 40+ Best Jungle Movies, Ranked by Viewers

    This jungle movies list celebrates the most enthralling films set in these dense, mysterious environments, where characters face the untamed wilderness. From the classic King Kong to the exciting Romancing the Stone and Six Days Seven Nights , this collection showcases a diverse range of jungle films, including adventure movies in the jungle ...

  5. Jungle Adventure Movies

    Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) PG-13 | 119 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy. 6.9. Rate. 58 Metascore. Four teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game. Director: Jake Kasdan | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black.

  6. 15+ Best Jungle Adventure Movies

    The movie's iconic scenes, including the boulder chase and the face-melting climax, have become timeless in the realm of adventure cinema. 7. Jurassic Park (1993) While not entirely set in the jungle, "Jurassic Park" deserves a spot on our list for its thrilling and adventurous jungle segments.

  7. You're In The Jungle, Baby: Top 12 Movies About Jungles

    With the recent debut of Disney's JUNGLE CRUISE, it's time to remember what a REAL jungle looks like, thanks to movies like ROMANCING THE STONE, PREDATOR, and more.

  8. Top 18 Safari Movies to watch before your African Safari

    King Solomon's Mines (1950) Available on Amazon. King Solomon's Mines, based on H. Rider Haggard's novel is about a rescue party that sets out to find an explorer who has disappeared on an African treasure hunt. The search leads the party across the continent and through the terrors of jungle, swamp, and desert.

  9. Top 11 Movies About The Amazon Jungle

    9. Amazonia. Amazonia is an educational film that takes place in the Amazon jungle. It follows the story of Sai, a capuchin monkey who was born and raised in captivity. After a plane crash, Sai finds himself alone and lost deep in the wilderness of the Amazon rainforest. 10.

  10. Advanced search

    Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. ... novelist on a book tour with her cover model gets swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure. Votes 146,046. 12. The Lion King. 1994 1h 28m G. 8.5 (1.1M) Rate.

  11. 60 Essential Adventure Movies

    60 Essential Adventure Movies. The adventure is one of the hardest kinds of movie to define, but like certain other genres: "You know it when you see it."Adventures are grand, exciting, and often epic tales, usually focused on people on a mission, whose purposes include fame, fortune, and glory.

  12. 15 Best Movies About the Amazon Jungle & Why You Should Watch Them

    Embrace of the Serpent (2015) What it's about: This brilliant biographical drama brings us the story of Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman, and his relationship with two scientists. We follow their quest for a sacred healing plant that lasted forty years. Why you should watch it: This movie will instantly transfer you to the Amazon jungle and ...

  13. Safari Movies: 19 Inspiring Films To Watch Before You Go ️

    Getting excited about an upcoming African safari holiday? Hollywood has a long history of creative safari movies about all things Africa and wildlife - dating back to 1932's "Congorilla" documentary of jungle and savannah wildlife activity in Belgian Congo (now D.R. Congo).. The genre has evolved over the decades, meaning there is now a good choice of films available to bring the magic ...

  14. 34 Best Travel Movies for Inspiring Wanderlust

    Though I've graduated to more mature travel movies over the ... "Last Crusade" (1989), and "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008), to see Indy travel to Jordan, the Amazon jungle, and beyond ...

  15. 41 Best Travel Movies: Films That Inspire Wanderlust

    180° South. "180° South: Conquerors of the Useless follows Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia. Along the way he gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life - and prepares himself for a rare ascent of Cerro Corcovado.

  16. 50 Best Travel Movies Of All Time

    The movies below are sorted in alphabetical order and the ones marked with a star (★) are our favorite travel movies. 180° South. ... and throughout every desert and jungle in the world. Get ready to be inspired by Indy's fun and wild adventures! Watch the Movie.

  17. Best survival in wilderness movies!

    Best movies that deal with survival in wilderness or fighting against nature. It doesnt matter whether its Jungle, Alaska or Mount Everest. It could be a pure adventure ride or an existencial film. Please leave your thoughts or any other recomendations to watch below and I hope to add more titles to this list.

  18. Here's Every Movie in Which Dwayne Johnson Walks into a Jungle

    Rampage (2018) A science experiment goes very wrong, and a wolf, a crocodile, and a gorilla—who happens to be The Rock's best friend—are transformed by CRISPR gene editing into super-sized ...

  19. Top 5 Jungle Movies

    If you want to see films that take place in the jungle, whether it's horror, action, survival drama or adventure you should definitely watch our picks for th...

  20. Jungle Cruise (2021)

    Jungle Cruise: Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. With Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramírez, Jack Whitehall. Based on Disneyland's theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles but with a supernatural element.

  21. All 6 Movies Where Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Is In The Jungle

    1 Jungle Cruise (2021) The sixth and final jungle movie Dwayne Johnson appears in even has jungle in the name. Disney's Jungle Cruise movie follows Emily Blunt's Dr. Lily Houghton as she recruits sarcastic boat captain, Johnson's Frank Wolff, to help her travel down the Amazon River in search of a tree with healing properties.

  22. The real story behind the movie Jungle

    In 2017, the movie "Jungle", based on Yossi Ghinsberg's 1981 journey into the Amazon rainforest, was released. ... Ghinsberg had briefly returned from an Africa to Mexico trip, and he worked several jobs to save the money to travel to South America. But by the time Ghinsberg was finally able to travel, Charrière had passed away on 29 July ...

  23. Jungle Cruise 2 Is Still Up In The Air, But Looks Like Dwayne ...

    B ack in 2021, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt successfully fronted the latest adaptation of a classic Disney theme park ride with Jungle Cruise.After the adventurous film brought the two Hollywood ...

  24. Jungle (2017 film)

    Jungle is a 2017 Australian biographical survival drama film, based on the true story of Israeli adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg's 1981 journey into the Amazon rainforest.Directed by Greg McLean and written by Justin Monjo, the film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Ghinsberg, with Alex Russell, Thomas Kretschmann, Yasmin Kassim, Joel Jackson, and Jacek Koman in supporting roles.