10 Best Romantic Adventure Movies, Ranked

While romance itself is one big adventure, the thrill of its experience is amplified when there is a heroic expedition involved. Whether it is the story of two unlikely companions setting out on a journey or star-crossed lovers facing the most difficult challenges, romantic adventures have thrilled fans for generations. Hence, such stories make for epic films in the genre. From timeless classics like The Princess Bride to modern classics like Titanic and Shrek, we bring you some of the most iconic and best romantic adventure movies of the last few decades.

From critically acclaimed films and award-winning titles to pop culture icons, these films boast daring adventures across exotic locales, high-stakes action sequences, and thrilling treasure hunts, all elevated by an underlying plot of heartfelt (and sometimes heartbreaking) romance. Thus, each of these films explores romance in all possible ways through drama, comedy, action, and fantasy, therefore, bending and blending genres.

10

‘The Lost City’ (2022)

Directed by Aaron and Adam Nee

Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe assume the roles of a novelist, a fictional hero, and an eccentric billionaire, respectively, in this jungle adventure rom-com. The Lost City follows the disenchanted romance novelist, Loretta Sage (Bullock), who is kidnapped by an evil billionaire (Radcliffe) to help him locate the titular city mentioned in her books, which he believes is real. Alan (Tatum), the not-so-smart cover model for her books, sets out to rescue her but quickly discovers his incompetence in handling real-world challenges.

Often compared to genre classics like Romancing the Stone and Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Lost City is a hearty romp that works more like a screwball romance comedy than a classic treasure-hunting caper. From Loretta’s discovery of love for life to her falling in love, The Lost City offers several romantic moments while not missing out on the wild and thrilling action-adventure sequences. It balances its unbelievable action set pieces with hearty comedy driven by the compelling on-screen chemistry between Bullock’s Loretta and Tatum’s Alan.

9

‘Shrek’ (2001)

Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson

A romantic animated adventure comedy movie, Shrek follows the story of the resentful and antisocial titular ogre (Mike Myers), who lives in the swamps with other creatures who are all banished by their villainous ruler, Lord Farquaad of Duloc. When his future wife, Princess Fiona, (Cameron Diaz) is taken hostage, Shrek makes a pact with Farquaad to get her back in exchange for his ownership of the swamp, and teams with Donkey (Eddie Murphy) for his mission.

Loosely based on William Steig’s 1990 children’s picture book of the same name, Shrek paved the way for what would quickly turn into a pop culture icon and a major media franchise. A wild and colorful ride with eccentric characters, Shrek is a fun and exciting adventure film while also being a sweet and heartfelt love story about the two most unlikely characters. Besides its commercial success, Shrek has also been critically acclaimed for its voice cast performance, particularly that of Myers, Murphy, and Diaz. The first film of the franchise, Shrek also influenced the styles and narrative of several future films that explore folklore and fairy tales.

8

‘Romancing the Stone’ (1984)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Michael Douglas produces and stars alongside Kathleen Turner in this romantic adventure-comedy that follows a romance novelist, Joan Wilder (Turner) who ventures outside her comfort zone of New York City and heads to the untamed jungles of Colombia to rescue her kidnapped sister from criminals. On her journey, she meets the rough and rugged American bird hunter, Jack T. Colton (Douglas), a man who reminds Joan of her novels’ heroes, leading to an unexpected romance between the two.

Romancing the Stone was a surprise hit and the biggest hit of 1984 for 20th Century Fox, becoming the sixth highest-grossing film of the year. The film’s success is said to have inspired Robert Zemeckis to make Back to the Future. A narrative featuring high-risk adventures, colorful characters, and unexpected romance brewing between the story’s leads, Romancing the Stone is a witty and amusing film that successfully delivers comedy, action, and romance in equal measure.

7

‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ (1969)

Directed by Peter R. Hunt

Based on Ian Fleming’s eponymous novel, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service marks the sixth installment in the James Bond film series under Eon Productions and director Peter R. Hunt’s directorial debut. The spy thriller sees George Lazenby as Agent 007 who faces the treacherous villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas), head of the evil SPECTRE, who threatens an apocalyptic, biological war. On his mission, Bond joins forces with the adventurous Contessa Teresa “Tracy” Di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), only to madly fall in love with the daughter of a notorious crime boss.

Even though the initial reviews for the film were mixed, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service gradually gained popularity and became one of the best films in the James Bond series and the closest adaptation of Fleming’s original work. Staying true to the signature traits of James Bond films, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service also boasts great visuals and dramatic actions, as Bond and the Contessa’s romance blooms in the backdrop of the picturesque Swiss Alps while they embark on a perilous mission.

6

‘Enchanted’ (2007)

Directed by Kevin Lima

Enchanted is part comedy, part adventure, and part drama, all rolled into a sweet, funny, and adventurous love story narrated by Julie Andrews. The musical rom-com tells the story of Princess Giselle, an archetypal Disney princess, who is exiled from her fictional kingdom by an evil queen, and sent to the real world where she meets a divorce lawyer and the realist, Robert Philip, who steals her heart. Amy Adams gives a memorable performance as Giselle, alongside Patrick Dempsey as Robert, along with James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, and Susan Sarandon.

Told in a meta-narrative, Enchanted serves as both a homage and a self-parody to classic Disney productions. The fantasy film has both live-action scenes and animated sequences created using CGI and traditional animation, thus revisiting Disney’s traditional style as seen in Mary Poppins. The film has been critically acclaimed for its art design, award-winning music, and great acting, particularly of Adams. A classic fairy tale reimagined as a contemporary rom-com, Enchanted makes for an all-rounded film that strategically uses different genres and styles.

5

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

The first film in the Indiana Jones franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark, introduces Dr. Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr. (Harrison Ford) to fans. Set in 1936, Raiders of the Lost Ark follows the globetrotting archeologist on a mission to recover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant which is sought by Nazi German forces to build an invincible army. He teams up with his former lover, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), to stop his nemesis, René Belloq (Paul Freeman), to stop the Nazis from getting to the ark.

Raiders of the Lost Ark became an instant classic, earning critical acclaim for its brilliant storytelling, thrilling action sequences, and fun narrative. Ford’s portrayal of the daring explorer on a perilous treasure hunt, made him synonymous with the character, which he reprised for all the five sequels. While the film primarily rests on the theme of a daring treasure hunt, Raiders of the Lost Ark does not miss out on the love story of Indiana and Marion, delivered through great onscreen chemistry between Ford and Allen.

4

‘The Mummy’ (1999)

Directed by Stephen Sommers

Set in 1926, The Mummy follows explorer and treasure hunter Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser), librarian Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz), and her older brother Jonathan (John Hannah), who travel to Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead, in Egypt. While excavating for the Golden Book of Amun-Ra, the group accidentally awakens the cursed high priest, Imhotep, unleashing his dark powers. Set on the premise of an action-packed archeological expedition, The Mummy is essentially a romance adventure with the plot resting on the love story of Imhotep and Anck-su-namun, as well as the budding romance between Rick and Evelyn.

A period action-adventure, The Mummy boasts ample heart, humor, horror, and a lot of heroics. A remake of the 1932 film of the same name, The Mummy can easily be called one of the best adventure films of the 1990s. It uses both live-action filming and CGI techniques to render the titular villain and several thrilling sequences against the stunning backdrops of the Sahara Desert. ​​​

3

‘The Shape of Water’ (2017)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

This dark-fantasy period film explores romance in a uniquely refreshing way, a storytelling style Guillermo del Toro is known for. Set in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962, The Shape of Water tells the story of Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute cleaning lady at a high-security government facility, where she falls in love with an imprisoned humanoid amphibian creature (Doug Jones). When she learns about his imminent death at the hands of the evil colonel, Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon), Elisa decides to help him escape.

Since its release, The Shape of Water has been widely acclaimed by critics and noted for its story, concept, narrative, art design, and music composition. The film earned four Academy Awards including Best Picture, with Sally Hawkins earning a nomination for her touching portrayal of Elisa. Exploring love in its deeper essence, The Shape of Water not only focuses on the fantastical romance of The Amphibian Man and Elisa, but also explores themes of compassion, empathy, and solidarity.

2

‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)

Directed by Rob Reiner

Adapted from William Goldman’s eponymous 1973 novel, The Princess Bride is a epic fantasy adventure about the titular young woman named Buttercup (Robin Wright) who is madly in love with the heroic farmhand named Westley (Cary Elwes). But their love and lives take an unfortunate turn when Westley sets out in search of employment and is presumed dead. Wright’s portrayal of Buttercup became her breakthrough performance, with Elwes’s Westley becoming a benchmark for swashbuckling fantasy heroes. The film’s narrative maintains its original meta-fictional style of the original novel where Westley and Buttercup’s story is framed as a book read by a grandfather to his unwell grandson.

Even though The Princess Bride did not fare well at the box office upon its release, the film later evolved to become a cult classic. The story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who goes on an epic quest to reunite with his one true love makes for a delightful postmodern spin on the conventional damsel-in-distress trope. With and considered one of the best fantasy romance adventures of the 1980s, and one of Rob Reiner’s best films.

1

‘Titanic’ (1997)

Directed by James Cameron

What could be more romantic and adventurous than James Cameron’s epic romance drama about two star-crossed lovers on the most tragic sea voyage of human history? Titanic is a re-imagination of the real-life disaster involving the titular ship on its maiden voyage from England to New York City, where an unhappily engaged Rose explores love and passion with the poor artist Jack, amid a raging shipwreck.

Titanic stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in their breakthrough roles, with Rose and Jack becoming one of the most iconic couples on screen. A love story set during a terrible disaster, Titanic is simultaneously a touching exploration of life, love, and death, as well as an action-packed disaster adventure. Winner of 11 Academy Awards, Titanic remains a memorable romance drama for its stunningly framed, luxurious visuals, brilliant direction, music composition, and story.

NEXT: The Best Romantic Movies of All Time, Ranked