When you think about adrenaline-pumping movies, action, and adventure films are the first that come to mind.
But there is no doubt you can get an adrenaline rush from thrillers, horror, and even some high-stakes drama films as well.
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When your heart beats faster out of fear because the monster is just behind the door, when you cheer with excitement after an epic fight scene, or when you sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see if the heroes can really outrun the bad guy, it makes for a thrilling movie experience.
Here are some of what I think are the best adrenaline-pumping movies and franchises of all time.
Jurassic Park (1993)
(Universal Pictures / Amblin Entertainment / Screenshot)
I’m always surprised when someone I know tells me they’ve never seen the original Jurassic Park. It’s one of the best adrenaline-pumping movies ever.
It’s a classic blockbuster that should be on everyone’s watch list.
I’ve even had people tell me they’ve watched it and found it boring. My response is always, “You’re crazy!”
But I get it. I’ve never seen The Notebook because I’m not a fan of romance movies and find THEM boring.
The franchise, based on the novel by Michael Crichton and directed by Steven Spielberg, focuses on dinosaurs brought back to life from prehistoric DNA for a theme park named Jurassic Park.
The originator of this crazy idea is John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), a gazillionaire who thinks cloning dinosaurs will be an exciting and educational experience for all who visit.
He fails to consider the dangers that bringing a T-Rex, velociraptors, and other dinosaurs to life might pose — until all hell breaks loose after he brings scientists to his island to satisfy his investors.
Amazingly, no one learns the lessons from the disaster of the first Jurassic Park or the disasters from the next two Jurassic Park sequels, The Lost World (1995) and Jurassic Park III (2001).
Another rich guy decides enough time has passed and opens a Jurassic Park-like theme park named Jurassic World (2015).
But this time, not only does he bring previously existing dinosaurs back to life but also creates new bigger, better, and more scary dinosaurs through genetic engineering — like the Indominus Rex.
Out of all seven movies in the Jurassic Park franchise, including the two sequels to Jurassic World — Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022) — the two best of the lot are Jurassic Park and Jurassic World.
Featuring lots of action, thrills, chills, and even a little romance, the entire franchise will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Nothing will ever beat the thrill ride that is Jurassic Park, but Jurassic World is a close second.
And the entire franchise features a ton of star power, including Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, BD Wong, Vince Vaughn, Juliana Moore, William H. Macy, Tea Leoni, Vincent D’Onofrio, Chris Pratt, and Bryce Dallas Howard.
One thing to note about the final film in the second trilogy, Jurassic World Dominion (SPOILER ALERT), is getting to see some of the original characters from the first film of the franchise in all their golden olden glory — as cheesy as the film was.
Independence Day (1996)
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One of the greatest movies to watch on July 4th, before, during, or after your holiday barbecue is Independence Day.
In fact, I know people who make it a ritual to watch the film every Independence Day, without fail.
Why?
Because it fits the theme of the day not only because of the date but also because it showcases humanity’s resilience against adversity and the inevitable way we come together to survive.
And in this movie, you don’t have to be American to celebrate Independence Day, especially when aliens invade Earth, planning to destroy all of its inhabitants.
Starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Mary McDonnell, and Vivica A. Fox, Independence Day will get your juices flowing in a way only a true, adrenaline-pumping blockbuster film can.
The Dark Knight (2008)
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Other than the campy classic Batman: The Movie starring Adam West and Burt Ward, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy is the best live-action Batman movie series made to date.
The Dark Knight is arguably the best of the three films as it features the phenomenal performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
Every second of the film, from start to finish, is dark, intense, and immensely satisfying. It’s another one of those adrenaline-pumping films that you can watch over and over and over and over and never get bored — ever.
The other two films in the trilogy — Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises — are also masterpieces but not nearly at the level of The Dark Knight.
Christian Bale will always rule as the best Batman (sorry, Michael Keaton fans.)
Though Mark Hamill’s voice version of the character is the bomb and Joaquin Phoenix plays an impressive version of the character in the film The Joker, Heath Ledger will always rule the roost as the Joker.
That said, The Dark Knight Trilogy should be on everyone’s must-watch list.
The Descent (2005)
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Never in a million years would I ever go spelunking.
It sounds like a fun, adrenaline rush, exploring caves with a bunch of friends to see what lies below, but what if you get lost or get stuck in a tunnel?
Or worse, what if you come across something you never wish you did?
The Descent follows a group of six friends who go spelunking after tragedy strikes the group during a whitewater rafting trip the year before.
The leader of the group, Juno (Natalie Mendoza), chooses a previously unexplored cave system in North Carolina as the focus of their trip.
Well, these adventure-seeking ladies get the adventure of their lives, and not in a good way, minutes after they descend into the caves.
Not only does one of them get stuck in a tunnel, but also a tunnel caves in on them, forcing them to find another way out in a cave system they know nothing about — and that’s only the beginning of the horrors they’ll face.
Watching them navigate those dark and narrow, suffocating cave tunnels will send your anxiety into overdrive in a thrilling, safe-on-your-couch type of way. You can even keep the lights off!
But when they find out they’re not alone in those dank caves, well, it might be time to turn the lights back on, lest you have nightmares when you fall asleep.
The film also stars Shauna Macdonald, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, Nora Jane Noone, and Myana Buring.
If you haven’t yet seen The Descent, put it on your watch list because it’s a must-see. And if you’ve already seen it, watch it again, because it’s that good.
Rush Hour (1998)
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In the battle between which is the better buddy cop movie franchise, Lethal Weapon or Rush Hour, who wins?
I liked the Lethal Weapon series. It has a lot of iconic action scenes and dialogue and has a longer run than Rush Hour. Plus, Lethal Weapon 2 featured Joe Pesci as Leo Getz.
That’s all well and good, but I found Rush Hour to be much more entertaining. If you watch the film today, it’s just as fun now as it was back when it was first released.
On the other hand, Mel Gibson as Riggs is not fun to watch anymore. I can watch Danny Glover all day, but Riggs is a turn-off.
Maybe it’s because I just don’t like Mel Gibson. Maybe it’s because I thought Clayne Crawford pulled off a better Riggs on the short-lived Lethal Weapon TV series on Fox. Maybe it’s both.
The chemistry between Jackie Chan as Chief Inspector Lee and Chris Tucker as Det. James Carter oozes from the screen. They look like they’re having fun, which makes it fun for the audience.
Add in the comedy, action, and decent storyline, and Rush Hour trumps Lethal Weapon, even if the sequels — Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Rush Hour 3 (2007) — weren’t as good.
The Terminator (1984)
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Another classic sci-fi/action film from the ’80s, The Terminator, features Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cyborg from the future sent to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) because, unbeknownst to her, she plays a huge part in saving humanity.
It’s a gritty, dark, and smart film that keeps you guessing at every turn. And the hunt for Sarah is as intense as it gets.
This film and others, including 2001: A Space Odyssey and Westworld, are why people like me aren’t too thrilled with the current lightning-speed advances in AI technology.
The only thing at the forefront of my mind any time I see one of those out-of-this-world amazingly real AI robots, is: Whelp, that’s the end of humans. Just give it a little more time.
There were several sequels, but Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) is the best of them. It might even top the first film, not in terms of action and intensity but because of the Terminator’s character arc.
While The Terminator leaves you with a feeling of dread, The Terminator 2 leaves you with a feeling of hope.
It’s hands-down one of the best two franchise films of all time.
Plane (2023)
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Father Acosta (Evil) saves the day! Well, sort of.
In Plane, Mike Coulter plays accused killer Louis Gaspare, who teams up with pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) after their plane makes an emergency landing.
The problem is the isolated island where they landed is controlled by rebels who see this big commercial jet and its passengers as the ultimate cash cow.
Brodie doesn’t know if he should trust Louis, but he has no choice if he wants to save his passengers. And it’s the best decision he ever made.
Plane is a fast-moving film full of suspense that will get your heart rate pumping not only because of the great action scenes but also because Butler and Coulter are so tasty to watch.
Under Siege (1992)
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Before Steven Seagal became a weirdo early in his career, he was one of the best action stars in the action genre at the time.
Seagal plays Casey Ryback, an ex-Navy SEAL who is the personal chef for the captain of a battleship that’s about to be decommissioned. The ship is also carrying nuclear warheads.
When an ex-CIA operative (Tommy Lee Jones) hijacks the ship with the help of a Navy commander (Gary Busey), all hell breaks loose.
Unfortunately for the bad guys they have no idea what they’re up against when Ryback comes a-calling,
Featuring lots of action and cheesy dialogue. it’s as fun the 20th time you watch it as it was the first time.
A sequel, Under Siege 2, was released in 1995, but it’s pretty much forgettable.
An interesting side story about Under Siege is that the producer of the film, Julius R. Nasso, was allegedly an associate of the Gambino Crime Family headed, at that time, by John Gotti.
In 2001, after Seagal broke a deal he had with Nasso for additional films, he found himself under siege by a couple of Gotti’s goons.
John Gotti was in jail at the time, and his brother Peter was “acting boss” of the of the Family, but you can be sure that the “Dapper Don” was still directing things from prison.
Seagal was threatened and forced to pay about $700,000 lest the mobsters put him below ground for good. Seagal immediately ran to the authorities and “ratted” out his old friend.
Despite Nasso’s denials that he was mob-connected, he was eventually convicted on extortion and conspiracy charges and spent a year in jail.
Die Hard (1988)
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Some of the best films in movie history, in every genre, were created in the 80s. Die Hard is one of those films.
The film is also considered the gold standard for action films, with many films coming after trying to replicate Die Hard’s formula for success.
But the thing about Die Hard is that it was fresh, new, and exciting. And despite how much the world has changed since then and how we view certain things, the film has stood the test of time.
What makes it one of the best adrenaline-pumping movies of all time is Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman.
There are no other actors who could play the parts of hero and villain in this film better than those two.
When you look at the list of actors who were offered the role of John McClane before Willis took the job, it’s mind-blowing.
Sylvester Stallone, Clint Eastwood, Don Johnson, Paul Newman, Harrison Ford, Burt Reynolds, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and several others were offered the role but turned it down.
I don’t think Arnold would have been able to fit in some of those tight spaces John McClane found himself in the movie.
Besides, would we really have wanted to see the Terminator as John McClane saying, “Yippee-Ky-Yay, mother******?”
I don’t think so.
Casting Rickman as Gruber was a stroke of genius. It was Rickman’s first film, and he played Gruber like the boss he was.
Without those two, I don’t think the film would have been as exciting as it was, even if every other aspect of the film is near-perfect.
Unstoppable (2010)
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Most disaster-themed films feature aliens, airplanes, shipwrecks, asteroids, or other forces of nature at the center of the drama.
In Unstoppable, it’s an unmanned train.
A train worker makes the biggest boo-boo of his life when he decides to disembark his train to throw a switch and can’t catch up to get back on, leaving it unmanned.
Unfortunately, it’s not just any old train with innocuous cargo (what fun would that be) but full of toxic and flammable chemicals, and it’s headed straight for a highly-populated area in northern Pennsylvania.
Retiring engineer Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington) and conductor Will Johnson (Chris Pine) take it upon themselves to try to stop the train and prevent a potential disaster of epic proportions.
It’s a fast-moving and thrilling nail-biter, especially with all the obstacles facing Barnes and Johnson along the way. But you’ll also get goosebumps, in a good way, by the end of it. So, it’s a thriller and a feel-good movie all at the same time.
The film is based on a real-life incident that happened in Ohio in 2001, dubbed the “Crazy Eights Incident.”
007: Goldfinger (1964)
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Created by novelist Ian Fleming in 1953, James Bond, better known as 007, has become the centerpiece of the most iconic spy movie franchise of all time.
From 1962 forward, 27 Bond films have been produced over the years with seven different actors playing the dashing secret agent, including Roger Moore, David Niven, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig, and, of course, Sean Connery.
All the films are good, even the “bad” ones, so it’s hard to choose which Bond film is the best because they all rank high on the awesomeness scale.
Each actor brings his own take to the role, and each film has its plusses and minuses. But my top three Bond actors are Connery, Brosnan, and Craig (in that order.)
Oh, I know what you’re going to say. Brosnan’s Bond films are kind of cheesy and don’t rank high on Rotten Tomatoes. But I like his style of innuendo, and the films are fun. I’m not a purist here, people. I just like what I like.
No matter who the actor is, all the Bond films have one thing in common: they’re exciting to watch.
From the crazy gizmos to the dashing lead and sultry ladies to the insane stunts, car chases, and fights, 007 movies check all the boxes for an adrenaline-pumping good time.
Unhinged (2020)
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Many of us have been in this situation.
You’re late for work, in a hurry, or having a bad day, and you just need to go, but the person in front of you doesn’t go — for what seems like a lifetime — when the light turns green.
They just sit there, playing on their phone, spacing out, or whatever they’re doing, so you slam on the horn — and sometimes more than once. We don’t much think about it afterward, and go about our business.
But what happens if the person you honk at is a maniac who’s also having a bad day? That’s the basic premise of Unhinged, starring Russell Crowe.
Crowe’s character doesn’t even have a name. He’s just the “Man,” which makes sense because when you honk at someone out of frustration or otherwise, you don’t know their name. They just are.
Everything is going wrong for Rachel (Caren Pistorius) one morning as she’s driving her son to school when she encounters the “Man.”
Out of frustration, because she doesn’t know what we know, she slams on her horn when the “Man” doesn’t move after the light turns green.
What follows is a terrifying series of events as the “Man,” who was already unhinged, becomes even more unhinged and makes Rachel’s life a living nightmare.
This movie got a lot of hate because of some plot elements, but many adrenaline-pumping movies don’t follow logic.
It’s the chase or the monster around the corner (or in the car) that drives the movie and makes it entertaining or scary to watch.
Even if some things don’t quite make sense in Unhinged, you still can’t turn away because the tension is so high.
And, if anything, it might make you think twice before you hit that horn the next time you’re stopped in traffic.
Taken (2008)
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Liam Neeson may not be the best action star in Hollywood, but he’s damn good with his particular set of skills.
Taken was the film that put him there, and he’s a badass. I could watch Liam Neeson all day, he’s that tasty.
Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a retired Green Beret and CIA operative who goes off the rails to save his teenage daughter after she’s kidnapped in Paris by sex traffickers.
Liam is dead serious and is not going to let anyone get in the way of finding his daughter. And when he does, God help those who took her.
A second film, Taken 2, was released in 2012, with Neeson returning as Mills. It’s also a solid, action-packed movie and well worth watching.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
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One of the most epic film franchises of all time is Indiana Jones. And it’s no surprise because it stars Han Solo, er Harrison Ford, as the title character.
It always surprises me how Ford’s movie career took off compared to the other original Star Wars actors. He’s such a diverse actor, and most of his films are top-notch.
I remember seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark in the theatre when it first came out and how enthralled I was with the entire film. I couldn’t wait to see it again. Yes, I’m one of those people.
Ford plays Indiana Jones, an archeologist hired by the U.S. Government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do.
The Ark is a religious relic in which God delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses, and the Nazis think it’ll give them supernatural powers.
It’s a fun movie experience from start to finish. Just hearing the theme song will get your adrenaline pumping because you know you’re in for another thrilling adventure with Indiana Jones.
Several sequels were made, including The Temple of Doom (1984), The Last Crusade (1989), The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), and The Dial of Destiny (2023).
Of all of the sequels, the 1984 and 1989 films are the best.
I have yet to see The Dial of Destiny because, after The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (a huge disappointment) and reading reviews about the latest incarnation, I didn’t want to travel down that road again.
I will at some point, and maybe I’ll be surprised.
Wanted (2008)
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Wanted is crazy outlandish and pretty much over the top, but isn’t crazy outlandish the backbone of any good action movie?
Wanted tells the story of Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) who works at an office job and lives the dullest and most frustrating life possible — until Fox (Angelina Jolie) enters his life.
He learns that his father was a professional assassin and part of a secret group of assassins called the Fraternity.
But these aren’t your run-of-the-mill assassins. Rather, these killers exist to keep balance in the world and take their orders from Fate.
Wesley also learns from the group’s leader, Sloan (Morgan Freeman), that he inherited a special supernatural power from his dad and thus begins his adventures with the Fraternity.
Wanted is a fun movie. Crazy outlandish, as I mentioned earlier, but still a great movie when you just want to escape
The Departed (2006)
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The Departed isn’t your typical adrenaline-pumping movie, but it’s an engrossing thriller crime drama that should be at the top of everyone’s watch list.
The film is loosely based on Boston’s Irish Mob, the Winter Hill Gang, specifically it’s leader turned rat, Whitey Bulger (Frank Costello played by Jack Nicholson) and his corrupt FBI handler John Connolly (Colin Sullivan played by Matt Damon.)
DiCaprio plays Billy Costigan, who goes undercover for the Massachusetts State Police Special Investigations Unit to infiltrate Costello’s gang and bring the long-sought-after criminal down.
It’s not as easy as they think, especially when it turns out that there’s a spy in the State Police feeding vital information to Costello.
It’s a classic cat-and-mouse thriller storyline with some unexpected twists and turns.
Exceptional performances by the entire cast, particularly DiCaprio, keep you on the edge of your seat. And it has some great music, too which is typical of any Martin Scorsese film.
By the way, if you’re interested in learning more about Whitey Bulger and his secret, decades-long relationship with the FBI, check out the book Everything Secret Degenerates: The FBI’s Use of Murderers as Informants.
And be sure to look up Joseph Salvati, a not-often but should-be-discussed victim of FBI corruption. You’ll be shocked.
War of The Worlds (2005)
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So I was originally going to put Tom Cruise’s 2014 sci-fi/action thriller Edge of Tomorrow in this spot, but while it ranks as one of the best, it still isn’t as good as War of the Worlds.
Pretty much everyone knows about Orson Welles’ 1938 radio adaptation of the classic novel written by H.G. Wells. and the panicked reaction of the audience to the “alien invasion.”
If there was ever a film that captured that level of panic, it’s War of the Worlds.
We know it’s not real, but it could be real and together with amazing visuals and action, it almost is real.
Top-notch in every aspect despite what the audience score says on Rotten Tomatoes.
When A Stranger Calls (1979)
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Back in the day, when home telephones were still connected to the wall, prank calls were a favorite past time of many (including myself.) Many times, you were the pranker, and many other times, you were the prankee (a Lisa-created word.)
You could call people and just hang up, stay on the line and say nothing, or ask something stupid like, “Is your refrigerator running?”
You’d hold your laughter if the person actually answered the question, hoping they wouldn’t hear your silent snorts. It was mostly all done in fun.
Fans of The Simpsons can appreciate the art of the prank call since it’s one of Bart Simpson’s hallmark ways to have fun with Moe at Moe’s Tavern.
But in When A Stranger Calls, it’s not fun and games for Jill Johnson (Carol Kane) as she receives an almost never-ending series of terrorizing phone calls while babysitting for a wealthy family.
Her initial terror is shared with us for the first 20 minutes or so of the movie, often described as one of the scariest openings in movie history.
The incessant ringing, the silence on the other end of the line when she answers, and the chilling words when the caller finally says, “Have you checked the children?”
The kids have been sleeping upstairs since she arrived at the house, so other than the parents who leave right at the beginning, it’s only Jill, the telephone, and the caller — in a large, dark house.
It’s intense, dark, and will definitely get your heart pumping, not just those first minutes, but throughout the entire movie.
Charles Durning, Tony Beckley, and Colleen Dewhurst also star in the film.
Kane and Durning reprised their roles in the 1993 made-for-television sequel When a Stranger Calls Back. It’s not nearly as good as the original, but it’s still a good watch.
In 2006, Simon West, the director behind Con Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, helmed a remake of this cult classic. But it failed on every level.
The Invitation (2015)
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The Invitation will have the hair on your arms standing on end throughout almost the entire film.
It’s an intensely creepy film that gets creepier as the story progresses, and while you think you know what’s happening, you really don’t until the end. And, boy, is it a doozy!
Will (Logan Marshall-Green) gets an invitation to a dinner party hosted by his ex-wife, Eden (Tammy Blanchard).
It’s a bit uncomfortable and tense to begin with because there was a tragedy involving the two former spouses, but Will has his girlfriend along with him, and Eden is remarried.
The minute Will enters the home, he knows there’s something wrong, but his girlfriend thinks he’s overreacting to being back in the same house he shared with Eden.
But Will is right! There is something very, very wrong with this dinner party.
It’s a dark and moody film filled with so much tension that, by the end, you’ll be drenched in dread. And if that doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping, nothing will.
Twister (1996)
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There is no twister film that will outmatch the disaster film Twister. Many have tried, and all have failed. Yes, I’m looking at you, Twisters!
Storm chasing sits right at the bottom of my bucket list, right along with spelunking. Why anyone would want to put their lives in danger chasing a deadly tornado, even to gather scientific research, is beyond me.
If you read In The Eye of the Storm: When Reality IS Scarier Than Fiction, you’ll understand what I’m saying.
But Twister is a movie about storm chasing, so you can enjoy the thrill of the hunt without putting yourself in mortal danger.
Despite that sense of safety, you’re taken along for a harrowing adventure mixed together with some drama and even comedy.
It’s a fun but thrilling ride of a movie from start to finish.
Westworld (1973)
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Before there was Jurassic Park, there was Westworld. But instead of genetically engineered horrors to make your life a living hell, there were androids.
The film was written and directed by Michael Crichton, the same author behind the Jurassic Park novel.
Westworld is about a futuristic adult theme park called Delos, where visitors can live out their fantasies in one of three historical settings: West World, Medieval World, or Roman World.
Once guests pick their “world,” they become fully immersed in it and can interact with a “staff” of realistic-looking androids.
It’s a pricey vacation, so guests can do what they wish with the robots — fight them, talk to them, have sex with them, or even “kill” them.
It’s a rich man’s dream until the androids malfunction, as Blane (James Brolin) and Martin (Richard Benjamin) quickly find out while living it up in their fantasy land of Westworld.
During the course of their vacation, the pair interacted with The Gunslinger (Yul Brynner), and when things went haywire, The Gunslinger remembered, making them his special target.
The Gunslinger is no Terminator, but he is one scary robot.
The film sustains a high level of tension when things go wrong, even without the advanced special effects we’re used to today. And that’s what makes it so great. Sometimes, simple is better.
A sequel, Futureworld, was released in 1976. In 2016, a Westworld TV series premiered on HBO, which ran for four seasons.
Deliverance (1972)
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I didn’t watch Deliverance for the first time until much later in life, but I wish I had seen it sooner.
As a teenager, I used to spend a lot of time canoeing with friends on the Kankakee River, about an hour south of Chicago. It was a lot of fun being isolated out in the woods, rolling down the lazy river, without a care in the world.
But after seeing Deliverance, the next time I went canoeing, I bought myself a hunting knife (not that it would have helped) to protect myself in case backwoods crazies showed up like they did in the movie.
It was not a good time because all I did was search the woods to make sure no one was out there lurking, with my heart pounding in my chest any time I thought I saw something.
I cut the trip short and never went canoeing again.
It’s kind of like the reaction some people had after watching Psycho or Jaws — not taking showers or staying out of the ocean.
Starring Burt Reynolds, John Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox, Deliverance tells the story of four friends from the big city of Atlanta who decide to have a fun-filled week canoeing in the backwoods of Georgia.
Unfortunately, they come across a few locals who aren’t too happy about city folks trampling on their territory.
A fun time then turns to terror as the four friends battle not only hostile locals who savagely stalk them but also the unfamiliar woodlands and dangerous rapids.
This movie is not for the squeamish as there are some brutal scenes (one, in particular, involving Ned Beatty,) but if you’re looking for something that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entirety of the film, this is it.
The Mummy (1999)
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I’m usually not a fan of remakes, especially when it comes to classic horror movies. But the 1999 The Mummy trilogy is the exception.
While no one can ever recreate the six-installment Universal movie series that featured such iconic actors as Boris Karloff and Lon Cheney Jr., the Stephen Sommers-directed films are badass.
And I love Brendan Fraser, so there’s that.
Plus, the movies are “loosely based” on the original 1932 film. And unlike those old horror films, Sommers’ The Mummy movies are anchored in action and adventure — the perfect type of movie to get your adrenaline pumping.
Fraser plays Rick O’Connell who teams up with Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), a British librarian, and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah), for a treasure hunt in the ancient Egyptian city of Hamunaptra.
They accidentally awaken the Mummy, who unleashes his wrath, and it’s up to O’Connell and the others to stop it.
It’s an all-around fun movie that will have you fully engrossed, as will the two sequels, The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008).
If you do want to watch the Universal series, below a list of the films, the year of release, and the actor who played the Mummy.
You won’t be disappointed if you check them out.
- The Mummy, 1932, Boris Karloff
- The Mummy’s Hand, 1944, Tom Tyler
- The Mummy’s Tomb, 1942, Lon Chaney Jr.
- The Mummy’s Ghost, 1944, Lon Chaney Jr.
- The Mummy’s Curse, 1944, Lon Chaney Jr.
- Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, 1955, Eddie Parker
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
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An epic adventure on the high seas with Johnny Depp starring as the quirky pirate, Jack Sparrow? What more could you ask for?
Pirates of the Caribbean is based on the Walt Disney theme park ride of the same name, one of my favorite rides of all time at Disney World, next to The Tower of Terror and the Dumbo ride.
The movie franchise, five films in total, gives you that same exhilarated feeling you get when you wind through each scene of the Disney ride in your own little boat.
Of course, that’s the point. And the movies exceed those expectations.
Star Wars (1977)
(Lucasfilm Ltd. / Screenshot)
It’s almost a no-brainer to put the Star Wars franchise on this list. After all, it is arguably the best adrenaline-pumping franchise of all time.
The original trilogy — Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983) — are, without a doubt, the best of the film series, even without all the splashy special effects that came in later films.
And to be honest, if the franchise had ended with those first three films, I would have been satisfied. There is no need to mess with perfection.
But then we were treated to the prequel trilogy: The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005). These were decent films that I thoroughly enjoyed.
However, I could have lived without the final trilogy, even though I found The Force Awakens (2015) highly enjoyable.
It’s disappointing that the last two films — The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) — were so cheesy. I hated both of them with a passion.
I won’t get into the changes George Lucas made with the original trilogy in later DVD and digital releases, including the Han Solo/Greedo scene at Mos Eisley cantina in Star Wars. Han shot first. End of story.
Or worse, replacing Sebastian Shaw (the original Anakin Skywalker) with Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker in the prequel) in the spirit scene at the end of Return of the Jedi. I get why Lucas did it; I just don’t like it.
Luckily, I have the original DVD releases, so I can watch the original, original trilogy the way it should be.
Prove Me Wrong
The “best” of anything is always purely subjective, especially when it comes to movies.
How many times have critics called a film “The Best Movie of the Year,” and you’re left scratching your head wondering what drugs they were on when they made that claim?
Similarly, you might ask that same question when a critic rips apart a movie you thought was the bomb.
What defines the “best” for me is anything I can watch over and over again and not get bored. I get the same chills, thrills, and adrenaline-pumping excitement I did the very first time I watched it.
That said, my list of the best movies and franchises to get your adrenaline pumping may be different than yours. So, as the saying goes, “Prove me wrong.”
Which film doesn’t belong on this list, and what films did I miss? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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