10. Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

A tale about greed, lust and suspicion, John Huston's Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a fun, well-executed action adventure film, Old Hollywood style. When three men (Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt) search for gold through the mountains of Central Mexico, their eventual success leads each to start thinking the other two may be up to some scheme to keep it all for himself. This was one of the first Hollywood films to shoot on location, beginning a trend that holds today. Director Huston won the Best Director Oscar for this film, and directed his father Walter in his role of Howard, the old prospector who helps his partners locate the precious metal. This film is a treat for Bogart fans who sought a bit more action than they got from the romantically inclined Casablanca.

9. The Goonies (1985)

Superman director Richard Donner helmed this film, based on a story by Steven Spielberg and a finalized script by future Harry Potter director Chris Columbus. The tale of a group of teenagers who set off on a quest to find a rumored pirate treasure hidden within their own hometown makes for a mixed basket of chase scenes, daring escapes and large treasures to be had. Audiences jumped right into this adventure flick, witnessing cliffhanging scenes (sometimes literally so) worthy of other Spielberg productions. Kids who grew up watching this film will fondly remember the character of Sloth, a deformed man-monster, who slowly comes around his timidity, helping the kids reach their goal.

8. The Three Musketeers (1973 and 1993 versions)

Several adaptations exist of this celebrated tale by Alexandre Dumas, featuring three (or was it four) worthy swordsmen in the service of King Louis the Thirteenth. But only two stand out and for equally valid reasons, so both appear on the list. The 1973 version starring Michael York as D'Artagnan, alongside Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain and Frank Finlay was the first re-enactment of the famous novel to include elements of comedy not widely seen in previous versions, adding to its box office cachet. The musketeers faced a formidable opponent in Charlton Heston as the scheming Cardinal Richelieu. The 1993 remake featured young Hollywood actors Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Oliver Platt and Chris O'Donnell, a combination which made for great chemistry similar to its 1973 predecessor. This new roster faced an equally great threat from quintessential villain Tim Curry as Richelieu. Whether you watch either of these films (or both, which is recommended), you'll get great displays of swashbuckling, entertaining stunt work and funny one-liners.

7. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Based on one of their theme park rides (really!), Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean is a funny and captivating series with non-stop swordfights, naval battles and supernatural curses rolled into one neat adventure package courtesy of Hollywood action guru Jerry Bruckheimer. Directed by Gore Verbinski, the first installment follows the adventures of one Jack Sparrow (brilliantly played by Johnny Depp) as he crosses paths with a young blacksmith's apprentice named Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), a gifted young man with secret pirate roots of his own. Both men seek out a cursed ship and its captain, who kidnapped the young Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Depp's over-the-top performance elevates each movie, but this first installment makes the list over the other two as it gamely debuts the players we follow throughout this fantastic swashbuckling trilogy.

6. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Recounting the life and times of British officer T.E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia is an epic adventure set in the Arabian Desert during WWI. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole), a clever and outspoken strategist, befriends some Arab leaders (played by such notable talents as Anthony Quinn and Alec Guinness) in their war against the Turks. With its near four-hour running time, this film redefined the cinematic blockbuster, delving into the hero's intricate relationship with his Arab friends as he helps them secure locations such as Aqaba and Damascus. Granted, this film doesn't cry out action adventure. Instead, its appeal lies in the level of detail and attention to story in which director David Lean immerses his audience.

    5. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

The granddaddy of all action films, this Technicolor marvel gave audiences their first taste of true cinematic action as they followed Errol Flynn's Robin Hood and his band of merry men in their fight against the nefarious Prince John. Warner Brothers struck gold with this film, which is filled with daring swordplay and romance as well as some pretty impressive feats of archery, courtesy of expert archer Howard Hill. Hill provided the realistic, one-take shot of the splitting arrow during the film's archery contest, and was also responsible for every arrow stunt throughout the film. Robin Hood is by far Flynn's most popular performance, one which still holds true, despite certain remakes of later decades, starring some less-than-perfect American performers (Mr. Costner, we're talking to you).


 4. Jurassic Park (1993)

The defining summer film of 1993, and also the first to rely on digital sound (DTS) in theatre, Jurassic Park terrified movie audiences with its realistic depiction of full-size dinosaurs in an amusement park gone wrong. With the digital audio improvements in effect, audiences could really feel the full presence of the ominous T-Rex as it chased the poor folks who were sent to test out the viability of Jurassic Park. This film marked another franchising milestone for Steven Spielberg (see also Indiana Jones) and is best viewed with a powerful sound system for a fuller experience.

3. North by Northwest (1959)

One of the more adventurous thrillers by British film master Alfred Hitchcock, North by Northwest is an exciting story based on a simple case of mistaken identity. Dashing leading man Cary Grant plays Roger Thornhill, an ad man who gets mistaken for a CIA agent who is deemed responsible for killing a man at the United Nations General Assembly building. What ensues is a scenic series of travels, as Roger dodges authorities despite his innocence. Hitchcock makes great use of several American landmarks (including a pivotal cliffhanging finale at Mount Rushmore), and it is the non-stop pace of this film that makes it worthy of this list. Note to film buffs: look for an early screen appearance by future Oscar winner Martin Landau in his first major film role.

2. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

You knew this would be here, right? The closing chapter of the Lord of the Rings series brings the Fellowship to the borders of Mordor where they hope to destroy the One Ring, hopefully destroying Sauron in the process. With its massive battle scenes and poignant climax, Return is arguably the most ambitious and exciting of all three films. The film earned all 11 Oscars it was nominated for, including Best Picture, bringing satisfying closure to this epic series, the most faithful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's books ever made. 

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Often imitated, never duplicated, Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark is definitive. Blockbuster favorite Harrison Ford plays Indiana Jones, an archeology professor who also spends time hunting treasure worldwide. Developed by Star Wars creator George Lucas as a tribute to serial action films of the 1930s, Raiders follows a pretty simple formula: the quest for a powerful treasure in a race against a dangerous enemy. In this case, the prize is the Ark of the Covenant, and the baddies are actually Nazis who seek to obtain the Ark in order to wield unlimited power over the world. Raiders remains the template for all modern films of this ilk.