Top Ten Outdoor Adventure Wilderness Movies

You never know what will happen out in the wilderness. That's part of the excitement of outdoor wilderness adventure movies, they areadventures just waiting to happen. This article will explore ten of the greatest outdoor wilderness movies of all time, ones that you just have to see.

1. Into the Wild (2007). This movie is actually based on a true story of a rich kid who had it all, who wants to set out on his own and give up his possessions. Things were going well for him, and he was learning all kinds of life lessons. His downfall came when he decided to venture into the Alaskan wilderness in the fall, just as it was starting to get cold for the winter. Well, you can imagine that in Alaska it gets really cold. Add to that eating some poisonous berries and then realizing the stream you crossed to get into the wilderness has now become a raging river, and you're trapped. Survival or no survival? You guess.

2. Nell (1984). This is an older movie that stars Jodie Foster as Nell. Nell is a woman who grew up in a home out in the wilderness, in the middle of nowhere. Apparently, her mother was raising her and her twin sister, but both of them have died. Nell is discovered, and for some reason civilization decides that she shouldn't be able to be out in the wilderness by herself, and take steps to make her become civilized. Ridiculous, but makes for a good outdoor adventure wilderness movie.

3. Last of the Mohicans (1992). Madeline Stowe and Daniel Day-Lewis star in this outdoor wilderness film about the French and Indian war in the 1700's. The colonists don't wish to join the British to aid in their fight against the French, because they don't want to leave their families. They end up agreeing, and thus starts their trek into the wilderness. Two young ladies, daughters of the British commander, end up being captured by Indians. The colonists, including Day-Lewis, set out to rescue them. During this whole adventure, Day-Lewis and Stowe fall for each other, as part of the main plot. Day-Lewis has been traveling with two Mohican Indians, the good Indians in this movie, who happen to be two of the last Mohicans! In an interesting romantic subplot, the Indian son and the other sister of the commander fall in love. The Indian ends up being killed, leaving just his Father, the last Mohican.

4. The Edge (1997). Anthony Hopkins stars in one of his rare roles as the good guy in this film with Alec Baldwin. Hopkins is a billionaire, who employs Alec Baldwin. The two are taking a trip to Alaska to find a beautiful model who lives there for their magazine. The plane goes down, leaving Hopkins and Baldwin in the Alaskan wilderness. It's a fight for survival, even for survival against each other, once Baldwin admits that he is having an affair with Hopkins' wife. Who will survive and who will die in this outdoor adventure thriller?

5. Strange Wilderness (2008). This is a comedy film produced by Adam Sandler. Strange Wilderness is actually a wildlife show that is experiencing problems with ratings. To keep the show alive, the cast set out to find Bigfoot, who could definitely increase the ratings if he were to appear on the show!

6. Swiss Family Robinson (1960). A family is traveling to New Guinea, but end up shipwrecked on an island with pirates chasing them. They have to fend off the pirates, and survive out in the wilderness. This is a classic older outdoor adventure flick, but it still remains as one of the earliest adventure wilderness movies. Will the family choose to stay on the island in the wilderness, or to return to civilization? It's an age-old question presented in movies where people are cast onto deserted islands.

7. Blair Witch Project (1999). This is an adventure wilderness movie about three students who set out into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland to find out about the myths of a witch who lives there. What I like about this movie is that it looks as if it was filmed by regular people just making their own home movie. It seems very realistic. There also isn't much blood and gore, but the movie is more of a psychological thriller.

8. The Bear (1988). This is a foreign movie set in Canada, about a bear cub who gets protected by a grizzly bear. The movie is set in the mind of the bear cub, as he and the grizzly try to evade hunters chasing them through the wilderness. The movie was more successful in France than in America.

9. The Great Outdoors (1988). John Candy and Dan Akroyd star as brothers in this outdoor adventure movie set in the wilderness. John Candy takes his family on a vacation to a lake resort out in the woods. However, unfortunately, his brother and his brother's family show up to join in the fun. This movie is also a great comedy.

10. Six Days Seven Nights (1998). Anne Heche and David Schwimmer are boyfriend and girlfriend on vacation. However, Anne Heche has to go back to the mainland to complete a quick job assignment, and needs Harrison Ford, the only pilot available, to take her back. However, the plane crashes and the two are stranded. As they try to figure out how to get back, they develop feelings for each other. They brave the island, being encountered by modern day pirates and other distractions to their goal of survival. What do they do when they get back? Will they decide to be together or to get back with their other halves, Ford's girlfriend and Heche's boyfriend?

What outdoor adventure wilderness films do you enjoy?