Screenwriters, to explain their work in creating a story, use the metaphor of the journey, the one the protagonists must take to reach their goal, overcoming pitfalls, challenges, and obstacles that make them grow until they are transformed. This is why we are fascinated with outdoor movies, where the challenges and difficulties of nature become integral to the narratives.
The movies we discuss in this article take this metaphor of walking, hiking, and journeying through the outdoors and make it a central theme of the story.
It's about challenging nature, admiring it, and discovering our limitations to reach a goal. Each character is changed by the outdoors. The unforeseen events forge them, fatigue strengthens them, and the goal reinforces their motivation.
There are many films in cinema history about nature, trails, and travelers. The ones we present here are not the "most beautiful" but the most significant outdoor movies in their approach to the theme and the locations of the shoots. Some of them carry powerful messages, while others capture the most authentic soul of travel and adventure; if you want to become educated about hiking, travel, and cinema about the outdoors in general, these are undoubtedly excellent films to start from. Hopefully, all of them will make you want to cop some essential gear for your next adventure in the wilderness, put a backpack on and start wandering.
Shop our favorite products
Scroll down for a selection of great outdoor movies to inspire your next outfit
'INTO THE WILD'
IMDb: 8,1/10
Arguably one of the best movies about the outdoors is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless aka Alexander Supertramp, a young man who, after graduating from Emerson University, decided to walk out on society and his comfortable life to live his dream of exploring America - in his own terms. From working on farms to criss crossing through America on trains, the ultimate goal was to gain enough experience to survive in the Alaskan Wilderness; his travels led him on a path of self-discovery, examining and appreciating the world around him and reflecting on life's purposes.
Christopher McCandless's story was first made famous by Jon Krakauer, an American author who told Christopher’s story by reporting through a series of interviews with his family and friends. Add to this a custom-made soundtrack by the only and only Eddie Vedder in his debut solo studio album by the same name. After the movie you will be guaranteed to question all your life choices, whether you genuinely need your job, and start planning your next adventure in the wild.
'THE WAY BACK'
IMDb: 7,3/10
Inspired by The Long Walk (1956), the memoir by former Polish prisoner of war Sławomir Rawicz, who escaped from a Soviet Gulag and walked 4,000 miles to freedom during World War II.
This movie, starring Jim Sturgess, Colin Farrell, and Ed Harris, is about a group of men escaping from a Siberian labor camp and trekking a dangerous 4,000 miles to India instead. A stimulating narrative paired with a grandiose visual spectacle that will be guaranteed to get stuck in your mind for a long time after watching it.
'7 YEARS IN TIBET'
IMDb: 7,1/10
7 Years in Tibet is a true story about an Austrian mountain climber who fled from his military duties in World War 2. The protagonist Heinrich (Brad Pitt), finds refuge in Tibet alongside the young Dalai Lama.
The story takes place during China's takeover of Tibet between 1944 and 1951, and it's set against the backdrop of Tibet's jaw-dropping natural beauty. It is a great story and tribute to Tibet, a Buddhist territory known as "the roof of the world," and its people. Thanks to great cinematography, it can capture its natural grandeur, culture, and heritage.
'CASTAWAY'
IMDb: 7,8/10
One of the greatest movies in the history of product placement is also one where the outdoors of an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and its surrounding elements is definitely a big protagonist alongside Tom Hanks and its precious volleyball.
I am sure you've heard of it. So if you aren't scared of flights and haven't watched it yet, go ahead!
'MOTORCYCLE DIARIES'
IMDb: 7,7/10
Behind the red t-shirts with his face on them, behind the slogans, behind the songs, and behind all other forms of idolatry, there was a time when Che Guevara was just a young man with dreams of traveling the world in search of adventures.
Motorcycle Diaries is an incredibly moving true story behind the political icon Ernesto "Che" Guevera in which his journey from Brazil to Peru is narrated beautifully, and it shows how this experience across the villages, cities, and wilderness of South America influenced his Marxist views.
'TRACKS'
IMDb: 7,1/10
Tracks tells the true story of Robyn Davidson, a woman from Brisbane who, in 1977, undertook a solo journey of 1,677 miles from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean through the Australian outback. She was accompanied by four camels and a loyal dog during her journey.
One of the best hiking movies and one where, besides the talented Mia Wasikowska playing a powerful female protagonist, the great Australian desert becomes alive by constantly morphing as a companion, a foe, a guide, a rightfully sacred place for the indigenous people living in it, and ultimately a rite of passage.
'127 HOURS'
IMDb: 7,5/10
Not so outdoorsy since the movie might trigger your claustrophobia, as 127 Hours is a survival story about a rock climber (James Franco) that ends up being trapped by an arm-crushing fallen boulder in a remote Utah canyon.
Still, it makes for a great appreciation of the beautiful Utah Canyon. It serves as a reminder for all the hikers and explorers out there to never underestimate the importance of safety during these explorations, and if you are a fan of Franco, you get to see just him for a lot of the movie.
'THE REVENANT'
IMDb: 8/10
Maybe it's more famous for being the movie that finally gave Di Caprio his first Oscars, but The Revenant offers a stunning representation of North American wilderness. The story is set in 1823 in South Dakota and Montana. Still, most film locations are in Canada, in Kananaskis Country, and in the breathtaking scenery of Bow Valley in the Canadian Rockies west of Calgary, Alberta. The film is shot with very few digital effects. It only uses the natural light of each location.
It takes place during the winter months, and director Alejandro G. Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki show how punishingly cold it was. So as you watch this wild film, make sure to wrap yourself up in a warm blanket.
Also, the bear scene is epic.
'MOONRISE KINGDOM'
IMDb: 7,8/10
This one might throw you off a little for being on this list of outdoor movies, but bear with me. The 2012 coming-of-age comedy-drama Moonrise Kingdom, directed by Wes Anderson, is a movie about the outdoors. Sure, it might not be having hikers or mountaineers like some other movies in this list have. Still, as the protagonist Sam, a 12-year-old orphan who falls in love with Suzy, the two decide to run away to a secluded cove on an island in New England , namely Rhode Island – mainly around Conanicut Island west of Newport, the outdoors plays a crucial role in the movie.
With Wes Anderson, we already know. Pastel colors, ubiquitous symmetrical shots, convoluted dialogues spoken by unique novellike characters. But the disappearance of Sam and Suzy sparks the entire town to begin a search and rescue mission.
Sandy beaches, rocky coves, old homes, meadows, and eerie fog centerstage in Wes Anderson's masterful skill to construct new and inventive realities on an intimate island where magical adventures take place. A testament to the importance of the outdoors in the movie happens at the very start of it when Bob Balaban, serving as the narrator, presents the island by showing various quick cuts of its different features, including a beach covered in pebbles, a forest of pine trees, twisting creeks, dangerous cliffs, overgrown fields, a dilapidated dock, and an old lighthouse.
'EVEREST'
IMDb: 7,1/10
On May 10, 1996, two groups of climbers, including Jason Clarke and Josh Brolin, began their climb toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Suddenly, a severe storm hit the mountain, catching the climbers off guard and subjecting them to one of the most intense blizzards ever experienced by humans. Despite the extreme conditions, the teams struggled to survive against the nearly impossible odds of howling winds and freezing temperatures.
An epic survival battle against the harsh elements of the most iconic mountain in the world.
'THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON'
IMDb: 7,6/10
Releasde in 2019, The Peanut Butter Falcon is a movie about the outdoors but not your typical hiking or mountaineering movie.
This one is set on the swamps and rivers of North Carolina and Georgia. It follows the story of Tyler, played by Shia Lebouf, a rebellious and troubled (of course) fisherman, and a young man, Zak, with Downs Syndrome, who ran away from an assisted living facility. As they both flee, Zak is tracked down by his social worker while searching for a wrestling school to fulfill his dream of going pro. At the same time, Tyler is being chased by a couple of men after he ignited a fire in their fishing camp. The two nomads embark on a trekking and water rafting journey together and encounter many obstacles.
A modern Mark Twain story with lots of comedy, drama, and coming of age.
'THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS'
IMDb: 7,5/10
For the fans of animated movies about the outdoors, instead, we have The Summit of the Gods, a 2021 French-language film based on the Japanese manga series of the same name by Jiro Taniguchi.
The film, which was condensed by director Patrick Imbert and his team into 90 minutes, centers around Fukamachi Makoto, a photojournalist from Japan who becomes fixated on uncovering whether George Mallory, a renowned British mountaineer, was the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1924. This obsession leads Fukamachi to track down Habu Joji, a climber he believes holds the key to solving the mystery.
'HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE'
IMDb: 7,8/10
As if the natural beauty and stunning landscapes of New Zealand needed any more publicity. In this next entry for some of the best outdoor movies, we have Hunt for the Wilderpeople. A 2016 New Zealand adventure comedy-drama film written and directed by Taika Waititi.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople tells the story of the naughty kid Ricky Baker. When Ricky's foster aunt suddenly passes away, his only option is to be left alone with his grumpy uncle Hec. Long story short, the duo finds itself on the run in the vast New Zealand bush in their attempt to evade child services and the law. A funny and heartfelt adventure.
The nature highlight of the movie? Without a doubt, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing!
'CLIFFHANGER'
IMDb: 6,5/10
In a story that is not Rambo nor Rocky related, Sylvester Stallone takes the lead in this 1993 American action thriller starring, besides our favorite 80s action movie icon, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, and Janine Turner.
The film follows Gabe (Stallone), a mountain climber mired in a heist of a U.S. Treasury airplane flying through the Rocky Mountains. It made a whopping $255 million worldwide.
True to its name, this movie offers some of the most beautiful and breathtaking outdoor landscapes on this list. But while in the movie we are led to believe that the story takes place in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, in reality, the majority of the movie was shot in Cortina d' Ampezzo in the Italian Dolomite Mountains. Throughout the film, various prominent mountains, steep walls, and manmade structures in the Dolomites were featured to show the climbing landscape of the Colorado Rockies. Most of the rock climbing scenes in Cliffhanger took place on the amazing Tofane Group (3,244m / 10,643′).This extensive solid massif is one of the most prominent formations in the Dolomites, consisting of three main pinnacles of matching height.
For more Highsnobiety-approved movie suggestions, check out the most iconic sneaker moments in cinema history, or the best gangster movies of all time.
