Plenty of movies follow characters on epic journeys, whether they’re thrillers, comedies or something else. In these types of movies, the “hero’s journey” is mirrored by a physical journey, as various trials block the path of the main character from reaching their goal, and they have to grow in order to overcome them.
Movies about journeys can be extremely gripping, since anyone can relate to the feeling of a long journey. This is a good way of reflecting a character’s internal battles in their external state. However, not all such movies are thrillers, since comedy road trip movies and sci-fi adventures use the same tools.
Leonardo DiCaprio finally got his Oscar for his performance inThe Revenant,and the story behind the making of the film is almost as famous now as the film itself. DiCaprio and the crew had to endure biting winds and frigid temperatures, which is appropriate considering thereal-life inspiration behindThe Revenant.
The story behind the making of the film is almost as famous now as the film itself.
When he’s left for dead in the wilderness, American fur trapper Hugh Glass embarks on a harrowing journey to return to his men and exact his revenge on the man who killed his son.Alejandro González Iñárritu’s immersive style heightens every brutal detail ofThe Revenant,and DiCaprio’s performance does the rest.
Mad Max: Fury Roadcame out 30 years after the previous movie in the franchise, and with Tom Hardy replacing Mel Gibson in the lead role. Still, George Miller picked up where he left off, delivering a non-stop thrill ride set in his sun-scorched dystopia. The entire film plays out like one long, dangerous chase scene.
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Like with some other entries in the franchise,Fury Roadisn’t really Max’s story, buthe’s a passenger on someone else’s quest. In this case, he assists Furiosa in her brutal journey to rescue Immortan Joe’s captive wives and take them to the fabled “Green Place”. When this becomes impossible, Max and Furiosa decide to turn around and charge back into danger.
Although it was a commercial failure at the time,Children of Menhas since been recognized as one of the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century. The story takes place in a near-future where society has been all but torn apart by a global fertility crisis. When a pregnant woman is found for the first time in decades, a world-weary bureaucrat tries to smuggle her to safety.
Alfonso Cuarón’s immersive use of long takes heightens the tension inChildren of Men’s explosive action scenes, but there’s also a deeply emotional side to the drama. The journey moves from the crime-ridden streets of London, through a disordered countryside and finally to a nightmarish refugee camp on the coast.
Not all movies about difficult journeys have to be dramatic, as there are countless road movies which put their characters through hell for laughs.It Happened One Nightset the standard for such comedies, and it also helped create the modern rom-com in many ways, with its reversal of traditional gender dynamics, bickering lovers and chaotic misfortune.
It Happened One Nightwas the first movie to win the so-called “Grand Slam” at the Oscars, scooping Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay.
Claudette Colbert stars as a wealthy heiress who escapes from her father in Miami to go and meet up with her lover in New York City. On the long bus ride, she brushes up against a brash journalist in the form of Clark Gable. Thanks to a combination of rotten luck and their own foibles, the trip becomes longer and more complicated than it needs to be.Although it’s been imitated in every way possible,It Happened One Nightis still packed with surprising and hilarious moments.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Deserthas gained a cult following as a true camp classic. Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving and Terence Stamp star as three drag queens who take an RV deep into the Australian outback, heading for the remote town of Alice Springs.
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The Adventures of Priscillais constantly surprising and hilarious, butit’s a queer odyssey that also has plenty of heart. While the script has a lot of fun with stereotypes, the main characters are so much more than that. Ultimately, it’s a life-affirming story of acceptance and self-actualization that still rings true.
Joseph Conrad’sThe Heart of Darknessis one of the best books about a difficult journey, andAd Astraupdates this story by way of2001: A Space Odyssey.Brad Pitt plays an astronaut who ventures deep into the solar system to make contact with his father, a man he hasn’t seen for years, who seems to have lost his grip on reality.
Ad Astrais one of thebest space exploration moviesever, andit isn’t the only one which follows a difficult journey.What makesAd Astradifferent from movies likeGravityandThe Martianis that Roy McBride isn’t trying to return home. In fact, his destiny lies millions of miles away from Earth.
The story of Gawain and the Green Knight has been passed down through the centuries, and David Lowery’s movie adaptation is suitably epic and mysterious for such an important myth.The Green Knightlargely sticks to the story as it’s most commonly told.
Dev Patel stars as Sir Gawain, one of King Arthur’s knights who accepts a challenge from a mysterious green knight who wanders into the court. His strange journey takes him across an enchanted wilderness, where he meets ambiguous characters who test his psychological mettle.The Green Knightwas a box office failure, but it earned positive critical reviews.
Finding Nemois one ofPixar’s best movies, and certainly one of the studio’s most beautiful. However, the rainbow-colored underwater aesthetic merely livens up a story about a father going on an epic journey to save his son. It’s the kind of comedic adventure that children love, but adults are more likely to connect with Marlin’s desperation and guilt.
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Finding Nemoisn’t the only Pixar movie about a long journey.The studio returned to this idea inOnward, The Good Dinosaur,Cocoand Inside Out, to name a few. These movies all use the structure of the journey to introduce plenty of fun new characters along the route. The constantly changing scenery also helps keep up a snappy pace.
It took a long time before J.R.R. Tolkein’s seminal fantasy series got a suitable big-screen adaptation, but Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy was worth the wait. Although there are remarkable battles, the scale of which hasn’t been replicated since, Frodo’s journey into Mordor is just as important.
Frodo’s story is a great example of the way that theLord of the Ringstrilogy maintains its personal stakes, even in the midst of epic battles, interesting high fantasy concepts and a large ensemble of characters. This makes Frodo one of the most relatable characters.
1917follows two British soldiers on a dangerous mission to deliver a message calling off an attack.The stakes are set from the very beginning,as it’s made clear that failure will mean the death of hundreds of their fellow soldiers, including the brother of one of the two men.
1917is loosely based on a true story, and its commitment to historical detail makes the First World War story even more gripping.
1917is loosely based on a true story, and its commitment to historical detail makes the First World War story even more gripping. It’s shot to look like one long, continuous take, which creates an immersive, almost claustrophobic atmosphere. The action feels genuinely dangerous every step of the way, and there are only a few moments of solace to break up the breathless pace.
