You know how it goes. The protagonist hears about a treasure, maps out a mission to find it, and then puts together a team of bandits. They go on the hunt, find someone else who wants it and then race through a maze of traps and insects to get there first. It's one of the most generic formulas in Hollywood but also one of the best. The chase matters more than the actual plot, which might as well be an afterthought in these 20 films. The real treasure comes from a sense of discovery.
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National Treasure (2004)
Walt Disney Pictures
You can't have a list of the best treasure hunt movies without this 2000s franchise. Starring Nicolas Cage in the role of Benjamin, the first entry sees Cage steal the Declaration of Independence in search of art, while the second sees him kidnap the President in search of gold. It's all incredibly silly, but what else do you want from a movie with Nic Cage?
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The Mummy (1999)
Universal Studios
As if the stakes of a treasure hunt weren't high enough,The Mummy raises them even more by adding a monster. Starring Brendan Fraser, the film centers on a tomb that may or may not house an ancient monster. Okay... it does house an ancient monster. And this archeologist will have to do more than just digging to find a way out.
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The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Paramount Pictures
The Adventures of Tintin is not remembered well. The movie was Steven Spielberg's effort to adapt a comic book, which saw Tintin and his dog travel the world in search of treasure. But like the loot, it is now buried under pounds of dust and thousands of movies streaming on Netflix. Hey, it's never too late to discover this hidden gem!
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Romancing the Stone (1984)
20th Century Fox
This slice of 80's adventure is the ultimate Kirk Douglas experience. Cool under pressure but with a rough quality that spells trouble, Douglas gives this family adventure the dash of rum it needs. It's up to him to save the day and get the girl, all while pirates chase them around South America.
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Treasure Island (1950)
Walt Disney Pictures
Disney's first live-action film is one of its greatest treasures. It's got pirates, battles and adventures, all-star actors and all-time action. It's the movie that established pirates on screen, making it one of Disney's most influential films to date. Everything from Hook to Pirates of the Caribbean has stolen from its chest.
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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Paramount Pictures
You know if a movie is directed by Steven Spielberg, it's going to be good. Raiders of the Lost Ark sees Spielberg write his own treasure map, giving the genre a much-needed update. Harrison Ford's archeologist isn't like those other nerds who search for treasure. This archeologist outruns boulders, shoots Nazis, and winks at the camera. It's the character (and franchise) that would shape the genre to come.
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The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966)
United Artists
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly might not have won any Oscars, but the movie has since been cemented as one of the greats. The action sees Clint Eastwood search for gold with his two pals, only to run into bandits and battles. It's explosively entertaining, with one of the greatest scores in movie history and one of the greatest shootouts of all time.
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The Lost City (2022)
Paramount Pictures
The Lost City is a checklist of genre cliches. A jungle setting? Check. A map of treasure? Check. A pair of attractive people in search of treasure? Check. A bad guy who has been after that treasure for 20 years? Check. Add to that a romance between Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock, and you got yourself one of the most reliable entries on our list.
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Three Kings (1999)
Warner Bros.
George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube star in this comedic war movie. It sees three soldiers try to steal from a warlord who is located in the middle of nowhere. It's a treasure trove of tones, including action, comedy, drama and heist.
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Pirates of the Caribbean (2003)
Walt Disney Pictures
I don't know what's more entertaining: Johnny Depp talking smack in court or Johnny Deppp talking smack on the high seas? If the actor's recent court case didn't give you enough of his sassy persona, then watch as Jack Sparrow talks smack on a pirate ship.
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Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972)
Filmverlag der Autoren
Aguirre: The Wrath of God may be the greatest treasure hunt movie ever made, but it gets relatively short shrift compared to other movies. That's because the film isn't as widely known as some others, and most people don't even know who Werner Herzog is. That's a shame. Herzog's descent into madness is right up there withIndiana Jonesas a treasure hunt and right up there with Apocalypse Now as a doomed odyssey.
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Black Sea (2014)
Focus Features
Black Sea is one of many movies on our list inspired by Aguirre . As Jude Law takes his team on a submarine, he starts to become more and more obsessed with the mission, at the risk of everyone on board. It's a thriller that makes you feel the pressure closing in.
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Oceans 11 (2001)
Warner Bros.
Okay, so you may not think of Oceans 11 as a treasure hunt, but that's just because heists are basically the same thing. The characters go after buried treasure--in this case, a buried safe--and make plans that won't be explained until a flashback later on. It's Treasure Hunt 101, with a cast that looks like the guest list for an Oscar party.
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It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
United Artists
Speaking of ensembles, the call sheet on this one might as well read, "but wait, there's more!" Good luck trying to spot everyone in Stanley Kramer's globe-trotting adventure, which has such a big cast that Buster Keaton and The Three Stooges don't even fit on the poster. Five teams set off on a chase for treasure, each of which is filled with people you know.
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Treasure Planet (2002)
Walt Disney Pictures
Based on a novel of the same name, the kid's movie sees a group of teens searching for gold. The animation is fantastic, along with the voice cast that brings their adventure to life.
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The Lost City of Z (2017)
Amazon Studios
This art-house flick has a lot of things we like. An extremely stylish period piece. Lots of gorgeous shots of nature. Charlie Hunnam is doing his best impression of Klaus Kinski. When his character sets out to sea, he takes everyone in his crew down with him. It's one of the more haunting entries on our list and one of the most moving.
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The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
Warner Bros.
Easily one of the best films in the genre, Treasure of Sierra Madrefollows a group of prospectors whose mission goes awry. John Houston writes and directs this study of greed, paranoia and betrayal, which has inspired everyone from Steven Spielberg to Sam Raimi. Since its release, it's only gone on to influence more people.
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Aladin (1996)
Walt Disney Pictures
For animation fans, here's a classic treasure hunt for you. Aladin searches for gold with his girlfriend and genie friend, who protect him from a gang of thieves.
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O Brother, Where Art Though? (2000)
Touchstone Pictures
A treasure hunt musical? A musical based on The Odyssey? An odyssey that mixes aspects of action and comedy? Only the Coen Brothers could pull off this level of insanity, which sees three friends escape prison in search of gold. The real treasure is the performances, especially George Clooney in what may be my favorite Clooney part to date.
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The Goonies (1985)
Warner Bros.
Hey, you guys! The Gooniesis one of the best treasure hunt movies out there! The actors are all-electric, the jokes are all funny, the villains are all terrifying and the set pieces are all mesmerizing. Pirate ships, secret tunnels and water slides makes up this adventure, which sees a group of friends search for gold on the outskirts of town.
Asher Luberto is a film critic for L.A. Weekly, The Playlist, The Progressive and The Village Voice.
