You’ve come to the perfect place if you want adventure movies like national treasure with a lot of action, big plots, and great acting.
Adventure movie lovers must be familiar with and fascinated with “National Treasure.”
The main character Benjamin Franklin Gates comes from a family of treasure hunters who have been driven to locate a war chest that the Founding Fathers concealed after the Revolutionary War.
Now that he knows more about its location, he has to move quickly to discover it before a group of mercenaries does.
Here is a list of movies like National Treasure that we think you should see.
Some movies like National Treasure, are available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
1. Angels and Demons (2009)
- Director: Ron Howard
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Thure Lindhardt
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10
A nuclear physicist and Harvard symbolist Robert Langdon are brought in to help solve the crime after a scientist is killed.
They also need to stop a terrorist attack against the Vatican. Dan Brown’s best-sellers are again shown to be top-notch mystery/adventure movies.
The role of Langdon, a highly intriguing and well-developed character, is still played by Tom Hanks.
Angels and Demons is one of the movies like national treasure that examines intriguing subjects related to the Vatican and the city of Rome, which is quite thrilling and captivating.
2. Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
- Director: Barry Levinson
- Cast: Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Sophie Ward, Anthony Higgins, Susan Fleetwood, Freddie Jones, Nigel Stock, and Roger Ashton-Griffiths
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
This adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s renowned books follows a young Sherlock who begins to look into a string of strange delusions that many different people begin to experience.
Sherlock must work to stop the killings of those businessmen with the assistance of his friend Dr. Watson and his outstanding logical skills.
Despite not being the most well-known Sherlock Holmes movie, “Young Sherlock Holmes” is a well-made and entertaining movie.
This drama stars Nicholas Rowe and Alan Cox. This movie has stood the test of time thanks to a compelling script and a superb physical production that flawlessly captures London in the nineteenth century.
3. Sherlock Holmes (2009)
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Robert Maillet, Geraldine James, and Kelly Reilly
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
The Guy Ritchie-directed adaptation of the greatest detective in history jacks up the fun and adrenaline to eleven.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson attempt to investigate a string of murders that are occurring around London and involve a hidden organization rather than looking for treasures.
While Ben and Riley get along well, Sherlock and John’s dialogue is more sarcastic but equally thoughtful.
Each pair balances the other out with their respective abilities and intelligence.
Also, like Ben and Abigail, there is a certain amount of romance between Sherlock and Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), who can match Holmes’ wit.
The action and complex mystery of Sherlock Holmes and its follow-up Game of Shadows keep viewers on the edge of their seats as they work with Sherlock to unravel the riddle.
This is undoubtedly one of the amazing movies like national treasure.
4. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- Director: John Huston
- Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt, Bruce Bennett, Barton MacLane, Alfonso Bedoya, Arturo Soto Rangel, and Manuel Dondé
- IMDb rating: 8.2/10
Gates has to deal with people who have less than pure motives in both “National Treasure” movies.
Also, the quest for a hidden treasure can be exhausting, pushing characters to their physical and mental limitations.
In the first movie, he is deceived by his trustworthy accomplice Ian Howe, who is ready to engage in acts of violence and document destruction that Gates finds repulsive.
Each person must take responsibility for their actions while they seek the treasure independently.
However, the government shows Gates mercy for his crimes because of his sincere interest in history, while Ian is sent to jail.
Similar issues with morality and the consequences of deeds were tackled in John Huston’s 1948 action classic “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” while pursuing a hidden treasure.
The story revolves around two treasure hunters called Fred Dobbs and Bob Curtin, who teams up with an elderly prospector named Howard to look for hidden treasure in a Mexican valley.
Curtin finally betrays the group as his actions get more greedy, despite the fact that they are initially all on the same page and unified in their strategy.
Curtin betrays his team because he is obsessed with the fortune and fame he could collect if he were to find the gold on his own.
In the end, he joins forces with robbers who treat him unfairly.
5. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Ronald Lacey, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina, and Wolf Kahler
- IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Before historian Ben Gates discovered “the secret that lies with Charlotte,” Indiana Jones, a famous archeologist, was engaged in a battle with the Nazis while searching for the long-lost Ark of the Covenant.
Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first installment in the adventure series, was directed by Steven Spielberg and set the bar for what an adventure movie could be.
This includes solving problems, avoiding traps, protecting a treasure, and even reigniting romances along the way.
Giving Ben Gates a run for his money and the treasure he spends much of his adult life chasing, Indiana Jones, who is both intelligent and skilled in fighting, can compete.
This is undoubtedly one of the amazing movies like national treasure.
6. The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
- Director: Lewis Teague
- Cast: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, Spyros Fokas, Avner Eisenberg, Paul David Magid, Howard Jay Patterson, and Randall Edwin Nelson
- IMDb rating: 6.1/10
The great sequel to the action movie “Romancing the Stone” is “The Jewel of the Nile.” In this brand-new chapter, Joan Wilder is kidnapped while traveling on the Nile.
She is immediately saved and has a legendary jewel recovered by her boyfriend, Jack Colton, and their friend Ralph.
“The Jewel of the Nile” is a pleasant journey that deserves your attention, despite falling short of the outstanding quality and enjoyment of the previous movie.
In addition to being an adventure movie, this one can masterfully blend humor, romance, and action.
This is one of the best National Treasure movies for fans to watch.
7. Knight and Day (2010)
- Director: James Mangold
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Jordi Mollà, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Falk Hentschel, and Marc Blucas
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10
The suspenseful aspect of the adventure makes the relationship between Gates and Abigail in the first “National Treasure” movie interesting.
Although Abigail works as an archivist at the National Archives and is passionate about American politics and history, she is unfamiliar with the world of espionage that Gates exposes her to.
Through an outsider’s perspective, the audience witnesses the irrational nature of Gates’ obsession, and their relationship naturally develops.
In 2010, James Mangold’s action-comedy “Knight and Day” followed an unusual romance within an adventure theme.
Mangold also found ingenious methods to explore exposition. June Havens (Cameron Diaz) encounters Roy Miller (Tom Cruise), an unknown stranger who is an international secret agent trying to flee the C.I.A. at an airport.
June is forced to join him on his quest to stop a terrorist group from obtaining a lethal weapon.
Comedy-wise, Cruise and Diaz get along a lot. This is one of the amazing movies like national treasure.
8. Romancing the Stone (1984)
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Cast: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, Zack Norman, Alfonso Arau, Manuel Ojeda, Holland Taylor, and Mary Ellen Trainor
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10
Her recently deceased brother-in-law sends A treasure map to romance writer Joan Wilder.
Nevertheless, Joan is compelled to go to Colombia to trade the map for her abducted sister. Soon after, she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous quest.
A comedy-adventure movie from the middle of the 1980s, “Romancing the Stone” stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny De Vito.
They all put up excellent shows and get along well with one another.
This movie soon established itself as a classic because Robert Zemeckis did a fantastic job of bringing the excellent story to life.
A fast-paced comedy with a hint of romance was also achieved thanks to his original directing, which is quite difficult to pull off.
9. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
- Director: Simon West
- Cast: Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight, Iain Glen, Noah Taylor, Daniel Craig, Daniel Craig, Chris Barrie, and Julian Rhind-Tutt
- IMDb rating: 5.7/10
While Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie) seeks artifacts to save the world, Ben Gates exploits historical artifacts to find treasures.
The world-traveling explorer Lara Croft faces up against the Illuminati in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider to locate all of the Triangle of Light’s parts before they can use it to control time.
In contrast to movies like National Treasure, Lara’s hunt is more extensive, and the stakes are much higher.
Ben Gates spends more time fleeing than fighting in hand-to-hand combat, but Lara is just as clever and strong and can hold her own in a battle.
The fact that Ben Gates and Lara Croft’s father, Jon Voight, who portrays Patrick Gates in the National Treasure movies and Lord Richard Croft in the Tomb Raider series, is the same is a bonus.
10. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- Director: Ron Howard
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Ian McKellen, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, and Jean-Yves Berteloot
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10
Robert Langdon is charged with murder, and he sets off on an adventure with Sophie, where they learn a secret that might disrupt a major global religion.
The Da Vinci Code is based on the best-selling book of the same name.
Its sequels, Angels & Demons and Inferno, explore old secret organizations and their links to significant historical people, such as the Freemasons, and their ties to U.S. history.
The movie makes up for where it lacks the romance and humor of the National Treasure movies with a deep history and an unfolding mystery.
Additionally, Robert and Sophie are in a race against time, as a tenacious police captain (Jean Reno) flees Sadusky like Ben did.
The Da Vinci Code offers it all and then some if you’re searching for movies like national treasure, jam-packed with global history, riddles, and revealing secrets.
11. The Goonies (1985)
- Director: Richard Donner
- Cast: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, John Matuszak, Kerri Green, and Corey Feldman
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10
Gates is a fun protagonist in the “National Treasure” franchise since he’s always coming up with new ways to solve problems. This is one of the amazing movies like national treasure.
Gates is not naturally rich, and his family has not benefited financially from their search for hidden treasure, but he creates his tools to acquire access to the National Archives. His inventiveness helped to make him a more likable hero.
The young heroes Mikey, Chuck, Mouth, and Data are equally accessible characters in Richard Donner’s epic adventure comedy “The Goonies” from 1985.
Like Gates, they are fascinated by secrets and hidden treasures, and they look for a legendary pirate ship named “One-Eyed Willy,” who was formerly a pirate crew member.
The characters in “The Goonies” regularly engage in comic dialogue, a big part of what made the “National Treasure” movies so amusing.
12. The Lost City of Z (2016)
- Director: James Gray
- Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland, Edward Ashley, Angus Macfadyen, Ian McDiarmid, and Clive Francis
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10
The series “National Treasure” is known for its trademarks, like Gates’ total fixation with solving mysteries and finding the answers.
Many people begin to doubt Gates’ sanity due to his commitment, negatively affecting his relationships.
Gates’ relationship with his father, who sacrificed most of his life in the quest for the Masons’ treasure, is complicated.
Although Cage gives Gates some odd qualities, the most moving scenes in both movies occur when Gates can discuss his passion for history.
Similar adventure movie, “The Lost City of Z,” from 2017, centers on a treasure seeker whose obsession consumes life.
Based on a real event, the movie follows the British explorer Percy Fawcett as he travels across Brazil and the Amazon rainforest in quest of a legendary hidden city.
In the course of his life, Percy makes multiple trips back to the forest with his accomplice Corporal Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson).
Like Gates and Riley in the “National Treasure” movies, Percy and Henry get along well; Henry supports Percy’s interests but disagrees with his approaches.
Percy’s family life becomes increasingly challenging due to his treasure quest, much like it was for Gates.
To remain at home and assist his wife, Nina, in raising their son Jack, Percy must postpone some of his previously scheduled activities.
When Jack is older, he joins his father on his quest. This is among the amazing movies like national treasure.
13. Night at the Museum (2006)
- Director: Shawn Levy
- Cast: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Ricky Gervais, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs,
Jake Cherry and Robin Williams
- IMDb rating: 6.4/10
In movies like National Treasure, history is given a new meaning; in Night at the Museum, history truly comes to life.
Instead of searching for hidden treasures, the Museum of Natural History’s exhibits are powered by an Egyptian tablet.
Larry Daley, the new night security guard, played by Ben Stiller, is responsible for safeguarding everything in the museum, just as Ben Gates claimed to be a treasure guard.
Night at the Museum includes global and natural history; characters include Octavius (Steve Coogan), Attila the Hun (Patrick Gallagher), and even a cheeky capuchin monkey called Baxter.
American history is also displayed, with Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams) and Sacagawea (Mizuo Peck).
Additionally, National Treasure’s ending occurs in New York City, the same city where Night at the Museum is set.
The movie has a lighter tone than the National Treasure movies.
However, it still offers the same surprise and excitement in discovering new historical facts and starting its movie series.
14. The Brothers Bloom (2008)
- Director: Rian Johnson
- Cast: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Robbie Coltrane, Maximilian Schell, and Ricky Jay
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10
Both “National Treasure” movies include a caper component that distinguishes them from other movies like national treasure about treasure hunting and the search for lost archaeological artifacts.
He is entrusted with gaining access to very hidden material since the historical landmarks and documents that Gates sees are often highly protected and classified.
In the first movie, he had to extract information from the National Archive from the Declaration of Independence’s back.
In “National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” he had to have a secret meeting with the President of the United States (Bruce Greenwood).
Gates’ adventures are made more enjoyable by the absurdly difficult nature of his heists, and his conversations with Riley and Abigail are fun.
The Brothers Bloom, a humorous heist adventure movie from 2008 directed by Rian Johnson, features similarly funny characters.
The con artists brothers, Bloom (Adrien Brody) and Stephen (Mark Ruffalo), must persuade the wealthy heiress Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz) to part with her inheritance in the movie.
Like Gates, Stephen is unpredictable and often keeps his plans a secret until the very last minute.
In the same way that Riley is immersed in the mystery, Bloom is also a stand-in for the audience, who often sees the chaotic environment for the first time.
15. Fool’s Gold (2008)
- Director: Andy Tennant
- Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena, Ewen Bremner, Ray Winstone, Kevin Hart, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner
- IMDb rating: 5.7/10
In Book of Secrets, Ben, Abigail, and Ben’s divorced parents, Patrick and Emily (Helen Mirren), find their way back to one another by looking for Cbola, a Native American city of gold.
Similarly, in the movie Fool’s Gold, an estranged pair of treasure seekers, portrayed by Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, reconcile after finding a fresh clue that points to a long-lost Spanish treasure.
The treasure they’re seeking is along Florida’s Key West coastlines, not amid national monuments.
Whereas romance is a minor narrative in the National Treasure movies, it is a key plot in Fool’s Gold, featuring treasure hunting. This is one of the best movies like national treasure.
16. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, Roshan Seth, Philip Stone, Roy Chiao, and David Yip
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10
Adventure enthusiasts must not miss the legendary Indiana Jones. In this follow-up, Indiana Jones is in India when a helpless village asks him to locate a mythical stone.
His discovery of a hidden cult hatching a dreadful scheme in an old palace sets off a fantastic adventure.
A fun and wonderful experience, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Through his expert directing, Spielberg produced a movie with engaging characters, exciting action scenes, and poignant scenes.
This is one of the movies like National Treasure that fans should see.
17. The Mummy (1999)
- Director: Stephen Sommers
- Cast: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin J. O’Connor, Jonathan Hyde, Oded Fehr, and Erick Avari
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
With its clues and riddles tied to historical events, the movies like National Treasure largely center on American history, particularly the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Focus is placed on Egyptian history and mythology in The Mummy.
Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser), Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz), and Evelyn’s brother Jonathan (John Hannah) follow a route to the city of the dead rather than the one mentioned in the Declaration of Independence.
They unintentionally revive an ancient evil on their trip. The Mummy focuses on the supernatural, but the journey through Egypt is just as full of action, adventure, and romance.
There’s even a prize waiting for them when they reach their destination.
