Best South American adventure movies

Black God, White Devil (1964)

Wanted for killing his boss, Manuel flees with his wife Rosa to the sertão, the barren landscape of Northern Brazil. Thrust into a primordial violent region, Manuel and Rosa come under the influence and control of a series of frightening figures.

The Time and Turn of Augusto Matraga (2011)

Based on Guimarães Rosa's (classic Brazilian author) short story, the movie tells the story of Augusto Matraga, a bankrupt and violent farmer who lives above the Law in Minas Gerais' hinterland. During a difficult time, he finds himself in the middle of a trap that nearly kills him. Born again, Matraga resorts to faith and hard work in the pursuit of redemption. Years later, he arrives at the village reigned by the hinterland's ruler and his thugs. This new friendship will challenge his destiny. Inside Matraga, the Saint and the Warrior will duel until his time comes.

The Bandit (1953)

In the time of the "cangaceiros" in the badlands of the Northeast of Brazil, the cruel Captain Galdino Ferreira and his band abduct the schoolteacher Olívia, expecting to receive a ransom for her. However, one of his men, Teodoro, falls in love and flees with her through the arid backcountry chased by the brigands.

Fuga de la Patagonia (2016)

Escape from Patagonia is a gaucho-western film set in the tumultuous Patagonia of late nineteenth century. It's a story of survival, based on real facts from the personal diary of the Argentinian pioneer Francisco P. Moreno.

The Crossing of the Andes (2011)

Buenos Aires, 1880. A journalist interviews Manuel Esteban Corvalán, one of the last living men who crossed the Andes in 1817 with José de San Martín, during the Argentinian and Chilean wars of independence, as one of his secretaries, when he was only 15 years old.

Trash (2014)

Set in Brazil, three kids who make a discovery in a garbage dump soon find themselves running from the cops and trying to right a terrible wrong.

Unfinished Affairs (2022)

Inspector Manuel Bianquetti is forced to accept a transfer to a police precinct in Cádiz. His initially peaceful move will soon be shattered with the discovery of the body of a young girl who reminds him of a terrible past. Despite the opposition of his superiors, Bianquetti will embark on a solo crusade to find the culprit, following clues that might be no more than figments of his imagination. The only person who seems to be on his side is his neighbour, a fragile nurse harassed by her former partner.

Monica's Gang in an Adventure in Time (2007)

Our heroes need to take a trip in time, in a Time Machine, in order to recoup the essence of the four elements before the Earth gets frozen. The Gang will face the dangers of the Ancient History with Piteco, will help Papa-Capim to save the Forest, will fight with the Astronaut against the pirates and will even meet themselves as babies in the past!

A Princesa Xuxa e os Trapalhões (1989)

The diabolical Ratam (Paul Reis) takes over the planet Antar, after the death of the emperor, and orders that all children be enslaved. Always kept within the palace, Princess Xeron (Xuxa) believes that the people of her kingdom are happy. Meanwhile, outside, the princes Mussaim (Mussum) Dedeon (Dede Santana) and Zacaling (Zacarias) join the Nameless Knight (Renato Aragão), so that together they can defeat Ratam.

The Bunglers in the Planet Wars (1978)

Coming from outer space, Prince Flick asks the Trapalhões to help him free his planet from the domain of evil Zuco and free Princess Myrna, who has been taken prisoner. He offers a reward, the four friends accept the mission and embark in a spaceship driven by a hairy monster called Bonzo. Once on the planet, they they defeat Zuco, but they fail to save Princess Myrna's life. Her place on the throne is then taken by Loya, the girlfriend Didi met on that planet. Back on Earth, os Trapalhões think their adventure was but a dream, but they are convinced otherwise when they find their reward.

The Princess and the Robot (1983)

Lord Raider and an endearing little robot companion reside in the far-off realm of Planet Carrotland. As fate would have it, a cosmic spark from the radiant Pulsar star strikes the robot just as he becomes smitten with Princess Mimi, a charming pink bunny. However, their newfound love faces a significant obstacle when the king decrees a grand tournament in the kingdom, intent on determining who shall earn the honor of marrying the Princess.

GadgetGang in Outer Space (2017)

When a spaceship crashes to Earth and reveals a group of quirky little space aliens on the run for their lives, the "GadgetGang" kids-Gus, Phoebe, Francesco, Mitsue, Mary Ann, Banana and Tank-soon discover this won't be the boring weekend they had expected. They soon learn that in a point far from the galaxy, an evil warlord named Gana Golber has seized control of the Confederation of Planets and now all of the planets are in danger-including Earth!

Ficção De Fã - O Filme (2021)

Brazilian Planet of the Apes (1976)

This movie is a spoof of "Planet of the Apes" (1968) and follows the storyline of the original step by step - in spite of being a crazy parody of the original film. A group of men lands in a balloon on an area (it's not a planet, it's more like a hill) where talking apes rule and humans are slaves. The apes try to transform the guys in monkeys; a simian princess falls in love with one of them; and so on. This film is one of the several movies made for the popular Brazilian group "Os Trapalhões" - Didi (Renato Aragão), Dedé, Mussum and Zacarias (who at this point hadn't joined the troupe yet) -, many of them inspired by American blockbusters. It's a very fun entertainment, but the humor is very "local" to be understood in other countries. Oh, yeah, the ape "makeup" is terrible, but that's part of the fun. The movie doesn't take itself seriously.

Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus (2013)

Jamie is a boorish, insensitive American twentysomething traveling in Chile, who somehow manages to create chaos at every turn. He and his friends are planning on taking a road trip north to experience a legendary shamanistic hallucinogen called the San Pedro cactus. In a fit of drunkenness at a wild party, Jamie invites an eccentric woman—a radical spirit named Crystal Fairy—to come along.

Samsara (2002)

A love story situated in the Himalayas. A Buddhist monk can't choose between life and the way of the Buddha.

The Ornithologist (2016)

Stranded along a sublime river fjord in northern Portugal, an ornithologist is subjected to a series of brutal and erotic Stations-of-the-Cross-style tests.

The Devil's Scarab (2016)

A series of crimes against redheads scares the people from a little town. After the death of his brother, the 13 year old Alberto decides to investigate what is happening and is helped by the experienced but forgetful Inspector Pimentel.

Sorcery (2024)

Chiloé Island, 1880. Rosa Raín is a Huilliche girl who, after the murder of her father at the hands of German settlers, seeks justice with Mateo, leader of an organization of sorcerers called “La Recta Provincia”.

D.P.A. Detetives do Prédio Azul - O Filme (2017)

The Detetives do Prédio Azul are faced with the biggest case of their lives: saving the building itself from destruction. Pippo, Sol and Bento infiltrate Dona Leocádia's party, the terrible manager who is literally a witch. There they witness a "magical" crime, which condemns the Blue Building to an emergency demolition.

Ico, the Brave Horse (1987)

A young horse wishes to be one of the king's horses, and while trying to achieve it, finds out that one of the king's horses mysteriously disappear every night.

Rio (2011)

Captured by smugglers when he was just a hatchling, a macaw named Blu never learned to fly and lives a happily domesticated life in Minnesota with his human friend, Linda. Blu is thought to be the last of his kind, but when word comes that Jewel, a lone female, lives in Rio de Janeiro, Blu and Linda go to meet her. Animal smugglers kidnap Blu and Jewel, but the pair soon escape and begin a perilous adventure back to freedom -- and Linda.

Os Saltimbancos Trapalhões (1981)

Humble officials, friends Didi, Dedé, Mussum and Zacarias become the great attraction of the circus Bartolo, thanks to its incredible ability to make the public laugh. But success has a price: the opposition of the magician Assis Satan and the greed of the Baron, the owner of the circus. Together, the four friends will have to fight them.

Os Trapalhões e o Mágico de Oróz (1984)

Didi, Soró and Tatu in search food and water head for the town of Oróz. On their journey they find a Scarecrow, a man in a metal vat, and later are arrested by a Lion Sheriff.

Noah's Ark (2007)

An animated comedy that recreates the misadventures of the passengers of the Ark built by Noah as per God’s request. It’s just that living together does not seem to come easy for the passengers on board.

Agnaldo, Perigo à Vista (1969)

On the rise, singer Agnaldo Reis finds himself forced to escape the pursuit of Baby's gang, who demand a monthly bribe from the artist in exchange for protection. The young man devises an ingenious escape plan.

The Wind Journeys (2009)

After his wife's death, a vallenato singer from Majagual, Sucre, decides to quit music and return his allegedly cursed accordion to his master. He is joined by Fermín Morales, a teenage boy who admires him and wishes to follow his footsteps. Together, they start a journey throughout several towns in Northern Colombia to Taroa, in La Guajira desert, where the singer's master supposedly lives.

Erreway: 4 caminos (2004)

Erreway is trying to get famous in Argentina, but a few suprises on the road makes it a little hard...

How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman (1971)

Brazil, 1594. The Tupinambás natives are friends of the French and their enemies are the Tupiniquins, friends of the Portuguese. A Frenchman is captured by the Tupinambás, and in spite of his trial to convince them that he is French, they believe he is Portuguese. The Frenchman becomes their slave, and maritally lives with Seboipepe.

AINBO: Spirit of the Amazon (2021)

An epic journey of a young hero and her Spirit Guides, 'Dillo' a cute and humorous armadillo and "Vaca" a goofy oversized tapir, who embark on a quest to save their home in the spectacular Amazon Rainforest.