8 action-adventure movies to watch with the whole family

From the silent swashbuckling days of The Mask of Zorro and The Three Musketeers in the 1920s to the cutting-edge Avatar movies of more recent years, action films have long served as a form of escapism. The genre adapts across demographics, ranging from the child-focused heroics of PAW Patrol to the bloodthirsty carnage of Kill Bill.

This selection highlights movies that hit a middle ground—thrilling and exciting without relying on excessive blood or profanity. How to Train Your Dragon (2010) is a rip-roaring animated action adventure set in the Viking village of Berk, where an outcast named Hiccup befriends a dragon and discovers the conflict between Vikings and dragons is more complicated than it seems; it earned $494.9 million at the box office and boasts a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score, and a largely faithful live-action remake appeared in 2025.

The Karate Kid (1984) remains a timeless underdog tale about a bullied teenager who finds purpose and discipline under the mentorship of Mr.

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