Top 10 Extreme Sports Movies

#10: “Rad” (1986)

Think being a student is hard? Try being a student AND a BMX racer that’s gotta decide whether to take his SATs or take the chance to win fame and fortune in the Helltrack qualifying races. Since this list is about extreme sports movies, we’re sure you can guess what choice protagonist Cru Jones makes. However, thanks to the two-faced president of the Federation of American Bicyclists, Cru’s got a ton of obstacles to overcome before he can finally participate. And while critics may have hated the sports drama, audiences loved it; and that’s in no small part due to the thrilling freestyle bike stunts – which “Rad” showcases both on and off the track!

#9: “Blue Crush” (2002)

Humanity is capable of a great many beautiful things, but this big screen combination of several attractive actresses with what might be the most spiritual of sports may just make the top 10 of such a list. Unlike many previous major motion pictures featuring the sport, this movie took great efforts to ensure the surfing we saw appeared legitimate. Portraying the strength of everyone who tries his or her hand at the sport and the extra uphill climb women sometimes face in that world, “Blue Crush” clearly sought to get it right. And the fact that it doubled its budget at the box office proved it.

#8: “Cliffhanger” (1993)

It should be every filmmaker’s greatest hope that he or she can portray a fraction of the emotion this movie’s opening moments encompass. Beginning with the untimely death of a woman who depends on the aid of our hero to ensure her survival, this action adventure flick immediately hooks us with the brief moment in which Sarah’s glove has ripped off but she hasn’t yet begun to fall – the suspense here is utterly excruciating. And years later, when Sylvester Stallone’s Gabe stands against a group of criminals, it is his mountain climbing abilities that set him against his adversaries. While not perfectly accurate to the sport, “Cliffhanger” is engaging enough to let us overlook its flaws, as its critical and commercial success demonstrated.

#7: “Whip It” (2009)

Ellen Page is not the actress that instantly comes to mind when you think of the word ‘extreme,’ but she does a magnificent job of taking part in a sport that fits the word perfectly in this comedy-drama. Directed by Drew Barrymore in what is Barrymore’s first full-length feature, “Whip It” is evidence that the famous actress should try her hand again in the role of filmmaker. Putting on a pair of roller skates and travelling in a concentric circle may seem innocent enough, but after seeing these gifted on-screen athletes, we think sitting in the spectator seats may be the more appealing option.

#6: “Everest” (2015)

With a cast including the likes of John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson, and Jake Gyllenhaal, it shouldn’t be surprising that this mountain climbing film stood out. Featuring multiple expeditions to our planet’s most famous peak, which is an amazing feat all its own, this tale of adventure soon turns into one of survival - and one that strikes at humanity’s core. Cited by critics for its impressive visuals, “Everest” arguably brought the actual sport of mountain climbing to life better than ever before.

#5: “Dogtown and Z-Boys” (2001)

When the Zephyr skateboard team (or Z-Boys) was first introduced to the skateboarding world as a whole, they brought a rebellious and beautiful spirit to it that hadn’t seen before. The tale of this troubled troupe of adolescents that changed the sport forever was adapted into the film, “Lords of Dogtown,” in 2005. But it’s this documentary, “Dogtown and Z-Boys”, directed by one of the Z-Boys’ preeminent members, Stacy Peralta, that tells the story in a way only an insider could, thanks to the level of access his peers granted him.

#4: “Touching the Void” (2003)

Included in PBS’s list of the greatest documentaries ever made, this film won a BAFTA for best British film and beat out far more famous movies in doing so. By focusing on two men who summit a mountain in the Peruvian Andes by taking a route that had never been previously conquered, only to find themselves in a battle of life and death on the way down, this film is not to be missed. Climaxing when one of the climbers is forced to choose between risking his own survival to save his compatriot or to cut him loose, the mountaineering movie had the stakes set high, with its rewards even greater.

#3: “The Walk” (2015)

When you combine the ample acting ability and charisma of Joseph Gordon-Levitt with truly amazing effects brought to beautiful life in glorious 3D, the results truly amaze. Based on the story of famed artist Philippe Petit and his tight rope walk between the World Trade Center’s Twin towers that was previously introduced to audiences through the “Man on Wire” documentary, this story was ready made for Hollywood. Pulling off a feat that would terrify nearly anyone to his or her very core, and on a very important landmark no less, Robert Zemeckis’ film is an impressive balancing act unto itself.

#2: “Riding Giants” (2004)

Another film directed by Z-Boy Stacy Peralta, this documentary takes all of the skill and artistry he learned while bringing his skating team’s past to celluloid and perfects it. He turns photographs into moving moments of life and brings together one of the most entertaining stories of Big Wave surfers to glorious fruition, meaning every second of this film is a treasure. Watching an unparalleled specimen like Laird Hamilton being towed into cascading water of incredible heights without flinching is tantamount to a religious experience. Whether you’re a surfboard veteran or a virgin, the danger and storytelling of “Riding Giants” is likely to entertain everyone.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“The Big Blue” (1988)

“Waiting for Lightning” (2012)

“Out Cold” (2001)

“xXx”(2002)

#1: “Point Break” (1991)

Surfers, skydivers and bank robbers; the men in this early nineties classic may be two-bit criminals, but the lives they lead still look plain awesome. Not pulling a single punch throughout, the cast of this action crime thriller gives their all throughout and the results include some incredibly entertaining moments such as Keanu’s Johnny Utah exclaiming his F.B.I. status in fittingly awesome manner. But it’s the moments when Bodhi and his thrill-seeking gang show off their surfing moves by risking everything they have with every trick and maneuver they attempt that land “Point Break” in this spot. Then there’s the previously mentioned but still incredible sky diving scenes, as well as the heart-pumping bank robbery scenes, and you’ve got a film that really encompasses the spirit of extreme sports and action at its very core. 100% pure adrenaline!

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite extreme sports movie? For more crazy Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.