16 Inspiring Documentaries Exploring Nature, Culture, and Adventure

Abducted in Plain Sight

2017 • 91 min

Documentary, Crime

A family becomes ensnared by the seemingly friendly neighbor, who ultimately kidnaps their teenage daughter. This terrifying ordeal happens not once, but twice.

6.5

6.8

14+

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Rodents of Unusual Size

2017 • 71 min

Louisiana, battered by hurricanes and oil spills for years, now confronts a new problem: massive numbers of 20-pound swamp rats called nutria. These invasive rodents reproduce rapidly, overwhelming efforts to manage them. With sharp teeth and a huge appetite, they…

7.6

7.1

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The Elephant Queen

2019 • 97 min

Documentary, Family

This documentary follows Athena, a powerful matriarch elephant, and her herd as they undertake a challenging journey through the African wilderness. The film explores themes of family, bravery, and the enduring pull of home.

7.2

7.8

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Mission Blue

2014 • 94 min

Documentary

This documentary chronicles oceanographer Sylvia Earle's efforts to protect the world's oceans from dangers like overfishing and pollution.

7.4

7.9

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Serengeti

2011 • 100 min

The Serengeti's central event is the annual migration of wildebeest, a journey of hundreds of kilometers across the savannah in search of fresh grazing. At the end of the rainy season, over a million animals – including wildebeest, zebras, and…

6.9

7.5

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Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee

2016 • 100 min

Documentary, Drama

This true story follows John McAfee, a former tech billionaire who experienced a series of extraordinary events. His life shifts from successful entrepreneur to secluded yogi in the jungle, echoing themes from Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'. McAfee's story takes…

6.6

6.7

17+

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The Cove

2009 • 92 min • Box office $1M

Documentary

"The Cove" recounts the remarkable true story of a dedicated team of filmmakers and freedivers who secretly entered a secluded cove in Japan to expose a disturbing and dangerous truth. Their startling findings revealed a much larger, more troubling reality.

7.9

8.4

13+

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+13

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet

2020 • 83 min

Documentary, Drama

This film chronicles a lifetime spent exploring Earth's natural wonders, as seen through the eyes of the world's most renowned natural historian. In over nine decades, Attenborough has journeyed to every continent, documenting the planet's diverse wildlife and landscapes. The…

8.4

8.9

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Before the Flood

2016 • 93 min

Documentary

This film examines the impact of climate change on the world's environment and explores potential solutions for protecting endangered species, ecosystems, and indigenous communities globally.

7.7

8.2

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Explorer: The Last Tepui

2022 • 55 min

Documentary, Adventure

This documentary follows climber Alex Honnold and biologist Bruce Means on an expedition to the South American sky islands, searching for new species and discoveries. It chronicles Honnold and a team of expert climbers, led by National Geographic Explorer Mark…

7.6

6.9

13+

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Cold Case Hammarskjöld

2019 • 129 min

Documentary, History

Ndola, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), September 18, 1961. UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld dies in a plane crash under mysterious circumstances. Decades later, Danish journalist and filmmaker Mads Brügger and Swedish researcher Göran Björkdahl investigate the event, seeking a conclusive explanation.

6.8

7.5

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Dancing with the Birds

2019 • 51 min

Documentary

Many of the world's most impressive birds have beautiful and fascinating mating displays. These range from elaborate dances to showing off their bright plumage.

7.8

8.2

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Home

2009 • 95 min

Documentary, Drama, Family

Over the last 200,000 years, humanity has drastically altered the Earth's delicate natural order, a system that thrived for 4 billion years. Global warming, dwindling resources, and widespread species loss demonstrate humanity’s threat to its own survival. However, despair is…

7.8

8.5

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Attenborough's Life That Glows

2016 • 59 min

Creatures that produce their own light – fireflies, glow-worms, and luminous plankton – captivate and amaze us. At night, the ocean comes alive with millions of these tiny lights, illuminating marine life in a breathtaking display. Join Sir David Attenborough…

8.1

8.2

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Brothers in Blood: The Lions of Sabi Sand

2015 • 88 min

This documentary follows the 16-year journey of a coalition of six lions, known as The Mapogo Lions, as they conquer the largest territory belonging to a single pride.

8.0

8.5

Class Action Park

2020 • 90 min

Documentary

Class Action Park examines the story, impact, and reality behind the 1980s water park in Vernon, New Jersey that became a notorious legend. Famous for its hazardous, unregulated attractions, visitors to Action Park routinely anticipated injuries and were fortunate to…

6.6

7.1

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