Fantasy has often been an underserved film genre. For everyThe Lord of the Ringsthat gets its flowers from critics and audiences alike, there are films likeLabyrinththat fall by the wayside.While that particularJim Hensonfilm is considered a cult classic now, there are still many other fantastical adventure films that remain overlooked.
Some fantasy films are ignored simply because they got released at the wrong time, while others struggle to remain in the public consciousness because they aren’t readily available to watch. The genre has gone through different phases of popularity, and audience interest inevitably ebbs and flows. Now, in the age of streaming, and with the popularity of long-form fantasy series such asThe WitcherandHouse of the Dragon, it’s an opportune time to shine a light on those fantasy films that deserve more attention.The following are great fantasy movies that audiences didn’t show up for, and it’s hight time they get some recognition.
10’King Arthur: Legend of the Sword' (2017)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie’shyperactive filmmaking style makes him an acquired taste for audiences, and his filmography has been hit or miss. One thing his films are not, though, is boring. They move with purpose through energetic camerawork, frenetic editing, and quick-witted dialogue. Ritchie’s take on the Arthurian legend is appropriately fast-paced, with several standout sequences anda thumping, iconic movie scorethat is, sometimes literally, breathless. It also has a stacked cast from leadCharlie Hunnam, with solid support fromEric Bana,Djimon Hounsou, andAidan Gillen. It also has aDavid Beckhamcameo, so there’s that.
The film is far from perfect. The female characters are basically non-existent, and in terms of Arthurian adaptations, it’s still outclassed by the much more popularExcalibur,which still totally slays. What truly cooked this film’s goose, though, was its wrongheaded attempt to set up a cinematic universe. It was meant to be the first of six films in a Marvel-style franchise, but it got bloodied right out of the gate by critics, and audiences mostly stayed away. It’s a shame becauseLegend of the Swordisa slick 2010s take on the legend and a fun way to slay an afternoon.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
9’The Kid Who Would Be King' (2019)
Directed by Joe Cornish
Audiences really just weren’t in the mood for any kind of King Arthur-related media during the past decade.The Kid Who Would Be Kingcomes fromAttack the BlockdirectorJoe Cornish, and, unlike Ritchie’s film, critics actually took warmly to his tale of a modern-day youth who comes into possession of the fabled sword Excalibur. The warm critical reception did nothing to help the film’s box office, unfortunately, and it struggled hard before getting shuffled off to streaming. It didn’t help that it was one of the last 20th Century Fox releases before Disney fully acquired the studio.
Those who did see the film were in fora charming, family-friendly treatthat features solid work from its young cast, the always reliableRebecca Fergusonas the evil witch Morgana, and a very fun turn fromPatrick Stewartas Merlin. Cornish’s career is still going steady, with anAttack the Blocksequel in developmentanda new Lego movie for Universal, but his sophomore feature deserves a much larger fanfare than it received.
The Kid Who Would Be King
8’The Black Cauldron' (1985)
Directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich
Back during the dark ages of Disney, beforeThe Little Mermaidushered in a renaissance of beloved hits, they made one of their scariest movies.The Black Cauldron, which is based (very loosely) on books inThe Chronicles of Prydainseries by authorLloyd Alexander, caused more night terrors in a generation of children than Ronald McDonald. That darkness was cause for concern for Disney execs at the time, who demanded major edits to the film’s finale to make it less disturbing. What remained is still pants-ruiningly scary, and thefilm wassuch a massive bomb itnearly shut down Disney’s animation department.
The film has gained a cult following since its release but remains mostly an obscurity beloved mostly by fans of Disney’s darker side. In an age where the House of Mouse is willing to milk every single IP it has down to the last drop, it’s frustrating that thisunderrated dark fantasy filmhasn’t so much as gotten a second glance. If ever there was a film in their vault that could actually benefit from the live-action remake treatment, it’s this twisted little gem.
The Black Cauldron
7’Return to Oz' (1985)
Directed by Walter Murch
Disney execs in 1985 may have actively hated children. There’s no other way to explain the releases ofThe Black CauldronandReturn to Oz, ostensibly as “kid’s movies.” This follow-up tale toThe Wizard of Ozmakes that film’s scariest sequences seem like a tame episode ofSesame Streetby comparison. Between the shrieking Wheelers, the evil Princess Mombi, who has a personal collection of severed heads, and a storyline that starts with Dorothy nearly being subjected to electroshock therapy, this film has kept child psychologists in business for decades.
Unsurprisingly,Return to Ozwas panned by critics, who didn’t appreciate its darker approach toL. Frank Baum’s characters. Much likeThe Black Cauldron, the film has gained a minor cult following. Many fans now appreciateReturn to Ozforbeing more faithful to its source material,and its reputation asone of the darkest children’s fantasy filmshas only fueled that passion.
Return to Oz
6’Something Wicked This Way Comes' (1983)
Directed by Jack Clayton
The Black CauldronandReturn to Ozhave, at the very least, been given a home on Disney+. The same cannot be said for fellow Disney-produced filmSomething Wicked This Way Comes, which is frustratingly hard to find these days. This adaptation of the novel of the same name byRay Bradburytells the tale of a dark carnival that comes to a small Midwestern town and begins wreaking havoc.
The filmcombines small-town horror with folkloric fantasyto create one of the most underrated young adult films ever made. It also features a fantastic early performance fromfuture Bond villainJonathan Pryceas the enigmatic leader of the carnival, Mr. Dark. The most notice the film has ever received was when Disney thought about remaking it. That was over a decade ago; the remake remains unmade, andthe original is still sadly overlooked.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Buy on Amazon
5’Legend' (1985)
Directed by Ridley Scott
The reclamation ofRidley Scott’sLegendhas been more muted than those of similar dark fantasy films from the same era. It may have something to do with the different and varied versions that exist. The film had two different cuts that were released to European and American audiences, respectively. Each cut evenhad specific musical scores, with Europe getting Jerry Goldsmith’s original orchestral work and American audiences a synth-filled Tangerine Dream soundtrack. Both released versions were already cut down from Scott’s original version, which eventually got an updated physical release in the early 2000s.
Regardless of which version is preferred, they all representone of thebest fantasy films from the 1980sthat is as much a visual feast as Scott’s genre-defining work in science fiction,AlienandBlade Runner. The film also features a youthful performance fromTom Cruise, stunning make-up effects by the legendaryRob Bottin, and a terrifying villain played byTim Curry, who gives Pennywise a run for his money.
Rent on Amazon
4’Kubo and the Two Strings' (2016)
Directed by Travis Knight
For a film that was critically acclaimed upon its release and received two Academy Award nominations,Kubo and the Two Stringshas completely fallen out of the mainstream conversation. Thisunderrated stop-motion animated filmwasn’t a hit upon its release, and it hasn’t enjoyed the same staying power as studio LAIKA’s other modern classics,CoralineandParaNorman.
Why audiences didn’t respond to the film is anyone’s guess. Stop-motion is still a niche medium, and thecasting controversy over whitewashingmay not have helped, but the film isbeautifully animated and just as equally emotionally resonant. The feudal Japan setting lends itself to some arresting visuals and amazing action sequences. Before LAIKA’s next movie arrives,audiences should rediscover what may be their best film.
Kubo and the Two Strings
Directed by Jordan Downey
Fantasy is usually a genre associated with big Hollywood budgets. Crafting a fully realized fantasy world usually requires a lot of spending.The Head Hunter, by directorJordan Downey, manages to make its setting feel visceral and lived in on a budget that wouldn’t have covered craft services onThe Rings of Power. It’s a grimy, gritty horror-fantasy feel that feels likeThe Witcherif it was stripped down to its most primal form.
The film follows a monster hunter as he slays his way througha desolate medieval worldin search of vengeance and, despite the budget limitations, features solid creature effects and gore. That low budget also meant that the film didn’t have the same kind of marketing blitz that the major studio releases enjoy. Those viewers looking forone of the darkest fantasy movies ever madeshould absolutely seek this one out.
The Head Hunter
2’The Fall' (2006)
Directed by Tarsem Singh
The Fallwas a divisive film upon its initial release. Some critics derided the film as style over substance, but that style is completely unparalleled. DirectorTarsem Singhis known for films with mind-bending visuals, andThe Fallis no different; every frame is gorgeous. Beyond the visuals, the film features an intriguing take on the nature ofhow stories are told and interpreted.
Lee Paceplays a stuntperson who has been paralyzed and is bed-bound in a hospital. He meets a young female patient who tells her an epic tale of adventure, with her imagination providing the visuals for the tale. The result isa creative dissonance between intent and interpretation. Now thatThe Fallhas finally received a proper digital release, fans of fantasy owe it to themselves to experience its epic beauty.AsRoger Ebertsaid, “There will never be another one like it.”
Watch on MUBI
1’Dragonslayer' (1981)
Directed by Matthew Robbins
BeforeChris Pineand company ran from a chubby belly-sliding dragon, orMartin Freeman’sBilbo faced off against Smaug, there was Vermithrax Pejorative,the most badass dragon in cinema history. This feat of practical effects and stop-motion animation makes for one fire-breathing mother of an antagonist inMatthew Robbins' 80’s cult classicDragonslayer. The film, which followsPeter MacNicol’s wizard apprentice as he faces off against the winged beast, was thefirst non-Lucasfilm project for effects house Industrial Light & Magic, and they brought the heat. The climactic cave-set dragon battle set a high-water mark that fantasy films have yet to clear.
While the effects of the dragon in flight haven’t aged as gracefully,the film as a whole is an absolute wonder. Asa co-production between Disney and Paramount,Dragonslayerhas a messy rights situation, which means it occasionally pops up on different streaming platforms from time to time. While it wasn’t the huge hit either studio was hoping for,Dragonslayer’sinfluence across the genre is immense, with genre giantsGuillermo Del ToroandGeorge R.R. Martinamong its fans.It’s one of the best fantasy films ever made.
