Fantasy movies are often some of the most fun and expressive in the cinematic medium. This broad genre of storytelling is defined by transporting audiences to fantastical worlds inhabited by legendary monsters, daring heroes, and at least a pinch of magic. Limited only by budget and the creativity of the filmmakers, these movies can bring nearly anything to life and use their unique worlds to tap into human themes and emotions, helping the genre remain beloved to this day.
When talking about fantasy films, it’s common to rank them from best to worst, but rarely are the steps below these extremes considered. Many fantasy movies are held back from being considered perfect for one reason or another, be it lackluster effects, weak writing, or a few poor performances. Still,these movies are phenomenal in pretty much every possible metric, even if they are held back by one crucial aspect. However, they are just as deserving of praise and in the eyes of many, they might be nothing short of masterful.
Directed by Gordon Hessler
Captain Sinbad (John Phillip Law) has arrived in the city of Marabia, which is in the middle of a succession crisis following the death of its Sultan. He joins forces with the disfigured Vizier (Douglas Wilmer), a slave named Margiana (Caroline Munro), and the son of Margiana’s master, Haroun (Kurt Christian), to find the fabled Fountain of Destiny, which can be used to select a new ruler of Marabia. However, their voyage is contested by the dark sorcerer, Koura (Tom Baker), who seeks to rule Marabia by any means necessary.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbadremains a fun adventure with plenty of creative visuals, gripping performances, and engaging action scenes.
While it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as its legendary predecessor,The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad,The Golden Voyage of Sinbadremains a fun adventure with plenty of creative visuals, gripping performances, and engaging action scenes. Once again, the stars of the show areRay Harryhausen’sstop-motion creations, such as a multi-armed Kali statue that engages Sinbad in a well-choreographed swordfight. Among the humans,Baker gives a truly gripping performance as Koura, which helped him secure his iconic role as the Fourth Doctor in the beloved BBC sci-fi dramaDoctor Who.
Watch on Tubi
9’The Last Unicorn' (1982)
Directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass
After overhearing a conversation between two hunters and questioning a traveling butterfly, an immortal unicorn (Mia Farrow) learns that she is the last of her kind; the others were driven into the sea by a demonic red bull. She sets off on a quest to free them, joined by two unlikely companions: a bumbling magician named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin) and a bandit’s wife named Molly Grue (Tammy Grimes). They find the bull within the castle of King Haggard (Sir Christopher Lee), who hoards the unicorns because they are the only things that bring him happiness.
The Last Unicornisa melancholic fairy talethat touches onstrong themes of memory, identity, and the power of grief and time. Each obstacle the unicorn faces displays these themes in unique and thought-provoking ways, from bandits desperate to live up to the legends of Robin Hood to a witch who uses illusions to show people what they expect to see. Its animation is also a highlight thanks to its stylistic design and gorgeous backgrounds, which look like a medieval tapestry come to life.
The Last Unicorn
8’The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe' (2005)
Directed by Andrew Adamson
As Germany bombs Britain during World War II, the four Pevensie children — Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley) — move to the country estate of Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent). While playing hide and seek, Lucy discovers a magical world called Narnia on the other side of an old wardrobe. She and her siblings are revealed to be the prophesied heroes who will herald the return of Narnia’s true king, Aslan (Liam Neeson), and bring the downfall of its current tyrant, Jadis the White Witch (Tilda Swinton).
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobelives in the shadow of theLord of the Ringstrilogy, for better and worse. Paying homage toRingspays off the most in making Narnia and its people feel alive, especially in how the filmmakers detail how the various fantasy species like minotaurs, centaurs, and fauns would move and fight. Where it doesn’t work is when ittries to make almost every moment feel epic and grand, which conflicts with certain details like talking animals. Still, the characters work wonderfully for their archetypes, especially Swinton, who turns Jadis into one ofthe scariest fantasy movie villains.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
7’Dragonslayer' (1981)
Directed by Matthew Robbins
The kingdom of Urland is beset by a monstrous dragon named Vermithrax Pejorative, who demands an offering of young maidens to keep its flame controlled. After enduring the dragon for years, a young woman named Valerian (Caitlin Clarke) disguises as a man and leads an expedition to enlist the aid of Ulrich of Cragganmore (Sir Ralph Richardson), the last great sorcerer. When he is killed by a cynical knight named Tyrian (John Hallam), Ulrich’s apprentice, Galen Bradwarden (Peter MacNicol), takes up his master’s amulet and offers to kill the dragon himself.
Dragonslayeris a grim and dark fantasy film that doesn’t shy away from hunting its heroes and showing death and misery before the triumphant ending. Unfortunately,the story is a pretty standard hero’s journey, but it’s carried by its likable characters and not being afraid to mix up familiar story beats to force the characters to react and change strategy. Vermithrax also stands as one ofthe greatest dragons in all cinema, thanks to the various techniques used to bring it to life, from massive animatronics to revolutionary stop-motion puppets.
Dragonslayer
6’Labyrinth' (1986)
Directed by Jim Henson
Frustrated at having to look after her baby half-brother, Toby (Toby Froud), Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) recites a chant from a book she was reading, and Toby is spirited away by goblins. Instantly regretting her actions, Sarah meetsthe Goblin King, Jareth(David Bowie), who agrees to give her thirteen hours to solve his labyrinth and rescue Toby before he is transformed into a goblin forever. While navigating the various puzzles and obstacles, Sarah befriends a dwarf named Hoggle (Shari WeiserandBrian Henson), a beast who can control rocks named Ludo (Ron Mueck), and the fearless canine knight, Sir Didymus (David Shaughnessy).
Labyrinthis another visual marvel from the creative mind behindThe Muppets,Jim Henson, though not as impactful as his first fantasy film,The Dark Crystal.Around every corner is a new experience that pushes the boundaries of what could be done with puppets, such as Fierys that remove their heads and helping hands made up of dozens of other hands.But the real star is Bowie, who delivers a truly mystical performance as Jareth that keeps your eyes glued to his every subtle movement and spoken word.The visuals surpass the story, and the symbolism is often clumsy, butLabyrinthis such a visual delight that any perceived flaws go out the window.
5’Stardust' (2007)
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
In the English town of Wall, Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) hopes to win the hand of a girl named Victoria (Sienna Miller) by promising to retrieve a falling star for her. Using a magical Babylon candle, Tristan teleports into the magical land of Stormhold, where he finds that the star has transformed into a human woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). As he attempts to take her back to Wall, Tristan has to contend with others who want Yvaine, including the heirs of Stormhold, who want a jewel around her neck, and a coven of witches who wish to eat her heart and regain their youth.
Stardustis a fun romantic adventure full of lighthearted swordfights and unforgettable characters. The two standouts have to be the lead antagonist, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), thanks to how much joy Pfeiffer exudes as she plays a nasty fairy tale witch, and Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro), a lovable pirate with a romantic heart and a perchance for women’s clothing.It’s just unfortunate that it didn’t stickcloser to the book by Neil Gaiman, which had a beautiful, bittersweet ending.
4’Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
As Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) prepares for his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he learns that the entire wizarding world is terrified at the escape of Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), a notorious murderer and follower of Lord Voldemort. To hunt him down, the Ministry of Magic unleashes dark creatures called Dementors, who are attracted to Harry due to his traumatic past. He must then train under the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), slowly learning more about Black’s connection to him and his deceased parents.
Most fans considerHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanthe best film in the series, thanks toAlfonso Cuarón’sdesire toleave his mark on the franchise. It takes the first steps in shifting the franchise away from the whimsical magic world of the first two films by presenting a darker story that touches on themes of trauma, revenge, and injustice. Oldman and Thewlis' performances are also phenomenal, perfectly capturing the pain and raw emotion of both men and their respective situations.The ending is somewhat rushed, and Oldman gets very little to do, butHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanis the most assured and daring entry in the franchise and one of the greatest coming-of-age fantasy movies ever.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
3’Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' (2003)
Directed by Gore Verbinski
During the crossing from England to Port Royal in the Caribbean, Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley), the daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann (Sir Jonathan Pryce), takes a pirate medallion from a shipwrecked boy named William Turner (Orlando Bloom) so that he wouldn’t face punishment. Eight years later, the legendary pirate ship, the Black Pearl, attacks Port Royal and kidnaps Elizabeth. To rescue her, Will enlists the help of the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), who has a personal history with the Black Pearl and its captain, Hector Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush).
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearlkickstartedthe lucrativePiratesfranchiseand re-kindled audience interest in the swashbuckler adventure genre. Compared to its more fantastical sequels, it has a grounded story with simple but effective archetypes for its characters, allowing audiences to empathize with them and their relationships. Jack Sparrow has also cemented himself as one of the most recognizable pirates in fiction, due in large part to Depp’s performance based heavily onKeith Richardsof the Rolling Stones. Everything works to take this film close to the peak of perfection,only held back by its balls-to-the-wall approachthat goes on for twenty minutes too long.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2’Time Bandits' (1981)
Directed by Terry Gilliam
Kevin (Craig Warnock) is a young boy who would rather delve into history rather than obsess over new appliances like his parents. One day, six dwarfs, the Time Bandits, appear in his room and spirit Kevin through time and space. Using a map they stole from the Supreme Being (Tony Jayand Sir Ralph Richardson), they decide to rob history for all of its riches, unaware that the personification of Evil (David Warner) is watching them, waiting for his chance to steal the map and escape his prison.
Even among the diverse wealth of 1980s fantasy movies,Time Banditscarves out an impressive niche thanks to the raw creativity on display.They take full advantage of their time travel plot, especially during the climax when weapons and warriors from different eras are brought forth to battle against Evil. Yet the film also has tremendous heart, shown both through the interactions between the Time Bandits and Kevin or Kevin’s meeting with the ancientGreek King, Agamemnon(Sir Sean Connery).
Time Bandits
1’Sleeping Beauty' (1959)
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wolfgang Reitherman, Eric Larson, and Les Clark
To celebrate the birth of his daughter, Princess Aurora (Mary Costa), King Stephan (Taylor Holmes) invites three good fairies, Flora (Verna Felton), Fauna (Barbara Jo Allen), and Merryweather (Barbara Luddy), to bless the child. Before Merryweather can give her a gift, they are interrupted by Maleficent (Eleanor Audley), an evil fairy who, out of spite, curses Aurora to die on her sixteenth birthday. Merryweather changes the curse to deathless sleep broken by true love’s kiss, and as an added precaution, the fairies take Aurora into the woods to raise her away from Maleficent’s gaze.
Sleeping Beautywas one of Disney’s worst bombs on release, but in the following decades, it has been recognized as one of the most artistic animated films ever made. It also boasts many of Dinsey’s most recognized and beloved characters, including the good fairies who come across asthe film’s true protagonists, and Maleficent, who stands tall among Disney villains thanks to her proactive attitude, iconic design, and how she can quickly switch from dignified and graceful to loud and bombastic. Unfortunately,Aurora is perhaps Disney’s most forgettable princessdue to her lack of screen time and defining personality traits.
