Given the necessary world-building and special effects,fantasy is a difficult genre to get right, resulting in many almost-perfect fantasy movies.Fantasy movies that bombed at the box office and came backhave gone through this cycle because of one thing that didn’t land well with audiences, in an otherwise amazing and fantastical story. Such movies may depend on audiences enjoying a goofy tone, alluding to older fantasy movies and imbuing it with charming nostalgia.
On the other hand,some fantasy movies have all the serious technical aspects but fall short in terms of storytelling.For instance, thebest fairy tale movies that are not retellingsaim to capture the feel of a classic fairy tale with an original story. While they might do this in the strictest sense, they sometimes fall flat when there is seemingly no point to it all. Thebest standalone fantasy moviesdemonstrate not only the trappings of the genre but a profound story that encourages people to be better in real life.
Metacritic score
Audience score
82%
58%
94%
67%
64%
74%
53%
48%
73%
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
90%
86%
50%
55%
79%
69%
75%
54%
56%
70%
25%
40%
78%
46%
59%
10Alice In Wonderland (2010)
Disney’s Live-Action Alice In Wonderland Resolves Itself Too Easily
If nothing else,Alice in Wonderlandand Tim Burton’s characteristic aesthetic are a perfect match.Burton filled the movie with his usual favorite actors and designed a much creepier version of Wonderland. The various actors are strong choices for their respective roles, understanding that most of these characters are too wild for"holding back"to be in their vocabulary. There are useful nods to the original source material and a good arc for Alice within Wonderland as she realizes the truth and rises to fight the Jabberwocky.
10 Forgotten ’80s Fantasy Movies That Are Actually Freaking Great (& Where To Watch Them)
Cinema in the 1980s is defined by its blockbuster films, which included a number of great fantasy epics that many have forgotten about.
While it is one of thebetter Disney live-action remakes,Alice in Wonderland’s ending is weak when Alice returns to the real world and simply announces her intention not to marryand her career goals. It’s great for her but undermines the movie’s edge when things work out so easily. The arbitrary nature of the patriarchy and Victorian society are key themes ofAlice in Wonderland, which gave this movie some powerful material to work with. However, it doesn’t make Alice’s happy ending seem like the impossible achievement it would have been in this setting.
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton. It stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice, who returns to the magical world of Wonderland to confront the tyrannical Red Queen, played by Helena Bonham Carter. The film features Johnny Depp as the eccentric Mad Hatter and Anne Hathaway as the benevolent White Queen. This reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale combines live-action and CGI elements.
9Dracula Untold (2014)
Dracula Untold Could Have Done More With Its Supporting Characters
Dracula Untoldis a surprisingly good take on Dracula,balancing the themes of Dracula being a villain at heart but giving him a heroic origin story. Luke Evans delivers a commendable performance, while the special effects and action are spectacular. This movie loses its footing with the sequence of events to get Dracula from one fight to another; if he was always going to fight to keep his son, the scene of him almost handing him over wasn’t necessary. Other skirmishes along the way pad the runtime of a short movie — so short because there isn’t that much substance.
Dracula Untold underestimated itself: It tells a strong story for its main character but could have aspired to be a much bigger epic fantasy.
That extra runtime should have gone to the supporting characters, who would have madeDracula Untoldmuch more nuanced with their own arcs.Mirena isn’t much more than a dutiful wife,robbing her death of any impact. Dracula also creates a dozen or so more vampires in the final act who promptly die; things would have been much more interesting had they all been real characters.Dracula Untoldunderestimated itself: It tells a strong story for its main character but could have aspired to be a much bigger epic fantasy.
Dracula Untold
This reboot of the Dracula story deviates from Bram Stoker’s novel, creating an original backstory for the famous vampire. Vlad Draculea, a prince of Transylvania, seeks help from an ancient vampire in preparation for war - but falls victim to the curse himself.
8Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)
TheHarry Pottermovies in general rush through exposition and only mention supporting characters based on the broad assumption that most of the audience has read the books. InHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, this is the case with the story of how Voldemort found the Potters and why James and his friends are all unregistered Animagi.It’s not even explicitly stated in the movie that James was an Animagus,making the symbolism of Harry’s Patronus less clear.
When the movie’s already closing in on two and a half hours, they might as well just spend 10 more minutes on exposition, while some of the action could have been cut down to the shorter version depicted in the book. On the other hand,Prisoner of Azkabanis arguably thebestHarry Pottermoviebecause of its style.Director Alfonso Cuarón played with cinematography and symbolism in what no otherHarry Pottermovie does,elevating it to a higher level of filmmaking.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: In Harry’s third year at Hogwarts, he faces more complex magical challenges and encounters fear-inducing Dementors. The escape of the notorious wizard Sirius Black from Azkaban casts a shadow over the school year, presenting new threats and mysteries for Harry and his friends to unravel.
7I Kill Giants (2017)
I Kill Giants Has A Great Premise But Lackluster Execution
I Kill Giantsis a massively underrated fantasy movie basedon a forgotten limited comic book series that blends fantasy with reality very well. Madison Wolfe gives an amazing, volatile performance as Barbara, a girl who defends her town from giants. However, Barbara’s crusade is gradually revealed to be a coping mechanism rather than a literal supernatural experience, leaving it unclear how much of the movie actually happened. The supporting cast is also great, showing people genuinely worried about Barbara and the various struggles of her family.
The movie could have further developed Zoe Saldaña’s character, making her connection with Barbara a stronger part of the story. Additionally, the way the fantasy leaks into the real world and its ultimate ambiguity isn’t entirely original. However,I Kill Giantsis largely a great movie, with a protagonist who isn’t entirely likable but learns from her mistakes,demonstrating the effects of familial tragedy and children’s capability for self-awareness.
I Kill Giants
I Kill Giants follows Barbara Thorson, a young girl who escapes reality by engaging in a world of fantasy where she battles giants. Directed by Anders Walter, the film explores themes of grief, mental health, and the challenges of adolescence. Adapted from the graphic novel by Joe Kelly and J. M. Ken Niimura, the narrative intertwines Barbara’s imaginative realm with her struggles in the real world.
6Ladyhawke (1985)
Ladyhawke Starts Some Storylines It Doesn’t Finish
The premise ofLadyhawkeinherently means that the relationship which is the cornerstone of the story isn’t entirely shown,as Isabeau is a hawk by day and Navarre a wolf by night, and they are only seen together as humans at the end. They are dependent upon the thief who becomes their accomplice to communicate. This prompts some jealousy when Gaston gets to spend more time with Isabeau than Navarre. However, Gaston’s awkward position in their relationship is a loose thread, as once they undo the curse, all is well.
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These great thriller movies are almost perfect but mishandled some things concerning their style or themes that keeps them from true greatness.
In this sense,Ladyhawkeis a very classic fairy tale story with a unique curse to break.The movie has a whimsical but subdued setting, characteristic of this unfair world. It features the talents of Michelle Pfeiffer, Rutger Hauer, and Matthew Broderick playing characters on a journey that feels as perilous as other movies with happy endings want to be but fail to do so. It’s already a strong story, but some flashbacks with the two lovers might have helped contextualize their relationship.
Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke is a fantasy adventure film directed by Richard Donner. The story follows a young thief, a disillusioned knight, and a beautiful noblewoman cursed to transform into a hawk by day. Set against a medieval backdrop, the trio seeks to outwit the malevolent bishop responsible for the curse. Starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer, the film combines elements of romance, action, and supernatural intrigue.
5Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent Isn’t As Scary As It Was Advertised
Maleficent is one of the best Disney villains because she is just that — an amazingly dramatic, cackling villain.Maleficentwas well-received, demonstrating a marvelous eerie aesthetic that suitsSleeping Beautyand the ever-amazing talents of Angelina Jolie. However,Maleficentdidn’t turn its title character into a sympathetic villain but a straightforward heroine. Most of what she does is completely justified, and the terrifying chills evoked by the trailers are nowhere to be found.
There was a way to give Maleficent an origin story that humanized her without taking away all the villainy that made people love herdespiteSleeping Beautybeing an average Disney animated classic. Telling a story that demonstrates how good and evil both exist within the main character is more difficult, but Maleficent deserved the extra time in the writers' room to figure this out. However, Maleficent and Aurora’s relationship is sweet and puts a pleasant twist on the story.
Maleficent
A live-action reimagining of the fairytale of Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent follows the titular fairy witch (Angelina Jolie) in a dark fantasy origin story. After falling in love with a human, Maleficent is betrayed when he steals her wings. Swearing revenge, she curses his infant daughter, Princess Aurora, leading to a retelling of the beloved fairytale from an alternate perspective.
4Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi (1983)
Return Of The Jedi Pads The Runtime With Repeated Plots
The near-universal opinion is thatThe Empire Strikes Backis thebestStar Warsmovie, followed closely byA New Hope. However, feelings start to vary a little bit when it comes to the last of the original trilogy.Return of the Jedidid what it absolutely needed to do in delivering a good conclusionto theStar Warstrilogy.Empire Strikes Back’s darker tone is still present before the heroes see victory in a movie that brings everyone’s arc to a satisfying end.
Any conflict would have worked here to be the last obstacle to toppling the Empire.
The Ewoks proved to be the most divisive part of this movie, but they are arguably another goofyStar Wars species that just happens to be given a lot more screen time than some of the others.Return of the Jedi’s weakest plot element is repeating the Death Star narrativejust to give the heroes something to do in the final stretch. Any conflict would have worked here to be the last obstacle to toppling the Empire.
3Damsel (2024)
Millie Bobby Brown’s Damsel Is Thematically Lacking
Damselis the latest Netflix original from Millie Bobby Brown which boasts absolutely stunning visuals,and an expected amazing performance by the lead actress. The story is intended to put a new spin on classic fairy tales. It does this effectively, with the damsel in distress returning to haunt the royal family that betrayed her. Elodie’s relationship with her stepmother also subverts typical fairy tale tropes, as they have a tense relationship but still care deeply about each other.
Names including Angela Bassett and Robin Wright fill out the cast, giving the movie everything it needs to be successful — on paper. YetDamselcomes across as a little bit bland and could have reinforced its themes betterwith further exploration of how this setting’s society affects women. The book also drew more comparisons between Elodie and the dragon, which would have completed the movie, which simply feels like it is missing something.
Damsel
A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive
2Brave (2012)
Brave Isn’t The Powerful Feminist Movie It Was Expected To Be
Bravewas expected to be the movieFrozenended up being, definitely rejecting all the Disney Princess tropes of old.The marketing heavily advertised Merida refusing to be married offand made her archery skills very obvious.Braveis a stunning movie with a heartfelt story and a tone still unique for Pixar. However, it is less about Merida escaping the patriarchy than it is about her relationship with her mother. The writers seem to think they couldn’t do both of these things in one movie.
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No matter what the method, there are plenty of princess movies that don’t rely on the stereotypes from old fairy tales to get their point across.
Braveeffectively illustrates both mother and daughter realizing their mistakes and reconcilingat the end of the conflict. However, the arranged marriage storyline is tossed aside as soon as Elinor decides to do something about it. The mother-daughter storyline was a way to explore the patriarchy in this setting; had they done a better job of exploring Elinor’s character, these two core themes could have come together and formed something even better.
Brave
Pixar’s Brave follows Princess Merida of DunBroch (Kelly MacDonald), the daughter of a clan chief in medieval Scotland. When Meridia is told she must marry the suitor of her parents' choosing, she refuses, defying an age-old tradition and causing chaos in the kingdom. This starts a chain of events that causes Merida’s mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), to fall victim to a magical curse, the princess sets off into the wild to rescue her.
1Penelope (2006)
Penelope Deserved To Be A More Outspoken Movie
Penelopeis a delightful romance and fairy tale about falling in love and accepting oneself with another one-of-a-kind curse. The cast is great along with the twist ending, yet the protagonist and the narrative being a little more defiant would have made it that much more interesting. The viewer is practically screaming at Penelope to ditch her family and refuse to get married and at Johnny to just tell Penelope that he can’t break the curse.These things are glaringly obvious when the whole plot rides on Penelope supposedly being ugly,which the audience is definitely not convinced of.
Penelopeis essentially an"Eat the Rich"movie from before thisgenre blew up in movies and TV; if it had acted more like the problem was in the unfair standards set by Penelope’s family and their peer group, the plot might have worked better. However,Penelopeis undeniably sweet and a nicely subversive fairy tale story,with Penelope throwing expectations out the window multiple times. Largely underappreciated because of its weakest points, it is quietly enjoyed alongside other movies of its kind.
