Fantasy movies are something that a lot of us got into when we were younger. Depending on you as a person, most of us fell into either Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. Spoilers, the first entry here kinda gives away where I stand in that particular arena.

Nonetheless, fantasy movies are plentiful. Surprisingly there are some sleeper hits outside of the big ones that many do not know. With plenty enough for everyone, we compiled our 10 favorite fantasy movies to get yourself lost in and binge some time at home!

 

Lord of the Rings – Extended Editions

Remember how I said that I was gonna bias this first one? Yeah, JRR Tolkien > JK rowling all the way baby!

These movies are not just fantastic high fantasy with excellently written old english dialogue, but a testament to good film making. Peter Jackson and crew created something exceptionally unique and amazing with these films.

From the cinematography, the music, the pacing, the acting, the set pieces, the choreography, the locations etc. These movies are near perfect in every respect!

 

Harry Potter

If you are not a fan of Lord of the Rings, then odds are you were/are a Harry Potter fan. Written in a much more modern style with easier to follow pacing and story.

Harry Potter follows the story of… Well… Harry Potter. A wizard in an alternate reality of England. We follow as he discovers his true destiny, makes friends, enemies and has crazy adventures.

The movies and books are iconic in modern day pop culture. Spanning years of work, millions of fans and inspiring everything from a college musical to a whole theme park attraction!

 

The Chronicles of Narnia

Sort of the red headed step child of the fantasy genre. The books are pretty well loved by most who know them, but the movies have sort of faded away into obscurity for some reason.

Despite some great acting, incredible CGI work, amazing music, mature themes and a wonderful sense of mystery. The original two movies were honestly great side additions to the companions of Harry Potter and LOTR.

While we personally prefer the follow up film, Prince Caspian for its darker tone, the first movie is objectively better.

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Solomon Kane

Alright, now we’re in lesser known territory for fantasy movies!

This movie is pretty much unknown to anyone I talk to about it. James Purefoy is not exactly a household name, and this movie was extremely under the radar.

A movie about a man trying to escape damnation isn’t new. But throw it into a world on the brink of a Puritan revolution, and it gets pretty freaking entertaining!

With some great action set pieces, bloody combat, some solid acting from Purefoy and an alright soundtrack. Solomon Kane is not everyone’s ideal depiction of fantasy, but it is a great underrated watch!

 

Centurion

Michael Fassbender playing a Roman General? What more could you possibly want out of a movie!

Focusing on the fictional story of Quintas Dias, Centurion is a great example of a passion project. For something with a low budget, it’s written intelligently and acted incredibly well.

On top of those elements, the action is legitimately well done! With fantastic choreography, brutal one on one fights and a stellar sense of pacing!

 

Black Death

Rare combinations of fantasy and horror are difficult to recommend, because they’re usually incredibly mediocre.

Such is not the case with 2010’s Black Death. We follow a group of knights that are tasked with finding a community that has allegedly not been affected by the Bubonic plague. The story is simple but extremely effective at being creepy and interesting.

Plus, when you have actors like Sean Bean and Eddie Redmayne, you’ve got a good lineup for your leads!

 

Ironclad

One of my personal favorite underrated fantasy movies, Ironclad is historical fantasy done pretty well. A team of mercenaries and knights hold a castle against King John and his army.

Featuring actors like Paul Giamatti, James Purefoy, Brian Cox and Kate Mara, Ironclad is a surprisingly effective movie. On top of this is the movie’s great attention to detail in costume design and stellar action set pieces.

It gets pretty bloody, and it sadly strays into melodrama towards the end of the movie, but it is a great time nonetheless!

 

Outlander

This movie is pretty freaking weird. A strange hybrid of SciFi and fantasy, it’s the story of two aliens who adopt a viking culture after crash landing on earth.

Honestly, there’s not much to really call out in this movie, it has some cool action scenes, awesome cinematography. However, it is a really weird movie to sit through.

But, if you turn your brain off and just enjoy what is happening, it is a good time!

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The Lighthouse

Remember when I said that finding a horror fantasy mix is extremely difficult? Well, last year we were treated to how exactly you can do that mix perfectly.

Let’s get this out of the way, this movie is freaking bizarre. With strange imagery, some wacky pacing and absolutely bananas acting from the two leads.

All of those are compliments by the way! Robert Pattinson and Willem Defoe are perfect in this film. The imagery is amazing and the behind the scenes story is intense and disturbing!

 

Pirates of the Caribbean

One of Disney’s last big movies before the MCU took everything over. The first movie in the POTC franchise, was fantastic dark fantasy with a sense of fun.

Disturbing imagery set in a world that was in the middle of an English Empire, it was such a unique and fun time! All of the actors felt like they were having fun, the set design was second to none and the music is so iconic that everyone knows it.

Seriously, I wish that these movies had held the same sense of adventure and adult maturity that the first two movies had. They were so unique and awesome! And well worth a revisit or a first time watch!

In Summary

That’s our list folks! There’s definitely a lot to choose from. Whether it’s some lesser known movies with up and coming actors, or huge blockbusters! There really is some true diamond in the rough fantasy movies out there that no one seems to have watched.

Hopefully at least a few of these movies tickle your fancy as fantasy fans or as someone who just wants some escapism! Give these films a watch and have some fun with it!

Be sure to leave us a comment and let us know what you think! Stay tuned to use here at Scoophash for more updates and Top 10s!