These sets of rules are meant to be kept, and hard fantasy movies are hard to come by because it can be difficult to explain in movie format a complex set of rules surrounding the magic, science, or laws of the world or worlds in which the movie is situated.
6 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
There is no grander trilogy of movies in the fantasy genre, or possibly in all cinema history, than Peter Jackson’s take on The Lord of the Rings. These books are considered one of the first great instances of hard fantasy, taking place in the world of Middle Earth. Governed by traditional races of creatures such as dwarves, elves, and orcs, the history and incredible attention to detail in Middle Earth’s building is enough to keep fantasy fans reading for years.
The movies leave things out from the books, but nevertheless, the attention to detail is still hugely impressive, and the laws this world remain consistent throughout the trilogy. In spite of some confusing magical influences, the world is well-bounded in rules and logic, and the stories told in The Lord of the Rings are incredible and inter-weaving over a lot of history.
5 Stardust
A fascinating story in a beautiful world with many influences, Stardust is a memorable fantasy movie from 2007 that features an all-star cast. The protagonist, Tristan, lives in the real world near a fence, and on the other side of the fence is a magical world. He goes over the fence and into that other world on an adventure to find and capture a fallen star for his true love.
The adventure in Stardust and the many memorable characters and moments, as well as the youthful stars such as Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, and Henry Cavill that would go on to do many great things, makes it a memorable and wondrous fantasy movie that is well worth watching for the complex ways they choose kings as much as for the adorable romantic storyline.
4 The Harry Potter Saga
An obvious entry in any list of great fantasy movies, the Harry Potter books, movies, and overall media franchise have become one of the most famous in all of pop culture. The influence of Harry Potter on the 21st century is indescribably massive, and the laws around this world involving witchcraft and wizardry are unique and completely sensible.
The eight movies in the Harry Potter saga, as well as the Fantastic Beasts movies and all the other stories told in the Wizarding World, have redefined how magic is seen in pop culture, and the movies are well worth a re-watch today.
3 Pan’s Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth is a 2006 fantasy movie considered by many to be a masterpiece. Guillermo Del Toro has made a career out of creating strange, dark movies, but it is Pan’s Labyrinth that stuck with audiences the most. It is about a young girl who is led to a mythical world centered on an overgrown labyrinth and the faun who tells her that she is a princess and must complete three tasks to prove her royalty.
The movie is dark, and somewhat disturbing, but has been almost universally praised by critics and fans as one of the most memorable fantasy movies ever made. The strange, strict laws of the world of Pan’s Labyrinth help to make it a great hard fantasy movie that will not be forgotten quickly.
2 Time Bandits
Time Bandits is a classic 1987 fantasy movie created by former Monty Python members Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin. It is about a young boy that joins a troupe of dwarves who plunder for treasure through space and time. While the movie is mostly set in the real world, it is considered to be a fantasy adventure over a sci-fi movie.
The concepts of how the ragtag crew of dwarves plunders through time seem to be a more lawless kind of fantasy. In actual fact though, the world is built with a fascinating set of laws that help make this a memorable cult classic movie, the first of three movies that Terry Gilliam calls his “trilogy of imagination.”
1 The Spiderwick Chronicles
A more recent entry in the fantasy genre, The Spiderwick Chronicles came out in 2008 and featured a young boy and his siblings discovering a world hidden from their view where fantasy creatures vied for control of a guide written by the boy’s grandfather. The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the more memorable adaptions of a fantasy novel in recent memory but didn’t manage to make enough at the box office to warrant any sequels or spin-offs.
Despite this, the movie has a great following, with love for the young Freddie Highmore’s dual performance and the unique building of a fantasy world hidden right in front of the human one. While the movie is meant, much like Harry Potter, as more of a children’s adventure, it has something for everyone and is a hugely fun take on the fantasy genre.
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