The fantasy genre can be difficult to pull off well, but there are some perfect fantasy movies that offer thrills, magic, and fun from beginning to end. The 2020s have offered some great fantasy movies so far, with the likes of The Green Knight and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves destined to become classics before long. However, one of the ways fantasy movies earn such reputations is by delivering a complete adventure.

With such big ideas and complex worlds that fantasy movies often have, it’s not easy to have a movie that works all the way through. Some great fantasy movies have stumbled on a lackluster ending, while even the Harry Potter franchise has some entries that are more forgettable. What makes a perfect fantasy movie can vary, from family-friendly adventures to truly terrifying fantasy movies. Each of these movies represents the fantasy genre at its best with a perfect story from beginning to end.

10

Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003)

Directed By Gore Verbinski

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a movie that many people were ready to dismiss before it was even released. However, the blockbuster take on the Disney theme park ride ended up being one of the most entertaining adventure movies of all time while launching a high-grossing franchise that is still beloved to this day. However, there has been no topping the thrill of the first movie.

Not enough can be said for Johnny Depp’s magnificent performance as Jack Sparrow, as watching him is enough to keep the movie entertaining from beginning to end. However, the action is also filled with wonderful spectacle, with that big-budget feel that defines it as one of the great summer blockbusters. It also has great world-building with a mixture of supernatural elements, pirate legends, and the theme park itself.

9

The Dark Crystal (1982)

Directed By Jim Henson And Frank Oz

The Dark Crystal takes the classic sword and sorcery genre that was so popular in the 1980s and injects the added magic of Jim Henson and his team. The Dark Crystal is a triumph in the world of puppetry, with Henson and others using ground-breaking animatronics and creature designs to build this fantastical world that is a thrill to journey into. It tells the story of two young heroes looking to restore balance in their troubled land.

The film was met with mixed reactions when it was released due to the fact that it is much darker than the previous Muppet movies from Henson. However, that darkness mixed with the nostalgic fantasy feel is exactly the reason the movie has maintained a cult following over the years, even earning itself a Netflix prequel series with The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance.

8

Groundhog Day (1993)

Directed By Harold Ramis

Fantasy movies do not necessarily have to be filled with creatures and magic to be effective, as Groundhog Day proved that one brilliant fantastical idea can make for a perfect movie. Groundhog Day stars Bill Murray as a cynical weatherman who is covering a town’s beloved Groundhog Day festival only to wake up each morning and find that he is repeating the same day over and over.

The iconic time loop movie set the template for many films in the genre that followed. It is a lot of fun seeing Murray trying to make sense of the endless loop and then trying to use it to his advantage. However, like another classic fantasy movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, it uses the fantasy concept to tell a story about someone learning a valuable lesson about life.

7

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Directed By Mel Stuart

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory brings the somewhat surreal and magical tone of Roald Dahl’s writing to life in a live-action movie. Gene Wilder gives an iconic performance as the тιтular chocolatier, an eccentric and mysterious man who welcomes a group of lucky contest winners into his factory to reveal the secrets behind his delicious treats.

What is unique about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is that the movie seems to take place in the real world, and it is only when the story enters the chocolate factory that things become fantastical. Indeed, inside this wonderful place is a world that feels plucked right out of a dream, and Wilder’s Willy Wonka makes for the perfect fantasy character to guide the journey.

6

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Directed By Tim Burton

The first collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton remains their best and perfectly captures the dream-like quality the two artists always seemed to be striving for. Edward Scissorhands stars Depp as the тιтular character, a misfit creation of an inventor who died before he could finish his work. When Edward is discovered by a kind saleswoman, he is taken into a suburban community where he becomes the talk of the town.

From the opening moments that depict the colorful suburban neighborhood with a dark gothic castle in the distance, Edward Scissorhands nails its tricky tone. It is as if a storybook character landed in the typical 1980s America and tried to fit in. Its oddball sense of humor makes for an entertaining comedy while gradually peeling back layers to reveal a genuinely loving fairy tale at its center.

5

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

Directed By Frank Capra

While there are a lot of classic Christmas movies that have fantasy elements, the beautiful messages of It’s a Wonderful Life extend beyond the holidays. The film begins with angels attempting to save the life of a troubled yet selfless man, George Bailey (James Stewart), as they look back on his life and how it brought him to this place.

What is interesting about It’s a Wonderful Life is that, for much of the runtime, you might forget that it is a fantasy movie as it is such an engrossing tale of this heroic, grounded man. However, the final act, as Stewart’s George Bailey is given a glimpse at his life if he were never born, is a brilliant fantasy storytelling approach that many stories have taken from since. It is a moving and uplifting reminder of the impact people can have on the lives of others.

4

Pan’s Labyrinth (2007)

Directed By Guillermo Del Toro

Guillermo del Toro is a filmmaker who has long melded the aesthetics of fantasy and horror into his stories. Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the best examples of this while also showing how beautiful the end result can be. Set in 1944 Spain, the movie follows a young girl who journeys with her mother to live with her new, cruel stepfather, only to be approached by a magical fawn who takes her on an adventure to realize her true place in the world.

The movie has haunting imagery and incredible creature designs, with the practical effects standing out among the modern CGI-filled fantasy films. Most impressively, the movie manages to blend these fantastical elements with human aspects of the story, which are grounded in the brutality of the real history of this time period. It grabs the audience from the first magical frames and holds them right until the bittersweet ending.

3

The Princess Bride (1987)

Directed By Rob Reiner

It is a rare movie that can bring a modern sense of humor into a fantasy story and still have a sense of wonder. The Princess Bride pulls off this feat with a witty and subversive fairy tale that works perfectly as part of the genre. With the adorable setup of a grandfather telling a story to his grandson, The Princess Bride explores long-lost lovers, a vengeful swordsman, a gentle giant, and the fight for true love.

All of these elements are treated with earnestness to make the audience care about this tale, but there are also plenty of laugh-out-loud moments with the characters all having a quirky outlook on the world they inhabit. There are also hilarious performances from the likes of Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, and Wallace Shawn. It manages to maintain its perfectly balanced tone the entire time, resulting in a funny and exciting adventure that is immensely rewatchable.

2

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

Directed By Victor Fleming

The fantasy genre has grown so much over the years that it is hard for an older movie to stand out among the spectacles that the modern audience is used to. However, The Wizard of Oz remains a beloved fantasy adventure that is still enjoyed by generations of fans to this day. Even with the acclaim of the musical Wicked, it doesn’t hold the same magic feel as the original film.

While The Wizard of Oz is not the first color movie, it uses it in such an effective way that it is like seeing it for the first time on screen. The moment Dorthy exits her black-and-white life of Kansas and steps into the technicolor world of Oz is one of the most awe-inspiring fantasy moments in movie history. From the iconic characters to the catchy songs to the universal message, it remains a true classic.

1

The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Directed By Peter Jackson

It is impressive enough to have a fantasy movie be perfect from beginning to end, but to accomplish that with a trilogy of films is seemingly impossible. However, Peter Jackson delivered the impossible with the Lord of the Rings movies, which many argue is the greatest trilogy of all time. Indeed, each of the entries is a cinematic triumph in its own right, but they combine for one complete, beautiful, and epic story.

The Fellowship of the Rings is the perfect entry into the world of Middle-earth, and these characters we come to love. The Two Towers ups the stakes with an emotional story that includes one of the greatest battle scenes in movie history. The Return of the King is sometimes criticized for its long-winded ending, but it surely deserves it in bringing this gigantic tale to a completely satisfying conclusion.