Fantasy is an often maligned cinematic genre, and there are plenty of movies that didn’t fare well upon release that are actually better than their critical reputation. Attempting to create new and imaginative worlds on the big screen, fantasy movies are known for taking big swings that don’t always work out.

Some can be magnificent blockbusters, like Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, but many simply fade into the background if they fail to grab the audience right away. That could be because their ideas were ahead of their time, or it could be any number of behind-the-scenes factors that held the film back.

Genre cinema wasn’t as big in the past as it is now, and only a select few fantasy films were able to get great reactions from critics and win big at the box office. The highest-grossing fantasy films are often an anomaly, and the genre is surprisingly poor at turning out blockbusters.

Critical reaction is a bit more flexible in retrospect, and there are plenty of excellent fantasy movies that have earned better reputations in the years since their release. Even if they aren’t the best that the genre has to offer, plenty of fantasy epics are serviceable or better, and deserve a reevaluation through a modern lens.

10

Willow (1988)

It Became An Instant Cult Classic

Unlike a lot of other poorly-reviewed fantasy films, Willow bombed in theaters but immediately became a cult classic on home video. The 1988 Ron Howard movie was a big risk because it wasn’t based on an established book or story, and built its interesting fantasy world from the ground up.

Warwick Davis turns in a career-making performance in the тιтle role, and the movie offers faint glimpses into a much larger universe that was ripe for exploration in future stories. While Willow is hardly the greatest fantasy film of all time, it is ambitious and well-made, and even earned a follow-up TV series from Disney in 2022.

9

The Beastmaster (1982)

One Of The Few Hidden Gems In The Sword & Sorcery Genre

The early ’80s was awash in sword and sorcery movies that attempted to cash in on the popularity of Conan the Barbarian. The Beastmaster is one of the few hidden gems from the oft-forgotten subgenre, largely because it tries to introduce new ideas that offer some added intrigue.

Indie horror auteur Don Coscarelli helmed the movie, and The Beastmaster has a bit more fantasy than many of its sword and sorcery counterparts. It wasn’t a big hit when it debuted, but it found more success on television, which spurred interest in the character. The unfairly hated fantasy flick spawned two sequels and a TV series throughout the ’90s.

8

Legend (1985)

A Sure-Fire Hit That Failed To Launch

Ridley Scott’s filmography is filled with projects that should have been hits, and Legend is the director’s stab at the fantasy genre that didn’t work out. The Tom Cruise vehicle is a stock-standard fantasy plot that is supplemented by a few clever ideas and state-of-the-art makeup effects.

Tim Curry’s Darkness is a highlight of ’80s genre cinema, and the character design is perhaps the movie’s lasting legacy. The film bombed at the box office, and wasn’t particularly popular with critics at the time either. Fortunately, it has garnered cult status as more and more viewers discover the hidden gem that never got the chance to shine.

7

Conan The Destroyer (1984)

Conan’s Sequel Was Not Well-Liked

1982’s Conan the Barbarian helped to make Arnold Schwarzenegger a household name, but the sequel was something of a dud when it arrived two years later. Conan the Destroyer continued the adventures of the heavily-muscled hero, and it teamed him up with multi-hyphenated star, Grace Jones.

Borrowing from the tone of Robert E. Howard’s classic stories, it’s standard sword and sorcery fare. It got poor reviews, and wasn’t a big hit financially either. However, the sequel is mostly on par with its predecessor, but suffers from trying to be too family-friendly for its own good. It still stands head and shoulders above most Conan-inspired movies.

6

The 13th Warrior (1999)

Antonio Banderas’ Subtle Fantasy Flop

One of the more notorious flops of the 1990s, The 13th Warrior is a textbook example of a fantasy film that’s way overhated. Based on Eaters of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ by Michael Crichton, the movie stars Antonio Banderas as a Muslim ambᴀssador who finds himself among Viking warriors.

Stuffed with action, The 13th Warrior only becomes fantasy as things progress. The historical fiction epic is opulent in its production design, and the performances are strong. It’s far from perfect, and certainly stumbles with pacing, but it deserves better than a 33% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Over 25 years later, the movie is finally getting a positive reevaluation.

5

The Pagemaster (1994)

Macaulay Culkin’s Underrated Animation Hybrid

The 1990s were a golden period for family adventure films, but 1994’s The Pagemaster is an odd chapter in the decade’s storied history. Macaulay Culkin stars as an anxious child who finds himself entering the worlds of famous novels, and the movie blends live-action and animated scenes.

The Pagemaster bombed at the box office and got putrid reviews. The movie is still divisive over 30 years later, and it’s either loved or hated. The biggest issue is the tone, and it’s just a bit too weird and frightening for kids. On the other hand, the animation is beautiful, and it’s one of the most imaginative movies ever.

4

Hook (1991)

Steven Spielberg’s Critically-Panned Hit

It’s hard to believe that a Steven Spielberg movie could get such poor reviews, but critics hated his 1991 family adventure film Hook. The reimagining of Peter Pan was a big-budget extravaganza with Robin Williams as Peter, Dustin Hoffman as Hook, and Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell.

It didn’t struggle financially, and could be considered a hit, but it drew a lot of hate that has since been revised. Extremely popular with fans of a certain age, Hook is now a beloved piece of 1990s cinema, and for good reason. The production design is top-notch, and Spielberg’s whimsical direction gives the film a fun and sincere atmosphere.

3

The Black Cauldron (1985)

The Movie That Nearly Tanked Disney

Disney’s animation division struggled mightily throughout the ’70s and ’80s, and The Black Cauldron can be considered the company’s low point. The uncharacteristically dark fantasy film changed the animation style and went for a more contemporary look seen in films by artists like Don Bluth. While the change was interesting, it was not well-regarded.

The Black Cauldron was such a financial disappointment that it nearly derailed Disney’s animation division completely. Once it finally arrived on home video, the film’s reputation began to improve. It clearly wasn’t meant for the younger children, but upon further examination it’s a pretty good fantasy epic. The Disney magic is there, it’s just darker than audiences were expecting.

2

The Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim (2024)

The Animated LOTRs Movie That Got Poor Reviews

War of the Rohirrim was hardly the first Lord of the Rings animated movie, but the 2024 release was not well-regarded by those that saw it. Expanding one small part of the lengthy history of Middle-earth, War of the Rohirrim marks the next chapter in a new direction for the New Line Cinema franchise.

Unfortunately, the overlong film was a flop that didn’t get particularly good reviews. However, there is some good to be taken from the bad when it comes to the LOTRs movie. It’s tailored for big fans of the franchise, which is why it probably flopped. The animation style is bland, but it’s still a serviceable story for Middle-earth lovers.

1

Krull (1983)

A Cheesy ’80s Classic That Deserves More Love

It’s impossible to overstate the impact that Star Wars had on the fantasy and sci-fi genres, and plenty of movies tried to cash in on its success. Krull arrived in 1983, and the big-budget movie hit nearly every trope of the aforementioned science fantasy franchise.

Magical powers, roguish heroes, and even a mystical weapon populate the world of Krull, and there’s charm in its sincerity. Unfortunately, the movie bombed spectacularly, and didn’t even get good marks from critics. It has since become a cult classic, and deserves its place among the fantasy movie greats of the past. Krull isn’t perfect, but it’s never boring.