Genre can be a useful tool for understanding film, but some movies manage to fit into almost every genre at once. Some genres seem to fit together more naturally than others, like action and adventure or romance and comedy. This doesn’t mean that more unorthodox combinations can’t also work.

Multi-genre movies are often the result of gimmicky attempts to fuse together two tonally disparate ideas, but they can also come from an unconventional approach to storytelling. If filmmakers aren’t beholden to the tropes of a particular genre, they can easily take inspiration from a wider range of influences.

10

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Sci-Fi, Comedy, Martial Arts, Romance, Action

As the тιтle suggests, Everything Everywhere All at Once touches on a lot of different topics, and it also incorporates many different genres. While it might be most readily described as a sci-fi movie, it wouldn’t be the same without its absurd comedy or its hard-hitting martial arts.

The meaning of Everything Everywhere All at Once can be a little hard to ascertain on a first watch, simply because the Oscar-winner keeps up such a frantic pace that it isn’t always easy to sift through the noise. However, its clash of multiple genres is a deliberate technique that helps ramp up the chaos.

9

Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

Action, Adventure, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Drama

A few of Steven Spielberg’s best movies span multiple genres, like how Jurᴀssic Park is a sci-fi-action-horror-family movie and The Adventures of Tintin falls into just as many categories. Raiders of the Lost Ark emulates the pulpy entertainment of adventure serials from decades earlier, but Spielberg throws in a few more genres for good measure.

Raiders of the Lost Ark could be a more conventional action-adventure if not for the addition of one or two scenes which push it into fantasy territory. Throughout the Indiana Jones franchise, Indy runs into powerful religious artifacts, other occult mysteries and even some sci-fi concepts in the more recent movies.

8

Sinners (2025)

Horror, Action, Musical, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Drama

Sinners has been taking the box office by storm lately, partly because Ryan Coogler’s vampire movie touches on so many different genres that it appeals to a broad audience. While most vampire movies fit firmly within the horror genre, Sinners has just as much action, as well as romance, fantasy and a touch of surprising comedy.

Another element which makes Sinners stand out from other vampire movies is its intelligent use of music. Ludwig Göransson’s score is perfectly designed to fit in with the time and place, but it also speaks to the themes of the story. It’s worth noting that Sinners both starts and ends by discussing the power of music.

7

The Princess Bride (1987)

Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance, Family

The Princess Bride uses a frame narrative, with a man reading his grandson a story. This sets out The Princess Bride‘s intentions as a heartwarming, nostalgic yarn from the very beginning, and it delivers on this promise with a thoughtful blend of genres that gives everyone something to enjoy.

The Princess Bride feels like it’s based on a centuries-old tale, since it captures the same sense of adventure and magic as many classic fairy tales. Its comedic angle is one thing that makes it seem more modern, but it could otherwise have been written by Hans Christian Andersen.

6

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Comedy, Noir, Family, Crime, Action, Animation

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is known for its groundbreaking blend of live-action and 2-D animation. The strange aesthetic dissonance between the human characters and the toons is also reflected in the unusual clash of genres. It often looks like a family comedy, but it’s also a neo-noir detective story with a mysterious killer on the loose.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit uses its child-friendly elements to take the edge off of its more serious topics, and in turn, the hard-boiled detective story means that the cartoon characters also appeal to adults. Its a difficult balance to strike, but Who Framed Roger Rabbit proves that it can go even further by incorporating a romantic subplot and plenty of action.

5

Inception (2010)

Action, Sci-Fi, Romance, Fantasy, Thriller, Heist, Espionage

Christopher Nolan’s movies are known for marrying blockbuster cinematic spectacle with cerebral concepts. Inception sums this philosophy up perfectly, as Nolan uses the sci-fi concept of dream sharing as both the set-up for some unique action sequences and a way into the darkest corners of his protagonist’s psyche.

Inception is often described as a heist movie, since Cobb has to ᴀssemble a highly skilled team to infiltrate his target’s mind. There are also elements which evoke spy thrillers, with a third act ski chase even potentially alluding to James Bond. Through this onslaught of action, Nolan never loses sight of Inception‘s philosophical core, or Cobb’s romantic woes.

4

Porco Rosso (1992)

Animation, Family, War, Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Studio Ghibli has crafted a few original stories which only use genre as a jumping-off point. Its fantasy movies delve into completely unexpected areas, and its comedies often have dramatic tonal shifts. Porco Rosso spans even more genres than most, partly due its historical setting.

Porco Rosso is a fantasy story about a man cursed with the head of a pig, but his journey is never about breaking this curse, and he doesn’t spend long dwelling on its origins. Instead, Porco Rosso mostly plays out as a swashbuckling adventure story with pirates, dark political scheming and a touch of romance.

3

Colossal (2016)

Kaiju, Romance, Comedy, Drama, Psychological Thriller

Colossal makes good use of Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis’ charms, often resembling a quirky comedy with a dark sci-fi twist. The kaiju element initially jars with the entire story, but it gradually consumes the rest of the movie until Colossal morphs into a terrifying psychological thriller about a toxic relationship.

There’s a fantastical twist that explains the kaiju element to Colossal, but the movie spends more time focusing on its dark comedy and its domestic drama. The presence of the giant destructive reptilian thousands of miles away is simply a strange metaphor for Gloria’s destructive behavior.

2

Men In Black (1997)

Sci-Fi, Comedy, Detective, Action, Horror

Men in Black is one of the best sci-fi comedies ever made, but this description doesn’t quite capture its broad range of genres. Although the narrative follows a potential alien invasion, Men in Black is a buddy-cop comedy at its heart. This means that it can also be listed as an action movie and a detective movie.

To add to its many genres, Men in Black also has a romantic angle that helps humanize Agent K’s character. There are other scenes which touch on horror, like Edgar’s first scene at the farmhouse. Men in Black does a good job of balancing these different elements, with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jone striking up a wonderful dynamic.

1

The Shape Of Water (2018)

Sci-Fi, Romance, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Creature Feature

The Shape of Water fuses a romantic narrative with the elements of a creature feature, and it touches on many other genres in the process. Part The Creature From the Black Lagoon and part Amélie, The Shape of Water is a miraculous balancing act that worked well enough to win Best Picture.

The Shape of Water‘s Cold War context allows it to incorporate a few more genres. The creature is a government ᴀsset, so the chase adds some action and drama to the romance plot. Despite the tension, The Shape of Water is replete with quirky charms, as the cozy period setting suits its style of comedy.