These 10 Fantasy Movies Aren’t Great, But They Are Super Entertaining

The over-the-top nature and endless potential of the fantasy genre mean not every movie will be a timeless masterpiece, but even underwhelming fantasies can still be super entertaining. From swords and sorcery stories to epic tales of revenge and retribution, It’s always exciting to watch heroes embark on death-defying journeys or see wizards battle for the fate of the entire universe. With releases from major action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dolph Lundgren, even fantasy box office bombs have their redeeming qualities.

While none of these movies will rank among the greatest fantasy films of all time, they still hold that special quality that means they’re lots of fun to watch and laugh along to with a crowd. Not every fantasy can reach the Best Picture-winning status of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and instead have built up reputations as quiet cult classics. Whether it’s a so-bad-it’s-good release, a movie that was wildly ahead of its time, or just a guilty pleasure, all these fantasy films have something magical about them.

10

Super Mario Bros. (1993)

Directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel

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Super Mario Bros.

PG

Adventure

Fantasy

Comedy

Family

3/10

Release Date

May 28, 1993

Runtime

104 minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Bob Hoskins

    Bob Hoskins

    Mario Mario

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    John Leguizamo

    Luigi Mario

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While the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie was long considered one of the most baffling and outrageous video game adaptations ever, looking back, it’s hard not to be won over by this dark reimagination of the iconic platformer. Featuring Bob Hoskins as the titular plumber and Dennis Hopper as the ruthless President Koopa, the husband-and-wife directing duo Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel played fast and loose with Mario’s mythos in a strange, dystopian, dinosaur-centric fantastic adventure set in a parallel universe.

With a plot that saw the Italian-American brothers Mario and Luigi cross over into a dystopian world that separated from ours sixty-five million years ago, Super Mario Bros. blended the game aesthetics with ideas taken from fairytales and contemporary American culture. As a cult favorite that has to be admired for its absolutely wild storyline, now that there has been a more faithful adaptation of the games through the animated reboot, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, we can finally look back on this bizarre movie fondly.

9

Conan The Destroyer (1984)

Directed by Richard Fleischer

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Conan the Destroyer

PG

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

1/10

Release Date

June 29, 1984

Runtime

103 Minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Arnold Schwarzenegger In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's 'FUBAR' Season 1

    Arnold Schwarzenegger

    Conan

  • Headshot aOf Grace Jones

    Grace Jones

    Zula

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From the T-800 Terminator to the elite paramilitary soldier Dutch Schafer, Arnold Schwarzenegger has had plenty of iconic film roles across his acclaimed career in action, fantasy, and sci-fi filmmaking. However, Schwarzenegger’s breakout success came as the swords and sorcery hero Conan the Barbarian. While the original 1982 movie has rightfully earned its status as a cult classic, the sequel Conan the Destroyer rarely gets its due as a fun-filled epic set during the fictional Hyborian Age.

With Grace Jones as the powerful warrior bandit Zula, this outrageous story may have lacked the gravitas that made the original such a success, but it was replaced by a sillier, more tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. Conan the Destroyer was a campy sequel that could have been expanded with more sequels and spin-offs. However, it sadly marked the final time that Schwarzenegger played the titular hero, although he’s stated he’s open to returning for a legacy sequel.

8

Van Helsing (2004)

Directed by Stephen Sommers

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Van Helsing

PG-13

Horror

Adventure

Action

8.8/10

Release Date

May 3, 2004

Runtime

132 Minutes

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    Hugh Jackman

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    Kate Beckinsale

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The action horror Van Helsing was a unique take on Dracula’s mythos that shifted its focus to the titular monster hunter, played by Hugh Jackman. As a vampire slayer and the archnemesis of Dracula, it was thrilling to watch as Van Helsing not only encountered his old foe but also butted heads with Frankenstein’s monster, Duergar, Mr. Hyde, and werewolves in a film that paid tribute to the classic Universal Monsters of the 1930s and 1940s.

While Van Helsing suffered from CGI overload and was certainly a product of its time, if you can look past its dated, overused visuals, it’s hard not to be won over by its spectacular and silly nature. From writer and director Stephen Sommers, Van Helsing was a worthy successor to his work on The Mummy, which similarly walked the fine line between outrageous camp and engrossing entertainment.

7

Drop Dead Fred (1991)

Directed by Ate de Jong

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Drop Dead Fred

PG-13

Comedy

Fantasy

Family

Release Date

April 19, 1991

Runtime

103 Minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot of Phoebe Cates

    Phoebe Cates

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Rik Mayall

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Marsha Mason

  • Headshot Of Tim Matheson

    Tim Matheson

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A fantastic story about an adult woman reencountering her childhood imaginary best friend who has the potential to fall flat on its feet, and critics at the time were not kind to Drop Dead Fred. While it’s true this movie had its issues, Rik Mayall’s astounding performance has to be admired as he brought the same frantic and over-the-top energy he exhibited in adult-oriented sitcoms like The Young Ones to this child-friendly feature.

While Drop Dead Fred was packed with crude humor and some juvenile sequences, hidden below the surface was a thoughtful exploration of anxiety, emotional abuse, and trauma. Phoebe Cates delivered a believable performance as a woman whose life was falling apart, which was balanced by Mayall bouncing off the walls through his imaginary antics that nobody else could see. Looking back on Drop Dead Fred all these years later, it was a wildly entertaining film whose deeper themes weren’t appreciated by critics at the time.

6

Highlander (1986)

Directed by Russell Mulcahy

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Highlander

R

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

9.3/10

Release Date

March 7, 1986

Runtime

116 minutes

Cast

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    Christopher Lambert

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Roxanne Hart

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Highlander was a fantasy adventure that received mixed reviews and failed to even recoup its budget when it was first released in 1986. While Highlander boasted an engaging mythology that told of immortal swordsmen beheading one another and embroiled in an eternal war, there was a feeling at the time of its release that this Russell Mulcahy movie was ripping off other, more successful franchises like Blade Runner and The Terminator.

However, Highlander was also packed with plenty of original ideas, and its iconic quote, “There can be only one,” has become one of the best-known phrases in all of fantasy cinema. With a cheesy and bombastic style and rich mythology that put forward the ancient beliefs of the Highlanders, Highlander’s reputation has grown over time, and it’s quietly carved out a legacy as a well-loved franchise.

5

Cat People (1982)

Directed by Paul Schrader

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Cat People

R

Fantasy

Horror

Thriller

Release Date

April 2, 1982

Runtime

118 Minutes

Cast

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    Natassja Kinski

    Paul Gallier

  • Headshot Of Malcolm McDowell

    Malcolm McDowell

    Irena Gallier

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    John Heard

    Oliver Yates

  • Headshot Of Annette O'Toole

    Annette O’Toole

    Female

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While Paul Schrader may be best known for writing the screenplays for Martin Scorsese classics like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, he’s also carved out an impressive career as a director in his own right. With a filmography filled with some great movies and even more questionable ones, one of Schrader’s strangest releases was the horror movie remake Cat People. Telling the story of a woman who learns she’s descended from an ancient race with hidden feline characteristics, the sheer ridiculousness of Cat People was part of its charm.

Through strange visuals and a highly sexualized aesthetic, Cat People took the erotic subtext of the original movie and pushed it to the extreme. Nastassja Kinski as Irena Gallier, the woman discovering her cat-like nature, in a unique movie that walks the fine line between erotic thriller and horror fantasy. While there’s a lot that people can criticize about Cat People, its great performances, unusual visuals, and its astounding theme song from David Bowie meant it was super entertaining.

4

Irish Wish (2024)

Directed by Janeen Damian

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Irish Wish

Comedy

Fantasy

Romance

ScreenRant logo

5/10

7/10

Release Date

March 15, 2024

Runtime

93 Minutes

Cast

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While it’s been enjoyable watching Lindsay Lohan step back into the spotlight with her multi-picture deal with Netflix, the harsh truth was that movies like Irish Wish weren’t great. As a formulaic rom-com that got a lot wrong about its Irish setting, this rural switcheroo about an American publisher changing places with her best friend and becoming an Irish writer’s bride-to-be had plenty of issues that meant it paled in comparison to Lohan’s glory days in similar movies like Freaky Friday.

Lindsay Lohan as Maddie and Ed Speleers as James in Irish Wish (2024)

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While it’s true that Irish Wish was far from perfect, it also made for enjoyable, turn-off-your-brain viewing and was the perfect movie to watch when you want something that strikes the perfect balance of humor and ridiculousness. Lohan gave a great performance in Irish Wish and reminded audiences that nobody can do rom-coms quite like her, and that’s really all you can ask from a fun but forgettable Netflix romance.

3

Krull (1983)

Directed by Peter Yates

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Krull

PG

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Science Fiction

7/10

Release Date

July 29, 1983

Runtime

117 Minutes

Cast

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    Ken Marshall

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Lysette Anthony

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While Krull did not receive the appreciation it deserved in its own time, the way this swashbuckling adventure blended sci-fi and fantasy was super entertaining. Set on the planet of Krull and beginning with an evil monster kidnapping Princess Lysette, the maiden’s beloved Colwyn sets off on a quest to defeat the Beast and save his bride. However, Colwyn and his soldiers must first find the magical weapon called the Galiave, which is the only weapon that can defeat the Beast.

Krull was widely criticized at the time of its release as derivative and unoriginal, although looking back, it was an ambitious and entertaining take on classic fairytales and damsel-in-distress storylines. As a rollercoaster of fun and excitement, there was never a dull moment in Krull, and the way it combined elements of fantasy and space opera means it will appeal to fans of both Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings.

2

Masters Of The Universe (1987)

Directed by Gary Goddard

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Masters of the Universe

PG

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

8.8/10

Release Date

August 7, 1987

Runtime

106 Minutes

Director

Gary Goddard

Writers

David Odell

Producers

Edward R. Pressman, Menahem Golan

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Dolph Lundgren In The 9th Annual Filming Italy Los Angeles

    Dolph Lundgren

    He-Man

  • Headshot of Frank Langella

    Frank Langella

    Skeletor

Masters of the Universe is the first live-action movie based on Mattel’s iconic 5.5-inch action figure line. The movie was released in 1987 and starred Dolph Lundgren. Despite the toys and animated series still being very popular in the late ’80s, the live-action film received largely negative reviews and was a disappointment at the box office for The Cannon Group, Inc.

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Long before Margot Robbie achieved unprecedented box office success with her live-action portrayal of Barbie, Dolph Lundgren proved the potential for Mattel toys on the big screen with Masters of the Universe. As the universe-saving warrior He-Man, Lundgren made the perfect big-screen version of this swords and sorcery icon as he faced off against Frank Langella’s Skeletor as he attempted to seize control of Castle Grayskull. While Masters of the Universe was a commercial failure, it rightfully built up a reputation as a cult classic among fantasy lovers.

As Lungren’s first leading role after achieving worldwide recognition from Rock IV, the failure of Master of the Universe sadly negatively impacted his potential as a major mainstream leading man. Masters of the Universe blended elements of screwball comedy with intense action sequences and makes for the perfect fun-filled movie to watch with a group of friends. While it may not be high art, watching He-Man face off against Skeletor will always be wildly entertaining.

1

The Beastmaster (1982)

Directed by Don Coscarelli

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The Beastmaster

PG

Fantasy

Action

Adventure

6.3/10

Release Date

August 16, 1982

Runtime

118 minutes

Director

Don Coscarelli

Writers

Don Coscarelli, Paul Pepperman, Andre Norton

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Marc Singer

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Tanya Roberts

The Beastmaster is a 1982 fantasy film directed by Don Coscarelli. It follows Dar, played by Marc Singer, a warrior with the ability to communicate with animals, as he embarks on a quest to defeat the evil sorcerer Maax. Tanya Roberts and Rip Torn co-star in this tale of adventure and mystical powers. The film combines elements of sword-and-sorcery with themes of heroism and destiny.

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The swords and sorcery classic The Beastmaster starred Marc Singer as Dar, a young man who can communicate with animals on a quest for revenge. Released the same year as Conan the Barbarian, The Beastmaster sadly failed at the box office but later built up its reputation due to repeated airings on American TV on channels like TBS, TNT, and HBO. With an epic story that saw Dar face off against an evil wizard with the help of his animal allies, The Beastmaster was equal parts wild and ridiculous.

While the acting in The Beastmaster wasn’t great, and its special effects left a lot to desire, this did not mean it wasn’t super entertaining. With a unique lore and lively narrative, the retrospective reverence that The Beastmaster received meant it even earned a sequel, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time, in 1991, and a third made-for-TV movie called Beastmaster III: The Eye of Braxus in 1996.

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