Hard fantasy takes its name from hard sci-fi, and in both cases, the term “hard” refers to the sturdy sets of rules utilized by the worlds in which the stories are set in. These worlds are built rigorously and carefully to make logical sense to a reader or watcher once the setting has been explained.
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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.
6The 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 onThe 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 ofcreatures 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 inThe Lord of the Ringsare incredible and inter-weaving over a lot of history.
5Stardust
A fascinating story in a beautiful world with many influences,Stardustis 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 andcapture a fallen starfor his true love.
The adventure inStardustand 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.
4The Harry Potter Saga
An obvious entry in any list of great fantasy movies, theHarry Potterbooks, movies, and overall media franchise have become one of the most famous in all of pop culture. The influence ofHarry Potteron the 21st century is indescribably massive, and the laws around this world involving witchcraft and wizardry are unique and completely sensible.
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The eight movies in theHarry Pottersaga, as well as theFantastic Beastsmovies and all the other stories told in the Wizarding World,have redefined how magicis seen in pop culture, and the movies are well worth a re-watch today.
3Pan’s Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinthis 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 isPan’s Labyrinththat stuck with audiences the most. It is about a young girl who is led to a mythical worldcentered on an overgrown labyrinthand 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 ofPan’s Labyrinthhelp to make it agreat hard fantasy moviethat will not be forgotten quickly.
2Time Bandits
Time Banditsis 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 consideredto be a fantasy adventureover 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.”
1The Spiderwick Chronicles
A more recent entry in the fantasy genre,The Spiderwick Chroniclescame 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 Chroniclesis one of the more memorableadaptions of a fantasy novelin 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 likeHarry Potter, as more of a children’s adventure, it has something for everyone and is a hugely fun take on the fantasy genre.
