10 Fantasy Movies From The 2000s That Are Perfect From Start To Finish

Crafting the perfect fantasy movie is a difficult task since so much can go wrong throughout the process. The genre is popular, but there are plenty of audiences who are easily turned off by too much magic and escapism, preferring films to feel more rooted in reality. However, a good fantasy movie understands that within the fantastical worlds and incredible magic systems, there are kernels of realism and universal truths about the human experience. It’s the characters and their emotional journeys that are the most relatable and keep viewers returning to these otherworldly adventures.

For a film to be widely considered a fantasy movie masterpiece, it needs to be structurally flawless, visually engaging, and have a compelling appeal to the viewer’s pathos. Plenty of films fall short, exceeding in one category, but getting too swept up in the creation of the world rather than the arcs of the characters. However, when a movie does get it right, there’s nothing better than a flawless fantasy movie. The early 2000s was a standout decade for fantasy and included timeless additions to the genre.

10 The Prestige (2006)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

The Prestige is an underrated Christopher Nolan movie starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as competing magicians in a steampunk fantasy world. Crafted like a magic trick, The Prestige draws the audience in, misdirects them, and then shocks them with the kind of twist ending that Nolan is known for. While The Prestige plays with time and perception, as all of Nolan’s films do, it’s one of the more character-driven and emotional stories the filmmaker has brought to life, as the audience gets deeply invested in the dueling magicians’ personal journeys.

Fortunately, even upon a rewatch,
The Prestige
continues to be one of the most unexpectedly thrilling additions to the fantasy genre.

Even if The Prestige is less explicitly magical and spellbinding than other fantasy movies, watching it for the first time is entrancing as the viewer tries to piece together the trick. However, just as the magicians say in The Prestige, you don’t really want to know how the trick is done because that destroys the illusion. Fortunately, even upon a rewatch, The Prestige continues to be one of the most unexpectedly thrilling additions to the fantasy genre.

9 Shrek 2 (2004)

Directed by Andrew Adamson, Conrad Vernon, & Kelly Asbury

The Shrek movies have been an enduring and popular part of the animated fantasy genre since the first movie was released in 2001. It’s true that the original film was a huge step forward in terms of computer animation and bringing animated movies to a wider audience that included adults. However, Shrek 2 was when the franchise perfected its formula and is the best installment of the series. Following Shrek and Fiona after they’ve found their happily-ever-after, Shrek 2 raises the stakes and includes even more classic fairy tales.

The Fairy Godmother is one of the best animated movie villains of the early 2000s, and the many iconic musical numbers throughout the film cement it as both skillful and hilarious. While the Shrek movies are known for their tongue-in-cheek humor and poking fun at the tropes of the fairy tale genre, they all contain genuinely touching messages. In Shrek 2, the characters realize that they don’t have to change themselves for anyone and that they will be loved for who they are.

8 Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Directed by Gore Verbinski

It’s incredible that the idea for an atmospheric theme park ride could have expanded so far that it sparked the creation of one of the best fantasy franchises of the 2000s. However, Pirates of the Caribbean has far exceeded the expectations of the ride, and the flawless first installment set it on this path. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl has romance, adventure, and ghost stories, all making for an ambitious story that weaves together seamlessly by the film’s conclusion.

Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom make a touching romantic pair as Elizabeth and Will, lovers from two different social standings who are brought together by their mutual desire for a life of adventure.

Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom make a touching romantic pair as Elizabeth and Will, lovers from two different social standings who are brought together by their mutual desire for a life of adventure. The Pirates of the Caribbean 6 movie must overcome the trend of drawing out the story that began in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl if there’s going to be hope for the franchise’s future. While the first movie is easily the best, this story structure can’t be imitated; it must be used as a reference for new narratives.

7 The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

The thrilling conclusion to Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s seminal fantasy series was a major step forward in terms of gaining notoriety and recognition within the fantasy genre. As the first fantasy film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture,The Return of the King changed how people saw genre movies and demonstrated how they could be crossover successes. It’s likely that the current explosion in popularity of fantasy TV wouldn’t have occurred without the Lord of the Rings movies.

While each installment of the trilogy could be considered perfect in its own right, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King had the breadth and gravitas needed to give the story the conclusion it deserved. By combining action with moving emotional scenes, there’s not a wasted moment in its three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Perfectly paced and brilliantly designed, audiences are transported from the fires of Mount Doom to the peace of the Shire with ease in Jackson’s iconic film.

6 Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

While many fantasy stories take on the fairy tale genre, Pan’s Labyrinth does so in a way that subverts expectations and does much more than satirize it. It uses the fairy tale format as a form of escapism for Ofelia, the protagonist of Pan’s Labyrinth, who sees her family change and the world crumble alongside the rise of fascism in 1940s Spain. Finding solace in the terrifying but spellbinding challenges set to her by the ephemeral Faun, Ofelia attempts to prove that she is the fated princess of the Underworld, not an unfortunate young girl with a horrible stepfather.

Unsurprisingly, the director, Guillermo del Toro, lends his trademark visionary outlook to the film, immersing the viewer and characters in a world beyond their imaginations. All the practical effects, set design, and the creation of the monsters combine to make for a cohesive visual aesthetic that’s come to define del Toro’s imaginative projects. However, it’s quickly revealed that the most terrifying and unbelievable part of Pan’s Labyrinth is humanity’s capacity for violence and evil.

5 Coraline (2009)

Directed by Henry Selick

Coraline is well-remembered as the source of nightmares for many viewers who watched the film in their youth and were presented with a genuinely scary story. Coraline’s escape to her magical realm is not the exciting and safe journey she expects, as the land she travels to is designed to draw her in and trap her. Based on the novella of the same name, Coraline was universally praised for its visual style and the way the real world and the Other World are brought to life.

Most viewers would be just as easily captivated by the charms of the Other World as it appears to be a welcome reprieve from the doldrums of everyday life.

As a protagonist, it’s easy to relate to Coraline and her dissatisfaction with life and desire to receive more attention and adventure from the apathetic world around her. Most viewers would be just as easily captivated by the charms of the Other World as it appears to be a welcome reprieve from the doldrums of everyday life. However, what Coraline discovers by the end of the film is that her own small acts of bravery and discovery are enough excitement to propel her through life.

4 Enchanted (2007)

Directed by Kevin Lima

Amy Adams is at her best as Giselle in Disney’s spin on its own fairy tale tropes, Enchanted. By poking fun at the very animated classics that the studio made its name on, Enchanted sees the naive yet determined Giselle get thrown into the harsh realities of life after existing in an animated paradise where nothing goes wrong. Simultaneously satirical and unabashedly sentimental, Enchanted is the perfect fantasy movie for children and adults to enjoy in equal measure.

Featuring hilarious and heartfelt performances from Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden as Giselle’s love interest in the real world and the prince from her fairy tale land, Enchanted boasts an all-star cast. It’s because of the commitment of the actors that Enchanted works so well, even when it’s at its most outlandish. With catchy original songs and nostalgic references, Enchanted might be on the formulaic side, but that’s part of the fun.

3 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Directed by Ang Lee

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon can be attributed to having brought renewed interest and wider viewership bases to the martial arts genre at the turn of the century. Directed by Ang Lee Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon connects the best of fantasy and martial arts with incredible fight scenes, tragic romance, and compelling mysteries that the characters and audience must unlock. Featuring performances from iconic actors like Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not only memorable because of its visuals and staging but also because of its characters.

Strong female characters and fighters take center stage in
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
, which contributed to its crossover success with such a large audience.

As one of Michelle Yeoh’s best movies, the actress gets to spend equal time demonstrating her incredible skills in battle as well as her nuanced take on the emotional war raging inside her character, Yu Shu Lien. Strong female characters and fighters take center stage in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which contributed to its crossover success with such a large audience. Additionally, the film was not only popular with audiences but also with critics, winning many accolades during the award season, like the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, among others.

2 Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

Arguably the best Harry Potter movie and the easiest to watch as a standalone film, The Prisoner of Azkaban understands the magic of Harry Potter better than any other movie. The franchise was the most successful fantasy series of the 2000s and was a definitive moment of pop culture and filmmaking for an entire generation. While the first two films introduced viewers to the world and immersed them in a cozy world of magic, the third installment proved that the franchise could evolve and that there were going to be serious emotional beats.

The direction of Alfonso Curaón had a lot to do with the continued success of Harry Potter, as his style of filmmaking and whimsical designs became hallmarks of the series throughout the remaining films. For the first time, Hogwarts and the larger wizarding world felt tangible, and the young actors were pushed to grapple with complex development and emotionally mature subjects. Without Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, it’s difficult to say where the magical universe would be today.

1 Spirited Away (2001)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

It’s almost impossible to have a conversation about the best fantasy movies of all time without discussing Spirited Away. Widely regarded as Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus, Spirited Away is simultaneously transporting and imaginative while telling an intimate and personal story. As always, Miyazaki is the master of finding the universal in the unique, as young Chihiro, the protagonist, might be trapped in the spirit world, but her feelings and trials are connected to the classic pangs of coming-of-age.

Looking back on Spirited Away over twenty years later, it’s as if not a single day has passed. Its emotional resonance, subtle themes of greed and environmental exploitation, and unparalleled visuals make it impossible not to be swept away by its majesty. Though Studio Ghibli has released many perfect films, Spirited Away will likely always rank as the most groundbreaking and timeless. At the very beginning of the decade, the early 2000s saw the release of a film for the ages.