Now that August has arrived, the theatrical movies aren’t very enticing. Fortunately, Netflix has a number of fantasy films that are worth staying home for. These are the flicks that have already had their chance in the cinema, and we could argue that Conan the Barbarian and Jumanji rank among the best fantasy movies of all time.
There’s plenty of action and adventure in Netflix’s fantasy lineup, but there’s also the emotional drama, A Monster Calls, which is a bit of a tearjerker. Regardless, we can promise that all five of these fantasy movies are perfect for the summer.
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Snow White has often been presented as a damsel in distress who needs the dwarves or a prince charming to save her. Snow White and the Huntsman turns this on its head by reinventing Snow White (Kristen Stewart) as an action heroine. The film begins with Snow’s evil stepmother, Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron), locking her away after seizing control of the kingdom.
After Ravenna learns that Snow presents a threat to her, she sends Eric the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to kill her. But instead of following through on that, Eric becomes Snow’s protector and he teaches her how to fight. Together, they’ll lead the charge to retake the kingdom.
Stream Snow White and the Huntsman on Netflix.
Conan the Barbarian (1982)
Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian came to the big screen with just about the most perfect casting for the title character: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Oliver Stone’s script takes some liberties with Conan’s backstory, but the film provides an origin that reveals how the sorcerer Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) killed Conan’s parents and enslaved him.
Years later, Conan makes an ally, Subotai (Gerry Lopez), and meets his first love, Valeria (Sandahl Bergman). Conan also attempts to take his revenge on Thulsa Doom, but he pays a heavy price when Doom’s power proves to be too great.
Stream Conan the Barbarian on Netflix.
The Scorpion King (2002)
Two decades ago, The Scorpion King was Dwayne Johnson’s first leading role in Hollywood after making a name for himself as a wrestler. Johnson had previously appeared as the Scorpion King in a cameo in The Mummy Returns, but this film casts Johnson’s character, Mathayus of Akkad, in a more heroic light.
When Mathayus is hired to kill the sorceress Cassandra (Kelly Hu), he discovers that she is the prisoner of a tyrant, Memnon (Steven Brand), and largely responsible for keeping him in power. Over time, Mathayus and Cassandra bond and make allies to challenge Memnon. However, one of Cassandra’s visions predicts that Mathayus may die in battle.
Stream The Scorpion King on Netflix.
Jumanji (1995)
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The late Robin Williams headlines Jumanji as Alan Parrish, a man who has spent decades trapped in the cursed game. In the present, siblings Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter Shepherd (Bradley Pierce) stumble across Jumanji and start their own game. This frees Alan, and unleashes the fantasy animals from the jungle as well.
Alan, Judy, and Peter soon realize that the only way to complete Jumanji is to find Sarah Whittle (Bonnie Hunt), Alan’s friend who started the ill-fated game with him. But to reunite with Sarah, Alan will have to face the big-game hunter, Van Pelt (Jonathan Hyde), a man who resembles his father.
Stream Jumanji on Netflix.
A Monster Calls (2016)
A Monster Calls follows Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougall), a twelve-year old boy who is attempting to deal with the impending death of his terminally ill mother, Elisabeth “Lizzie” Clayton (Felicity Jones). Conor also has a tense relationship with his grandmother, Mrs. Clayton (Sigourney Weaver),
One day, Conor encounters the Monster (Liam Neeson), which is formed out of a yew tree. The Monster befriends Connor and promises to share three stories with him. However, the Monster demands that Conor must eventually share a story of his own.
Stream A Monster Calls on Netflix.
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