The Best and Most Defining Fantasy Movie of Every Year of the 2000s

The 2000s mark a golden era for fantasy cinema, a time when the technical advancements of filmmaking were pioneering new possibilities in the medium, yet never encroaching on the vitality of a masterfully crafted story. Such a harmony between story and CGI led to such classics as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Harry Potter saga, and the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and that’s just to name some of Hollywood’s blockbuster hits.

With fantasy cinema of the 2000s also being defined by the allure of animation, the intrigue and impact of international cinema, and the many underrated gems the genre saw throughout the decade, it stands to reason that every year from 2000 to 2009 has its defining fantasy films. Ranging from some of Hollywood’s greatest ever releases to famed favorites of foreign film, these fantasy masterpieces are all defining highlights of the decade.

2000: ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

An enchanting blend of historical intrigue, fantasy wonder, and the stylistic allure of wuxia martial arts action, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a defining triumph of international cinema. An epic odyssey of love and balletic combat, it transpires in 19th-century China as the stealing of a great sword sees suppressed lovers and legendary warriors Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat) and Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) set out in pursuit of the mysterious thief.

With Ang Lee striking a perfect balance between the martial arts purism Hong Kong cinema is renowned for and the arthouse intrigue and emotional sharpness of Hollywood, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon held an appeal to all viewers. It has endured through its impeccable craft, rousing performances, and its underlying focus on ideas of freedom vs. duty, passion vs. responsibility, and love vs. honor. It is one of the most acclaimed international pictures of all time and serves as a terrific beginning to the decade of fantasy splendor that was to come.

2001: ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’

Image via New Line Cinema

No title in the history of cinema has defined the awe and scope of fantasy like The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is a commanding epic of sublime scale, stirring emotional depth, and picturesque, beautiful craftsmanship that starts in faultless fashion with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Focusing on the assembly of a fellowship of heroes who will carry a ring of great and treacherous power to the depths of Mordor to be destroyed, it exudes both a vibrant sense of adventure and a visceral gravitas.

In many respects, The Lord of the Rings is the defining title of 21st-century cinema so far, with its innovative use of CGI and practical effects paving the way for many of the advancements in film special effects that the ensuing years have seen. Even within such a stacked year for fantasy cinema that saw the Harry Potter franchise start, along with movies like Shrek and Donnie Darko, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring stands as the year’s greatest and most triumphant fantasy picture.

2002: ‘Spirited Away’

Image via Studio Ghibli

With the 21st century seeing a rampant rise in the popularity and appreciation of anime, it is fitting that the Japanese cinematic art form released what is widely considered to be the greatest animated movie of all time as an enriching and engulfing fantasy adventure. Released in America in 2002, Spirited Away excels as a lively descent into a perplexing and playful, though also dangerous, fantasy realm. It follows a young girl trapped in the surreal supernatural world as she works in a bathhouse while trying to figure out a way to save her parents, who have been turned into pigs.

Laced with the sheer might of director Hayao Miyazaki’s imaginative splendor, Spirited Away is a truly transcendent viewing experience, an immersive voyage to a world of wonder where things are seldom what they first seem. It is often as hypnotically inspired as it is eerily conceited, and yet it is never not a work of vibrant, effervescent beauty. It is a landmark achievement in the context of animated cinema, and a defining masterpiece of fantasy awe.

2003: ‘Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’

Image via New Line Cinema

While the aforementioned The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring may be the immersive launching pad for the trilogy—and arguably its best movie—the way in which The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King concluded the story is no less exceptional, with its brilliance solidifying the trilogy’s enduring legacy. It sees Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) embark on the final leg of their voyage to Mordor while Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) and his allies rally the armies of Middle-earth to stand against the might of Sauron’s forces.

The 211-minute epic famously achieved the record-breaking feat of winning all 11 of the Academy Awards it was nominated for, but its longevity in pop culture is defined by its soaring glory. From its awe-inspiring battle sequences to its quiet moments of character-driven emotion, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is an enrapturing masterpiece of monumental proportions. This landmark achievement realizes the intrigue and enormity of the fantasy genre in the form of one of the most stunning cinematic experiences of all time.

2004: ‘Shrek 2’

A brilliant example of how a sequel should function in that it expands on the story world of its predecessor while finding a new perspective on its central themes, Shrek 2 stands as one of the best fantasy sequels of all time. Following newlyweds Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) as they travel to Far Far Away to meet Fiona’s lordly parents and face a conceited threat to their marriage in the process, Shrek 2 doubles down on the fairy-tale farce and cartoon comedy that made Shrek such a surprise sensation.

Introducing new characters into the fold—namely, the iconic Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas)—gives the film refreshing elements, especially as it uses many of them to deconstruct the fairy-tale genre in different ways while still offering plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. In essence, Shrek 2 is a glorious marriage of fantasy and comedy, a subversive skewering of fairy-tale folklore that flaunts an insatiable appetite for good fun that makes for one of the most enjoyable movies of any genre of the 2010s, and a defining highlight of fantasy cinema in 2004.

2005: ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’

Image via Warner Bros. 

Running consistently throughout the decade, the Harry Potter franchise probably should be better represented on this list than it is. However, of all the films in the saga, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a noteworthy standout, as well as being a highlight of 2005 fantasy cinema. Marking a distinct shift towards a darker, more adult sense of fantasy, it follows Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in his fourth year at Hogwarts as he is mysteriously swept into the Tri-Wizard Tournament while the creeping dread of the Death Eaters grows more imposing.

Within the film series itself, The Goblet of Fire is adept at juggling the childlike whimsy and charm of the earlier installments while implementing a mature complexity to the fold that erupts with visceral impact in the final sequence when Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) returns to his physical form. In the context of 2005’s fantasy cinema, Goblet of Fire is a brilliant triumph of rich allure and underlying, sinister malevolence.

2006: ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

A landmark release for international cinema, Pan’s Labyrinth excels as a dark fantasy laced with elements of horror and war brutality. It follows young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) as she, along with her heavily pregnant mother, relocates to the woods to be with her sadistic stepfather as he leads his troops against the Spanish Maquis. With the unflinching illustration of the civil war in Spain, combined with the fantastical elements of Ofelia’s journey to become the princess of the Underworld, Pan’s Labyrinth is a violently intense fantasy adventure that leaves a lasting impression on viewers.

What is so brilliant about the film is how it manages to evoke a sense of fairy-tale innocence around Ofelia’s arc while still finding plenty of room to showcase the atrocities of war and the horrors of the fantasy realm in confronting fashion. It famously received a 22-minute-long standing ovation when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, while its ability to balance wonder and horror has seen it stand as an enduring icon for almost 20 years.

2007: ‘Enchanted’

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Sweet, sincere, and sublimely playful with fairy-tale tropes, Enchanted thrives as a revitalized and refreshingly modern Disney Princess movie. It follows the banished Giselle (Amy Adams), whose exile from her native magical kingdom sees her wind up in New York City. There is a jabbing fun to her budding romance with the cynical divorce attorney Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey), but there is a tender touch to it that defines the majesty and magic of the movie.

Buoyed by Adams’ typically fantastic performance, the sharp work of screenwriter Bill Kelly and director Kevin Lima, and the marriage of live-action and animation, Enchanted is an inviting adventure of love and musical comedy that stands as one of Disney’s most inspired releases in recent decades. Its sense of self-aware fun and genre deconstruction capitalized on a major trend of fantasy-comedy hybrids of the 2000s, making it a defining hit of the decade at large, let alone the year 2007.

2008: ‘Twilight’

Image via Summit Entertainment

While some will surely scoff at the mention of Twilight, no one can deny the impact it had on pop culture in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Mixing fantasy with teenage romance through its basis on Stephanie Meyer’s novel series, the 2008 release became an era-defining phenomenon. It follows the relationship that blossoms between seventeen-year-old Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and her vampire classmate Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). Soon, Bella and the Cullen family will find themselves amid a newfound conflict with a trio of rogue vampires.

A pulpy pop hit, Twilight is a cheesy sensation that many watched with disbelief and bewilderment, questioning how it had become the cultural juggernaut that it was. However, its allure to young audiences—particularly teenage girls—is plain to see, functioning as a fantasy of the magic of young love bursting through the monotony of everyday life. It may not be a masterpiece of cinema, but Twilight is a defining title of the late 2010s that launched a wave of unique fantasy stories while remaining, in itself, an iconic picture.

2009: ‘Coraline’

Image via Focus Features.

2009 was a year of otherworldly escapes in film, be it in underrated fantasy films like Where the Wild Things Are and Valhalla Rising or even in sci-fi blockbusters like Avatar. Perhaps the year’s best and most impressionable movie in this ilk, however, is Henry Selick’s stop-motion animation Coraline. A family film renowned for its distinctly unsettling visuals, it follows young Coraline (Dakota Fanning) as she finds herself in an idyllic parallel world. While initially enchanted by the alternate reality, Coraline soon discovers it harbors some sinister secrets.

The film has become somewhat iconic in its own right due to how its wondrously enthralling and visually spellbinding presentation is underlined with a sense of eerie, chilling suspense. As a family adventure, Coraline is appropriately thrilling and transcendent. As an animated fantasy, however, it is a work of inspired, imaginative brilliance that closed the 2000s with one of the most well-rounded and enrapturing animated movies ever made.

NEXT: The Best Movie of Every Year of the 2000s, Ranked