7 Fantasy Movies on Prime Video You Can Watch in Under 100 Minutes

Take a little breather from reality with a fantasy movie. With all the surrounding negativity in the world, movies about castles, talking animals, and magic help us escape into a dreamy world. But fantasy isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. Just like any other genre, it can also be dark and cruel, showing what the wrong kind of magic can do to innocent people.

As people’s schedules get busier, many viewers want a flick that doesn’t take up too much time. Despite their shorter runtimes, these films pack enough punch in their stories to leave a lasting impression. Step into another dimension and check out the best fantasy movies on Prime Video under 100 minutes.

‘Hotel Transylvania: Transformania’ (2022)

Image via Sony Pictures Animation

“It’s like Freaky Friday but on a Tuesday!” There’s a new monster in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, and it’s none other than Johnny (Andy Samberg). The hotel’s beloved human accidentally meddles with Van Helsing’s mysterious “Monsterfication Ray,” which leads to some disastrous results. When the experiment backfires, everyone swaps identities. Dracula (Brian Hull) and his monster friends suddenly become human, while Johnny transforms into a neon green dragon — with his signature razzled red hair still intact, of course.

Those who might have missed the other three Hotel Transylvania sequels need not fret. The fourth installment tells a standalone story that anyone can enjoy without having to study the franchise’s lore. It’s amusing to watch familiar monsters like Frankenstein and the werewolves shed their monstrous appearances and become unbelievably human — flesh and blood and all. Johnny, meanwhile, believes he’s finally part of the clan now that he’s no longer human, but he’s about to learn that family is about embracing differences, even between the dead and the undead.

‘The Last Unicorn’ (1982)

Image via Jensen Farley Pictures

Even the most magical of creatures can feel lonely. In The Last Unicorn, a sole living unicorn (Mia Farrow) learns from a mysterious butterfly that she may be the last of her kind. With others of her kin driven away by the terrifying Red Bull, the Unicorn embarks on a treacherous adventure to distant lands in search of the truth. But there’s a twist: in the middle of her journey, the Unicorn is transformed into a human woman, named Lady Amalthea.

The Last Unicorn is a true fantasy classic. The movie has an unspoiled beauty that feels only possible through animation from the ’80s, where a penchant for the smallest design details is treated as just as important as the storytelling itself. The latter is beautifully paced, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in the world of this good old-fashioned fantasy flick as they journey through magical forests, mysterious castles, and encounter a variety of magical creatures.

‘FernGully: The Last Rainforest’ (1992)

Image via 20th Century Studios

In the magical rainforest of FernGully: The Last Rainforest, the fairy Crysta (Samantha Mathis) becomes fascinated by humans after meeting Batty Koda (Robin Williams), a bat experimented on by scientists. When she accidentally shrinks a young human logger named Zak (Jonathan Ward), the two discover the forest is under threat from “The Leveller,” a destructive logging machine, and the evil pollution spirit Hexxus (Tim Curry). As Hexxus escapes and begins destroying FernGully, Crysta, Zak, Batty, and the fairies must unite to protect their home before the rainforest and its magic disappear forever.

With its lush jungle flora and fauna, FernGully: The Last Rainforest bears a similar aesthetic to Tarzan and The Jungle Book. The difference is that there’s an actual fairy kingdom flying around and casting spells. For all of FernGully‘s magic, it also offers a realistic and grounded depiction of the dangers of deforestation that is not only understandable for kids but frightening enough for adults. With his smoky, oil-substance-like appearance, Hexxus embodies everything harmful to nature, reminding humans to confront similar evils in real life.

‘The Great Wall’ (2016)

Image via Universal Pictures

It’s East meets West in The Great Wall. European mercenaries William Garin (Matt Damon) and Pero Tovar (Pedro Pascal) travel to ancient China in search of black powder. Instead, the two stumble upon the legendary Great Wall and its secret purpose. Abducted by an elite army led by Commander Lin Mei (Jing Tian), they discover the Wall defends humanity from monstrous creatures called the Taotie, which return every 60 years to destroy everything in their path.

Granted, The Great Wall isn’t the most accurate depiction of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. However, it offers a larger-than-life take on how the structure could be used for battle, reflecting the Great Wall’s real-life purpose as a military defensive barrier built to protect the nation from outsiders. The film is also notable for bringing two major stars together on the same screen, adding even more star power in this “humans verses monsters” adventure.

‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’ (1989)

Image via United Artists

Even the dastardliest of dogs deserve a human’s genuine love. All Dogs Go to Heaven follows streetwise German Shepherd Charlie B. Barkin (Burt Reynolds), who is double-crossed by his fellow casino partner, Carface Malone (Vic Tayback). When he makes a break for it out of a dog pound with his dachshund friend Itchy (Dom DeLuise), Charlie unexpectedly ends up in heaven — only for a second. Charlie receives a rare second chance at returning to Earth alive.

Just like humans, Charlie isn’t going to waste another moment of his new life. Although he initially intends to seek revenge, he unexpectedly meets an orphan named Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi). All Dogs Go to Heaven stays true to its title. No matter what mistakes we make, redemption is possible only if we are willing to change. It doesn’t matter if people have wronged us, so long as there are people like Anne-Marie who can see through our scruffiness and accept us for who we are — fleas and all.

‘The King’s Daughter’ (2022)

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The only person who can stop an immortality-chasing king is his own child. The King’s Daughter introduces audiences to rebellious, convent-raised Marie-Josèphe (Kaya Scodelario), who is summoned to Versailles by King Louis XIV (Pierce Brosnan). At the palace, she discovers the king has captured a mermaid believed to hold the secret to eternal life. Disgusted by his fevered obsession, Marie-Josèphe forms a friendship with the imprisoned creature behind his back, and vows to set it free.

The period fantasy carries the charm of both genres: the pristine timelessness of the French monarchy and the stunning beauty of the ocean and its mermaid world. The King’s Daughter also presents its conflicts in ways that feel true to the era. Set in the 17th century, when religious conventions held immense power over the kingdom, the king’s pursuit of immortality is viewed as an act of heresy and a corruption of the natural order of mortality.

‘Gretel & Hansel’ (2020)

Image via United Artists Releasing

There’s a reason why they’re called the Brothers Grimm. A dark and twisted adaptation of the classic German fairytale, Gretel & Hansel follows the two unfortunate young siblings as they are forced to leave home after poverty pushes their mother to send them away. Wandering through a dark forest in search of food and work, the two discover a mysterious house filled with delicious meals and owned by a strange old woman. Grateful for shelter, they stay without questioning her intentions.

Forget the usual joy and whimsy found in fantasy — Gretel & Hansel is absolute carnage from start to finish. Gretel (Sophia Lillis) and Hansel (Sam Leakey) are the last two people who should end up in the house of a cannibalistic old woman. Although they are young, they have been deeply shaped by parental trauma, making audiences want to root for the siblings as they fend for themselves in the sinister cabin. If you have the stomach for butchered body parts and corpses, this movie certainly doesn’t hold back.