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Movies change, even when they don’t. Films are, for the most part, static entertainment. Regardless of filmmakers’ abilities now to endlessly tinker with the final product, the original version remains the same. Sometimes viewers don’t respond to that original version on first viewing. Sometimes it takes a second viewing to really appreciate a film for what it is. The movie hasn’t changed, but their expectations for it have. When it comes to fantasy movies, there’s a lot that can get in the way of that appreciation.
Fantasy movies often come filled with fantastical settings and characters, sometimes so much so that a first viewing can be overwhelming. There’s so much magic in the air that it becomes almost impossible to see the enchanted forest for the trees. That’s why so many fantasy films require more than just one viewing to really enjoy, whether it’s because of expectations, too much magic on screen, or a simple case of audiences not appreciating what they had at the time.
‘Legend’ (1985)
Ridley Scott‘s Legend has, like many of his films, a complicated legacy. Depending on where you grew up, you saw a vastly different version of the film. Europeans were treated to a longer, more methodically paced fantasy movie with a luxurious Jerry Goldsmith score, while Americans got a faster-paced film backed by synth-heavy Tangerine Dream music. Whichever version it was, both received generally tepid responses, and it’s only in more recent years that the film has gained a more positive reception and cult following.
The film follows a fairly straightforward fantasy plot involving a Princess (Mia Sara), who’s abducted by evil lord Darkness (Tim Curry) and has to be rescued by a hero in shining armor, Jack (Tom Cruise). It’s a deliberate throwback to classic fairytales, and thus the characters offer little in the way of compelling arcs and are, more than anything, archetypes. Curry stands out most thanks to his deliciously theatrical performance, but the leads are slight. That leaves the visuals, immaculately created entirely on soundstages, which can be jarring on first watch but helps the film take on a reality of its own on a rewatch.
‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
Rob Reiner‘s The Princess Bride is an essential cult classic that generally inspires two kinds of reactions: utter affection or general disinterest. It’s a film that most people generally love, or it’s simply not for them. Whether you love it or don’t have any interest in it, it’s without a doubt a film that gets better on second viewing. For those who love it, there’s even more to appreciate in all the rapid-fire wit, with so many iconic lines and comedic moments that overlap that it’s impossible to catch them all at first.
The adventures of Westley (Cary Elwes) to save Buttercup (Robin Wright) still follow the basic fairytale structure, but are undercut by writer William Goldman‘s satirical edge, adapting his own novel, and director Reiner. Reiner’s sensibilities are most readily apparent in scenes like that featuring Miracle Max (Billy Crystal). The Princess Bride is a movie that you can’t force anyone to enjoy, and it almost seems impossible for those who do to love it any more. But give it a second go, and it might just surprise you.
‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ (1988)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is another fantastic fantasy film that has few true detractors. And why should it? It’s an absolute miracle that couldn’t have been made only a few years prior and absolutely can never be replicated. It’s a testament to where Disney and Warner Bros. were at the time of the film’s production, the producing power of Steven Spielberg, and the technical skills of director Robert Zemeckis. There’s so much to appreciate that there’s simply no way to enjoy it all in the first watch.
As a love letter to both 1940s noir and the Golden Age of animation, the movie delivers on both fronts. That technical aspect, in particular, is a big part of what makes it such a delight to rewatch. It’s one thing to be engrossed in the interactions between detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) and Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleischer), but it’s something else entirely to marvel at the mix of artistry and acting prowess that truly makes you believe in it. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is pretty damn perfect, but it’s even better the second time around when you can really appreciate how damn hard a movie it must’ve been to make.
‘Hook’ (1991)
Hook, Steven Spielberg’s grown-up take on Peter Pan, is very strange. Despite having a strong visual aesthetic, impressive production design, and a truly magical John Williams score, it’s also a bizarre tonal balance, being ostensibly a film for kids focused entirely on an adult protagonist with very adult problems. It’s that dichotomy that many critics took issue with, essentially calling it a baby boomer fantasy film, but which now has a legion of fans who grew up with the film and love it for all its weird charms.
Peter Banning (Robin Williams) is a successful lawyer whose work has left him estranged from his wife and children. Before he can find a way to reconnect with them, the children are abducted by the legendary Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), and Peter is whisked away to Neverland by Tinker Bell (Julia Roberts), where he has to remember his past as the boy who never wanted to grow up. There’s undeniable artistry here, but much of it is buried beneath the story’s bloat, which fails to marry Spielberg’s sense of wonder with its more cynical aspects. The second time, it’s a lot easier to forgive the film’s inconsistencies and just experience it.
‘Babe: Pig in the City’ (1998)
Speaking of strange choices, they don’t get much stranger than those made by George Miller and his creative team for the sequel to Babe. The original film, featuring a talking pig who finds he has a talent for herding sheep, has a certain level of whimsy to it, but is otherwise grounded in a recognizable reality. The sequel, Babe: Pig in the City, leaves reality in the dust for a dark, surreal journey through an urban landscape amalgamated from every major metropolis into something wholly fantastical.
The film follows Babe (E.G. Daily) as he and Mrs. Hoggett (Magda Szubanski) travel to Metropolis to earn money to save the farm. In the city, the piglet finds himself continually pulled into different schemes, including a clown act involving conniving chimps and a jailbreak from an animal control facility. It’s a very chaotic and wild adventure, especially in comparison to the quieter charms of the first film, but it is every bit its equal. It can cause some serious tonal whiplash if you watch it in close proximity to the first film, but taken on its own a second time around, it can be wicked fun.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)
If ever there was a fantasy film, or films, that only needed a single viewing to completely immerse you into their world, it’s The Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson‘s monumental trilogy, adapted from the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, set a new standard that truly hasn’t been bettered by Hollywood since. Every frame of the franchise is filled with gorgeous landscapes (courtesy of New Zealand), immaculate production design, and an often seamless blend of invisible practical and digital effects. It’s what has made the films stand the test of time, and what makes watching them a second time so much better.
The Fellowship of the Ring has the unfavorable task of setting up the entire backstory and building the entire world. It requires some heavy-duty exposition, but makes it all remarkably entertaining and enthralling. There are so many minute details within Middle-earth and the creatures that inhabit it that it’s nigh impossible to register all of it on first watch, especially when there is some dense lore and a large cast to keep track of. It cannot be overstated how impressive it is that the film never feels laborious or confusing, and a true testament to the filmmakers who brought Tolkien’s world to life with incredible fidelity and detail.
‘Spirited Away’ (2001)
Same as The Lord of the Rings, the films of Hayao Miyazaki are filled with infinite details and beautiful flourishes, none more so than his fantasy masterpiece Spirited Away. It’s a film steeped in Japanese folklore that operates on dream logic, making first viewings a bit of a beguiling experience. Like many films of Miyazaki’s, it’s easy to fall in love with and appreciate the first time around, but perhaps a little harder to put its themes into simple terms. His films demand a rewatch, but they’re such enchanting experiences that you’ll likely love to do so.
Spirited Away follows young Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi), who ventures into, and subsequently becomes trapped in, a literal ghost town after her parents are transformed into pigs. It’s a wild ride down the proverbial rabbit hole, but all with a distinct Studio Ghibli charm. It’s alternately creepy, dazzling and imaginative, with more fantastic visuals in single frames than some other fantasy films manage in their entire runtimes. There’s so much to take in that you absolutely need to watch the film a second time to capture all of its magic.
‘Shrek 2’ (2004)
The indisputable best of the main franchise entries, Shrek 2 doesn’t have as deep worldbuilding as Spirited Away or The Lord of the Rings, but it is so chock-full of sight gags, quotable lines, and clever satire that they are just as easy to miss the first time around. Where the first film certainly wasn’t lacking for jokes made at the expense of numerous fairytales or Disneyfied tropes, the sequel amplifies it to the nth degree without losing sight of the character-driven stakes and humor. It also benefits from the introduction of several characters who would become fan favorites, mainly the Zorro-coded Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas).
After marrying Fiona (Cameron Diaz), Shrek (Mike Myers) finds himself on the most unenviable quest of all: meeting the in-laws. More than just a fairytale version of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? the family meeting becomes even more complicated thanks to a villainous Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) and kitty cat assassin Puss. The plot isn’t hard to track, but the animators are clearly having a ball filling the Beverly Hills-esque land of Far, Far Away with all manner of comedic twists and fairytale puns. It’s a fun fantasy from the start, but it’s even better the second time when you can really appreciate all the gags.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a surprising swashbuckling fantasy adventure that turned a decades-old theme park attraction into a blockbuster franchise. The sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, was darker, with a denser mythology and an even more dynamic villain, but also began to show signs of franchise bloat. Those weaknesses were what most critics took aim at when it first released; indeed, there was no denying that many felt it was a more waterlogged adventure than the light and breezy first film.
The film convolutes the backstory of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) considerably, introducing a debt owed to the squid-faced Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), whose monstrous crew happens to also include the father of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). There’s also a subplot involving the East India Trading Company, a voodoo priestess and, of course, the Kraken. It’s a lot of movie, perhaps too much, especially on a first watch. The second time around, though, all the barnacles of the plot tend to fall away, and you’re left with an extravagant fantasy adventure featuring some incredible setpieces and unparalleled visual effects.
‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (2009)
It’s hard to say what audiences were expecting from Spike Jonze‘s big-screen adaptation of the beloved children’s book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, but it’s doubtful any were prepared for the solemn, contemplative film that was released. Far from a family-friendly adventure in the vein of Disney or Pixar, Jonze’s film is more about the big emotions that can define childhood and how to express them, lending it a certain dark or even depressive quality in some of its quieter moments.
Like the book, the film has a slight narrative that follows wild child Max (Max Records), who is transported to a fantasy world inhabited by the giant Wild Things, brought to life by the Jim Henson Creature Company. With the monsters, Max begins to understand the consequences of his actions and develops self-awareness and empathy. It’s not exactly blockbuster entertainment, but there’s a quieter kind of joy and definitely some deeper emotions if you’re ready to engage with it. There’s true beauty and wonder beneath the anxiety and anger, which many audiences may have been too bewildered to consider when watching the film for the first time.
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William Smith
Almontather Rassoul
