5 Classic Fantasy Movies That Are Unwatchable Today

There are few things as satisfying as a good fantasy movie. Since the earliest days of the silent era, filmmakers used every tool at their disposal to create fantastical worlds that could only exist in our imaginations. The most rewatchable fantasy movies of all time feature dazzling special effects, eye-popping production design, and creatures that are truly out of this world. They're centered on brave warriors, beautiful princesses, and even a hobbit or two. Although they present something we've never seen before, a great fantasy film has something to say about our real lives, and teaches us lessons that stay forever.

Yet not every fantasy movie is rewatchable. In fact, there are many classic films in this genre that have aged pretty poorly. Whether because of bad special effects or outdated points-of-view, some fantasy films just don't hold up today, and no amount of fan re-evaluation can change that. 

When assembling this list, we weren't searching for out-and-out clunkers. The five films listed here each have qualities that can be appreciated on their own merits, but at the end of the day, they aren't among the most underrated fantasy movies of all time. There's no magic spell to save these films, because they were cursed from the get-go.

Impressed with his combat skills, Queen Taramis of Shadizar (Sarah Douglas) enlists Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to protect her virginal niece, Princess Jehnna (Olivia d'Abo), and retrieve a mythical horn. Swayed by Taramis's promise to resurrect his lost love, Valeria, Conan sets off with the princess, the thief Malak (Tracey Walter), and the sorcerer Akiro (Mako). Unbeknownst to Conan, his companion Bombaata (Wilt Chamberlain) has orders from Queen Taramis to kill him after his mission is complete. But that's the least of Conan's worries, as the road to treasure is paved with danger, treachery, and deceitfulness.

Released in 1982, "Conan the Barbarian" helped turn Schwarzenegger into a star, making good use of his massive physique and Austrian accent that might've otherwise limited his choice of roles. As directed by John Milius, it was a violent, bloody update on the sword-and-sandals epics of yore. Its 1984 sequel, "Conan the Barbarian," sands down those rough, R-rated edges into something more kid-friendly, amping up the camp and shaving off the gravitas. Director Richard Fleischer tries to deliver old Hollywood entertainment reminiscent of his "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," but that's the wrong approach for a character named Conan the Barbarian.

The evil Voltan (Jack Palance) slays his own father (Ferdy Mayne) when he refuses to hand over the magical mind stone. His younger brother, Hawk (John Terry), vows revenge, and attaches a great sword to the mind stone to create the all-powerful Mindsword. Thus begins a journey through the countryside leading towards a brother-against-brother showdown to rival Cain and Abel, with Voltan and Hawk vying for control of the Mindsword.

There are many absurdities with "Hawk the Slayer," starting with the casting of John Terry and Jack Palance as brothers despite their 31 year age difference. But that's the least of this 1980 release's problems. Featuring shoddy special effects and production design patched together with scotch tape, this was a low-budget attempt to capitalize on the success of big budget historical epics from Hollywood's glory days. While the film predicted the sword and sorcery craze of the '80s, the Terry Marcel-directed effort never matches the scale or scope of "Excalibur," "Conan the Barbarian," or "Dragonslayer," all of which benefited from more tender love and care.

On the planet of Krull, Prince Colwyn (Ken Marshall) and Princess Lyssa (Lysette Anthony) plan to unite their respective kingdoms through marriage. Yet their wedding day is interrupted by the intergalactic traveler Beast (Trevor Martin) and his army of Slayers, who injure Colwyn and kidnap Lyssa. After getting nursed back to health, Colwyn sets off to find his beloved, assembling a motley crew that includes the Old One, Ynyr (Freddie Jones), the trident-wielding cyclops, Rell (Bernard Bresslaw), and the fun-loving polygamist, Keagan (Liam Neeson) and encountering several dangers that will test their mettle. Meanwhile, the Beast tries to force Lyssa to marry him by convincing her that Colwyn doesn't love her.

Released in 1983, "Krull" was a large scale attempt at recapturing the spirit of Hollywood's great swashbuckling fantasy epics. No expense was spared, from the hiring of Oscar-nominated director Peter Yates ("Breaking Away," "The Dresser") to the special effects, which sought to replicate what was achieved in "Star Wars." Unfortunately, not as much attention was paid to the script, which feels derivative of other, better movies. Panned by critics upon its release, "Krull" has developed something of a cult following in recent years from fans who appreciate its epic scope and scale, if not so much its story.

Sculpture Jonathan Switcher (Anthony McCarthy) works at a mannequin warehouse, where he designs what he believes to be the perfect woman. He sees her displayed in a department store window, and yearns to create more art like her. Through the power of magic, that inanimate mannequin comes to life with the spirit of an ancient Egyptian named Emmy (Kim Cattrall). When pleading to the Gods for true love, Emmy vanishes and reappears in 1980s Philadelphia, only coming to life around Jonathan.

The store's manager, Mr. Richards (James Spader), is unhappy once Jonathan's stunning window displays, made with the mannequin's help, attracts increased attention, considering he's been brought on to sabotage the business from within. But he's no match for Jonathan and Emmy, who fall in love while saving the store.

If there's one good thing that came out of the movie "Mannequin," it's the Starship song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," which brought Diane Warren the first of 17 unsuccessful Oscar nominations. The song's popularity has long outlived the 1987 movie, which comes off as creepy and misogynist today. Like a lot of '80s movies that haven't aged well, "Mannequin" has outdated ideas about gender roles, especially pronounced in the concept of a man creating an ideal woman who has no real autonomy outside of him. But boy, that song sure is good.

On the planet Eternia, the evil warlord Skeletor (Frank Langella) comes into possession of the Cosmic Key, allowing him to travel anywhere by way of a magic portal. He uses this to seize control of Castle Grayskull and imprison the castle's Sorceress (Christina Pickles). The heroic He-Man (Dolph Lundgren) and his team fail to fight off Skeletor's army, forcing them to escape to Earth by way of the Cosmic Key.

In California, The Cosmic Key has fallen into the hands of teenagers Julie Winston (Courtney Cox) and her musician boyfriend, Kevin Corrigan (Robert Duncan McNeill). They unwittingly send a signal to Skeletor's second-in-command (Meg Foster), who dispatches a team of henchmen to track them down. It's up to He-Man to find the key before Skeletor.

Not to be confused with the 2026 reboot, 1987's "Masters of the Universe" is among the cheaper looking fantasy films of the 1980s, as evidenced by it mostly taking place in California as opposed to Eternia. Although Langella is a delight as Skeletor, he's about the only saving grace of this slapdash production. The films failure was so great that it led to the closure of Cannon Films, which was already on the ropes after "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" flopped.