Plot: Espen, a poor farmer’s son, embarks on a dangerous quest with his brothers to save the princess from a vile troll known as the Mountain King in order to collect a reward and save his family’s farm from ruin.

KBZ’s Take: This fantasy adventure from Norway is based on an 18^th century Norwegian fairy tale, Askeladden. Though the film has a lighter tone and is family-friendly, it does have some surprising suspenseful sequences and great special effects (especially of the troll).

Hardcore fans of the subgenre will likely find the plot very familiar, but for families and younger viewers, it’s a good entry point into Sword & Sorcery-based adventure.

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: A skilled warrior (Aleksandr Bukharov) embarks on a quest to avenge the slaughter of his family and his tribe.

KBZ’s Take: Wolfhound is based on the novel of the same name by Russian fantasy novelist Maria Semyonova. Though we enjoyed the film, we’re only recommending this film for completists of the subgenre, as casual fans might find the plot confusing and pacing too slow.

The film has been likened to a Russian-based version of Conan the Barbarian (1982) and from its opening sequence (which is almost a shot for shot replication of Conan), the film might feel too familiar. However, there’s enough variation in the film (especially in the second and third acts) to make it worth checking out.

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: Arathorn takes refugees to Taurdal, the village of his father, Arador. As Arador begins his campaign against the gathering orc bands in the north, he sends Arathorn onward to find the motive behind these Orcs attacks.

KBZ’s Take: J.R.R. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings fans are likely already familiar with this fan film. For other subgenre fans, it’s a low budget ‘prequel’ that follow’s Aragon’s father, Arathorn, in a battle against orcs in a small village.

As is the case with most fan films, there are usually issues with budget, plot and acting. Born of Hope is no different. However, it’s better than most fan films and is recommended for subgenre fans who want to immerse themselves again in Tolkien’s world.

Where to Stream / Buy: YouTube

Plot: Marek, a young wizard with the power of necromancy, learns to harness the corrupting power while building a team of adventurers. They must unite to battle Szorlok, a powerful necromancer, before he unites the Darkspore to spread a plague.

KBZ’s Take: Mythica is a series of direct-to-video Sword & Sorcery films with this first film partly funded by a Kickstarter campaign. Of the 5 films in the series we reviewed, our favorite is Mythica: The Darkspore (2015). However, we are listing the first film here so you can keep your expectations in check before checking out any of the films.

These films have a lower budget and some questionable acting, but the special effects are decent for the subgenre (and the budget the films are working with). Though we recommend the Mythica films for fans of the subgenre, we have a feeling only true hard-core fantasy fans will enjoy them.

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: In 16th-century Japan, an evil wizard stands in the way of a heroic trio’s quest to unlock the secrets of a magic sword.

KBZ’s Take: If you like films that go outside the boundaries of general Sword & Sorcery fare, then Moon Over Tao is for you. This is a crazy film that blends together a samurai with an indestructible sword, aliens in weird spider suits and a crab-like demonic monster. Oh, and it doesn’t shy away from the gore either.

Japanese director Keita Amemiya was also responsible for another genre-mashup in Cyber Ninja (1988), so if you’re familiar with that film, you’ll have a good idea of what’s in store for you here. And if you’re not familiar yet with Amemiya’s work, either film is a good starting point to get a feel for his genre defining craziness.

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: In Eastern Europe, the few remaining Scythians are mercenary assassins, and a captured Scythian helps a warrior on a journey to save his family.

KBZ’s Take: We are not sure where to begin with this Russian film. It has elements of Conan the Barbarian (1982), Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985) and has some crazy, blood-soaked action and fight scenes. The saying, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” would apply to this film as the costumes, characters and overall medieval nuttiness during the warrior’s journey make it more than a worthwhile recommended film for fans of the subgenre.

Additional Lists: Top Films Set During the Medieval Era You Haven’t Seen #10

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: A knight fighting against tyranny, finds that if he kills the king, he will also kill the last surviving Dragon.

KBZ’s Take: Like Mythica, we wanted to start with the first film of a series that fans might not yet be familiar with. The original Dragonheart was a major studio release in the mid-1990’s so older fans are likely already familiar with the original film starring Dennis Quaid and Sean Connery (as the voice of the dragon). After its release, the series continued with direct-to-video films including DragonHeart: A New Beginning (2000), Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer’s Curse (2015), Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire (2017) and Dragonheart: Vengeance (2020).

While the first film is the best of all the films, there are some surprisingly good sequels – specifically with the most recent Dragonheart: Vengeance. If you’re an older fan looking to introduce your younger kids to the world of Dragonheart, the first two films in the series are the most family-friendly with PG ratings. However, the latter three films are all PG-13 rated with more mature themes and action, so be aware of that for younger viewers.

Additional Lists: Top Films with Dragons You Haven’t Seen #5

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: Old-school magic meets the modern world when young Alex stumbles upon the mythical sword Excalibur. He soon unites his friends and enemies, and they become knights who join forces with the legendary wizard Merlin. Together, they must save mankind from the wicked enchantress Morgana and her army of supernatural warriors.

KBZ’s Take: This is an example of a film for our list we mentioned in the introduction to this article. While younger generations might be familiar with The Kid Who Would Be King, there are likely older fans of the subgenre who either are not aware of this film or thought it might be a kids film they had no intention of checking out. We’re here to say that the film is great for kids and adults and is one of the better recent film adaptations of King Arthur and Excalibur.

While the film does take quite a bit of creative leeway with the Arthurian legend, it more than makes up for it with some exciting special effects and sequences – especially in the final ‘battle’ in the third act. Though the film is targeted towards a teen demographic, for any older fan of King Arthur, you’ll rediscover your childhood in this fun and exciting adventure.

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: Six years after his daughter goes missing, a man is hired to kill the author of a fantasy novel. However, the world of the novel appears to be part of reality.

KBZ’s Take: A Writer’s Odyssey is likely the most visually stunning film on our list. One of the main draws of the subgenre are unique and creative special effects that can immerse a viewer in a fantasy world. A Writer’s Odyssey does that and more with its blend of a fantasy world that seems to be connected to the real world.

The film’s two separate storylines occur both in fantasy and reality, and while the reality-based storyline is filled with mystery, it’s the fantasy-based storyline and world that will capture any fan’s imagination. We rarely recommend films for their visuals alone, but this is a film that most fans of the subgenre will likely enjoy and needs to be seen to be believed.

Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon

Plot: A young woman agrees to marry a handsome prince – only to discover it was all a trap. She is thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon and must rely solely on her wits and will to survive.

KBZ’s Take: Damsel is a film we put off on watching for awhile as most reviews of the film were lukewarm at best. This is one film where we have to disagree with most reviewers as we found it to be one of the best recent subgenre efforts we’ve seen in years.

Though the film starts off as a typical fairy tale-based film, it soon takes a much darker tone as it explores themes more common with this subgenre. And while a good portion of the film deals with Elodie’s (Millie Bobby Brown) battle with the dragon, it’s done in a very suspenseful way – even more so than some of the classic films of the subgenre involving battles against dragons.

This isn’t a perfect film by any means, but If you’re a fan of the subgenre, this is a film you’ll likely enjoy as much as we did.

Where to Stream / Buy: Netflix