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The fantasy genre is experiencing a renaissance on the small screen with shows like House of the Dragon, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, The Witcher, and The Rings of Power contributing to an ever-expanding array of options for audiences. However, for so many of these fantasy shows, it's difficult to pay off all that conflict and drama with a large-scale battle befitting a story that size. On the big screen, where the budgets are bigger and the canvas is more expansive, those set pieces are far more likely to live up to expectations.
Nonetheless, putting together an action sequence that is narratively compelling and visually engaging is no easy feat. In fact, there are a great many action pictures over the years that have failed to master one of the most important parts of the genre. It's not just about the moves that are made and the choreography of the set piece. It's also about the emotion behind it, the way it is shot, and the impact it has on the wider narrative. These action films, however, have mastered every little detail, delivering a series of action scenes that are among the best in the fantasy genre.
Princess Mononoke Is Underrated In Its Storytelling Style
It isn't often that the medium of anime is given credit for its storytelling style, especially when it comes to its portrayal of action. Yet, anime also offers some of the most visually vibrant and complex set pieces that the industry has seen. Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke is no exception, with the 1997 release showcasing the range and scale of the studio's capabilities. If audiences hadn't before, they were certainly paying attention to Ghibli's output after this picture, which is a dark yet purposeful anime.
Cursed by a boar god and seeking a cure, Prince Ashitaka journeys straight into the middle of a war that he must somehow survive and thrive within. With magic and mysticism in the air, coupled with the legends of mythology, there's a lot to balance here, but Princess Mononoke does a fantastic job of continuing to find equilibrium among these moving pieces. So much of that storytelling is achieved through combat and the vastly different styles of the opposing sides.
Princess Mononoke is a picture that benefits from its characterizations, as audiences can learn so much about each individual based on how they move and fight. There is a momentum to the film that catapults it onwards, but many would point towards San versus Lady Eboshi and the battle for the forest heart as two standout moments. The former is such a personal rivalry, while the latter is impressive for its strength and power as the gods and the mortals clash in a cinematic showdown for the ages.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Marks An Epic Confrontation
The Pirates of the Caribbean saga might have mixed reviews, but there is one consistent feature throughout the majority of the franchise: the audience absolutely loved the mythos of this swashbuckling world. The box office numbers for the original trilogy speak for themselves, with each entry into that early series bringing new levels of action and drama. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was left on quite the cliffhanger, resulting in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End becoming one of the most highly anticipated releases of its year.
It was in 2007 that fans got to see the conclusion to Captain Jack Sparrow's main narrative arc, and the pressure placed upon the picture was surely enough to sink it. Yet, with each action sequence, it became apparent that Disney had thrown everything at the epic, ensuring that it was as ambitious and broad as possible. Just look at the climax of the picture for a moment. The whirlpool draws together The Black Pearl and The Flying Dutchman in brutal combat, as the likes of Captain Barbossa, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swan, and Davy Jones wage war on deck.
From a wedding being held in the middle of proceedings to the final sacrificial decision that Turner himself makes to end the violent engagement, the finale is packed full of emotional beats. Look elsewhere, though, and the action holds up throughout the entire run. The early-act chaos in Singapore is a particularly favorite moment, while even the crew's rescue mission in Davy Jones' locker left plenty of memorable visual cues for audiences to enjoy. Without a doubt, At World's End delivers when it counts. A harsh reality of a franchise rewatch is the fact that this really is when the franchise peaks.
300 Emboldens History
Zack Snyder gets a lot of flak for his directorial choices, but it was 2006's 300 that embodied what the director does best. Because he is the king of telling visually emboldened stories that benefit from his unique eye. Whether it's his use of a glossy palette, slo-mo shots, and intelligent blocking, or his determination for capturing hero moments at their most graphic, Snyder is a director who uses the medium to his absolute advantage, and 300 is a gorgeous example of that style in action.
300 also represents a difficult angle on the fantasy genre, with historical fiction, influenced by mythology, captured poorly so many times. For 300, which is inspired by the infamous Battle of Thermopylae, Snyder had a stylized approach to the material, elevating it beyond the basics that audiences already knew. The visionary approach might have had a major impact on the industry, but it also breathed new life into what could have been very familiar action set pieces.
This has always been the story of a group of underdogs, beating back the odds despite the little hope that remained. How that is captured through the action is critical to the story, and so those battles had to deliver. The cast's incredible choreography and training regimen are only part of the puzzle; the complex sequences put in place are captured so effortlessly and elevated in post-production that the final result feels as if it is mythology come to life. These action moments are therefore breathtaking in their imagination, and the sequel has equally earned a better reputation in the years since.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Cemented The Franchise's Staying Power
In 2005, Disney embarked on a daring quest to adapt a British novel that many deemed impossible to bring to life. C.S. Lewis' work is critical in this genre space, which is perhaps why it was of no real shock that Netflix announced they would take their own turn at bringing the full run of novels to the screen. However, when Disney approached the saga, the studio decided that it might be best to start with the most famous of the series, rather than the first novel. Thus, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was commissioned.
The movie, it's fair to say, has a cultural impact and longevity that the others in the series simply do not. While audiences seemingly enjoyed the sequences, they have not entered the classic status that the first Narnia has. The whimsicality balanced with the darkness, coupled with the deep world-building, might have something to do with that, as do the performances. Yet, it's the action that continues to particularly endure, with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe going beyond the traditional confines of a family film.
Whether it's the sequences where these young heroes are chased across desperate lands, hoping to find shelter among the good people of Narnia, or whether it's the final, climactic battle that settles the fate of the land itself, each action set piece is properly paced, well-executed and heavy on narrative importance. The way that conclusion is built to, in particular, is nothing short of exceptional; audiences truly fearing for the leads, whose plot armor feels momentarily invisible when it matters most.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Marked The End Of A Historic Run
How would one even go about concluding one of the greatest trilogies of all time? That's the question that Peter Jackson had to ask himself when working with New Line Cinema on The Lord of the Rings. In 2003, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King represented the culmination of a journey that audiences had embarked on alongside Frodo Baggins, and there was really only one way to bring that quest to an end. The filmmaker had to be brave with his vision and capture the essence of Tolkien's incredible fantasy world.
Thus, from the battle of the Black Gate to the battle of Osgiliath, Jackson used the inspiration of the source material to create a vivid and varied ensemble of conflicts, each of which builds into the next. The piece has to be measured against and compared to its predecessors, as it serves as the third act in a much larger story. The action also had to reflect that shift, the characters losing hope and facing fatigue as they limp towards the finish line.
One of the most underrated things about The Lord of the Rings in general and The Return of the King especially is the way in which these films capture action in such a readable way. It is so often the case that when major wars occur on screen, the viewer is lost in the chaos of it all, unable to follow exactly what is taking place. But with firm strategies, perfect hero beats, and a sense of momentum shift, The Return of the King represents the very best of the mechanics of putting together fantasy set pieces like these.
