10 Epic Fantasy Movies You Probably Haven't Seen
2. Wizards
Wizards takes place thousands of years after a nuclear apocalypse after fairies, elves, and other mythical creatures have returned to the world. The virtuous wizard Avatar gathers a band of adventurers to defeat his corrupt twin Blackwolf who has discovered the power of Nazi propaganda to unite his "evil" army.
The animation style is remarkable, as director, writer, and producer Ralph Bakshi uses a blend of rotoscoping, traditional animation, and live-action filters to create his fantasy world. Coupled with some stellar performances, including Mark Hamill three months before his Star Wars fame, dynamic characters are energetic, charismatic, and a joy to watch. Well, they at least bring some light-heartedness amid the rather harrowing war depictions of death and destruction.
Prior to Wizards, Ralph Bakshi was making films commenting on urban living in New York. Bakshi's biting commentary and satire carried on into the fantasy genre, as Wizards plays with the morality of good and evil, indoctrinated enemies, magic, and technology. Wizards wasn't Bakshi's last foray into the fantasy genre, and a year later directed The Lord of the Rings animated film.