Loonatic's Off-Brand Urban Fantasy Movies
1. The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
In the distant unnamed past, humankind was brought to the brink of destruction by the Witch Queen and her kindred. The man Kaulder was able to destroy her plague, and through a side effect of her magics he became immortal. Since then he has played enforcer for the Axe and Cross, hunting down law-breaking witches and upholding the peace between witches and humans. But when his handler is mysteriously killed with black magic, the peace is threatened. With the aid of a new priest and a young witch he must track down the killer and unravel their greater agenda.
A lot of people put this movie down as a Vin Diesel hack-and-slash action movie. And don't get me wrong, it is. But even if the plot is a little basic, The Last Witch Hunter makes a great urban fantasy. Peel back the façade of Manhattan and we get to see a wickedly beautiful underworld of ancient councils and modern speakeasies. The aesthetic of the world of witches is very naturalistic and vintage, wrapped up in absinthe, darkly-varnished wood, and glints of silver. For its art and design alone it's worth a viewing. The world of these witches seems like a deeply layered one, of old family lines and newcomers alike. In following Kaulder we see some of that society, but we only really scratch the surface. There's also some decent action, some of which is with an awesomely stupid flaming sword. We also get some great actors to join in, with Michael Caine, Elijah Wood, and Rose Leslie leading the pack. So all in all, it's a fun movie and an interesting depiction of magic living in the cracks of the modern world.
2. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
When big-mouthed truck driver Jack Burton rolls into Chinatown to make a delivery, little does he know that there's a lot more going on beneath the surface. When his friend Wang Chi's fiancé is kidnapped, the two dive head-first into a war between street gangs and tangled up in a sorcerer's oddly-specific plans for youth, immortality, and power. Where are we going? Where did we somehow get sidekicks? Who are we fighting again? Like Jack we will only have a glimmer of an idea of what the heck is going on, but it's definitely an off-the-rails adventure with I'd gladly tag along with.
Ridiculous? Absolutely. This is a John Carpenter film, it's gonna get weird. In this odd mashup of urban fantasy, comedy, and action film Big Trouble in Little China explores an aspect of urban fantasy we don't normally see. It's got all the requisite magic, sword fights, and monsters, but with a love of flying by the seat of your pants and a flair for Asian-inspired magics. Is this a faithful rendition of Chinese mythology in a modern urban setting? Probably not. But it gives some terrific visuals and something a little less by-the-numbers than your typical urban fantasy. And though we're seeing this all from Jack Burton's perspective, really he's just an idiot along for the ride. All the major protagonist stuff and cool action are done by Wang Chi, and Burton's generally the comic relief. Maybe not something you see in the first pass (I didn't) but pretty slick for a movie with exploding heads and fixation on green-eyed women.
3. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (2008)
In the distant past, the elves and fey creatures took up arms against humans bent on trampling all before them. But when the elf king finally succeeds with a terrible army made of magic and clockwork, his horror and regret leads his people into retreat and the events into legend. But when the last elven prince revolts and begins a new crusade to wipe out the humans, who can save a scientifc and unbelieving world? In walks the strangest of government response teams, with demon raised among humans, a literary gill man, a woman wielding pyrokinesis, and a walking dive-suit driven by a German ghost. Can their fragile team stop a mad prince, or will they be caught by supernatural forces beyond their reckoning?
While Hellboy was a great urban fantasy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army adds breadth and depth in the way every sequel should. The world-building is fantastically inventive and beautiful, reimagining ancient and supernatural beings that are at once alien and completely natural. While the first film unites a group of odd ones out to fight an ancient evil to save the world, this sequel actually presents a compelling reason why these heroes shouldn't save the world. Why should we be rooting for the humans, when all these wonderfully real elves, trolls, and other nameless miracles are forced to live in the cracks of our modern world?
In the distant unnamed past, humankind was brought to the brink of destruction by the Witch Queen and her kindred. The man Kaulder was able to destroy her plague, and through a side effect of her magics he became immortal. Since then he has played enforcer for the Axe and Cross, hunting down law-breaking witches and upholding the peace between witches and humans. But when his handler is mysteriously killed with black magic, the peace is threatened. With the aid of a new priest and a young witch he must track down the killer and unravel their greater agenda.
2. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
When big-mouthed truck driver Jack Burton rolls into Chinatown to make a delivery, little does he know that there's a lot more going on beneath the surface. When his friend Wang Chi's fiancé is kidnapped, the two dive head-first into a war between street gangs and tangled up in a sorcerer's oddly-specific plans for youth, immortality, and power. Where are we going? Where did we somehow get sidekicks? Who are we fighting again? Like Jack we will only have a glimmer of an idea of what the heck is going on, but it's definitely an off-the-rails adventure with I'd gladly tag along with.
Ridiculous? Absolutely. This is a John Carpenter film, it's gonna get weird. In this odd mashup of urban fantasy, comedy, and action film Big Trouble in Little China explores an aspect of urban fantasy we don't normally see. It's got all the requisite magic, sword fights, and monsters, but with a love of flying by the seat of your pants and a flair for Asian-inspired magics. Is this a faithful rendition of Chinese mythology in a modern urban setting? Probably not. But it gives some terrific visuals and something a little less by-the-numbers than your typical urban fantasy. And though we're seeing this all from Jack Burton's perspective, really he's just an idiot along for the ride. All the major protagonist stuff and cool action are done by Wang Chi, and Burton's generally the comic relief. Maybe not something you see in the first pass (I didn't) but pretty slick for a movie with exploding heads and fixation on green-eyed women.
3. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (2008)
In the distant past, the elves and fey creatures took up arms against humans bent on trampling all before them. But when the elf king finally succeeds with a terrible army made of magic and clockwork, his horror and regret leads his people into retreat and the events into legend. But when the last elven prince revolts and begins a new crusade to wipe out the humans, who can save a scientifc and unbelieving world? In walks the strangest of government response teams, with demon raised among humans, a literary gill man, a woman wielding pyrokinesis, and a walking dive-suit driven by a German ghost. Can their fragile team stop a mad prince, or will they be caught by supernatural forces beyond their reckoning?
While Hellboy was a great urban fantasy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army adds breadth and depth in the way every sequel should. The world-building is fantastically inventive and beautiful, reimagining ancient and supernatural beings that are at once alien and completely natural. While the first film unites a group of odd ones out to fight an ancient evil to save the world, this sequel actually presents a compelling reason why these heroes shouldn't save the world. Why should we be rooting for the humans, when all these wonderfully real elves, trolls, and other nameless miracles are forced to live in the cracks of our modern world?
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