Best Dragon Movies of All Time

"A story just isn't a story without a dragon."
― H.B. Bolton

Dragons conjure an image in my mind of a battalion fearlessly poised to bring down a fiery beast that lurks in its murky lair, attacking villages by setting them ablaze. There's something about the fantastical world of dragons and monsters―they personify an entity that is not just mighty and formidable, but beautiful in a twisted way.

I remember the first time I watched Dragonheart―Sean Connery's baritone goes perfectly with the dragon, carrying an air of pride and stature that comes I think, by being a dragon. Their palatable ego and hunger for dystopic disarray, is exciting to watch in a movie or read about, for that matter.

Take Beowulf too―his beastly son that is more demon than dragon, steals the show at the acme of the movie with his dramatic demise. Let's take a look at some of the best dragon movies of all time, that aren't hyperbolic in the least when portraying such a grand creature.

The star of the show―Night Fury―is a slithering, serpentine dragon with large, piercing eyes that can switch between heart-melting and ferocious. Hiccup (son of Stoick the Vast), the lead character of the plot, cannot find it within himself to slay Night Fury, after he's shot down.

Later, we see how the two bond after Hiccup tries to build a prosthetic tail to help the dragon fly, fashioning a harness strap-on to maneuver him. It's adorable how Hiccup tries to befriend Night Fury on an island where Vikings are tearing dragons apart.
The first movie was released in 2010, with 2 sequels followed up in 2014 and 2019.

We follow the path of homely Bilbo Baggins, who trudges past bucolic pastures to the grim hideout of Smaug, the treasure-guarding dragon. Much of J.R.R Tolkien's experience during World War I made it to the pages of this revered, colossal book collection where warfare is a recurring theme in later chapters that the animated movie brings to life.

As outdated as this movie is, it manages to convey Tolkien's masterpiece in children's literature with the greatest finesse, that is so unlike what is spun from present-day literary writers.

Smaug's appearance in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) may be brief and veiled in darkness with glimpses of its mammoth self, but his role is a paramount indication of what's to come in the upcoming prequels of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Hobbit: There and Back Again (2014).

The roots of the movie find itself within a medieval poem, written in the early 1700s by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet. Its mysterious and enthralling story is enough to make anyone want to depict it on the big screen.

Beowulf is a hero that is reverently spoken of far and wide, for his near-death escapades with sea monsters and the like, gorging on victory with every bloody defeat. He comes face-to-face with a hideous monster by the name of Grendel, who loathes the stentorian voices that emerge from the town of Hrothgar―being physically torturous to bear.

The movie reveals a series of disturbing scenes that include a witch (kudos to Angelina Jolie for her most seductive scene yet) who lures men to her dank cave, because the lust that engulfs men is impossible to fend off.

When Beowulf falls prey to her charm too, the son she bears is a sensational mix of brawn and pure evil―a dragon so artfully perfect on screen, he's more lifelike than the human characters themselves.

What's better than a 400-year-old dragon who doesn't feel ancient or jaded enough to still terrorize the innocent? Galen traverses to the land of Urland, to defend the people that constantly have to bear the brunt of a dragon's wrath.

He's not just a wizard's (Ulrich) apprentice, but post his murder, inherits an amulet that could possibly end the perils of the dragon's doings. How the end of the dragon comes about is an intriguing watch, no doubt.

It was deemed inappropriate because it didn't meet family-friendly standards, but nonetheless did extremely well for a movie that was made during a technologically not-so-advanced period. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Visual Effects, including another for best Original Music Score.

Tap through for more scintillating movies that feature dragons in all their glory. Don't miss out on watching these all-time favorites.

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990)

The NeverEnding Story III: Escape from Fantasia (1994)

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

Pete's Dragon (1977)

The Flight of Dragons (1981)

Willow (1988)

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

Mulan (1998)

Spirited Away (2001)

Shrek (2001)

Shrek 2 (2004)

Shrek the Third (2007)

Shrek Forever After (2010)

Reign of Fire (2002)

Dragon Fighter (2003)

Dragons: Fire and Ice (2004)

Dragon Storm (2004)

Dragons II: The Metal Ages (2005)

Eragon (2006)

Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess (2012)

Many of you will have more to add to this list, but we've narrowed it down to the movies that received a good rating and positive reviews, including those that transcended the limitations of their decade. If there's anything you haven't seen from this list, we suggest that you watch, pronto!