The highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power brings the iconic fantasy elves of Tolkien's world to the small screen starting September 2nd - and has already been stirring up the fandom by challenging some outdated ideas of how an elf should look. However, there's little doubt that the elves of Middle Earth are still captivating audiences - but they are far from the only elvish race to hit the big screen.
There are already plenty of films featuring elf-kind (and often elves who do not look like Legolas), like Pixar's Onward, and movies that feature elves in a more minor but nevertheless important role, like the Harry Potter franchise. Movie fans on Ranker got together and determined that these elf-based movies are the best of what's out there.
Ella Enchanted (2004)
Loosely based on the novel of the same name, Ella Enchanted is a reimagining of Cinderella that stars Anne Hathaway as the titular Ella, a girl who comes to befriend the oppressed elves and giants of the land on her way to undoing a curse put upon her by a fairy godmother. One of these elves is Slannen who, in contrast to the usual mysticism surrounding the creatures, wants nothing more than to be a lawyer.
With their short stature and green outfits, the elves in Ella Enchanted have more in common with Christmas elves than the tall, acrobatic elves that dominate action fantasy. Nevertheless, they still end up rising to the occasion when Ella is in trouble and take on a heroic role in the movie.
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005)
Although the Chronicles of Narnia series lost momentum in the subsequent years, there is no denying that it got off to a strong start with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. An enticing fantasy movie full of fantastical creatures, elves are just one of the many races that look to Aslan to lead them out of the harsh eternal winter of the White Witch.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe mainly puts the focus on the other races, with goat-footed fauns and centaurs making up the bulk of the creatures that the children encounter after entering the wardrobe. With their tall stature and noble standing, however, eagle-eyed viewers will have no trouble making out the elves of Narnia.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002)
Whereas elves are often portrayed as tall and pale in movies, Dobby from the Harry Potter series stands out with his appearance being closer to something like a goblin and only his large ears in line with a typical movie elf. Dobby is house-elf, kept as a slave by the cruel Malfoy family who treated him terribly.
Although some of the best Dobby scenes from the book were cut from the movie, the house-elf ends up being one of the best parts of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. After serving Lucius Malfoy for so long, seeing Dobby disobey his master and eventually gain his freedom is incredibly satisfying.
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)
The forest of Mirkwood is a dangerous place even for a party of dwarves and their hobbit thief in The Desolation of Smaug, and the group soon finds themselves overwhelmed by hungry spiders. To the rescue comes Tauriel and the familiar Legolas, leading a party of Wood-elves to fend off the spiders.
Although the elves of Middle-earth have a reputation for being wise and noble, apparently no one told the Wood-elves of Mirkwood this as they imprison the dwarves and force Bilbo to improvise an escape for them. Ultimately, even as antagonists, elves are still one of the most compelling races on Middle-earth to watch.
Onward (2020)
Released in a year when the pandemic was causing movies to perform poorly and the Academy Award-winning Soul was released, Onward sadly ended up slipping under the radar slightly, at least to the extent that a Pixar movie can slip under the radar. Nevertheless, the movie's heartfelt plot of elf-brothers on a quest to resurrect their father for a single day is hard not to like.
With their blue complexion, blue hair, and large pointy ears, the movie clearly places its elf characters in the realm of fantasy but this is contrasted by their ordinary modern-day outfits. This clash reflects a society that has left behind magic in favor of technology, a take on elves that feels genuinely unique, and rediscovering that magic proves all-important for the movie's central characters.
The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)
Elves are central to the grand finale of the Hobbit trilogy, as the standoff between Thranduil with his army of elves from Mirkwood and Thorin threatens to doom them all as dark forces head towards the mountain. Whilst the stubbornness shown by both parties makes them difficult to root for, there is still one thing that makes The Battle of the Five Armies a great elf movie.
That thing is getting to see the elegant and acrobatic elves in combat again, as Legolas and Tauriel enter the fray after she manages to convince the younger Legolas that they needed to fight. With stylish combat one of the strong points of the movie, there is plenty of reason why it ranks the best of the Hobbit trilogy.
The Lord Of The Rings (1978)
Peter Jackson's legendary trilogy may have overshadowed Ralph Bakshi's animated interpretation of Tolkien's work but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of fans of the first Lord of the Rings movie. Whilst both adaptations make plenty of changes from the Lord of the Rings novels, they both portray elves as some of the noblest and wisest creatures in Middle-earth.
Particularly distinctive in Bakshi's movie is the characterization of Elrond who is the voice of reason that guides the fellowship at the beginning of their quest. Although his appearance is significantly less "elf-like" than his counterpart played by Hugo Weaving, there is a weight to every word Elrond speaks in the animated movie that makes him stand out.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)
The finale of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy was an unprecedented success, winning many awards as well as critical acclaim. Although it turned the focus of the series to Aragorn's return to the throne of Gondor and the hobbit's perilous journey to Mount Doom, there was still plenty to do for Legolas, Elrond, and the elf armies.
With Elrond encouraging Aragorn to seek out an army of the dead, he continues to guide Aragorn's path to leadership of the forces of Middle-earth. Meanwhile, there is still plenty of swashbuckling action for Legolas in the climax of the trilogy.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
The beginning of the Lord of the Rings trilogy also brought the first appearance of Orlando Bloom as Legolas who joins the fellowship on their quest to destroy the Ring of Power. The audience is soon shown just what an elf in the Lord of the Rings world is capable of as he wields his bow with incredible accuracy and his dagger with deadly speed.
Although Legolas is one of the coolest characters in the Lord of the Rings movies, he also demonstrates the knowledge and attuned senses that come with being a member of a powerful and long-lived race. Rivendell also makes for a fascinating glimpse into the peaceful home of Elrond and the other elves.
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
After the first Lord of the Rings movie laid the groundwork for the trilogy, The Two Towers showed Peter Jackson and the cast hitting their stride. With epic action, memorable character moments, and so much more, The Two Towers is a fantasy masterpiece and it's still considered by some to be the best of the trilogy.
Of course, Legolas continued to be crucial to the plot, accompanying Aragorn and Gimli as they help the people of Rohan against Saruman's evil forces. However, another important plot point added by Jackson was the arrival of Haldir and his elf army at Helm's Deep to help them defend against Saruman's onslaught.