Time Bandits (1981)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Brilliant and touching

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

A lot of great fantasy films came out in the 80's. Among the best were films like "The Neverending Story", "Labyrinth", "Legend", "Willow", and, possibly the greatest (and most criminally underrated) of them all is Terry Gilliam's masterpiece "Time Bandits". It's a hilarious film that has a great cast, great directing, and a witty script!While it IS a fantasy film, it is much more than JUST a fantasy film. It is a Terry Gilliam film, a film full of insanity, magic, and a sharp satirical edge (any scene featuring the boy protagonist's technology obsessed parents is full of clever, and still quite relevant, satire).At times it's really dark (and creepy), at other it's really light, but it is always excellent and awesome! Jumping from one time period to the next, it manages to be a bizarre and creative treat almost unlike any other sci-fi/fantasy film (that wasn't directed by Mr. Gilliam, of course).It seems like a good prequel to Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" (which I'm really excited to see).

I would say for the most part, the entertainment(music, movies)that I enjoyed as kid I still like as an adult. Time Bandits, holds up way better than most and as time goes on, I actually appreciate the film more. Time Bandits has a lot going for it. It is a unique fantasy film that is intelligent, funny, well made and all around entertaining. This very unconventional adventure is carried well by young Craig Warnock who plays Kevin(who is very smart and grounds the film) and our most outstanding gang of little people who stole a map of creation from God, to go through time to rob history blind. This sets them on course to The Fortress Of Ultimate Darkness where Evil(played by the great David Warner) has his own plans for the map and plans to recreate the world in his image. Also John Cleese, Shelly Duvall and Sean Connery all appear in memorable, well used cameos. This came from the mind of genius Terry Gilliam who wrote this in a weekend and directed this as well. While this movie is appropriate entertainment for the whole family, it never comes across as cheesy or dumbed down. It is also very unpretentious, lighthearted and moves along quickly. Time Bandits holds up better than most and I have never seen anything else that is quite like it.

A young boy Kevin's bedroom is invaded by unreal visions. One night, midgets come out of his wardrobe. They are on the run from the Supreme Being after stealing his map. It's a map to all the holes in the universe and they intend to use it to get stinkin' rich. They run into Napoleon (Ian Holm). Then they get captured by Robin Hood (John Cleese). The Great Evil (David Warner) is looking for the map after being trapped in the Fortress of Ultimate Darkness by the Supreme Being. Kevin gets separated and lands on Agamemnon (Sean Connery) battling the Minotaur.It's got great Terry Gilliam imagination behind this. It gets a bit random at times but it's always nice to have the Monty Python gang around. The only problem is the lack of compelling actors in the lead. The little actors and the kid can't pull focus. I really like Gilliam's imagination but the movie rambles from one crazy place to the next. Some of the places are not grand enough but one must remember that this is time before computers. The effects are mostly real or in miniatures.

Terry Gilliam's made many movies throughout his career since being the American of the (Mostly) British comedy gang Monty Pyhton. He co-directed Holy Grail with the other Terry, Jones. Then Jabberwocky, and now this. I suggest having this be an introduction to Gilliam to your child in a double feature with the Baron's film for they are easily his most child friendly for seven or eight year olds (I'd hold off on Brazil until ten for the youngling, despite the briefness of the language and other R- rated things). Alright now, this may not be the most enjoyable seeing it for the first time as an adult. I'd think I'd have a higher enjoyment if I grew up on it. But that only means that you'd better show it to your kid during a history and adventure loving phase. Since I didn't grow up on it, I haven't the appreciation as someone raised with it. But I can't deny its quality, eight out of ten.