There are some movies that make you feel like a child all over again..."Time Bandits" is one of those movies. While watching it, you can literally feel the infinite depths of Terry Gilliam's imagination. You laugh, you are thrilled, you are driven to ask yourself "What the hell?", you want to be a kid again while watching it.

"Time Bandits" has a plot that simply screams Gilliam: a young boy falls into the path of a team of midgets who work for the supreme being. He then accompanies them on a jounrey through time and space as they attempt to plunder history for all it is worth.

Let me start by saying that this is a GREAT family movie, possibly the only Gilliam film fit for all ages. But a word of warning: it is rather dark and often quite disturbing. There are a few things here that did slightly freak me out. And yes, there is a body count.

Still, I can't imagine anyone with a still-active imagination not adoring this movie. The visuals, despite being well before the age of CGI are simply astounding and wonderfully creative. There are all sorts of creatures and characters, ranging from the frightening, to the humorous, to the outrageous. Like every film under Gilliam's belt, the film is visually stunning. Cinematography, editing and effects are all top-notch.

The script (by Gilliam and fellow Monty Python Michael Palin) is sharp and witty; it manages to be a dark fantasy, a satire on materialism, and a Python-esque comedy all at once. There are a few lines I would love to list here, but do not want to spoil for you.

The acting is good all around with a few stand-out performances: Ian Holm is hilarious as a depressed Napoleon; John Cleese is even funnier playing Robin Hood as if he were a yuppie. Sean Connery and Michael Palin also appear in amusing roles. The actor playing the kid is adequate, if not a little stiff. The six actors playing the midgets, however, really shine. Little people (oh, political correctness!) rarely get roles in films, and when they do, it's for a cheap laugh, or to put on an alien costume. These six characters are really the leads of the film, and each one has a distinct personality. I wish that Gilliam had developed them more, but he may have upset his already perfect pace.

So, a dark twisted comic fantasy full of shocks and laughs with an ambiguous "morale of the story" ending that is equally sobering and though-provoking? By all means, check this out.

© Written by Jacob Hall

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - C- Richard Propes - B Jacob Hall - A

TC Candler's Comment

n/a

Richard Propes' Comment

"Time Bandits" plays pretty much how I see most Gilliam films...underdeveloped, visually compelling, emotionally relevant, but too chaotic to ever build a relationship with the audience. Jacob's description of the film is perfect, but this film falls into the Gilliam trap of wasting visual imagery, emotional set-ups, and intellectual insights.