This was the first part of former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam's dreamer trilogy, a set of films that looked at a similar male character, lost in their own little world, trying not to get crushed by the system. Time Bandits is probably the least successful of the three, possibly because there is still a strong air of Python about it. Now I like Monty Python, but that style of comedy just does not gel with this kind of film.
Time Bandits is all about Kevin (Craig Warnock), a young dreamer trapped in a dull suburban life. It's only when a group of time travelling little people emerge from his wardrobe with a map stolen from god that the film really takes off. Now, that's all well and good, but the problem with Time Bandits is that two much of the film is inconsistent, Gilliam's imaginations just runs wild and the story goes from one extreme to another.
There is also way too many celebrity cameos, John Cleese as Robin Hood, Ian Holm as Napoleon, Michael Palin and Shelly Duvall turn up twice. And then there's Sean Connery, who has a lengthy scene in the middle of the films as King Agamemnon. Even if it does pull it's self together in the end, the film is still flawed bacause of this.
Also, for a family film, Time Bandits is unbelievably dark; with a downbeat ending to rival that Gilliam's follow up Brazil (1985). Still, it's worth watching as a great comedy/fantasy, but much like me, you'll love it when you're about ten, but as you grow up a lot of the film's power will be lost.
7/10
Time Bandits is all about Kevin (Craig Warnock), a young dreamer trapped in a dull suburban life. It's only when a group of time travelling little people emerge from his wardrobe with a map stolen from god that the film really takes off. Now, that's all well and good, but the problem with Time Bandits is that two much of the film is inconsistent, Gilliam's imaginations just runs wild and the story goes from one extreme to another.
There is also way too many celebrity cameos, John Cleese as Robin Hood, Ian Holm as Napoleon, Michael Palin and Shelly Duvall turn up twice. And then there's Sean Connery, who has a lengthy scene in the middle of the films as King Agamemnon. Even if it does pull it's self together in the end, the film is still flawed bacause of this.
Also, for a family film, Time Bandits is unbelievably dark; with a downbeat ending to rival that Gilliam's follow up Brazil (1985). Still, it's worth watching as a great comedy/fantasy, but much like me, you'll love it when you're about ten, but as you grow up a lot of the film's power will be lost.
7/10