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Time Bandits (1982)
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Reviews Counted:32
Fresh:30
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.9/10
Consensus: Time Bandits is a remarkable time-travel fantasy from Terry Gilliam, who utilizes fantastic set design and homemade special effects to create a vivid, original universe.
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Synopsis: Plunging headfirst into history, director Terry Gilliam fearlessly brings the logic of children's fairy tales to bear as he navigates through myth and legend in a bizarre, ingenious retelling of... Plunging headfirst into history, director Terry Gilliam fearlessly brings the logic of children's fairy tales to bear as he navigates through myth and legend in a bizarre, ingenious retelling of THE WIZARD OF OZ. A boy and six good-natured little persons careen through time-twisting interactions with Napoleon, Robin Hood, and Agamemnon, among others, with a map the little people stole from their employer, the Supreme Being. But their intention is to rob their way through the past, which does not make their boss happy. Meanwhile, Evil is after the map in order to become the Supreme Being himself. The result is an extraordinarily visual extravaganza that overflows with Gilliam's ecstatic vision. The film is shot from a child's viewpoint, both through the character of Kevin and the placement of the camera. One of the morals of this thoroughly enjoyable, charming fantasy is that heroes aren't always all they're cracked up to be. Fun special effects and great supporting performances abound, including terrific turns by Ian Holm, John Cleese, Ralph Richardson, and especially David Warner as Evil. [More]
Starring: John Cleese, Sean Connery, Ian Holm, Shelley Duvall
Starring: John Cleese, Sean Connery, Ian Holm, Shelley Duvall, Katherine Helmond, Michael Palin, Ralph Richardson, Peter Vaughan, David Warner, David Rappaport, Kenny Baker, Malcolm Dixon, Mike Edmonds, Jack Purvis, Tiny Ross, Craig Warnock, David Aaron Baker, Sheila Fearn, Jim Broadbent, John Young, Myrtle Devenish, Brian Bowes, Leon Lissek, Terence Bayler, Preston Lockwood, Charles McKeown, John Hughman, Derrick O'Connor, Neil McCarthy, Declan Mulholland, Peter Jonfield, Derek Deadman, Jerold Wells, Roger Frost, Martin Carroll, Marcus Powell, Winston Dennis, Del Baker, Juliette James, Ian Muir, Mark Holmes, Andrew MacLachlan, Chris Grant, Tony Jay, Edwin Finn
Director: Terry Gilliam
Director: Terry Gilliam
Screenwriter: Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin
Composer: George Harrison, Trevor Jones, Mike Moran
Producer: Terry Gilliam
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Reviews for Time Bandits
It's a film for kids that adults really will enjoy. A feast for the eyes with great gags and an intelligent and well realised morality.
This film is unusually dark for a modern children's film. At times a grimly comic fairy tale, Time Bandits offers little reassurance. It's a tough world out there--even in our imaginative life. Perhaps that is why we need heroes so badly.
When you can count the laughs in a comedy on the fingers of one hand, it isn't so funny.
The film is resolutely, passionately antiadult, yet much of the humor has an adult sophistication and edge to it; this is one kids' movie that doesn't condescend.
For a kids film this is pleasingly dark with Gilliam delivering as much classical fairy tale as knockabout comedy.
Gilliam fills the screen with bizarre images, and directs with a breathless ingenuity.
Amazingly well-produced. The historic locations are jammed with character and detail. This is the only live-action movie I've seen that literally looks like pages out of Heavy Metal magazine.
A cheerfully irreverent lark -- part fairy tale, part science fiction and part comedy.
It's amazing how the homemade special effects of this comparatively low-budget picture are still effective today -- even more so than many computerized effects.
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