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Movies / On DVD / Time Bandits
Time Bandits

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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

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Mar 16, 1999

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Time Bandits

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Full Review Source: Newsweek | comment Comment
09/22/08
David Ansen
David Ansen
Newsweek
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/19/08
Channel 4 Film

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.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
06/05/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

When you can count the laughs in a comedy on the fingers of one hand, it isn't so funny.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment 3 Comments
06/05/07
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
06/05/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Over praised but imaginative sci-fi/fantasy from Monty Python minds.

comment Comment
11/17/06
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

For a kids film this is pleasingly dark with Gilliam delivering as much classical fairy tale as knockabout comedy.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
08/30/06
Ian Freer
Ian Freer
Empire Magazine

Gilliam fills the screen with bizarre images, and directs with a breathless ingenuity.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Nigel Floyd
Nigel Floyd
Time Out

No review available.

comment Comment
08/05/05
Eric Melin
Eric Melin
Lawrence.com

No review available.

comment Comment
07/14/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

It's...well, imagine 'Willow' on crack.

comment Comment
07/07/05
Widgett Walls
Widgett Walls
Needcoffee.com

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.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A cheerfully irreverent lark -- part fairy tale, part science fiction and part comedy.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
08/30/04
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
08/16/04
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

sheer genius!

comment Comment
07/11/04
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

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.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
02/16/04
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

No review available.

comment Comment
01/05/04
Nicolas Lacroix
Nicolas Lacroix
EnPrimeur.ca

This is the film Grail longed to be.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/04
Robert Strohmeyer
Robert Strohmeyer
Filmcritic.com

Creeped me out as a kid. Holds up well.

comment Comment
07/30/03
Alex Sandell
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum

More weird fun from Terry Gilliam

comment Comment
07/15/03
Jon Niccum
Jon Niccum
Lawrence Journal-World
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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