Film Review: Time Bandits [dir. Terry Gilliam; 1981]

I won't have anyone deny that, at his best, Gilliam is a dazzling film-maker. But he's certainly not consistent. I approached Time Bandits with a great deal of optimism, partly because it's one of his most beloved releases and partly because he made it right before Brazil, which remains one of my favourite films ever. Sadly, this picaresque story of a young boy travelling through time with a group of hapless dwarfs bumbles along from one incident to another before reaching a pretty forgettable climax. Gilliam's trademark quirkiness seems forced, the special effects haven't dated well and even the cameos from the likes of Michael Palin, John Cleese and Sean Connery barely raise more than a titter. On the plus side, it isn't quite in the same league as The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen, which I couldn't even bear to finish.