MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:58 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right
| The Brothers Grimm Movie Stats & Links |
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| Starring: | Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Lena Keadey |
| MPAA Rated: | PG-13 |
| Released By: | Dimension Films |
| Release Date: | 2005 |
| Kiddie Movie: | There’s some killing and a confusing story, so leave the younger ones at home. |
| Date Movie: | Only if she likes Monty Python type humor. |
| Gratuitous Sex: | Just some push-up outfits. |
| Gratuitous Violence: | There is some killing going on. |
| Action: | There is some chasing going on. |
| Laughs: | A couple of chuckles here and there. |
| Memorable Scene: | The mirror breaking was pretty cool. |
| Memorable Quote: | “Trust the toad!” |
| Directed By: | Terry Gilliam |
I wasn’t in my “Monty Python” mode going in to see “The Brothers Grimm,” and it probably took me about half of the movie to switch to that mode, but after I did, I really began to appreciate “The Brothers Grimm” a little more. Not enough to really recommend it, but the weird humor that is Terry Gilliam began to surface and I could finally see where he was going. That’s too hard when going to a movie sometimes, and it’s too hard for this one.
In “The Brothers Grimm,” we get Matt Damon and Heath Ledger as Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm. They’ve been making a living with a couple of other cohorts by exploiting old legends. For our introduction to them, they are convincing some townsfolk that they can get rid of the Mill Witch who has been terrorizing the town as of late. And so, with elaborate pulleys and costumes, they stage the destroying of the Mill Witch and collect the cash. But the French have invaded Germany, which is where our boys have set up shop, and aren’t to pleased with them. Facing death or helping the French, Wilhelm and Jacob decide to help the French calm down a town whose girls keep disappearing in the woods. With Angelika (Lena Headey) as their guide, and Cavaldi (Peter Stormare) making sure the brothers don’t try to run away, our heroes find themselves in some sort of enchanted forest, based upon the legend of an old witch. And so, with honest to goodness strange things happening around them, things like trees coming to life, a horse swallowing a girl, and roaches moving the covers off of crypts, well, our heroes find themselves in real-life weirdness that they have to solve, all along with fairy tale references being tossed around like candy (a gingerbread cookie, a Little Red Riding Hood, a “who’s the fairest of the all”, and a frog to kiss, just to name a few).
But this isn’t an easy comedy to get into, unless I guess you are a huge Monty Python-type fan, so it was kind of interesting sitting in the theater, hearing some groups of people laughing at nearly everything, with the other groups probably just wondering what they aren’t getting. Like I said, it took me too long to back into that comedy-style mode, and even then, it doesn’t seem to live up to that kind of humor I remember from other Terry Gilliam projects, I think, mostly, because it gets too bogged down in itself to just let the humor and fun be let out.
There were some good moments, and Matt Damon and Heath Ledger were actually very good in their roles, but unless you love “Monty Python” type humor, I really can’t recommend this one. It’s 2 stars out of 5. This one seems more like a good rental than spending your hard-earned cash at the box office.
That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!