Rate The Brothers Grimm

[barsoomcore]

I gave it a six. A complete mess from a story standpoint, disappointing effects and a wooden performance from Heath Ledger (imagine what Johnny Depp could have done with that role)... but...

I was very entertained. It was often very funny, the fairy-tale stuff was nicely creepy, the forest and the tower looked GREAT, and the whole concept was delightful.

And Monica Bellucci was in it. It's not possible for a film in which Monica Bellucci appears to rate below a 4 or 5. I mean, come on.

Once again, just like Brotherhood of the Wolf, she completely stole the show and made me wish the whole film had been about HER. Oh well.

I thought Matt Damon was very charming, and Jonathon Pryce and Peter Stormare (Calvadi) were BRILLIANT. I thought it felt like a Terry Gilliam film that somebody had run over with a limosine -- it kept stuttering and changing direction without warning... Is it about people confronting their darkest fears disguised as fairy tales? Nope. Is it about how the aged prey on the weak? Nope. Is it about how political realities have more to do with the stories we remember than their "mythic" qualities? Nope.

A mess. A big, hopeless mess of a movie. Almost certainly Gilliam's worst film ever. But I enjoyed it.

Mmmm. Monica.

 

[Captain Tagon]

Heath Ledger made the film for me. Damon and most of the rest of the cast were pretty boring as far as I was concerned but Ledger was radtastic.

 

[IcyCool]

The one French guy assigned to follow the Brothers had the worst accent. 99% of the time I couldn't understand a word he was saying.

If you are referring to Garibaldi, he was Italian, not French.

That said, I gave this film a 4. Rent it or go see it as a matinee if you don't have anything else fun to do. This movie could have been really good, but fell flat. It could have done without the inclusion of most the French military scenes, several of them felt out of place and forced. The special effects were pretty good, the acting was ok, and the plot was mediocre.

 

[Arnwyn]

I gave it a weak 7. I found it too disjointed, a little "frantic", with very poor storytelling (but fantastic story concepts). I'm also not sure if it was the theatre that I was in, but I found the music to be far too overpowering. Further, I could have used subtitles during many portions of that movie... (and that one guy's flip-flop - that didn't work for me).

Very bizzare (I called it very "Time Bandits-y" upon leaving the theatre), but I did expect that - one minute I'm laughing ("it's just shiny" and "obviously they're much better funded than we are") and the next I'm disturbed.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

It's not possible for a film in which Monica Bellucci appears to rate below a 4 or 5. I mean, come on.

Sure it is. Matrix Reloaded. Matrix Revolutions. There's two right there. And she's in the most un-frightening "dracula's brides" sequence ever filmed in Bram Stoker's Dracula.

It may just be films she appear in with Keanu Reeves. But she was in them, too!

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Very bizzare (I called it very "Time Bandits-y" upon leaving the theatre)

Alright, just makin' sure....you do know that they were directed by the same person?

 

[devilbat]

Gave it a six.

The french accents were horrible. Damon was his usual self, Ledger was below his standard. I'll have to see it again, as I saw it at the drive-in, and it was hard to see much of the backgrounds. Certain movies just don't show well in that light.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I gave it a 7. Enjoyable, worth seeing once, but I won't be buying the DVD when it comes out.

I'm tempted to give it a 10 just because of Monica Belluci: Every time I see her in a movie, I'm always floored by just how incredibly hot she is. Even when she was covered by dirt and sweat in Tears of the Sun, she still managed to look great.

 

[Arnwyn]

Alright, just makin' sure....you do know that they were directed by the same person?

Yes indeed! (Thanks for checking. )

(Aside: I only just recently made a note of what movies Gilliam has made, and I inadvertently realized that I sure like what he does!)

 

[barsoomcore]

It's not possible for a film in which Monica Bellucci appears to rate below a 4 or 5.

Sure it is. Matrix Reloaded. Matrix Revolutions.

But that's --

(barsoomcore pauses in mid-rant, looks confused for a second)

I will admit I watched Matrix: Reloaded twice. Because of that white dress. Dear lord.

But you are correct. Even the incredible power of the Belucci cannot overcome the double whammy of the Keanu and the Warchowski.