Starts very badly but draws you in bit by bit. Scary for a 12's movie!
I've tried watching this movie a few time on satellite TV but gave up after a couple of minutes each time. The opening is very poor and doesn't get you involved at all. You feel like it is going to be a kids movie.
However I've always been a fan of Terry Gilliam, even tho he often gets it wrong, so last night I stuck it out and it improves hugely over the first 30 minutes until you really want to keep watching.
Basic plot is that the Brothers Grimm are con-artists who travel around Germany pretending to rid villages of witches, ghouls and curses. They are experts in mythology and know the local lore of each village they con.
However the occupying French forces capture them after watching them and force them to do their bidding. There is a small village where many young girls have disappeared and the general wants them to go in and sort it out.
Throughout, Gilliam cuts in classic fairy tales like little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel which to my mind don't work very well.
The guys arrive and quickly discover that there is a real problem involving a cursed forest, a wolf, a forbidden tower, trees that attack and an ancient story of a queen.
From this point on the movie is genuinely scary and spooked the hell out of me. This is balanced with the "romp" style of the two guys. Visually it is stunning which is always to be expected in a Gilliam movie.
The climax is superbly done and has you on the edge of your seat. it's a pity Monica Belluci does not get more screen time as she is excellent.
At two hours it's just about the perfect length for such a movie. Both Heath Ledger and Matt Damon are excellent but I felt the overacting of Jonathan Pryce and Peter Stormare grated at times and their accents were indeciperable at times. Lena Heady was very good and her comic timing was better than the others.
Overall, highly recommended but not for small children and not in a dark house on your own!
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