THE BROTHERS GRIMM

THE BROTHERS GRIMM
By Ken Leicht

It was hard to believe that it’s been twenty years since Terry Gilliam’s BRAZIL. What many didn’t know until later was that Gilliam’s battles with the studio weren’t over whether the film was good or bad. No, the studio loved the film. They loved it too much for them to allow it to end unhappily. Ever since then it seems as if Hollywood has been trying, or more accurately passionately hoping that somehow the artistic genius and vision of Terry Gilliam would marry itself to a commercial, linear, Hollywood film. Though he has had some commercial successes since (Fisher King, 12 Monkeys) none of them fully wed Gilliam’s style to Hollywood genre filmmaking.

When the project finally did come along, it was not Lord of the Rings. It was not Star Wars, it is the Brothers Grimm. And sadly, while it is half Gilliam and half Hollywood like everyone hoped, it is not enough of the right parts of either in order to make it the classic fantasy that all would wish from such an effort. That said it’s not that bad.

Matt Damon and Heath Ledger play the titular Brothers Grimm. While not scurrying across 18th century Europe collecting folklore, they are duping poor villagers into hiring them as ghost busters. What the villagers don’t know is that the Brothers Grimm are behind the very ghosts they are being hired to bust. This con game gives them some pocket change and gets them laid, but it leaves them, especially Jake (Heath Ledger) feeling empty.

Finally their misdeeds catch up to them when they are arrested by the occupying French army. They are spared by the sinister French general played by Gilliam vet Jonathyn Price on condition that they go to the town of Marbaden and expose whoever is perpetrating a hoax that involves evil spirits and missing children. When the Brothers arrive at the town, they gradually realize that the evil force they are up against is no hoax. Specifically an evil queen (Monica Belucci) is up to no good and the brothers must stop her.

The design and look of the film is of course spectacular. Gilliam obviously kept up his part of the bargain. His vision is always unique no matter what he’s doing. As for the Hollywood half of this equation, the premise is clever enough; the effects are cool enough, the plot, the acting, all of it. It’s enough. But only just enough.

It’s not bad but, that in a sense is it’s greatest failure. A big budget fantasy directed by Terry Gilliam should be the next wizard of Oz. Or perhaps more accurately, Lord of the Rings. While the film does entertain to a degree, it’s no Lord of the Rings. For that we shall have to wait. For now. We’ll have to settle for Terry Gilliam’s Van Helsing.