The Brothers Grimm-Yeah, Its Grim Alright
First, I must start off by saying I am a huge fan of some of Gilliam’s other works Brazil, The Fisher King and 12 Monkeys are all great works and must sees for film fans. The Brothers Grimm however, should have never been made. Many would consider Gilliam’s largest failure to be The Man Who Killed Don Quioxte, budgeted at $25-$30 million dollars the film, which stars Johnny Deep, has never seen the light of day and stands as a black hole for all investors involved. So, technically that is Gilliam’s largest flop, but The Brothers Grimm is a close second in my opinion.
The film centers on two brothers, shocking right, who are con artists who set up fake ghosts, monsters, etc and then charge simple town folks to expel the “demons” they have created. Of course, rather predictably the brothers run into real supernatural beings which they must tackle.
There are many problems. First, Matt Damon. Enough already. Second, the chemistry between Damon and Heath Ledger is pretty weak. Third, the set design is too old school. The sets look tired and lame, lifeless and boring. The set actually distracts from the film. Fourth, the visual effects are only so-so and at times seem like a throw back to 1995. I have actually seen better visual effects in independent films, and I am quite serious about that point. The fifth and largest problem is the script by Ehren Kruger. Kruger has actually written some solid scripts such as Arlington Road, however, The Brothers Grimm is not one of those scripts.
The script is simply not innovative, not interesting and not funny–at least when it is suppose to be funny. Which really leads to the sixth and final problem with the film, the fact that Gilliam chose this script. This is a puzzling choice, because it lacks the usual innovation we see in other of Gilliams work. Moreover, the visual innovation and spark so often seen in his other films is simply not present in The Brothers Grimm. That said, a director with Gilliam’s track record is entitled to a screw up here and there. Gilliam has definitely distinguished himself over the years with as being a director, much like Tim Burton, who at least tries to be innovative in his films. Particularly, shocking is the fact that the budget was in the $80-$90 million dollar range and it doesn’t show on the screen. This is one reason that audiences did not exactly turn out in droves. Then again, it was also pretty obviously they had seen this story many times before. My advice, just skip The Brothers Grimm, it may only taint Gilliam’s other works in your eyes.
Story D
Acting D+ (Matt Damon is too painful, please, enough already.)
Visuals C+
Originality/Innovation D- (Nothing new here folks.)
Enjoyability Grade D+
Home Theater/HD Factor C+ (This is one of those flicks that may be more viewable and perhaps slightly more enjoyable in HD.)
Overall Grade D+ (Truthfully, The Brothers Grimm is almost unwatchable.)
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