I grew up on a steady diet of ‘80s films. I loved the onscreen purchase the features of that era gave to children. Kids in ‘80s movies outwitted spies in Cloak & Dagger, battled demonic entities in The Gate, and tangled with bloodthirsty cultists in Young Sherlock Holmes. That was an absolutely magical era and one I look back on with the utmost fondness. Another film from that time period I hold in similar regard is Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits.
Time Bandits is a masterpiece of imagination. The screenplay is boundlessly inventive, the interpersonal relationships are well-handled, and the comedic asides are often uproariously funny. It’s no wonder Guillermo del Toro considers this a personal favorite, once hailing the film as “a Roald Dahl–ian landmark to all fantasy films.” That’s a pretty perfect description. Time Bandits is truly one of a kind.
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Time Bandits follows a group of six gentlemen time-travelers working under the authority of a godlike creature known as the Supreme Being. They’re resentful that they helped create the universe but never got to share in the glory. In response to that treatment, they steal a map outlining all the known holes in the fabric of the universe. With the cartograph in tow, the outlaw time travelers can go between historic time periods and use their knowledge of the past to make themselves rich.
One of the portals outlined on the map is located in the bedroom of a boy called Kevin (Craig Warnock). When the opportunistic sixsome crash lands in Kevin’s bedroom, the boy winds up joining the swashbucklers as they travel through time, pillaging for personal gain. But with the Supreme Being hot on their trail, they must be cautious and stay one step ahead of the all-powerful entity.
Time Bandits is an absolute delight with ample strengths and few weaknesses. The picture features an absolutely tremendous cast. Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, and John Cleese are the most recognizable names of the bunch. But everyone on the talent roster turns in an exceptional showing. There are simply no weak links.
Craig Warnock is effectively cast as young Kevin. This was his first screen role. But he shows a keen understanding of his craft, delivering an impressive turn at a tender age. Kevin is a smartly written protagonist brought to life with aplomb. It’s a shame Warnock didn’t stick with acting.
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Aside from a great performance by Warnock, the character works so well thanks to a thoughtful screenplay by Gilliam and co-writer Michael Palin. Kevin is scripted as a boy with a boundless imagination and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. His parents barely notice him. They are dullards who spend their days sitting on plastic-wrapped furniture, tuning into trash television and marveling over the magic of microwave meals. When Kevin sets off on an adventure with the swashbuckling time travelers, there’s a sense of relief that the boy is being rescued from a dull existence where his caregivers effectively ignore him. If the family dynamic were written any differently, the film wouldn’t work half as well as it does. We’d be preoccupied with his safe return and that could easily distract from the experience.
Kevin and his traveling companions have a heartwarming onscreen dynamic. The thieving time bandits make Kevin feel seen and valued. It’s easy to see he isn’t getting that type of validation from his parents. Kevin earns his keep with his vast knowledge of world history and by serving as the voice of reason for the group. The relationship he establishes with his outlaw pals is heartwarming and gives the viewer every reason to invest.
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Gilliam and Palin each possess a brilliant sense of humor and that is leveraged to full effect here. The depiction of Napoleon is not entirely historically accurate. But nonetheless hilarious. The film leans into jokes about the dictator’s allegedly short stature and renders him a comical caricature. Ian Holm, who plays the pastry enthusiast, has expert comedic timing and clearly understands the assignment. He brings Napoleon to life as a simple man with simple tastes who is hopelessly fixated on his stature.
The swashbucklers with whom Kevin tags along (who are played by David Rappaport, Kenny Baker, Malcolm Dixon, Mike Edmonds, Jack Purvis, and Tiny Ross) also have some memorable exchanges which stem from a keen understanding of comedic timing. Each succeeds at making the audience laugh, while simultaneously endearing themselves to the viewer.
Strong performances aside, Time Bandits is brimming with imagination. The way dimensions and timelines cross and connect makes for a lively experience steeped in whimsy and childlike wonder. Many of the inter-dimensional effects are somewhat crudely rendered. But they hold up well enough today, proving that less is still more in many cases. Plenty of newer films that go all in on CGI look dated within a few years of release. Lower tech options may not dazzle the same way as VFX, but they get the job done and often age better than more modern methods.
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Although Time Bandits came before each of the films I’m about to reference, this flick will resonate with fans of The Princess Bride, The Goonies, and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Time Bandits shares certain thematic elements with each of those beloved cinematic outings. Traveling back in time to periods of historic significance is a core conceit of Bill & Ted; the humor is similarly exaggerated to the comedic overtones in The Princess Bride; and the idea of a youngster taking up with outlaws and hunting for treasure bears similarities to the storyline behind The Goonies.
If you are a fan of any or all of the above-mentioned cinematic efforts, I implore you to seek Time Bandits out. It is a filmic treasure sure to delight children of all ages. What’s more, you can find the film streaming on Max as of the publication of this post.
Categorized:Editorials
