"Troubled productions" — those film shoots where directors and number-crunchers clash, or actors leave in a huff, or things fall apart in less predictable ways — are a problem. Not only for those who earn gray hair and ulcers by enduring them, but for those of us trying to decide how to respond to the compromised film that finally makes its way to the screen. It's a dilemma familiar to the followers of Terry Gilliam — the director who, if he hasn't written the book on troubled productions, has at least starred in the movie. Read the full review
Brothers Jake and Will Grimm travel around the Napoleonic countryside vanquishing monsters and demons in exchange for quick cash. But when the authorities figure out their scheme, the con men are forced to contend with a real magical curse — and with all that their imaginations have brought to life.
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Monica Bellucci, Jonathan Pryce, Lena Headey
Release date: August 26, 2005
Rating: PG-13 for violence, frightening sequences and brief suggestive material.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: C
"Like Hansel and Gretel and that gingerbread house of horrors, Gilliam has bitten off more than he can chew. "
Austin American-Statesman: 2 of 5 stars
"... an above-average fantasy/adventure, if judged against generic Hollywood product. Held against the standard of what it might have been, it's a big disappointment."
Dayton Daily News: C+
"The result looks great, as one expects of Gilliam. But as far as the story goes, it's hardly the fairest of them all."
The Palm Beach Post: D
"Although (Terry Gilliam's) latest effort ... is undeniably unlike anything you have seen before, it is also a joyless mess."
