The Brothers Grimm

If any other director had made a similar film, it would probably have received a much better reception. However, Terry Gilliam set such a high bar with his previous works and ignited such a strong fan base that the overall impression is slightly awkward. Gilliam himself denied rumors that producer interventions influenced the final outcome, as well as the notion that he couldn't work with his favorite crew. The magic forest contains hints of the typical Gilliam-esque atmosphere of mystery, but it falls far short of the script and directorial precision of Twelve Monkeys or the visual eccentricity of Brazil. While many details may please the viewer, the result is an above-average but not exceptional fairy tale. Overall impression: 75%. (04/12/2007)

The Brothers Grimm is a thoroughly routine historical fairy tale with nothing surprising or interesting about it. The film has a dark tone underscored by the gothic sets and busy camerawork, but in conceptual terms, it is overshadowed by Burton’s Sleepy Hollow. The characters and the story are mediocre with no ambition to be anything more than that. If this were a purely Czech film, I would say that we can equal Hollywood. But as it’s a big-budget Hollywood production directed by the otherwise always innovative and distinctive Terry Gilliam...no way. (08/10/2005)

An unbelievable chaos and mess. Terry Gilliam doesn't have the visual potential of Tim Burton, and he doesn't know what to do with this fairy tale. The production design is awful and sloppy. The shot of the supposedly monumental castle Kost is rather laughable – the Czech Republic is probably a financially very good place for filming. The visual effects are tragic and the sets are so obviously theatrical that it's almost unbelievable. Many scenes are downright embarrassing, with zero emotions and actors that are disgustingly wooden. The cinematography is confusing and the direction doesn’t warrant a comment. Gilliam doesn't know where to go and keeps making one senseless move after another. In the final assessment, The Brothers Grimm is one big, muddled, unfocused and boring mess. Colloquially speaking: it's a shitshow. (09/04/2006)

This decadent fairy tale-non-fairy tale, set against the dark backdrop of a mysterious forest and a black-humored story proves that as Terry Gilliam grew older, it was as if he was entering his filmmaking adolescence and his only goal was to provoke. However, the film provokes cleverly, boldly, and entertainingly all at the same time, so anyone who has even an ounce of flair for a slightly "different" narrative will certainly enjoy at least the divine Peter Stormare, and as a bonus will be given one little white kitten! (06/02/2007)

The visual aspect is perfect, Gilliam knows how to work with the budget reasonably, but if I ever believed in creative differences during filming, it is precisely in the case of the Brothers Grimm. The curse is an incredible plot mess, where I sometimes can't keep track of how many digressions the story has taken. But when an unexpected action ride comes about an hour later, it's worth it until the very end, I root for both brothers and hold my breath during suspenseful scenes. In combination with the perfect portrayal of the villainous general, I ended up being reconciled, but otherwise, this woodland odyssey proceeded quite controversially. (14/04/2006)