The Brothers Grimm

Much as I love the acting abilities of Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Depp and Robin Williams, I have to say I am glad that they all bowed out of The Brothers Grimm for one reason or another, because the current cast is perfect.

Starring Matt Damon and Heath Ledger as the legendary German (by way of England, judging from their accents…) brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the movie was shot in ultra-gothic, atmospheric Prague, and was written by Ehren Kruger who brought us The Ring and The Skeleton Key (and who obviously doesn’t mind the word ‘The’ in his titles… kudos to Kruger for bucking the trend!). The incomparable Terry Gilliam is the director, and I am happy to report that his quirky stamp is all over this picture (if somewhat subdued).

We first meet the brothers, Jake (Damon) and Will (Ledger) running one of their elaborate scams on an unsuspecting, ignorant villager once they’ve convinced him that his barn is haunted by a demon. They perform their intricate faux exorcism, get paid, and go on their merry way — which does not stay merry for long once they’re recruited by French aristocrat  Delatombe (Jonathan Pryce) and his overzealous henchman Cavaldi (Peter Stormare) to solve a real, deadly mystery.

In true dark fantahorror tradition, a bloodthirsty wolf is roaming the dark, enchanted forest in search of tender child-flesh. Because the French government figured out what they’re up to, the swindling siblings are forced to deal with the real thing — or face the guillotine. Of course, rumors of riches hidden in an enchanted tower have only whet Delatombe’s appetite for the truth even more and he’s determined that the Brothers Grimm find it for him. The brothers form an alliance with a local wise-woman, the lovely Angelika (Lena Headey), and head for the tower where the evil witch-Queen (Monica Bellucci) resides.

In glorious Gilliam fashion, an unabashedly beautiful, bizarre, and visually stunning story unfolds. The practical locations and the sets are breathtaking. The costumes and set decoration are so detailed, it’s dazzling to see the fabric, thread and precious props that were put together for each and every scene. The musical score (by Dario Marianelli) is heroic, and the cinematography (by Newton Thomas Sigel) is as dark and rich as a Godiva chocolate truffle. Even the horsemaster (uncredited) got it right — equestrians will surely appreciate the exceptionally beautiful, fiery steeds (and even the occasional appropriately-cast nag) prance across the screen.

The visual effects and CGI are deeply satisfying (even when they don’t look ‘real’) since after all, The Brothers Grimm is a fairy tale. We expect to see a lot of fantasy as well as reality. In keeping with the actual Grimm fables, as they were originally published before whitewashing took place, this movie has a lot of horror in it. But it’s PG-13 horror — no boobs, blood, beheadings or bare bottoms. (Well, OK, maybe a beheading or two…)

The fact that it’s PG-13 and is suitable for adolescents doesn’t mean that adults won’t also fully enjoy The Brothers Grimm — unlike, say, another dark fantasy movie that’s coming out at around the same time, MirrorMask (MirrorMask is a fine enough movie, but it’s strictly for the kiddies). Kruger’s script is laced with mature humor and plenty of savvy literary nods.

The Brothers Grimm is not only Gilliam’s best feature film as a director since 1996’s Twelve Monkeys — it’s one of his finest, most accessible and genuinely entertaining films of all.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson