The Brothers Grimm Movie Review (2005)
A fantasy adventure about the legendary writers drawn into a cursed forest filled with fairy-tale creatures, The Brothers Grimm is a visually stunning and imaginative film, with dark storybook elements that remain engaging even with a story that feels uneven.
I have always had a special interest in fairy tales. As a young kid, I was introduced to Snow White and Cinderella, and they were okay, but I always liked Sleeping Beauty best because it felt darker. I didn’t want the Disney-fied stories, I wanted to know the origins. I later bought The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales because I wanted to see how they actually started. And if you’re not familiar, fairy tales are pretty dark.
The Brothers Grimm is about Will and Jacob Grimm, con-artist brothers who visit towns tormented by mythical legends and solve their problems through smoke and mirrors, leaving with a large payday. When the brothers are captured by the French military, they are released only to investigate the disappearance of various female children in a local town. There, they meet Angelika, a tough woman whose sisters have disappeared. They then go on an adventure to break the curse of a queen. Or something.
I strangely enjoyed this movie, but it is too long, and the story is hugely convoluted. I can’t tell you who all the characters are or why they want what they want, so I eventually gave up trying to make sense of it all. I just watched for the things I was interested in.
There are tons of fairy tale elements in this film, and they are interesting. I enjoyed every time they introduced a new one, whether it be nods to Rapunzel’s long hair, Snow White’s step-mother, a red apple, a hunter in the woods, Gretel and Little Red being some of the missing girls, and magic beans. There are so many more, but that’s a taste.
The visuals are gorgeous for the most part. The lighting visuals that differentiate reality while looking in the mirror vs. what is actually happening if a character turned around, the set pieces in the forest, and even Matt Damon’s eyeliner. It all played into this fantasy that worked well.
Some of the special effects are fantastic, and some are awful. Watching a woman go from ancient to young was very cool, but watching the brothers flying in the air was embarrassing. It’s extremely hit or miss, but better than average on the whole IF they are incorporating a set and not just depending on CGI.
The Brothers Grimm plays into the darkness of the original fairy tales, so I would not recommend this for small children. There are some creepier moments that might be unsettling. I don’t want to give anything away about the film, but keep in mind that in the original Cinderella story, the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to fit into the glass slipper and later have their eyes pecked out by birds. That doesn’t happen in this movie, but you get the idea.
Starring Heath Ledger, Matt Damon, Jonathan Pryce, and Lena Headey (all of whom do a nice job), The Brothers Grimm is good enough. The story is goofy, so if you understand it, please explain it to me. (Why was the French military involved?) And if you are into fairy tales, like I am, you may get a kick out of this.
Runtime: 118 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 2.75/5 Stars
Available: Free on PlutoTV, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
