Product Details

• Actors: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Mackenzie Crook, Peter Stormare, Jonathan Pryce
• Directors: Terry Gilliam
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Miramax
• DVD Release Date: December 20, 2005
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (326 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BKVQTS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,009 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Brothers Grimm" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Fairy tales come vividly to life in The Brothers Grimm, a long-delayed fantasy/horror comedy that greatly benefits from the ingenuity of director Terry Gilliam. In lesser hands, the ambitious screenplay by prolific horror specialist Ehren Kruger (who wrote the American versions of The Ring and The Ring 2) might have turned into an erratic monster mash like Van Helsing. But Gilliam's maverick sensibility makes the film more closely comparable to Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow and Neil Jordan's The Company of Wolves, with the added benefit of impressive CGI effects and lavish (though cost-efficient) production design, making the most of a challenging $75 million budget. Kruger's clever conceit is to turn "folklore collectors" Wilhem and Jacob Grimm (Matt Damon and Heath Ledger, respectively) into 19th-century con artists who perform bogus exorcisms of "evil enchantments" while traveling from village to village in French-occupied Germany. The two soon find themselves ensnared in a genuinely supernatural crisis involving the curse of the Mirror Queen (Monica Bellucci) and such fantastical marvels as the Big Bad Wolf, the Gingerbread Man, and a host of other truly enchanted (and not altogether friendly) flora and fauna. It's kind of a mess, switching from over-the-top humor (mostly from Peter Stormare as a manic villain) to serious fantasy involving the beautiful Angelika (Lena Headey), who proves to be the Grimm Brothers' most reliable ally. And like many of Gilliam's films, Grimm suffered from production delays (during which Gilliam filmed Tideland), distributor fallout, and several changes in its theatrical release date, but none of these issues prevent the film from being a welcomed addition to Gilliam's remarkable list of credits. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Matt Damon (THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, OCEAN'S TWELVE) and Heath Ledger (THE PATRIOT, A KNIGHT'S TALE) team up to bring you one of the year's most fantastic adventures in this magical tale based on the lives of the legendary storytellers. Will and Jake Grimm (Damon and Ledger) dazzle small towns with their imaginative folklore and elaborate illusions, but when the brothers journey into a real enchanted forest they encounter many of the fantastic characters and thrilling situations found in their beloved fairy tales! From the award-winning director of 12 MONKEYS, BRAZIL and MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, this fabulous motion picture is sure to leave you living happily ever after!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 75 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Have the right expectations and you'll see it for the masterpiece it is! October 23, 2005

By Nelleke

Format:DVD

I've heard a few people say they were disappointed after seing this film; they had expected better. I think a lot of people have the wrong expectations when it comes to The Brothers Grimm: in the theatre I see lots of people of whom I can tell from moment one they will be disappointed.

Mothers with young children who actually think this movie has anything to do with the traditional fairy tales; this movie is NOT for children! If I were 7 I'd wet my bed for days after seing The Brothers Grimm. Young boys and girls on dates, all expecting an easy digestive romcom with an obvious storyline and no depth (I don't know how they got there but they did). That is NOT the case. If you want Finding Nemo, go see Finding Nemo. If you want American Pie, go see American Pie. But don't complain about The Brothers Grimm, because it is an absolute masterpiece!

The storyline is entertaining (one of the few movies that doesn't make you go "when's the intermission already? I need to pee!"), the director paints an amazing picture with his brilliant set, the characters are adorable and the actors do an amazing job. There wasn't a moment I saw them acting instead of being. One thing that really caught my attention was the role of Angelika (by Lena Heady) which reminded me in every single way of Keira Knightley's version of Guinevere in King Arthur - in a good way though.

Overall, I think this movie is a serious tribute to the fantasy genre, and I think that people who can appreciate that will love this. Don't look for logic, don't look for unexpected plots like in The Village and The Others, don't expect American Pie jokes and FOR GOD'S SAKE don't take your little children with you to this movie....

This is a brilliant movie that can hold it's own and if you ask me it deserves lots and lots of attention and awards.

YOU WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE IF YOU LIKE... Sleepy Hollow (with Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci), King Arthur (with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley), Pirates of the Caribbean (with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom). Read more ›

36 of 41 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Gilliam in top form October 4, 2005

By gordonblu

Format:DVD

I recently heard someone say they were disappointed with Gilliam's "update" of the Famous Brothers and their Fables. Whoever said that doesn't understand Gilliam's modus operandi. He is a genius at creating brand new worlds(Time Bandits and Brazil) and Bringing old Folktales and fantasy stories back to their roots while still making them entertaining(Baron Munchausen).

The same is true of the Brothers Grimm. He offers a unique spin on Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and quite distinctly the Gingerbead Man, but at the same time retains the essence of the original stories. Fariy Tales are DARK! They were meant to frighten Children into BEHAVING!

I also appreciated the emphasis on Character. With the Exception of Peter Stormare's hammy torturer, the Cast is Excellent. Matt Damon is always good, but Heath Ledger Steals the film with his portrayal of Jacob Grimm. And of course Jonathan Pryce is always enjoyable.

My biggest complaint though is a rather nasty scene involving a kitten. Gilliam can at times have an extremely nasty sense of humor and this was particularly unpleasant.

Gilliam's films are not for all tastes I confess. But I thouroughly enjoyed this film. I'll never look at the gingerbread man the same way again.

78 of 97 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Brothers Grimm is a light-hearted ghost story October 3, 2005

By J. Wingard

The Brothers Grimm is a suspenseful light-hearted ghost story in the cinematic tradition of such movies as Pirates of the Caribbean, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Sleepy Hollow. The brothers, played by Heath Ledger and Matt Damon, couldn't be more enchanting in their roles in this fairy tale movie. Jacob, played by spectacle toting Heath Ledger, is the lovable underdog, an impractical poet who wears his gold heart on his sleeve. Wilhelm of course, couldn't be more different as the devilishly dashing woman-chasing lead and older brother.

The film is set in French occupied Germany and is quite amusing for history buffs. There, Jacob and Wilhelm have a run in with the French army. They've roamed from town to town making up fairy tales, but not only in the story sense! Jacob largely follows Wilhelm around documenting the folk tales of the various villages they weave their `magic' around. When they are captured, the scenes involving the French general (Jonathan Pryce) are classically macabre in every sense- I don't want to spoil any surprises so you'll have to see the movie to find out why. Caravaldi, a captain in that army, played by Peter Stormare, becomes a permanant pest and an unexpected side-kick. The character is completely absurd with an Italian accent, hilarious yet creepy.

With Caravaldi, the brothers find themselves embroiled in a real mystery when all the girls in the village disappear. The townsfolk are strange but the boys eventually warm up to the female lead, Angelika (Lena Headey) who leads them through the forest and tells them of the folk tales of her youth. There's a little bit of that fairy tale magic mixed in with some European folklore which makes the movie interesting from an anthropological perspective...... it makes you wonder what our folktales say of our history. The movie makes us imagine that these fairy or folk tales were real events, documented faithfully by the trusting Jacob. And there in the forest the brothers discover the truth behind the girls' disappearance, the connection with Angelika's missing father, and a wolf that has terrorized the forest.

The Brothers Grimm is spooky and maybe a little scary/disturbing for young children but don't see the movie expecting a thriller- after all the movie is based on Grimm's fairytales. It's a lot of fun trying to guess which fairy tale is being alluded to in the various scenes as the Brothers seek to rid village of their haunting. And it is interesting how the movie weaves each story into another. There are great questions as to what is real and what is not... is it supernatural, a trick, magic?

Magic there is, and chemistry too for sure in this entertaining movie. Lovers of fairy tales and ghost stories alike will find themselves falling in love with The Brothers Grimm! Hopefully, the DVD or movie will be out for Halloween. Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not The Typical Fairy Tale August 16, 2006

By moviewatcher

Format:DVD

Renowned director/screenwriter, Terry Gilliam, brought the tale, featuring the two legendary authors, Jacob (Heath Ledger) and Wilhelm (Matt Damon) Grimm, to the screen in 2005's "The Brothers Grimm".

The movie starts by introducing us to the brothers as young children in the late 1700s when it's discovered that Jacob, (played by Jeremy Robson in this scene) has sold the family's cow for a handful of magic beans. Several years later the two brothers have grown into men who travel from town to town throughout Germany getting rid of unsavory creatures who seem to be plaguing the towns. However, it's soon realized that the pair, along with a couple of friends, are con artists who have constructed everything from the evil characters (in one case a witch) to the elaborate "rescue" of the town.

Napoleon's General, Delatombe, (Jonathan Pryce) is not pleased. When he threatens to execute the two brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm have no choice but to travel to Marbaden and solve the mystery behind the disappearance of several of the village's children. With Cavaldi (Peter Stormare), one of Delatombe's henchmen, to keep an eye on them, the brothers meet Angelika (Lena Headley), who agrees to escort them into the nearby forest. The group soon finds the tower that legend says is home to the Mirror Queen (Monica Bellucci) and who has great powers over the forest. But is the legend true? What other secrets does the forest hold and how do they connect to the disappearance of the children?

Terry Gilliam has directed and/or co-wrote a number of films including "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998), "Brazil" (1985), "Time Bandits" (1981) and several of the Monty Python features.... "The Brothers Grimm" was one of those films that I had high hopes for and really wanted to like it a lot. However, the movie, while good in some parts, seems to be lacking in others.

There were two things I especially liked about "The Brothers Grimm". The film was visually appealing. The way it was shot was reminiscent of "Sleepy Hollow". I also liked the way that familiar stories from the Grimm brothers were incorporated into the movie; for example "Jack and the Beanstalk", "Little Red Riding Hood" and a little bit of "Hansel and Gretel".

The idea of the two Grimm brothers as con artists traveling from town to town, swindling people out of their money by exorcising fake creatures, until they come across the real thing was great. Unfortunately, the movie seems to stray from this and eventually gets scattered in several directions with the brothers in situations with Delatombe, Cavaldi and the Mirror Queen as well as a side story about Angelika and her family. Don't be surprised if you find yourself exhausted from trying to keep up with everything that's going on! (You wouldn't believe how hard it was coming up with the movie summary above!)

I did like Heath Ledger's and Matt Damon's take on the two brothers. But I felt that the characters could have been developed more. We really don't get to know a lot about them. Perhaps a little more insight into their backgrounds would have made the characters more compelling. Also the possible romance with Angelika just didn't go anywhere.

While I have liked Jonathan Pryce's and Peter Stormare's previous works (Pryce was Governor Swann in "Pirates of the Caribbean" (2003) and Stormare appeared in "Chocolat" (2000) and "Armageddon" (1998)), I felt their characters were somewhat shallow, bordering on annoying. A lot of screen time also isn't given to the evil Mirror Queen who is supposed to be the Grimm's main opponent. Maybe without the Delatombe and Cavaldi side story, more time could have been spent on developing the character of the Mirror Queen, letting everyone know just how much of a menace she was.

"The Brothers Grimm" isn't the worst movie to come out of Hollywood. But, unfortunately, it failed to grasp the opportunity to become a great one. Read more ›