Time Bandits: Taika Waititi Picks Terry Gilliam’s Pocket But It’s Still His Film
By John Kirk
Rating: B+
I’ve always had a soft spot for Terry Gilliam’s 1981 fantasy Time Bandits about a group of disenfranchised servants of the Supreme Being who decide to nick his map to the entirety of Creation to steal treasures forgotten to the mysteries of time. Oh, and the 11-year-old character of Kevin who has the misfortune of being lumped in with these misfits.
Apparently, so does Taika Waititi.
There’s a lot he’s lifted from the classic film to remind us this low-budget 80s film should have its own TV series. First, there’s the just the zany idea of a group of amoral lackwits who have access to all existence that is still a mad story draw to an audience that loves this genre.
The bipolar structure of the universe with a Supreme Being (Waititi) in charge and a nemesis known as Wrongness (Jemaine Clement) who opposes him is also very familiar. The basic nature of the original story is also still present with the Bandits fleeing both beings throughout the chaos of time is also easily recognized by original movie fans.
But there are differences as well that stand out and arguably improve the nature of the original story.
As in the original film, the focus is on young Kevin Haddock, but this Kevin (Kal-El Tuck) has more depth than his film predecessor. A precocious and odd outsider kid with a nerdish love of history, lonely and ostracized by even his own family, Kevin is surprised to discover that his bedroom is located on what is known as a Time Egress.
It brings the Time Bandits and him together and with his knowledge of the past, gives him a sense of belonging to a team for possibly the first time in his life. There’s a human angle to this show that is needed in order to sustain it as a TV series.
One of the most obvious changes is in the cast. Waititi’s Time Bandits are an eclectic collection of misfits with their own talents.
Led by the mercenary Penelope (Lisa Kudrow) who argues that they are all equally in charge (except when there’s something to be gained), the crew also includes the constantly lost Widget (Roger Nsengiyumva), the team’s navigator, the Empath, Judy (Charlyne Yi) who seems to always fail at nuance and hints.
Alto, the Actor (Tadhg Murphy) and strongman Bittelig (Rune Temte) with the strength of seven ordinary men round them off. What’s fun is that unlike the film, these Time Bandits have more detailed back stories and depth to them, making them fodder for future episodes.
Having both Waititi and Clement — so genius together in 2014’s What We Do in the Shadows — as the two major antagonists is a fun touch and adds unique personality to the show.
Where Time Bandits slips is with humour. Jokes are underwhelming or rushed. In trying to tell a story dominated by chaos of travelling through time, frenzied changes of scenery and a multitude of different characters from various periods of history, it can be a challenge to sustain a high level of humour.
Dry wit and subdued delivery are the prominent comedic styling and aren’t really conducive with a high energy series. Kudrow’s performance is an example of this but where she shines is in her humanity in recognizing Kevin’s situation. Still, the comedic moments are sometimes slower than they should be and this affects the pace of the show.
Not to say that Time Bandits isn’t funny. It’s delightful. Tuck has an enormous amount of presence for such a young actor and the new crew of time bandits is definitely fun. It’s an entertaining improvement on the film and fans will be pleased to see the changes that Waititi has brought to it.
Of course, they’ll also be keen to see what he kept.
Time Bandits. Starring Lisa Kudrow, Kal-El Tuck, Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, Roger Nsengiyumva, and Tadhag Murphy. Debuts July 24 on Apple TV.