Time Bandits is one of those classic movies that, when someone mentions it, everyone suddenly remembers it and says in unison: "Oh yes - that's a great movie!"

This is a movie that cannot be pigeonholed no matter how hard we all try to.

Action.
Adventure.
Comedy.
Drama.
Satire.
Spoof.
Special effects.
Social commentary.
Quotable.

The movie is all of these - all mixed into the fray by Terry Gilliam so what come out in the end is a fun, exciting, chuckling, charming, thoughtful experience.

You'll root for the bandits - run away from the evil lord to plunder and pillage for their own profit (and who can blame them?).
You'll root for the kid who gets wrapped up/trapped up in the plan of the bandits.
You'll jeer against the evil lord for his sheer meaness and desire of course, to take over the world.
You'll hope for the fatherly relationship of Agamemnon.
You'll get a kick out of meeting Robin Hood, Napoleon, giants, trolls and all manner of creatures.
You probably won't be thrilled with the kid's parents - but then they just don't get it.

The end is a bit of a puzzlement, but in there somewhere is the fact that these adventures somehow stop in their genesis after we all pass through childhood when things suddenly become practical, logical and usual.
And this is a sad thing.

Time Bandits reminds us that adventures are for adventuring.
Life is for living.
And the battle for good over evil still wages on in all of life, even if we've all become to practical and logical to notice it.

Official movie trailer, one.

(The movie trailer is a must-see)