Labyrinth (1986)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Dan S

  
  An imaginative, initially charming David Lynch meets Tim Burton meets Disney mesh of a story concerning a young girl (Jennifer Connelly) who must find her baby brother in a dark, mysterious dream-like world ruled by an intimidating figure (David Bowie) within a certain time-frame, or… More
  An imaginative, initially charming David Lynch meets Tim Burton meets Disney mesh of a story concerning a young girl (Jennifer Connelly) who must find her baby brother in a dark, mysterious dream-like world ruled by an intimidating figure (David Bowie) within a certain time-frame, or she will never see him again. Jim Henson definitely gets an "A" for set-pieces, makeup, and a variety of characters being worked in to his story. Where he falters is giving the story some suspense and maintaining its overall likability. Sometimes this film gets a little too dark, and occasionally annoying with some of the characters chewing up their scenes while stealing it away from the more interesting characters in the story. Connelly and Bowie are both terrific, and as said, it is a very good looking movie. However, it is not for a second surprising or memorable, with Henson deciding to play his cards safe and not electing for this to be anymore than a nice but ultimately forgettable and disposable kids film. Not a bad movie by any means, in fact it is pretty good, it just is not a solid recommendation type of movie.

• Phil H

  
  Another classic from my childhood, Bowie is cool here (although when I was a kid I thought he was a female hahaha) the Labyrinth is really twisted and cool looking, great imagination and creature design all round with some awesome classic effects with the good old ways of matte… More
  Another classic from my childhood, Bowie is cool here (although when I was a kid I thought he was a female hahaha) the Labyrinth is really twisted and cool looking, great imagination and creature design all round with some awesome classic effects with the good old ways of matte painting and puppetry, the 'Magic Dance' is a great song as well. Everything is spot on in this visual feast right down to the smallest detail, its incredible to see the love and sweat put into this film and without using any cgi! all good old fashioned craftsmanship. An absolute joy to watch and THE perfect family film for all ages, everyone can enjoy and appreciate the skill and work involved creating this magical world. Mr Henson, you've done it again, probably your best work.

• Jacob E

  
  Let me start this review by saying that on paper, this is NOT a good film. If I were to break down what I liked about this film, it would seem like everything I said would be a flaw. But that's the point with Labyrinth. It's flawed beyond human (and goblin) comprehension,… More
  Let me start this review by saying that on paper, this is NOT a good film. If I were to break down what I liked about this film, it would seem like everything I said would be a flaw. But that's the point with Labyrinth. It's flawed beyond human (and goblin) comprehension, but it's so much fun, so offbeat, and downright bizarre, it succeeds to do what many fantasy epics fail to do: Create a world. I'm not saying that the world of Labyrinth is believable. What I'm saying is that the world is so consistently weird that when a little girl falls into a pit lined with hundreds of hands that grab her and speak with her, you don't even question it. The puppetry from Jim Henson's creature crew looks really cool (with the exception of the Fierys that look AWFUL), but the reason above all reasons that this film is enjoyable is simple: David Bowie is in it. David is an absolute joy to watch as Jareth the Goblin King, over the top but extremely enjoyable. His soundtrack varies in quality, but if you don't like "Dance Magic Dance", THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A SOUL. In total, I enjoyed this film. It's fun and if you have any interest in puppetry, this and "The Dark Crystal" are films you should watch.

• Manu G

  
  You have no power over me. Decent movie. I would have liked to have seen this movie when I was kid when I could have enjoy it more, all that fantasy and kids monsters would have been great. Right now what I can say is that it wasn't a bad movie, it is a cult movie which will be… More
  You have no power over me. Decent movie. I would have liked to have seen this movie when I was kid when I could have enjoy it more, all that fantasy and kids monsters would have been great. Right now what I can say is that it wasn't a bad movie, it is a cult movie which will be remember always. At my age for me at times was a little boring and tedious to watch but still it was nice and a joy to watch. Young Sarah is left home alone by her parents and she has to babysit her little brother Toby. But the baby keeps crying and Sarah, while telling him a story to make him sleep, inadvertently conjures from a fantasy world the Goblin King who steals the child and brings him to his castle in the middle of a labyrinth. Sarah has to rescue him before midnight, or the baby will became a goblin...

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"A' mazing tale of never-ending fantasy."</i> 15-year-old Sarah accidentally wishes her baby half-brother, Toby, away to the Goblin King Jareth who will keep Toby if Sarah does not complete his Labyrinth in 13 hours. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"A' mazing tale of never-ending fantasy."</i> 15-year-old Sarah accidentally wishes her baby half-brother, Toby, away to the Goblin King Jareth who will keep Toby if Sarah does not complete his Labyrinth in 13 hours. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is at her wit's end when she is babysitting her half brother Toby who won't stop crying and wishes the goblins from her favorite book, The Labyrinth, would come and take him away. When this actually happens, she must face the goblin king Jareth (David Bowie) and find her way through his labyrinth to rescue Toby before he becomes a goblin himself in thirteen hours. Along the way, she meets a variety of fascinating creatures and faces all sorts of obstacles, for Jareth will not give up the child easily in this strange world where "anything is possible and nothing is what it seems". One of its biggest strengths is the wonderful puppetry by the Henson Company. Comprising a large part of the cast, these are really beautifully designed and skillfully used. Combined with some really excellent surreal set design, there is a great atmosphere of fantasy and unreality that is necessary for the story. Things like "the Helping Hands" and the staircase scene late in the movie are great. But the sets and the puppets are only part of the charm of Labyrinth. I found that the dialog in the movie, while at times a little corny, is generally witty and humorous. And the casting of Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie in their respective roles worked really well. Jennifer Connelly gave a nice performance and Bowie was incredible as the Goblin King. Shari Weiser was a good choice for the role of Hoggle too. Lots of humor and action help keep this movie rolling at a good pace so that it never gets boring. And then there is the soundtrack - wonderful music from David Bowie. All in all, this is a charming, funny and entertaining movie that is great for the whole family and stands up to repeated viewings.

• Mark W

  
  Imaginative fantasies have become commonplace of recent times with the release of "The Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" films etc. This has been made possible with the technology we have now, helping to bring fantastical imagery to a new level. However, this… More
  Imaginative fantasies have become commonplace of recent times with the release of "The Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" films etc. This has been made possible with the technology we have now, helping to bring fantastical imagery to a new level. However, this 1986 film preceeded those using old-fashioned puppetry from "The Muppets" creator Jim Henson and based on an original story by Terry Jones from "Monty Python" fame. When her baby brother is stolen by the Goblin King (David Bowie), young Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) must mount a rescue operation. A plan made doubly tricky by the fact he has hidden his castle in the middle of a treacherous labyrinth populated with the weird and the wonderful. This being a childhood favourite of mine, it was nice to visit it again recently. It also serves as a reminder as to how good Jim Henson and his puppets were. With most movies now relying on computer generated special effects, it's refreshing to know that a more inventive approach was once used. However, some scenes do show up the limitations (and strings) and some stunted dialogue and amature acting don't help matters. Despite this though, it's the sheer imagination, fantastical otherworld and it's eclectic inhabitants that capture your attention in a way that children's films don't quite do anymore. When I was young, I wholly entered into Henson's world and upon a recent rewatch, was reminded how easy that was to do. It's still effective now and with a shared enthusiasm from my CGI exposed young daughter, it's testiment that a young audience today can still be captivated by it. Not so long ago, special effects had an integrity about them and Jim Henson and his puppet company were one of the best in the business. Henson was still honing his skills before his untimely death a few years after this. Ironically he died in the same week he was going to sell him company to one of the modern computer generated giants of today. A little known company called... 'Disney'. A fantastical, family friendly classic that I much loved as a youngster and have the pleasure to relive with my own children. It has aged fairly well. Although, I often wonder if Bowie actually had that excessively ridiculous codpiece written into his contract. Dear oh dear, David.

• Sophie B

  
  A cute little film which takes you on a fantastical journey inside David Bowies mind. Awesome film with an awesome soundtrack.

• AJ V

  
  I watched this movie a million times when I was a kid, I loved it so much, and actually I still watch it from time to time because I still love it. It's an awesome fantasy adventure from Henson, with both real people and puppets. I highly recommend it.

• Spencer S

  
  There are issues with Connelly's overdone drama and hightened screams every other second; but this film wasn't meant to be the magnum opus of Henson. The Muppets used were at least original, and David Bowie, with all his usual flair and glamour, came across as a fear… More
  There are issues with Connelly's overdone drama and hightened screams every other second; but this film wasn't meant to be the magnum opus of Henson. The Muppets used were at least original, and David Bowie, with all his usual flair and glamour, came across as a fear mongering ruler. The songs were engaging; reminiscent of Ziggy Stardust. It was child friendly and above all else entertaining.

• Conner R

  
  Maybe it's just my hatred for Muppets and Jim Henson, but this is the ultimate corny music sing-a-long of the 80s. It has a truly terrible string of characters and plot devices, even to a child it should be obvious that there is something very dumb about it. It's a fantasy… More
  Maybe it's just my hatred for Muppets and Jim Henson, but this is the ultimate corny music sing-a-long of the 80s. It has a truly terrible string of characters and plot devices, even to a child it should be obvious that there is something very dumb about it. It's a fantasy movie that tries way too hard to be a "Dark Fantasy" and fails miserably. I think Jim Henson is terribly overrated and wasn't as much of an innovator as he gets credit for. The only, only possible reason that people should see this is for David Bowie as Jareth the child snatcher. He is the best part of this movie without even trying, but then again seeing him singing with fake puppets is just sad.

• Thomas B

  
  a brilliantly offbeat comedy/adventure film with david bowie playing the goblin king to perfection

• Jennifer D

  
  Holy David Bowie's pants! I think that's all I can say....

• Film C

  
  Of course my all time favourite movie that is just spell binding. This movie also has a really awesome sound track that makes you happy. I ove this movie its brilliant its magical and has characters you fall in love with and is also a bit of a musical with brilliantly fantastic… More
  Of course my all time favourite movie that is just spell binding. This movie also has a really awesome sound track that makes you happy. I ove this movie its brilliant its magical and has characters you fall in love with and is also a bit of a musical with brilliantly fantastic performances from Bowie and Connerly. This movie is about a girl who has a baby brother who tells a story of a dark creature, she then reads toby the story but she didnt anticipate bowie actually kidnapping the child so she must go throught maze of the labyrinth to find her borther, but along the way she encounters difficulties and is against the clock but with a helping hand from friends she made along the way can she sav eher baby brother toby and conquer the maze??!! Totally worth a watch brilliant!

• Justin Y

  
  Jim Henson's <i>Labyrinth</i> is one classic fantasy adventure.<p>What helps this film a lot is the plot. It is fairly simple, but at the same time it works wonderfully for this genre. The story wastes little time as there is just enough buildup to setup the… More
  Jim Henson's <i>Labyrinth</i> is one classic fantasy adventure.<p>What helps this film a lot is the plot. It is fairly simple, but at the same time it works wonderfully for this genre. The story wastes little time as there is just enough buildup to setup the labyrinth portion. The first panning shot of Sarah's room tells it all. Soon thereafter, the following words trigger the fun; "I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now." The run time is around 1 hour and 40 minutes and while this feels appropriate, the labyrinth calls out for more fun and airtime.</p><p>It is nice to see live action puppets and creature costumes. It brings more realism to the film. Of course there are also a few effects, which are good enough for its time, despite their cheap look.</p><p>A lot of people will note David Bowie as the star of this picture. Yes, he does have a huge part and he does get a chance to sing, but the beautiful Jennifer Connelly is the one that carries this movie. When it comes to the creatures, the voice work is nicely done.</p><p>While some of the creatures may be a bit frightening for a really young audience, <i>Labyrinth</i> is a fantasy adventure that caters to a wide age range.

• Anthony L

  
  Bowie, Connelly, muppets... What?s not to love about this film! One of my childhood favourites and one of many Jim Henson masterpieces.

• Kytyrah K

  
  Alright, not the most stunning movie ever, but a refreshing change from the average Jim Henson flick. The Characters weren't terribly developed but were still engaging. The major conflict is one we can all understand-Jealousy and Immaturity and the consequences of them. Sarah is… More
  Alright, not the most stunning movie ever, but a refreshing change from the average Jim Henson flick. The Characters weren't terribly developed but were still engaging. The major conflict is one we can all understand-Jealousy and Immaturity and the consequences of them. Sarah is the main character, an overdramatic, self-absorbed teenage girl filled with daydreams and resentment towards her little stepbrother. In a fever of anger after a disagreement with her father, Sarah wishes him to be taken away. Unbeknownst to her, the goblin king of a (possibly) alternate reality is infatuated with her and hears her wish-immediately making it happenin the hopes of winning her affection. Quickly regretting her wish, Sarah sets off through this strange land to recover her brother-under the time limit of six hours (imposed by the goblin king himself). Throughout her journey, Sarah encounters characters both friendly and dangerous and starts to learn about herself through the best method-experience. Tested more thna once for bravery, intelligence and sheer Hutspah, Sarah developes a strong (and later neccessary) sense of self-resilience and wisdom. It's yet another moral story that borders on (yet somehow stays away from) preachiness. It leaves one laughing one moment and deeply thoughtful the next. The effects were cheap and the music score was slightly tacky but altogether, i think this film was well done and delivers a great deal more entertainment than other, higher-budgeted films of today. Watch this and enjoy. But remember, it's not meant to be taken too seriously, the movie is centered on a keen and somewhat sly sense of humor. Have fun, I did.

• Lewis C

  
  I really think that I missed out on not seeing this as a kid. As much as I liked watching it for the first time now, I think I would have loved it even more if I would have first seen it when I was younger and could look back on it through nostalgic eyes. Labyrinth seems practically… More
  I really think that I missed out on not seeing this as a kid. As much as I liked watching it for the first time now, I think I would have loved it even more if I would have first seen it when I was younger and could look back on it through nostalgic eyes. Labyrinth seems practically made just for that purpose. I'm a huge fan of Jennifer Connelly and anything that even vaguely reminds me of Alice in Wonderland, so Labyrinth was clearly going to be enjoyable for me. And let's not forget all the costumes and puppets. They were so imaginative and well-done that they made every scene charming. Sir Didymus stole the whole show. He deserved his own Saturday morning cartoon! My main qualm with Labyrinth was the occasional song-and-dance numbers. I'm pretty sure that I'm in the minority about this, but they were just too weird and "80's" for me to enjoy...except for the whole little sequence with The Fire Gang. That part was just so surreal and creepy (and catchy!) that it earned the movie an extra half-star. So yeah, I thought that Labyrinth was awesome. I plan on watching every movie that Jennifer Connelly has been in, but I can't imagine how many could be better than this wonderful gem.

• Candy R

  
  Sarah has to babysit her little brother but he gets taken by goblins. She has to rescue him. I love this movie about magical creatures.

• Aaron N

  
  The Worm: 'Allo. Sarah: Did you say... hello? The Worm: No, I said "'allo," but that's close enough. Sarah: Oh... you're a worm, aren't you? The Worm: Yeah, that's right. Sarah: You don't by any chance know the way through this labyrinth,… More
  The Worm: 'Allo. Sarah: Did you say... hello? The Worm: No, I said "'allo," but that's close enough. Sarah: Oh... you're a worm, aren't you? The Worm: Yeah, that's right. Sarah: You don't by any chance know the way through this labyrinth, do you? The Worm: Who, me? No, I'm just a worm. Say, come inside, and meet the missus. I had not seen this movie in the longest time, but now having been able to once again, it is pretty clear that it deserves its cult status that it has. Its not as much a children's fantasy as it is a strange film that happens to have Jim Henson creations and music by David Bowie. The story involves a teenage girl, Sarah played by Jennifer Connelly, who wishes for her baby brother to be taken away. Unfortunately for her, actual goblins do take the baby away and Sarah herself is whisked away to a labyrinth, surrounding the City of the Goblins by the Goblin king, a glam rocking human played of course by David Bowie, who is pretty fucking strange. Jareth: I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave. Bowie informs Sarah that she must navigate the labyrinth, reach the City of the Goblins, and find the child in 13 hours, or else he will remain there forever. Now Sarah must surpass a number of obstacles, while meeting plenty of new and strange friends along the way. Sarah: Ow! It bit me! Hoggle: What'd you expect fairies to do? Sarah: I thought they did nice things, like... like granting wishes. Hoggle: Shows what *you* know, don't it? While not as much fun or as engaging as other 80s fantasy flicks such as The Princess Bride or Willow, this movie still works well at filling the screen a lot of imagination. The various creatures encountered are all very well done, and while some may be very strange or creepy, it certainly fits in the world of this film. I think the main problem I have is with the overall story. The structure never really comes together quite right. We get a setup from the Bowie character, but beyond his makeup, we have no idea whats going on with him. Because of this, his various attempts to stop Sarah (when he's not breaking into song) seem somewhat strange. At the end, things kind of come together for the whole "message" thing, but not that well. This is still an imaginative film however, and enjoyable due to some of the other very fun characters. Hoggle: And you wouldn't be so brave if you'd ever smelled the Bog of Eternal Stench. It's, it's... Sarah: Is that all it does, is smell? Hoggle: Oh, believe me, that's enough! But the worst thing is, if you so much as set a foot in the Bog of Stench, you'll smell bad for the rest of your life. It'll never wash off.

• Daniel P

  
  So it turns out that I might be the only person in the world that thought this movie was a gigantic piece of crap. A generous two stars for the comfort brought by platitudes, and for inventive and imaginative sets and shots, but seriously, this is, at best, just over an hour and a… More
  So it turns out that I might be the only person in the world that thought this movie was a gigantic piece of crap. A generous two stars for the comfort brought by platitudes, and for inventive and imaginative sets and shots, but seriously, this is, at best, just over an hour and a half of David Bowie dicking around with muppets in a go-nowhere commercial that his music, long-abandoned by his early fans, desperately needed. Between Henson, Lucas and Bowie, barely a shred of their supposed genius came through in this one, but if you like to be able to take one simple truth away from a movie, then sure, learn your lesson: be careful what you wish for. There, you've seen the whole thing, the end. Of note, though, is the coming of age dimension of the story - learning that one's possessions are all junk compared to what's really important. It's a good point and a heart-warming scene, but it's just not enough to save this... ahem... classic?

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