The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Kylie B

  
  I found this entertaining, amusing, and often rather charming. The sets and costumes are beautiful. The moon segment is the most surreal part in my opinion, and Robin Williams might be too much for some people. Overall though it managed to hold my interest for the full 2 hours rather… More
  I found this entertaining, amusing, and often rather charming. The sets and costumes are beautiful. The moon segment is the most surreal part in my opinion, and Robin Williams might be too much for some people. Overall though it managed to hold my interest for the full 2 hours rather easily, and it's a film I would have no problem with viewing again, and would perhaps even seek it out for repeat viewing.

• Anthony L

  
  Another fantastic adventure from Gilliam. It was once voted worst film of all time which is more than a little unfair and quite baffling really!

• Jani H

  
  "I'm Baron Munchausen! - That sounds nasty. Is it contagious?" I've been waiting to see this movie for a long time but never had the chance.. Until now. Because of the reviews that I've read from people and critics, I was prepared that 'The Adventures of… More
  "I'm Baron Munchausen! - That sounds nasty. Is it contagious?" I've been waiting to see this movie for a long time but never had the chance.. Until now. Because of the reviews that I've read from people and critics, I was prepared that 'The Adventures of Baron Munchausen' would be something I either love or hate. Strong words, love and hate.. The film is directed by Terry Gilliam, the man behind several hits, for example '12 Monkeys', 'The Fisher King' and several Monty Python productions, so you can expect something extraordinary. The film was a joy to watch. It's a fairy tale that will keep the viewers interest all the way til the end. During their adventure, the Baron and the young girl, played wonderfully by a young Sarah Polley, will be taken all the way to the moon and the belly of a monster fish on their journey to find the baron's old friends. Why, you ask? Well, they gotta defeat the Turkish sultan. A basic plot for any film really... The special effects have not aged that well but some scenes are wonderfully made, especially the moon. The king of the moon, Ray D Tutto or better known as Robin Wiliams, is hilarious to watch. This is the Williams that I remember from my childhood! "I don't have time for flatulence and orgasms!" What I liked about the film was that I got so caught up with the story that I didn't always know if something was real or just a dream. 'Munchausen' is an example on how pure imagination of filmmakers can give us viewers something special, something that really deserves to be seen. By the way, kudos to the cast. John Neville, Eric Idle, Oliver Reed, a young Uma Thurman etc, all do a good job and are simply fun to watch!

• Bruce B

  
  I was told about this film after watching and reviewing the Movie called the Fall, it was one of those if you liked the Fall you will like the Adventures of Baron Munchausen. WRONG. To my knowledge it was nothing at all like The Fall. 75 Minutes was all I could stand. My guess a… More
  I was told about this film after watching and reviewing the Movie called the Fall, it was one of those if you liked the Fall you will like the Adventures of Baron Munchausen. WRONG. To my knowledge it was nothing at all like The Fall. 75 Minutes was all I could stand. My guess a little smoke might help one enjoy this movie, but I am smokeless so no joy here. 1 1/2 stars and that?s pushing it. Sorry to all my friends out there who enjoyed it.

• _kelly .

  
  underrated Gilliam. For me, more fun than Time Bandits.

• Stella D

  
  pure fairytale magic from the ever fertile imagination of terry gilliam

• Lafe F

  
  A quirky fantasy journey with Baron Munchausen - visually striking and appealing. They meet some weird characters and have several odd and fun adventures. Well done.

• xGary X

  
  Heroic failure featuring the kind of visual invention and humour you'd expect from Terry Gilliam. A little self indulgently flabby in places, but still an affecting fairytale fantasy.

• Daniel H

  
  It's all about the characters, , folks. Whatever moral or plot will come to naught. That does not mean that the moral or plot is wimpy by any means... in fact, both are well crafted. But when you look back, all you will think about is not how much one character stole the show,… More
  It's all about the characters, , folks. Whatever moral or plot will come to naught. That does not mean that the moral or plot is wimpy by any means... in fact, both are well crafted. But when you look back, all you will think about is not how much one character stole the show, but how all of them did... despite their totally one-dimensional nature. They each represent some collective portion of a fantastical whole that stands as a metaphor for old-world Vernian imagination. Sadly, the film aspires to not much more than that homage, but it reaches great heights nonetheless.

• Curtis L

  
  Gillium strikes again with another movie full of sweet sets and costumes, plus great actors. Not sure what his target audience was, it's a bit much for kids, and a bit weird for adults, which makes it perfect.

• Dean M

  
  Amazing effects and story of the infamous liar Baron Munchausen in this Terry Gilliam's fantasy film.

• Byron B

  
  The movie begins in the world of 18th century theatre with the theme of suspension of disbelief. Sally (Polley) has a child's acceptance of Baron Munchausen's (Neville) fantastic tales. Idle, McKeown, Dennis, Purvis, Cortese and Thurman are all members of the theatrical… More
  The movie begins in the world of 18th century theatre with the theme of suspension of disbelief. Sally (Polley) has a child's acceptance of Baron Munchausen's (Neville) fantastic tales. Idle, McKeown, Dennis, Purvis, Cortese and Thurman are all members of the theatrical company who take on new characters on Munchausen's and Sally's adventures. Idle, McKown, Dennis and Purvis become quite quirky characters with comically super abilities. They are Munchausen's closest allies as he stumbles into all sorts of random trouble with the little girl Sally in tow. Some other famous faces pop up in small roles, including Robin Williams as a detached kingly head on the moon. I didn't like Williams' performance. He is given too much freedom to try and create a cartoon like character. The style of this movie definitely suggested that Gilliam's vision was to make this live action story appear to be in his recognizable animation technique. Some times it works and some times the live action and animation style don't mesh.

• Mike N

  
  Spending Easter alone this year and then boarding a plane for Scandinavia in the late afternoon. [url="http://www.devilducky.com/media/41802/"]Beency-bouncy-burger, eh?[/url] Have a happy & safe Easter holiday, everybody. And thanks to those who voted in my Battle of… More
  Spending Easter alone this year and then boarding a plane for Scandinavia in the late afternoon. [url="http://www.devilducky.com/media/41802/"]Beency-bouncy-burger, eh?[/url] Have a happy & safe Easter holiday, everybody. And thanks to those who voted in my Battle of the Posters matches (looks like my tombstone's being etched as we speak for that one, but it was close! Congrats to Chairman Meow). Movie reviews for another newsletter offering (interest? then follow closely!): [font=Book Antiqua][b]The Host (Gwoemul)[/b][/font] [font=Book Antiqua]Though ultimately a “monster movie” if you want to ascribe it a video store definition, this über-fresh Korean product has much more than scares extending from its slimy tentacles. It’s absurd to think this movie managed to be so gloriously entertaining with such a kinetic spirit and a wide-ranging, dauntless narrative, almost making it an entirely new species of film altogether. This plucky undertaking is an effortless hybrid of terror, suspense, action, drama, tenderness, and comedy, with nimble but assured shifts in emotional tone that made it feel more organic, and satisfying. Even in moments of tragedy, the movie manages to console the audience by tilting overwhelming family grief into hysterical slapstick (trust me, it works), followed minutes later with breathless gangbusters action. There’s an air of ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ to the dysfunction of the dopey family comedy and tragic setbacks (each family member amply developed enough for empathy, even with economic screen time), and the satirical social commentary, replete with plague fears and government distrust, is in no shortage of effect. The photography and the unexpectedly strong score, too, serve to augment the skin-stiffening horrors and endearing compassions of the movie and for the viewer. ‘The Host’ is a bizarrely delightful experience, a feverish, genre-splicing beast of a film that immediately ensnared me in its hideous jaws and didn’t let up. It’s a movie I greatly respect for tearing from my calloused self a wide variety of emotional reactions, and should stand as a paramount example of how horror can actually serve as a handmaiden to legitimately poignant storytelling.[/font] [b][font=Book Antiqua][size=3]9.5/10[/size][/font][/b] [b][font=Book Antiqua][/font][/b] [font=Book Antiqua][b]300[/b][/font] [font=Book Antiqua]Abs ahoy! Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel adaptation arrives with slightly more swagger (and greased bodies) than ‘Sin City,’ but no less the excess. As one person put it, it’s the cinematic equivalent of Bill Brasky, one of the tallest tales out there. There are times when ‘300’ is entrancing as its slow-motion blood poem bombastically unfolds onscreen, swarthy Spartans sluicing through wave after wave of demonic Persians like a salad shooter infomercial, blood gracefully squirting from open neck cavities. But when it bogs down into intermittent lapses between the action, the viewer is allowed to realize, once more, that this movie borders on the ridiculous (such as the painfully cheap storyline with the wife at home and the senator). At times boring? Gasp, it may be true once the hypnosis wears off, but there is enough visual dazzle, snappy one-liners, and a cool enough premise (with wrinkly-applied layers of history) to justify itself as serviceable escapist fare, as well as a Body by Jake portfolio.[/font] [b][font=Book Antiqua][size=3]6/10[/size][/font][/b] [b][font=Book Antiqua][/font][/b] [font=Book Antiqua][b]Zodiac[/b][/font] [font=Book Antiqua]‘Zodiac’ is a fascinating period piece / newsroom sleuth film set in our lovely San Francisco about the infamously unsolved Zodiac Killer murders in the 60’s and 70’s. Alluring, absorbing, and at times disturbing, it invites the viewer into the obsession shared by the protagonists (Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey, Jr.) in trying to piece together a dizzying parade of overlooked clues and overcome bureaucratic hurdles just to even begin knowing where to look for the Zodiac killer. Expertly, the movie leads and misleads, mirroring reality, never really being able to conclude what was a red herring and what wasn’t. There is subtle finger-pointing, but it’s more about the quiet destruction of the characters whose lives they just couldn’t untangle from the Zodiac mystery. And, it does a brilliant job book-ending the movie with Donovan’s creepy “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” both an emblem of the cultural era and of the slow unsettling atmospherics of the film.[/font] [b][font=Book Antiqua][size=3]8.5/10[/size][/font][/b] [b][font=Book Antiqua][/font][/b] [font=Book Antiqua][u]Others[/u]: [/font] [font=Book Antiqua][b]Blades of Glory[/b][/font] [font=Book Antiqua]Hilarious, Ferrell’s best yet (yes, better than Anchorman and Talladega Nights), but with a great comedic cast all-around and a story the filmmakers never gave up on. “It makes my hair shine like the Belt of Orion.”[/font] [font=Book Antiqua][size=3][b]8/10[/b][/size][/font] [font=Book Antiqua][b]Grindhouse[/b][/font] [font=Book Antiqua]Planet Terror = thumbs up. Death Proof = meh. Rodriguez’s zombie romp (Planet Terror) was basic but a lot of fun. Dang that Tarantino, who has a frustrating habit of pandering to the masses without much buildup, and is clueless like a small child on how to do anything remotely worthy of the viewer’s emotion outside of kick-butt action twists and soundtrack-soaked style. At least Kurt Russell was great.[/font] [font=Book Antiqua][size=3][b]6/10[/b][/size][/font]

• Stephen E

  
  Terry Gilliam is in his prime with this wacky and cartoonish fairytale epic that is a true delight to watch. I liked John Neville as the lead, as he was very funny and kind of reminded me of John Hurt.

• Chris B

  
  Surreal and totally Gilliam, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is charming and filled with imaginative imagery that is a wonder to watch. John Neville is captivating in the lead role and all of the characters are filled with their own characteristics and displayed in much depth. The… More
  Surreal and totally Gilliam, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is charming and filled with imaginative imagery that is a wonder to watch. John Neville is captivating in the lead role and all of the characters are filled with their own characteristics and displayed in much depth. The film is pure fantasy and one that children and adults who still have an inner child will get lost in too. Recommended.

• Brandon K

  
  I was pleasantly surprised.

• Stephen E

  
  Terry Gilliam is in his prime with this wacky and cartoonish fairytale epic that is a true delight to watch. I liked John Neville as the lead, as he was very funny and kind of reminded me of John Hurt.

• Ivan D

  
  Star-studded, "acid" adventure spectacle of a film, with director Terry Gilliam lessening some of the "Monty Python" violence to appeal more to general viewers. The film has able to fantastically tell Baron Munchausen's seemingly endless tales of perils and… More
  Star-studded, "acid" adventure spectacle of a film, with director Terry Gilliam lessening some of the "Monty Python" violence to appeal more to general viewers. The film has able to fantastically tell Baron Munchausen's seemingly endless tales of perils and heroism, adding literal depictions of places and landscapes(so, the moon is indeed crescent-shaped). If a budding film buff would ask a recommendation of which film to start within Gilliam's filmography, "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" is the definitive one to begin with, because not only it was much bigger in scale, but it's also a lighthearted take on Gilliam's traditional surrealist touches, compared to his other, much complex and ambiguous films. There were many funny sequences in it, but Robin Williams' "King of Everything" character got the most laugh out of me. "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" was not about the main character's colorful madness, but it is indeed pertaining to the unprecedented power of the imagination that transcends reality.

• hawk l

  
  Munchausen stories providing a framework for some of the most audacious visual fireworks ever to illuminate the silver screen, defying all boundaries of form, dimension, and logic, while on a thematic level, the triumph of imagination over that same logic and reason. Pythonesque humor… More
  Munchausen stories providing a framework for some of the most audacious visual fireworks ever to illuminate the silver screen, defying all boundaries of form, dimension, and logic, while on a thematic level, the triumph of imagination over that same logic and reason. Pythonesque humor aplenty.

• Marion R

  
  This should have been right up my alley, but I just didn't like it. The story dragged and I didn't like any of the characters. it gets a star fro the effects which were quite well.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings