Time Bandits Is a Hilarious, Good-Hearted, Very Waititi-ian Romp: Review

The post Time Bandits Is a Hilarious, Good-Hearted, Very Waititi-ian Romp: Review appeared first on Consequence .

The Pitch: Adapted from the 1981 film of the same name, Time Bandits follows a rag-tag team of hooligans bouncing around through time in an effort to steal history’s greatest riches. Along the way, the gang (kinda-sorta led by Lisa Kudrow ’s Penelope) runs into Kevin (Kal-El Tuck), a gleeful, factoid-loving kid who doesn’t quite fit in with his screen-obsessed family.

Throughout their journeys, The Supreme Being ( Taika Waititi ) and Pure Evil ( Jemaine Clement ), two God-like entities, attempt to steal back the blueprints to the universe (the device that has granted the gang their time-hopping abilities). Ultimately, the Time Bandits must band together to save Kevin’s family and, really, the world.

What We Do in the Shadows (of Original Source Material): In 2019, FX adapted Waititi and Clement’s vampire mockumentary film What We Do in the Shadows into a television series that would go on to span multiple seasons; though the show bears the same name, it follows different characters and makes no attempt to recreate the events of the film. Waititi and Clement must have taken notes, because for their adaptation of Time Bandits , they’ve employed similar tactics.

Beyond the elevator pitch — a kid travels time with a group of magical thieves while avoiding this world’s version of both God and the devil — the plot of Time Bandits (the Apple TV+ series) differs quite a bit from Time Bandits (the ’80s Terry Gilliam joint). The original film felt largely rooted in Gilliam’s Monty Python background, with scenes often coming across like extended sketches steeped in a sort of dry, cynical humor (and I mean that as a compliment). Meanwhile, the show feels, well, much more like a television show aimed at contemporary audiences.

This means that the pacing and tone is intensely modern, and despite having a combined runtime that is hours longer than the original film, the series is much more careful with how it uses its precious minutes. While part of the charm of Time Bandits (1981) is the bizarre, unexpected way in which the plot unfurls, such adjustments were likely the right call for turning the tale into a 2024 action-adventure.

The Bandits Steal Your Heart: The deviations from the source material don’t stop with the show’s aesthetics and plot, however, as there’s an entirely new cast of wacky characters for your viewing pleasure. The new iteration of the Time Bandits pivots away from the gruff, imperfect but more-or-less competent crew of Gilliam’s original. Instead, the new gang offers a cast of hilarious, good-hearted, bumbling buffoons, each more lovable than the last.

Time Bandits (Apple TV+)

There’s the quiet and aspirational Judy (Charlyne Yi), the theatrical Alto (Tadhg Murphy), the deadpan Widgit (Roger Jean Nsengiyumva), and the oafish Bittelig (Rune Temte). The memorable characters aren’t contained within the time-traveling team either, as Tuck offers up a deeply compelling lead performance for such a young actor, Kiera Thompson is extremely enjoyable as Kevin’s incredibly British sister, and Waititi and Clement perfectly play to their strengths for their respective roles.

This is all without mentioning the supporting cast, which boasts enough historical bit characters to fill an ancient village (especially in Episode 6 and Episode 7). As a result, even when a joke doesn’t fully land or the plot takes a detour that’s not quite as exciting, you’re still entirely bought in. Sure, they might have almost nabbed the Trojan horse, but the Time Bandits greatest heist was stealing viewers’ hearts.

Bloody Enjoyable, Innit?: Luckily, the show has far more to offer than great characters. While Time Bandits likely could have coasted off of the many charismatic performances and still emerged as an intensely watchable show, the writing more than holds its own, particularly when it comes to the jokes.

While clearly indebted to the comedic stylings of Monty Python (as Waititi and Clement recently told Consequence ), the series is much more in line with the Kiwis’ own idiosyncratic type of humor. Fans of their past work (like What We Do in the Shadows , Flight of the Conchords , or Thor: Ragnorok ) are sure to immediately click with the show’s sense of funny; the quips are off the charts, the silliness is downright absurd, and there’s just enough darkness thrown into the mix to offset the whimsy. (It’s like the opposite of a spoonful of sugar — a little bitterness helps the uncut sweetness go down.)

Time Bandits (Apple TV+)

The Verdict: The final result is a show that makes good on the cliché promise of being fun for all ages. Gen X parents can enjoy a healthy hit of nostalgia while new audiences can fall in love with the story for the first time. More than merely modernizing the references and humor, the series explores the themes of Time Bandits from a fresh perspective. The critiques on consumerism and modern parenting remain, but while the feature roots itself in a noticeable cynicism, Waititi and Clement imbue the story with a humanistic touch. For a 2024 adaptation of an ’80s flick, that’s a pretty radical move.

Time Bandits is far from a perfect translation of the beloved film — and thank god for that. It cleverly and successfully carves out its own identity while paying homage to the spirit of Gilliam’s original vision. Rather than visit the past, it forges its own worthwhile future.

Where’s It Playing? Time Bandits premieres Wednesday, July 24th on Apple TV+ .

Trailer:

Time Bandits Is a Hilarious, Good-Hearted, Very Waititi-ian Romp: Review
Jonah Krueger