Brazil is a wild, wild ride. Terry Gilliam was one of the lesser members of Monty Python, who mostly did the animations for them. I was a huge Python fan growing up, so when I first heard about Terry Gilliam doing “real” movies I wondered how they could be serious. The animations he did were very funny and well-done, but they were kind of senseless and really had no meaning. Kind of like doodles. Anyway… fast forward to whenever it was when I saw Twelve Monkeys (a more recent Gilliam movie). I was really impressed! I don’t know why I didn’t see Brazil sooner. Brazil is an artistic masterpiece by any reasonable person’s standards! It is kind of a mini-epic set in an utterly bizarre world which is stylized down to the most minute detail to Gilliam’s liking. You can see a lot of the nonsensical brilliance from the Python animations coming through in the wacky settings and devices that are in this film. I love it when films are shot on sets that have been exhaustively designed and put together just for the movie and it seems like most of the sets are like that here. The constant mockery of technology is hilarious and brilliantly thought out. It’s not really futuristic so much as it is an overgrown version of “old-tech” that has been pushed to absurd limits. Gilliam is probably insane, but aren’t all the best artists?

Overall, the movie does not have a happy feel at all, however, it is not depressing. It is fun, through and through. At many times during the film I was laughing out loud. Some parts were histerical. Film buffs (okay, anyone who’s taken film 101) should recognize the funniest spoof of Eisenstein’s “Battleship Potemkin” ever created! The main reason this movie shines is because it is strikingly original and it succeeds in holding your attention throughout the ride. Jonathan Pryce is fantastic and I don’t know how the Academy Awards didn’t give this movie anything. Robert DeNiro is great, too. I wanted to write this review before watching the commentary so I could get my original reaction down. I’m sure after hearing Gilliam’s commentary I will appreciate this movie even more! I give Brazil 5 out of 5 stars!