Julian RuncanThe Fisher King: Had It, But Lost It
June 24th 2010 11:03
Although I enjoy them, I feel most Terry Gilliam movies are overrated. They can be incredibly creative and visually interesting, but sometimes they feel like they're being weird just because they can. The Fisher King isn't too exaggerated in this regard, but the film felt inconsistent and unsatisfying.
Anytime the film felt as if it was doing something bold and different, it slumped back into predictable patterns and terrible clichés. At one point I felt this was on purpose, hoping the film had the guts to end poetically on the sad note, but it kept going and everything that I considered interesting crumbled before my eyes into "happily ever after" boredom.
The performances are astounding, Bridges and Williams are at the height of their game, but the material itself was lost upon me. I've always been a sucker for movies with downer endings, and I truly felt that if the film ended about twenty minutes earlier, the message would have been different but much more profound.
If you're in the mood for a well acted tale about redemption and the human spirit, The Fisher King is an alright film. For myself, the story felt as if it wasted much of its momentum by copping out and turning all Disney. Every movie doesn't have to be dark, but when the potential is there to end the film on a note that really makes the audience think, it should be taken.
6.5/10
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