Common Sense Note
Parents should know this film, while lighthearted, deals with the theme of separation of siblings, the threat that the youngest child could be turned into a goblin, and some mostly childish dangers (like being covered in a bad smell that lasts forever). Also, some of the creatures may disturb younger kids.
Families who watch this video may want to use it as a jumping off point to read other far-out fantasy tales, such as Alice in Wonderland.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Charles Cassady, Jr.
Want to see something truly surreal? How about Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) running through a bright-white fantasy landscape with David Bowie and a bunch of gobliny Muppets?
Yes, it is just that weird, and in some ways, just that good.
A teenaged Connelly plays Sarah, a modern teenager steeped in medieval fantasy lore, who doesn't like babysitting her tiny stepbrother Toby. So one day she wishes that goblins would take him away. Jareth (David Bowie), the Goblin King, hears this and does exactly that, kidnapping the tyke into his otherworldly realm; he plans to add Toby (who seems to be having fun) to his band of goblins.
Sarah immediately regrets her wish, but Jareth says she can regain Toby only by finding his castle, perched in the center of an immense labyrinth. While exploring the labyrinth, Sarah meets an assortment of puzzles, perils and semi-comical creatures. Some monsters, like an apelike giant called Ludo, are friendly, while others are under Jareth's control, ordered to thwart Sarah. When she finally confronts Jareth, Sarah has the confidence and belief to defy him and get her baby brother back.
Sound like a funky version of Alice in Wonderland? It is. And that's where its fun lies.
Labyrinth bursts with imagination and playful weirdness in a way that's both delightful and a little too far-out. The movie showcases the artistry of Jim Henson, and features some of his most complex Muppets. Beyond Muppets, director Henson turns a simple collection of human hands into a lively and expressive wall of faces when Sarah stumbles across their lair.
This is puppetry at its finest, and the filmmakers ensure that none of the monsters are too monstrous, but always impressive. One massive, sword-wielding creature turns out to be just a robot with a silly little goblin perched in its cockpit helmet.
The plot isn't quite up to the visuals. It meanders as much as Sarah does, and leads up to a final face-off with the Goblin King that's a confused fizzle.
In a screening group comprised of both children and adults, viewers of different ages liked watching Labyrinth. But some aspects certainly appealed more to grownups, especially the appearance of rock-music icon Bowie (in a fright wig), who also wrote several songs for the soundtrack.
This is a movie that was so popular after its release that it was produced as a play in schools across the country. So just turn off your mind and watch the fun unfold.
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ViolenceMonster roughhousing, tussling and sword fighting, but nothing too serious. |
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LanguageMild, with a few "hells" and "damns." |
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