Parents' Guide to

Time Bandits

By Paul Trandahl, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Fun fantasy has a bit of bite.

Movie PG 1981 110 minutes
Time Bandits Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 11+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Matt F.
Matt F. Adult
January 21, 2022
age 18+

Occultism and Scary

My parent let me watch when I was young and I had nightmares, I watched it when I was older… and I found out why. This movie is full of scary occultism/satanic visuals. I would never let my two kids watch this.
1 person found this helpful.
Jack M.
Jack M. Adult
January 16, 2017
age 11+

Disturbing

I saw this movie when I was 6 years old. I was imeaditly freaked out! ------------------------------------------- Spolier------------------------------------------ When I saw his parents explode after touching the "Evil" I didn't sleep for days. I would not let anyone over 10 see this movie.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In TIME BANDITS, young Kevin is fascinated by history, but his materialistic parents are too busy planning their dream kitchen to pay attention. When a group of bickering dwarves appears in Kevin's bedroom, he's in for the history lesson of his life. The dwarves are time bandits, former employees of the Supreme Being who have stolen his map of time and space and plan to loot history of its greatest treasures. Kevin joins them through a time hole, and is soon rubbing shoulders with such luminaries as Napoleon, Robin Hood (John Cleese), and Agamemnon (Sean Connery), as well as giants and ogres. The Evil Genius, the Supreme Being's nasty rival, lures the group into his Fortress of Ultimate Darkness and steals the map so he can destroy the world. Now the time bandits must recover the map and prevent armageddon.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (7):

This movie is an enjoyable romp meant to appeal to the adventurous child in everyone. Directed by "Monty Python's Flying Circus" animator Terry Gilliam, Time Bandits takes its young hero on an absurdist tour through various times and places in history. A considerable vein of black humor and irreverence runs through the movie, giving it a sharp edge not often found in kids' fantasies.

The film's look is and special effects are impressive and imaginative, but the plot and characters are somewhat inconsistent and the satire is frequently harsh. Older kids may find the black humor hilarious, but it's questionable viewing for the very young. Still, the film's virtues easily outweigh its flaws and it's a perfect movie for those who prefer their fantasy with a bit of bite.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how humor of this nature, somewhat satirical and dark, often has very serious things to say. Did you detect any serious themes behind Time Bandits, such as questioning authority, the nature of the universe, or the nature of time?

Movie Details

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