Labyrinth

Starring: David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly
Directed by: Jim Henson
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
1986

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A teenager (Jennifer Connelly) is upset she has to watch her baby brother, so she asks the goblins to come and take him away. The Goblin King (David Bowie) actually does show up, and steals away her brother. Now, she must enter and solve the Labyrinth if she ever hopes to see her brother again.

Review:

Tim: Labyrinth is an 80's movie that has become even more beloved by many in the 20+ years since its initial release. I was always a bit surprised by how much love is heaped on this movie. Yes, there is a lot to like here, and the 80's nostalgia should never be underestimated, but I don't see why this movie is looked upon as a classic. Yes, it is a good movie, and there are some impressive features, but as a whole, it isn't exactly a masterpiece. Still, this is a good movie, and one of the better 80's fantasy films.

Jim Henson (how did I not know that he was a director?) directs his first film since the similar The Dark Crystal, and has improved upon that film greatly. This movie does feature some excellent elements- the amazing adventure an average, everyday teenager goes through to rescue her baby brother, a seemingly endless cast of puppets, which are certainly impressive and oftentimes beautiful to look at, and even some 80's-tastic music numbers. These all work together to create a memorable, entertaining story.

The cast is pretty good, too- there are really only two human characters (the other humans, besides the baby brother are forgettable, and have almost no screen time). David Bowie is a bit of an uncoventional choice to play the Goblin King, but he does a good job. He makes the character his own, and in many ways, I can't imagine another actor bringing this character to life nearly as well. Bowie even gets a chance to sing a number of songs, which I supposed made sense in 1986. Jennifer Connelly gives a very good performance in only her fourth feature film. This movie depended so much on her giving a good performance. She is obviously still quite young, but is impressive despite her age. I enjoyed her throughout this movie, and she worked well with both the human actors and the puppets (which is probably not the easiest thing in the world). This movie works because she is so good.

Labyrinth is an entertaining fantasy movie. Yes, the last 20 years haven't been exactly kind to it (it is certainly dated and a bit goofy). The musical numbers have a tendency to run on a bit long. I believe this movie is a bit flawed, but still a good movie. The movie is worth watching purely for the amazing puppets created by Jim Henson. For better or worse, this is a classic 1980s movie, and it is worth seeing.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Dark Crystal