User Reviews

If the idea was to adapt Orwell's dystopia -1984- then the result is as close as possible. Set in a bureaucratic tyranny, the story looks like a madman's dream, and fits quite well into the fiction genre.

A wonderful criticism of modern bureaucracy, “Brazil” underscores the need for humanity and reasoning to accompany the soulless and heartless machine we are running. Believe it or not, Capitalism has a place for the consumer; one of respect and consideration; one where the client is correct, their needs are tended to, and all parties profit from it. Have you been to a McDonald’s recently? Doubtless their servers have made a mistake or two in your order from time to time. If you report these errors to their management, they tend to immediately replace your purchase, for free, and apologize. Charity does exist in business and can even lead to more profit. Brazil’s absurdity magnifies the issues of paperwork and administrators, but not as excessively as you’d imagine. Many working people are incredibly detached from reality, and are desperate to return to human nature (or to a semblance of reason and security). It’s no surprise, then, that the heroes of this story are those who calmly defy the current order. In contrast, the film also presents incredibly immature people in positions of incredible power, demonstrating the immense harm they can do if not confronted. After all, the protagonist has the mental development of a fifteen year old, exactly like so many of our current day politicians and celebrities! Brazil’s brilliant use of props, environments, color and lighting allow us to detach from existence, while still delivering an entertaining, deeper meaning regarding our reality and the people in it.

Truly a gem of a film. A beautiful, bizarre, dreamlike work of surrealist cinema. Gilliam combines absurd dark humor with a thought-provoking bureaucratic dystopian retro future unlike any one else. At times, it is hard to follow (hence the negative reviews, which I empathize with). But it is all done to convey the importance of "dreaming," making a case for existence of art (especially cinema) in a world that is often lost in rigid rules, unsympathetic regulations, and "what you see is what you get" coldness. It's a film that gives a feast for the eyes while you sometimes scratch your head wondering what its all about. Once you contextualize it within this thematic framework (the magic of cinema at its core - a visual fantasy/dream), the film leaves a hauntingly beautiful impact. Gilliam simply does it in a way most "artsy for the sake of art" filmmakers simply can't, by making it actually worth the effort to think a bit longer after the final frame. Of course, as with all Gilliam efforts, the world-building and mise-en-scene are second to none. And the performances are incredible from everyone in the cast, top to bottom. If you are a cinephile, this should be at the top of your "must-watch" list.

This is like a weird dystopian nightmare - less V for Vendetta and more 1984-ish, with a heavy emphasis on 'Big Brother' and government ministries. I knew it'd likely be a bit weird but it really is rather bonkers and there's not much context or information provided to the viewer as it goes on - we have to guess things as and when. I recognised a number of well known comedian/actors, including Bob Hoskins, Gorden Kaye, Michael Palin and of course Robert DeNiro. There is some witty dialogue present but its not what I'd call a particularly accessible film - its very quirky and surreal with a weighty feel to it, so you have to be in the right sort of mood for it I suppose. It's very much a film about corporate and indeed government based bureaucracy. It's quite dark in terms of the themes covered and the visual look of the film - most settings are in barely lit dark rooms. I suppose it does well at putting an oppresive feel across. I did laugh a bit at the scenes depicting a worker or manager being hounded by a gang of other workers asking him questions, as he rushed down a long, long hall, reminiscent of MPs being hounded by the press I suppose (not that I feel sorry for them most of the time), due to the upbeat music played during these sequences. There's an element of riddle present in some of whats said and given this film dates from the mid 1980s, its visually somewhat dated, a little like Blade Runner, only without the flying cars obviously. This is quite a niche sort of a film - not one that will likely appeal to too many people, certainly on first watch. I wouldn't really recommend this as such, as I don't think its the kind of film that will appeal to many unless your really in the mood for something off-centre.

Brazil is one of the best adaptations of dystopias. Stylistically, the film is very similar to 1984. The world in which bureaucracy is elevated to absolute. And although the plot cannot be called holistic, it is both protracted and sometimes tedious. The end of the film is very long and delusional, which only spoils the impression of the film.

The critics love this movie, but somehow I didnt enjoy it much. I guess it is too surrealistic. I didnt like the protagonist Sam Lowry and his teenage like behaviour to another character I didnt like, Jill Layton, who was half a man. So of course I didnt like their "love" also. And somehow the movie felt very long. Also the visual effects and sets needed much bigger budget in my view, because they look cheaply. The dystopian and bureaucratic world is well made though and something you will not forget so fast. And also there are some popular actors.

This was probably one of the best, darkest comedy that I have watched that had a couple of down sides which I will get into.First of all the world that they are showing us was amazingly crafted and incredibly interesting , society is pretty much the worse nightmare for Orwell, Kafka and Huxley where the entire premise is a bureaucratic nightmare + Authoritarian Regime where people have incredible apathy towards the world around them. Daily bombings? Lets just continue shopping baby, a guy got wrongly killed because we made a document mistake? What are you talking about we don't make mistakes around here do we gov'nah?. The world is pretty much the most interesting part of the movie , the characters not so much sadly. The main character was good and so were most of the supporting roles except Julie which was played by a robot(if that was the point Bravo) and sadly the movie is pretty long for its own good but the worth was totally the wait because the end was really well made and was realistic for the world that they lived in , only if they have made it shorter and got a better female lead it would've been perfect.9/10

I am really surprised about the number of positive reviews for this film !! it's one of the worst movies I've ever watched, I felt confused (what's going on?!) until the end of film, even the jokes were so silly. I know the film is talking about satirizing the dystopian society, but it was so messy and you don't know what's going on or why !! maybe if you watched it at that time you will like it, who knows! On my advice, don't waste 2 hours of your life on it.

One of Gilliam's more coherent efforts but includes his trademark lunacy. Pryce is good.

A unquestionably bizarre film, "Brazil" at first seems like an improvisation on Orwell's 1984, a funnier 1984, and ends up being like nothing else ever made by anyone, anywhere. An average fellow, the son of a rich, decadent woman, who works for the Ministry of Information, gets caught up in a series of bureaucratic nightmares inflicted by a heartless, tyrannical, uber-government. He fantasizes about flying thru the air, confronting demons dressed like samurai robots, and of a pretty blonde, who turns up in his life one day, the member of a rebel group. There was some controversy about "Brazil" back in the day because of its liberal use of terrorist bombings and its misanthropic character sketches. The story is nothing all that brilliant, but the visuals are magnificently dystopian, with fantastic, gritty, futuristic urban sets, pipes and ducts tumbling out of walls, police in **** garb, and depictions of luxury. I read somewhere that this movie was the beginning of the steampunk aesthetic. Bravo, Terry Gilliam!

Though more impressive from a visual standpoint than for tight plotting, Terry Gilliam's dystopian masterpiece is as much Orwellian nightmare as it is dark comedy. Jonathan Pryce's turn as the emasculated Sam Lowry is a delight to watch. When not entrenched in the grey, monochromatic offices in the Ministry of Information, Lowry is soaring like Icarus in the paradise of his imagination, the only respite from the repressive bureaucracy which dominates every aspect of society. Like "1984," but with a wicked sense of humor, Gilliam's "Brazil" is bound to captivate audiences for generations to come.

Terry Gilliam probably signs his best film. A dystopian future, where work, obedience to the government and the infernal bureaucracy dominates, a man has the courage to challenge the system, allowing himself to love a woman freely, meeting his tragic fate. The citations to 1984 written by Orwell are obvious, just as the citations to other great movies like Armor Potemkin are clear and make you realize the genius of a director who was too underrated.

Simultaneously the second entry into Terry Gilliam's "Trilogy of Imagination" and the first entry in his "Dystopian Trilogy", Brazil is a masterwork of pure satirical genius. More aligned with modern day America than I am comfortable to admit, Brazil is a cautionary tale of government control where freedom is assumed, but is merely an illusion. Working in the Ministry of Information, Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) is a lowly worker who just does as he is told and keeps plugging along with no aspirations for anything better. Except, he keeps having dreams where he is a winged angel and trying to save a mystery girl. Learning that this girl is Jill Layton (Kim Greist), Sam tries to find her, only to discover that the government believes her to be a violent terrorist. Now, he must subvert the government to find the girl that he loves. A visually rich and thematically dense film, Brazil is a hard nut to crack and though this review will make it sound like I know what I am talking about, allow me to assure you that the opposite is in fact true. In my review of Time Bandits, the first entry in the "Trilogy of Imagination", I highlighted one of the major themes in that work as being materialism. With a psychotic obsession towards material items over their own child, Kevin's parents in that film ignore him at all costs. Gilliam continues this thematic discussion in Brazil, except it takes on a particularly politically charged tone. During the Cold War, the American government equated the communists with being godless heathens. Therefore, to be truly godly, one must be a capitalist. As such, spending and material goods are good and a glory to God. Throughout the film, Gilliam critiques this idea with a visual motif **** blue cross in various shots, but also takes shots at the biggest glorification to capitalism in existence: Christmas. Setting Brazil during Christmas time allowed Gilliam to adorn each scene with a reference to the gift giving holiday. Everybody in the film has some asinine gift they are carrying or give to another person. Sam receives presents from nearly everybody he sees in the film and it is never something he truly wants. Interesting to note as well that nobody says "Merry Christmas" in the film, rather they always say "Happy Christmas". However, Gilliam ensures that this is a religious critique during a sequence in a shopping mall. One boy is carrying what appears to be a folder that reads, "Consumers for Christ" on the cover. Similar to the glowing blue cross, this folder is also blue. Highlighting the capitalist indoctrination disguised as Christianity, Gilliam decries the linking together of religion and mindless consumption above all else. This is further emphasized through Sam's mother (Katherine Helmond) and her friend Mrs. Terrain (Barbara Hicks). The two are constantly getting face lifts to look younger and while Mrs. Lowry's goes fine, Mrs. Terrain is constantly shown with bandages due to her complications having complications. For Gilliam, this is a way of punishing the vanity and mindless materialism and consumption that has gone on in our present society. This is further underscored in a callback to Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin and the famous Odessa steps sequence. In that famous sequence, people are gunned down on the Odessa steps by guards and, as she runs down, a mother's baby carriage gets stuck and begins to tumble down the steps. Gilliam takes this scene as inspiration towards the end as Sam has a dream about escaping from the prison he is held in. During his breakout - with the help of Archibald "Harry" Tuttle (Robert De Niro) - the guards in the Ministry of Information are shooting at the escapees from the stairs and begin walking down them. As they do, a vacuum tumbles down the steps akin to the baby carriage in Battleship Potemkin. Here, Gilliam creates a parallel between the baby and the vacuum, in essence saying that we now serve machines and the system, instead of our children and one another. Our purpose and focus in life has shifted from each other to the soulless machines in the name of innovation. This is further confirmed, in hindsight, by a sequence earlier in the film. The chief torturer of the Ministry of Information is a friend of Sam's named Jack (Michael Palin). While visiting with Jack, Sam sees Jack speak to one of his three children. During this conversation, Jack calls the girl "Amy" and later "Chloe", despite the girl's protests that she is actually "Holly". He seems disinterested and makes a crack about never really knowing anymore. For Jack and for everybody else living in this dystopian society, the only things that matter are work, consumption, and maintaining the status quo determined by those in power. All else fall by the waste side, especially family. Viewed in conjunction with the vacuum/baby carriage parallel, it is clear that Gilliam wishes to highlight this as a major fault in our present society.

It is one of those science-fiction motion pictures people may not have seen for many years, a remarkable cinematography, sets and greatest direction by Terry Gilliam, full of images that you need to experience with and those images have representations. If someone who is a Monty Python fan, I highly recommend this.

Terry Gilliam's Brazil is a highly engaging black comedy that uses a dystopian society as its backdrop, and puts a unique twist on the genre, and through Gilliam's camera lens, it's a truly bizarre and memorable vision. The dystopian genre is very interesting, and it's one that is always exciting to see what they'll come up with it. With Brazil you have something totally different, you have hints of humor thrown into the film's storyline, and it adds something to the enjoyment of the film. Dystopian society films are often dark, nightmarish portraits of a society, but with this film we get something very different. The formula here has been reworked to give the storyline a bit more range than your standard dystopian film, and in turn it makes for a truly engaging experience. In the hands of Terry Gilliam, you have a well crafted picture with some truly stellar performances from its cast, especially from lead actor Jonathan Pryce who lights up every scene that he's in. Brazil is a great film, one that succeeds at delivering a different take on your standard dystopian society film, and in the hands of Terry Gilliam, he crafts a standout picture that is sure to please genre fans looking for something a bit different. Brazil is eccentric in the way that it's told, and it makes for a truly entertaining two and a half hours. If you enjoy Gilliam's work, you're sure to enjoy this. What makes Brazil great is the fact that it has your standard dark, atmospheric elements than are synonymous with the genre, but there are also lighter touches comic relief to really make it stand out among other films. Brazil is great filmmaking and one of the finest dystopian society films I've seen. With a great mix of comedy and serious content, Brazil is a standout genre film that elevates the bar and makes for a truly worthwhile viewing experience. I have thought of my own reason why this movie is called Brazil/ the ending, reason 1, obviously is that the song 'Brazil' is played numerous times throughout the film. Reason 2: So, I've never been to Brazil and when I look up Google images and I see these beautiful pictures of Rio de Janeiro etc. and the amazing weather, it just looks like the dream place to live, a **** apparently it's a pretty dangerous place to live, with the slums it has a pretty high death rate, you have to be smart and know what streets are safe to walk down ect. It's safe to pressume Brazil is a False paradise. Just like the end of the film is a false paradise for Sam. He's living the perfect life in his mind with his dream girl away from all the faulty machinery that's been ruining his whole **** in reality, he's not in paradise, he's strapped in a chair without a state of mind. And to top things off he hums the song Brazil before the credits role indicating that he's in a false paradise.?

Brazil is such an amazingly imaginative film, it makes you wonder how it ever managed to get produced. The direction takes you on this stunning roller coaster ride through a dystopia theme park. The dark humor works great, with the world being so terribly bad that it is more ridiculously funny than horrifying. All-in-all Brazil is one of those films where you have to see it, even if you end up not liking it, to at least have seen it.

Terry Gilliam is out of his mind - that almost goes without saying. But the answer to whether or not his insanity is genius or just deeply incomprehensible may lie somewhere in "Brazil." Killing it on nearly every technical aspect of filmmaking -- sets, makeup, costuming, cinematography, vfx -- and providing a tidal wave of hard-to-swallow narrative threads, Gilliam's 1985 epic is quite the head-scratcher, but a pretty one at that.

'Brazil', for its Pythonesque surrealism and farcical humour, is quite prophetic; this Orwellian black comedy depicts the ludicrous, overly bureaucratic society that the United States is converting, maybe already converted, into. It's almost a frightening prospect I think many of us will have to accept. To find the similarities was certainly terrifying for me.

It's hard to explain for some, why they love this movie. For me, it's hard to capture the movie in few sentences, it's almost impossible. In my opinion the best movie ever made, Lawrence of Arabia has a scale no movie has, Brazil however, comes right behind Lawrence. It's not the longest movie and it doesn't have the most complicated story, but it's great storytelling makes this movie multilayered. The more you think of it, the better it gets and not to mention it's catchy theme song, that you whistle weeks after you have seen it. I will not even try to explain the story as it has so many interpretations including my own, so the best you can do is to go see it.

Terri Gilliam has a unique vision that he brings to all his films. Having seen Brazil after 12 monkeys and Fear and Loathing this was not unexpected. However both those films are relatively simple and straightforward compared to this one. Everything about this film adds up eventually. But along the way a lot of things seem strange and out of place. This helps add to the atmosphere of a capitalist bureaucracy run amok. Indeed some of the simplest things make for the most disturbing of scenes. Whether its a truck driving between two walls of advertisements, unable to see beyond. Or the occasional double take scene where the main protagonists nightmares are gradually stepping into reality. Or the simple yes/no decision maker present people give each other everything about this film it some way relates to a different concept or theme than the one that is being shown at the time. It is a terrifying vision to be sure. Masterfully executed.

Another favorite, Brazil is well written, well acted, well made, and very funny. If you were a fan of Time Bandits you should enjoy this. Funny when it needs to be, but smart when it must be. This is a re-watchable film with a great comedian, Terry Gilliam, behind it.

Too bizarre and creepy at times for its own good, Brazil is nevertheless worth seeing for its undeniable originality and incredible set pieces. First things first. This is one strange movie. It's completely out of its mind. This is at once its cardinal flaw and the reason why it's so vividly memorable. Disturbing tones and strange characters abound. It's extremely successful at freaking you out but it does this way too often for my taste. The world in Brazil is incredibly unique, with out of this world art direction and one of the cruelest dystopian societies ever displayed in cinema history. No one could ever possibly feel safe or comfortable residing in this over-controlling and paranoid dictatorship. The film is filled with impressive visuals, tense scenes, and expert direction, but it's also pretty funny at times. This however doesn't deny it of emotional resonance. I liked Brazil a lot more after seeing it as a whole rather than in separate pieces. Even if it isn't completely logical and isn't really a pleasant vision of the future it's still worth a look if you don't mind a movie with some screws loose in its head.

A clever and satyric dystopia exposing the troubles of bureaucracy and other ills of modern society. Sometimes it looks like a grotesque comedy and sometimes it is really scary in it's totalitarian terror with a surrealistic touch of Terry Gilliam. So I believe the movie was actual back in 1985 and still it is actual nowadays.

One of the best movies I have ever seen. It is astounding, every aspect of this film is brilliant. A lot lot people say it is boring, stupid and hard to follow, don't believe them, watch it yourself. Maybe you will see the masterpiece.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

A surprisingly and, it has to be said, disappointingly confusing film. Despite the fact that, in its attempt to convey the nightmare of a dystopian world, this film was wildly exciting for its time, a modern audience perhaps less obsessed and, indeed, excited by negativity would find it difficult to follow. It targets a very niche audience, for whom I'm sure it interesting in its 'ostensible' ambivalence; however, as a universal film that is, one which is available and accessible to the masses it fails on a fundamental level: the plot line is insecure; it seems rushed and hurried, the proper planning of a film simply cast into the dystopian nightmare itself. No doubt, the integral themes and comments are there, but, ultimately, the watcher is so frustrated by the nonsensical plot line that any attempts to appreciate it are simply not worth the effort.

One of the best movies I've seen. Brazil is very complicated and 'hard' movie to understand. It's highly detailed and every scene has something that symbolizes something. The bureaucracy has taken control of everything and everyone works all day long and don't know for what. Capitalism is everywhere and the people have been divided into castes. Then there comes the protagonist and decides to go outside the 'box' and be free. Or at least try to. A brilliant story. But not for everyone. You should still watch it and see if you like it!

The conflict and contrast between humanity and efficiency is at the film's core. Set in a dark dystopia where the only escape is through the protagonists own twisted fantasies.

"Brazil" is such a bizarre and frantic movie that nobody can follow its pace. The story basically revolves on the same idea as well as focusing on unnecessary parts. Ultimately, despite the powerful ending, its a ideological mess.

One of my favourite films of all time. In some ways it could be viewed as a horror film, as well as being darkly satirical. It sure as hell scared me.

This is one of those movies that I (stubbornly) try to show people, and get upset when they think it's stupid, even though I know better. It's not for everyone. I can watch Brazil over and over and over again. It's funny as hell but also frankly depresses me at the same time because it strikes so close to home. It comes across as over the top but it's really not as silly as it seems. Some would say that it gets lost in itself, doesn't make sense, or something like that, not saying that i "get it" but I admit that I do get that guilty feeling of self-assurant cynicism that I do indeed see the message that the movie is trying to send to its audience. It's a bit of "preaching to the choir" but I think that it is still funny/pretty/interesting enough for the masses, at least for the time... Held up to today's standards, it doesn't stand a chance, unfortunately.. But I still recommend this movie to punk rockers, fans of dystopian/orwellian fiction, Monty Python fans, drunks, sci-fi weirdos, people with a real sense of humor, or anybody with an open mind, hell, anyone with a mind at all... Watch Brazil!

I originally saw Brazil when I was 8 or 9 years old, and man did that movie leave a mark on my psyche. For years I thought about its images until one day I tracked it down at Blockbuster and re-watched it. This movie joins the many groundbreaking films that bombed at the box office and only achieved greatness in retrospect (for many at least). This is definitely Gilliam's masterpiece (for now) and shows off his strengths and the caliber of imagination that he possesses. Brazils dystopian society is nothing new, Orwell wrote of 1984 and this movie is inspired by his book. It takes many of the fears/concepts of 1984 and modernizes them, eventually leaving behind the source of inspiration and developing into its own mythos. The movie reflects a much distorted look at what humanity and society can become and views the world through twisted, fun-house mirror lenses. The effect is definitely more shocking in how he takes very ordinary things, like an automated printer that can issue a warrant for arrest, and shows just how dangerous it can be to take the human elements out of society in an attempt to make things run "smoothly and sterile". He is definitely trying to make a point at what terrifies him in the modern world: past, present, and future; but underneath all the social commentary is really a story about a man who wants to be free in many ways. Sam Lowry is a man with no joy in life; having a unsatisfying job, living in a overly bureaucratic, fear-mongering society, along with his materialistic and superficially-obsessed mother who has never heard of the word nepotism. His life is crushingly without options, and so he does what many do, fantasizes about another life, another world. This of course leads him to trouble and as the story progresses, things become **** a darkly funny way. The movie is essentially a comedy, although of the darker kind. Not so much in a gross or unbelievable kind of way, but more in a frighteningly plausible form that does not poke but stab at the fabric of our current society. The movie is not for everyone, especially if you can't take a good jab from something that may not sit well with your established view of the world. In order to help enjoy this movie, being open to many possibilities is important, as this movie likes to shake up the established order. The cast is excellent, with strong performances from pretty much everyone, but then seeing the caliber of actors in the movie, its no wonder. Michael Palin is frighteningly nonchalant/creepy in his "business as usual" demeanor, and you can't help but pity poor Sam Lowry as a doomed dreamer whom you have the sneaking suspicion that his life won't end well. Brazil is a movie that very few people would have the guts to make. Gilliam to me isn't a director as much as an artist, and depending on how you view the purpose of movies and the role of directors, this can be a good or a bad thing. To me a director tries to make a movie that the public might want to see, while an artist makes a movie that he wants to see. Self indulgent or not, whenever Gilliam makes a movie, I sit back and let him tell me his tale. Whether I like it or not is not that important, as I would rather watch an unfiltered story from the source, as opposed to something that has been through the "demographic machine". Watch this movie, a person like Terry Gilliam comes around very rarely.