Gilliam slashed at the bloated stomach of the 80's and all its juicy guts spilled forth in this film. All the tidy systemic organs mingling with the filthy, slimy entrails, muddled together on the cutting room floor. He makes no critique of the dystopian/utopian system depicted, only the shared humanity that is haplessly trapped in its process.

"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 all time favorites. Very Orvillion, very dark, and very strange.

One of my favorite movies of all time. Obviously a little too complex for Mr. Ebert.

Great movie!

There's no such a movie. Only one in its kind!

The DVD's sound quality is merely adequate. What else do you get? Oh, only a wonderfully hopeful, unbelievably funny movie that also manages to depress the hell out of you. High art, high entertainment, a great discussion piece, a marvel of a story surrounding its release, what more do you want? Sex? Violence? Why you silly, simple man, it has those too!

Brazil is surely Terry Gilliam's masterpiece. With this surrealistic vision he draws a distorted image of the modern world which shows up the cruelty of the authority of the state and is simultaneously so close to the emotional world of the protagonist that it don't let the viewer go.

A classic cult film, if that is possible.

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 grim...in 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.… Expand

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!… Expand

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.

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.

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!… Expand

Brazil is arguably one of the most amzing pieces of social commentary on film. Its brilliance transcends the screen and permeates into everyday life. The New Republic reviewer can't be trusted to review anything.

This film deserves a place on the Voyagers golden record-plate, if NASA should send its probe after the completion of Brazil!

An all-time classic. Ebert, what were you thinking, man? How can you not get the ducting? It's a simple (and hilarious) metaphor for the ridiculous, rule-bound world of Brazil. At least that's the way I take it.

Brilliant in every way, just dark enough and just thought provoking enough to be interesting without distracting.

When government intrusion runs into every aspect of life, work is intolerably boring, as is entertainment. Technological progress is stunted. The most dangerous enemy of state is a maverick home repairman. The horrors of terrorism are hidden behind portable screens kept handy in public areas (officials apologize about any blood spatter). In Brazil life is so intolerable that escape into a polluted mud hole is cause for joy. Brazil is chilling assessment of the inevitable fruits of socialist attempts at utopia. I love this movie; it scares the hell out of me.… Expand

I gave it a 1 because of Robert DeNiro. Otherwise it was complete crap! Nothing entertaining about it whatsoever. I've seen it on the shelves for years and thought about renting it. Finally I did and now I am sorry that I ever spent any time watching this dud.

A life changing movie- I have, quite literally, never been the same since seeing this movie as an impressionable 20 year old way back in 1986.

Such familiar ideas wouldn't have been a problem had it not been for the lazy and incoherent fashion in which they're put together in Brazil. The film deserves seven points for its distinctly Giliiam quirkyness and for it's often crazy and at times wonderful art direction.

Awful movie. This is one of those movies people who like to appear intelligent say they totally got, but they are lying. This movie doesn't make any sense.

Awful movie. This is one of those movies people who like to appear intelligent say they totally got, but they are lying. This movie doesn't make any sense.

Nothing in my opinion!!!

There are two kinds of kitsch; one that inflates infantilism into grandiloquence and one that reduces serious art into pap. An average dumb Hollywood movie is not kitsch as it well knows its limitations. But, the pompous Brazil is an example of both kinds of kitsch; it turns Orwell's 1984 into a theme park ride and elevates cartoonishness into artsiness. Yet, Gilliam's scope is grand and ambitious, his passion for the cinematic medium and its possibilities genuine. It's the sort of thing you wanna give an A for effort. But, as Gilliam admitted not even having read 1984(nor seen La Jette on which 12 monkeys is based), B- will do fine. … Expand

Love in the time of fascism. A surrealistic story about bureaucracy, romance, abuse of power. This is simply the best movie I've ever seen.

A great movie - brilliant Gilliam as always!

This is one of the most unentertaining movies I have ever seen.

One of the 20 or so movies that I can watch repeatedly over the years. It is a testament to Gilliam's genius that its message and its entertainment remain fresh 20+ years later.

Distopian, bleak, dirty, old, new and at times, funny as all get out; for those who fear for fate of the free world, this movie might just make you cry.

Very boring movie.

Close to a perfect movie but begins to lose focus as some great ideas give way to a formulaic plotline.

Hardly a "pointless" piece. Very good!

For all it's supposed complexity, Brazil is really one big "Duh." Yeah, the visuals are creative, kind of like Gilliam's animations, but they are ultimately just as pointless and poorly crafted. This movie strives for art but is has no craft and the results are often amateurish, like Gilliam was making it up as he went along. Maybe he forgot his ADD medicine. The director fought the Hollywood suits over the ending, making him an artiste among some types, and elevating this movie into more than it really is.… Expand

A parody of Metropolis, except there are obviously no construction codes. Takes the path least travelled, which turns out to be very circuitous but eventually goes to the place least visited, where no one will notice that this film doesn't make a difference. A labor of love perhaps, but a labor nonetheless.

Alas, a film that is arty, but has at least some direction and purpose. There is something about Brazil, and it is that in amongst it's unpredictable evens, likable characters and unsettling imagery it manages not only to be consistenly entertaining but it puts across a strong looming message that we should try as hard as we can to prevent society from becoming something akin to the world it presents. Perhaps the most disturbing thing is that this is remarkebly similar to how the owrld has turned out: plastic surgery, terrorist attacks, endless office jobs. Brazil is a brilliant film and, while not perfect, is worthy of all the acclaim that it has revieved over the years.… Expand

One of the most beautiful movie's I have ever seen. Terry Gilliam is the only director who I feel has been able to take that special feeling you have in a dream and share it with the world. What I loved most was that the romance wasn't erotic or lustful and all. It was honest and in a way childish and idealistic. The view shares the elated emotions of the main character as he meets his dream girl in reality. It felt infinitely more real than any relationship in frankly any movie I've ever seen before.… Expand

This film can readily be interpreted in Lacanian terms: the Imaginary, the Symbolic and the Real; jouissance/enjoyment as an act of rebellion or subversion; the individual imagination vs. the oppressive state. 'Brazil' is very clever and very watchable.

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.… Expand