The tone: Adapted from the 1981 film of the same name, Bandits of time It follows a group of vandals who travel through time in an attempt to steal the greatest riches in history. Along the way, the gang (led by Penelope, played by Lisa Kudrow) encounters Kevin (Kal-El Tuck), a cheerful, fact-loving kid who doesn't quite fit in with his screen-obsessed family.
Throughout their travels, the Supreme Being (Taika Waititi) and Pure Evil (Jemaine Clement), two god-like entities, attempt to recover the plans to the universe (the device that has granted the gang their time-traveling abilities). Ultimately, the Time Bandits must unite to save Kevin's family, and really, the world.
What We Do in the Shadows (from the source material): In 2019, FX adapted Waititi and Clement's vampire mockumentary. What we do in the shadows into a television series that would run for several seasons; although the show bears the same name, it follows different characters and does not attempt to recreate the events of the film. Waititi and Clement must have taken notes, because for their adaptation of Bandits of timehave employed similar tactics.
Beyond the elevator pitch (a boy travels back in time with a group of magical thieves while avoiding this world's version of God and the Devil), the plot of Bandits of time (the Apple TV+ series) is quite different from Bandits of time (the Terry Gilliam movie from the 1980s). The original film seemed largely rooted in Gilliam’s Monty Python background, with scenes that often felt like extended skits infused with a kind of dry, cynical humor (and I mean that as a compliment). The show, meanwhile, feels much more like a TV show aimed at contemporary audiences.
This means that the pacing and tone are intensely modern, and despite having a combined running time that is hours longer than the original film, the series is much more careful with how it uses its precious minutes. While part of the charm of Bandits of time (1981) is the strange and unexpected way the plot develops, such adjustments were probably the right decision to turn the story into a 2024 action-adventure.
The bandits steal your heart: The departures from the source material aren't limited to the show's aesthetics and plot, though, as there's a whole new cast of quirky characters for your viewing pleasure. The new take on the Time Bandits moves away from the gruff, flawed but more or less competent crew of Gilliam's original. Instead, the new gang offers a cast of funny, good-natured and bumbling buffoons, each more lovable than the last.
Time Bandits (Apple TV+)
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