Beyond Monty Python, Gilliam's early productions were for the most part badly realised, marred by bad scripts and inconsistent narratives. More recently, with 12 Monkeys and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Gilliam's unique directorial style has been attached to projects with better writing, better acting and in which creative editing was part of the appeal. Unfortunately The Brothers Grimm immediately exhibits the kind of awkward performances that suggest a return to bad form.

Will and Jake Grimm (Damon and Ledger) are travelling conmen, they instigate rumours of supernatural happenings then, for a price, offer their services as ghostbusters. Meanwhile the ruthless Napoleonic governor, Delatombe (Pryce), seeks to bring reason and rationality to the French-occupied German territories. When a rumour spreads that children are being abducted from the village of Marbaden , Delatombe apprehends the brothers Grimm and commands them to solve the mystery or face trial for their own crimes. Will is convinced he is on the trail of a fellow conman but Jake quickly realises that all may not be as it seems.

The film's shortcomings are frequent and glaring; Gilliam is once again haunted by plot-holes and inconsistencies; Stormare's sleazy villain undergoes a sharp personality change without explanation, and the developing rivalry between the brothers is badly paced. Even more problematic, the film struggles to find its audience. In his effort to capture the darkness of the original stories, Gilliam includes some truly horrific scenes that make the film unsuitable for children and yet at times the characters play for laughs on a very childish level. Like last year's Van Helsing it is pitched too darkly for younger audiences but lacks sufficient depth and humour to keep older viewers interested. This is possibly the result of a compromise between Gilliam and the film's executive producers, Miramax's Weinstein brothers. Nevertheless, what Gilliam does better than almost anyone else in the industry, is create fantastic settings for his films and the gorgeously rich fairy-tale backdrops give The Brothers Grimm a great deal of charm.

With the help of production designer, Guy Hendrix Dyas, Gilliam brought 700 trees to the backlot of a Czech film-studio to create an enchanting fairy-tale forest and realise his vision for the film. In emphasising the colourful fantasy of the Grimm fairy tales, Gilliam proves once again to be among the best there is at creating films that both disturb and amaze. There are parallels here with Tim Burton's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow but Gilliam's film is more vibrant, there is more warmth to the tale and here too is where The Brothers Grimm finds its charm.

Despite its flaws, the film's third act finale is worth the wait. Gilliam's visual flair is perfect for the imaginative way in which the film's narrative intertwines the original tales and the resolution is satisfying. In spite of the acting, the script and some dated CGI, The Brothers Grimm demonstrates Gilliam's unique touch and though this might not be enough to save it from obscurity, given a chance the film's failings do not distract from its visual excellence.