Time Bandits

I am a big Python fan, and I adore Gilliam's style. Lately, however, I've found his movies to be lacking... something. Perhaps I'm losing my sense of fantasy in my old age, or maybe I see the ragged edges of creation (staging) too acutely since studying film. Possibly I can't get all that into a film that lacks any female characters (fluffy cameos by Shelley Duvall and Mona from "Who's the Boss" withstanding). Possibly I was not blown away by the dwarves' acting. Am I being too critical of the obvious cheapness of the special effects, or have I seen Gilliam recycle the same Middle Ages theme once too often? Still, better than average. Having a soundtrack by George Harrison didn't hurt. Rated 4.