[yasr_overall_rating]
A girl named Sophie encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kindhearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because, unlike them, he refuses to eat children.
Before Steven Spielberg directed “Schindler’s List” back in 1993, he had never been taken seriously by the critics. To many, he was the Peter Pan of movies, capable of creating wondrous and astonishing tales, like “Jaws,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “E.T.” and “Jurassic Park,” but whenever he tried his hand at contemplative and weighty fare, films like “The Color Purple,” “Empire of the Sun” and “Always,” the critics told him to stick to what he knew best. While “Schindler’s List” proved all the naysayers wrong, it also had a lasting effect on the man himself. It almost feels like the movie’s brutal and unflinching subject matter forced Spielberg to grow up and put away childish things, once and for all. And that is sad because it was this director who inspired me to make films when I was 9 years old.
With “The BFG,” Spielberg teams up with Disney and the estate of writer Roald Dahl, to bring one of his most famous works to the big screen. While the movie’s overall visage looks beautiful and pristine, sadly, it never goes any deeper than that. At times, Spielberg hearkens back to “E.T.,” trying desperately to infuse the magical elements and iconic imagery that film displayed, including the now-famous scene where Elliott’s finger, and that of E.T. touches, but within the constraints of this story, it feels antiquated and a sense of deja vu sets in.
Young Sophie (newcomer Ruby Barnhill in her big screen debut), lives in an orphanage on the outskirts of London. She keeps an eye on all the other children who dwell along with her but one night, after witnessing a giant (Mark Rylance), roaming the streets outside the orphanage, he sees her and reaches in through her window and takes her to Giant Country, a magical and wondrous land, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Thinking that he is going to eat her, she pleads with him not to, only to discover that he is not in the least bit hostile, on the contrary, he is funny and friendly and before you know it, the two become friends.
However, he does warn her that the other giants, who live nearby, are not friendly, and would eat her up in a second were they ever to find her. When it surfaces that the giants have been traveling to London under the guise of darkness, and are kidnapping children in their sleep, Sophie and the BFG must make their way back to the city and try to persuade the Queen (Penelope Wilton), to send her troops to Giant Country, where they can cast them out forever, before it’s too late.
While the movie’s special effects and CGI are top-notch, the story and characterizations leave a lot to be desired. Mark Rylance as the BFG is exceptional, and even though his character is mostly CGI-enhanced, he is the only character in the film that conveys any sort of authentic emotion, at any given time. Ruby Barnhill does fine as young Sophie but it is quite obvious that this is her first major role and with more experience, I am sure she will go on to do marvelous things. One scene in the movie involves flatulence, and a lot of it, and while the kids will get a laugh out of it, it goes on far too long and after a while, you keep waiting for it to end so the rest of the story can be told.
Overall, this is another disappointment from Spielberg. His last true “fun” movie, was back in 1997 with “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.” Although it was not as good as its predecessor, it was enjoyable nonetheless. Since then however, none of his popcorn movies have had the same feel he brought to them before “Schindler’s List.” “Minority Report” and “War of the Worlds” were fine, and the less said about “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” the better. Even Spielberg’s last drama, “Bridge of Spies,” felt emotionally empty, almost like he was going through the motions and with “The BFG,” it feels identical. I just hope that the director who inspired not just me, but millions of other young filmmakers, gets his mojo back soon because I miss the real Steven Spielberg.
In theaters Friday, July 1st
