Movie Review ... Jack The Giant Slayer

 

‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ continues the recent trend in updating beloved children’s tales.  This is understandable given the built-in audience of children and adults alike who have grown up hearing them.  This version has the elements one knows from the Jack and the Beanstalk story with the special effects working over-time.  It also proves how adhering to commercial cinematic excess can muddy the magic found within an original folk story.

Spending his days as a farmhand, young Jack (Nicholas Hoult) craves adventure which happens when he accidentally opens a gateway to a world full of giants.  Re-commencing an ancient war and determined to re-claim their territory, the giants kidnap young princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson).  Charging into battle to save her and his kingdom, Jack uses all of his strength to re-store order to his troubled world.

A long delayed and mega-expensive production ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ arrives with much baggage.  It manages to shrug some off as the CGI is suitably fantastic.  The same can’t be said for the script or wooden acting with both undermining any gains.  There’s a continual struggle between child-like wonder and gorily violent incident with these obscuring its aims in appealing to a ‘family friendly’ audience.  An adventurous spirit is there although it lacks punch or much enthusiasm from Bryan Singer who has directed better films.

‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ also suffers from a continual shift in tone.  Moving from crude humour, light drama and romance never settles into one particular emotional plane.  This makes it difficult in becoming involved in this initially enchanting world with continued convenient contrivances becoming tiresome.  It’s a shame ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ lacks the courage of its convictions in providing anything new to an increasingly stale genre with little to recommend it.

A mediocre addition to the children’s fairy tale genre, ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ isn’t particularly memorable.  The sound of Hollywood’s production line factory can be heard as loudly as the giants’ roars with the only thing being slayed being movie-goer’s wallets.

Movie Review Rating out of 10:  5

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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