‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ Review

Release Date: March 1, 2013
Director: Bryan Singer
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Film Pulse Score: 5/10

Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Slayer is a movie that comes dangerously close to being a big budget summer blockbuster that contains both good performances and a solid story.  To say it comes dangerously close means that it did indeed miss the mark a bit, but that’s not to say it’s an entirely bad film as one might have guessed from the dreadful trailers. It’s a light adventure film that harkens back to the days of Princess Bride or Dragonheart and forgets the dark brooding emo style of such recent fantasies Snow White and the Huntsman or Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters. It certainly doesn’t get everything right, but it’s still a fun movie if you can get past its flaws.

If you’re a human being and can comprehend anything, odds are you’ve heard the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Nicholas Hoult plays Jack, an energetic garm boy who longs for adventure.  One day while in town, attempting to sell the family horse, he’s approached by a monk who is attempting to flee the castle and gives him a pouch full of beans in return for the horse.  Little does Jack know these beans are the magic variety and will lead him on the adventure of a lifetime.

What we have here is a fairly straightforward fantasy tale. A peasant boy who gets placed in a crazy situation where he must save a princess- check.  Larger than life monsters that seem impossible to beat save for one small weakness that can bring them all to their knees- check. Plotline involving an evil consort to the king who is planning to usurp the throne- check.

Yes it’s all here, just about every fantasy film trope you can think of.  Fortunately, most of these elements are successfully done, and feel right within the context of the film itself. The love story may have felt a little shoe horned in, but there isn’t that much time spent with it, so it’s not a big deal. It’s a fun adventure despite several plot holes and incongruities that remain prevalent throughout the 114-minute runtime.

It’s the great cast that makes this movie break away from being something completely clichéd.  Ian McShane plays the noble yet badass king, Ewan McGregor and Eddie Marsan are knights in the Royale Guard, and Stanley Tucci plays Roderick, the human villain of the film.  Each character fit very well with the actor playing the part, however it seemed like the casting might have been a little too predictable.  Each actor never really had to leave their wheelhouse and each performance felt like something we’ve seen before in previous films. While none of the actors did a bad job, the safe casting choices only helped the film be even more middle of the road.

On a technical level, the effects were sub par. The destruction and animation during the beanstalk scenes was passable, but the creature design of the giants themselves just didn’t look that good at all.

Jack the Giant Slayer is a mediocre film that will entertain, but not enlighten most of its viewers.  While it will be most likely immediately forgotten the second it leaves theaters, it’s still better than and more competently made than most of what’s currently playing during these dry movie months.