Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Eleanor Tomlinson
Director: Bryan Singer
Rating: 3.5/5
The fairy story movie has become very popular in recent years and this week sees the story of Jack and the Beanstalk adapted for the big screen.
The movie sees Bryan Singer return to the director’s chair as he put his spin on this very popular and well known tale.
An ancient war is re-ignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants.
Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack (Nicholas Hoult), into the battle of his life to stop them.
Fighting for a kingdom and its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend... and gets the chance to become a legend himself.
Jack The Giant Slayer is a movie that doesn’t exactly set the movie world alight but it is a film that is a lot of fun with some great actors creating some fascinating and funny characters.
This is an action packed romp that does have an awful lot of charm and there really are some great moments.
Nicholas Hoult is making quite a name for himself this year and this is another solid performance from the actor as he takes on the central character well.
Jack is a character who, quite literally, has his head in his hands, but there is a swashbuckling hero just waiting to burst out as he gets the chance show what he is made of.
But the movie really does belong to Ewan McGregor and Stanley Tucci; Tucci camps it up as the would be villain while McGregor is the dashing solider who never drops that very funny posh accent. You also get to see the actor as a sausage roll - and there is a phrase I never thought I would be using.
Jack The Giant Slayer is a fantasy movie, action film and romantic tale all rolled into one very neat if never daring film.
However the movie does take a while to get going and it is really only the second half that contains the exciting action as the human’s battle against a giant invasion.
Given the slow start the movie does outstay its welcome a little and perhaps would have benefited from have twenty minutes shaved off the run time.
It is great to see Bryan Singer back in director’s chair and he really has creating a film that is visually very rich - the giants themselves look fantastic; the unmistakable voice of Bill Nighy really brings the character of General Fallon to life.
We may have seen a rise in fairy story movies over the last few years but they really have been incredibly hit and miss. Jack The Giant Killer is certainly not without it’s flaws but is one of the more enjoyable films in this genre.
Despite having a predictability about it this is a movie that you can just kick back and enjoy as it does have a great blend of comedy and action - even if you do know exactly how the story is going to end.
Jack The Giant Slayer is out now
Tagged in Bryan Singer Nicholas Hoult Jack the Giant Slayer