[Review] The BFG

Snozzcumber and Frobscottle!

After delivering the excellent Cold War drama Bridge of Spies, Steven Spielberg (with his 32nd film!) re-teams with Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance for something in a much different realm. Based on Roald Dahl's novel of the same name, The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) taps into--or should I say stomps into--childlike wonder and fantasy. But of course it's no E.T. the Extraterrestrial.

Meet Sophie (Ruby Barnhill), an inquisitive night owl. One evening she's swooped up from her orphanage by a mysterious giant (played by Rylance) and taken to his home in Giant Country. It's a cool sequence, as the swift giant cleverly conceals himself in the shadows, posing as a streetlight or a tree amidst the England streets. If this sounds a little creepy, don't worry--he's a nice giant. The two form a friendship, and Sophie learns about the giant's hobby of catching and planting dreams, all while attempting to avoid the other giants, who are barbaric and flesh-hungry.

As a seamless mixture of live-action/CGI/motion capture, the film exudes some imaginative production design. From the giant's pirate ship bed, to the nasty and wormy food, to a tree of fairy-esque dreams surrounded by Aurora Borealis lights--it all looks really good. Like always, Spielberg makes sure to showcase some spectacular shots. Ruby Barnhill is a breakthrough as the precocious protagonist, and we never once doubt her discoveries. Mark Rylance turns in another great performance, especially through the eyes--he's gentle, caring, and weary all at once.

The film's humor is mild, and the emotions unfortunately don't run as high as you'd want them to. The third act also takes a misfit turn and leads to head-scratching ending (though I've heard it's very loyal to the book). So, The BFG won't go down as a classic or even one of the best films of the year. But for a couple of hours, it's a scrum-diddly-umptious thing to get swept away in.

7.5/10