The BFG (2016) ☆ ☆ 1/2

Although Steven Spielberg is my favorite film director, I would rather he not spend his time on children’s fantasies like Hook, The Adventures of Tintin and this film, which features a young girl being kidnapped by a giant in jolly England.  Having said that, however, I am forced to admit that the film is quite enjoyable and amusing.  This simply supports my view that Spielberg is a master who can make a good movie out of anything — yet I would still prefer he would choose his projects with more care.

Young orphan Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) happens to see a giant in London, so naturally he scoops her up and takes her with him back to Giant Country, located somewhere offshore of England.  After some predictable skirmishes and misadventures they bond and the BFG (as she calls the giant, for Big Friendly Giant) teaches her how to capture dreams in Dream Country.  But other, man-eating giants are on their trail and the BFG (Mark Rylance) has to choose between sacrificing Sophie or finally standing up for himself against the giants who have bullied him for years (and eaten his earlier companion, a boy who invented the BFG term).

I could not have cared less about this fanciful fairy story (from the imagination of Roald Dahl), and yet Spielberg weaves his magic well, and much of the film is beautiful, tender, evocative and elegant.  Then there are the farting scenes, which give the famous one in Blazing Saddles a run for its money.  Scenes set in England, when Sophie and the giant drop in on the Queen, spoofing the British manner, are very funny.  And the special effects are generally excellent, especially when complemented by John Williams’ luminous score.

The bottom line is that Steven Spielberg has proved his mettle again, producing an entertaining film from an unlikely source.  Viewers with open hearts will like it more than I; kids should definitely enjoy it.  I would rather he stick to adventure and science-fiction, yet even I like this movie — although I hate the title, which I feel dooms the film’s commercial prospects.  ☆ ☆ 1/2.  7 July 2016.

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