For a 200 page children’s book, this made one long, dark movie.
Disney’s The BFG tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country.
My first issue is who is the audience for this movie, it is far too dark and far too long for younger children, but lacks appeal for a teenage audience. The younger children at the preview screening were certainly frightened at some points and all the children were restless by the 100 minute mark. The issue is there’s no need for the movie to be 120 minutes long, some scenes were not only boring, but repetitive. Some scenes with Sophie and the BFG add nothing to the film at all.
The comedy is certainly where the film finds its stride - scenes with Penelope Wilton and Rafe Spall are genius. The script certainly needed trimming. The performances are of varying quality, Mark Rylance is good as the BFG, but has so little to work with. Ruby Barnhill is less convincing, her performance feels very over the top and it seems as though she doesn’t believe what she’s saying. The rest of the human cast is great.
The cinematography and CGI looks wonderful, director Steven Spielberg has brought his mastery to this film and no matter how dull it’s always a visual treat.
Overall it needed to be shorter, more comedic and have a better idea of its market. One that can be missed.
2 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Walt Disney Entertainment
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