Review : BFG

Rating - 3.5/5

Sophie (Ruby Barnhill), a young orphan with insomnia, spends her evenings either walking the halls of the orphanage or reading books well into the wee hours of the night. On one of these restless nights, she finds herself face-to-face with "the boogie monster." He kidnaps her and takes her to live on Giant Island; as a result, Sophie spends the beginning of the movie terrified and angry -- she's scared of being eaten and then angry when she learns she’s expected to live on Giant Island for the rest of her life. But gradually Sophie and the "monster" get to know each other, and Sophie learns that he's actually a Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance), who walks the streets at night placing good dreams into children's rooms. As their friendship unfolds, the BFG shows caring and kindness toward Sophie -- and they work together to try to rid Giant Island of the rest of its scary, bullying residents, all of whom are eager to eat the "bean" (aka "child") that the BFG brought home with him. Sophie and the BFG power through dangerous encounters, terrifying close calls, and sheer hilarity as they discover a deep and truly unique friendship.

The answer unfolds over The BFG’s near two-hour running time and it’s not an unqualified thumbs up. Yes it’s sweet and has charm but it never soars with Spielbergian magic. It is burdened with a slow and uneventful plot and a central relationship, between the giant and the girl, which amuses but never really touches you.

It’s as if Spielberg’s light, inspirational, director’s touch has run aground on the quirky, darkly comedic rocks of Dahl’s storytelling; straining to capture the humour (comedy never being Spielberg’s strong suit) and somehow losing the human connection.

Spielberg the cinematic conjurer has become Spielberg the faithful journeyman in thrall to and perhaps intimidated by another artist’s unique voice and vision.

For her part young Sophie is a spirited girl whose life we never really fear for as she’s too tough and together for that and whose friendship with the BFG remains defiantly earthbound: a kind of practical partnership in which she advises him against the other, bullying giants who make his life a misery.

The picture sparks into life in the final third when the action returns to London and Buckingham Palace, as Sophie and The BFG dream up a wheeze to involve Her Majesty in a scheme to defeat the giants.

It’s enough to leave children smiling and cheering after the slow start, although the promised confrontation between the giants and Her Majesty’s Armed Forces is disappointingly rushed. The movie gods, then, may only be partially satisfied.