Jack the Giant Slayer

Jack the Giant Slayer

From: Warner Bros Pictures

Release Date: March 1, 2013

Category: Action/Adventure, Fantasy

Director: Bryan Singer

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The beloved fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk gets the big-screen treatment courtesy of director Bryan Singer and screenwriters Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie, and Dan Studney in this fantasy adventure about a naïve farm boy who attempts to rescue a beautiful princess from a race of vengeful giants. When Jack inadvertently opens a passageway that allows giants to cross into our reality, the towering titans stake their claim on the world of humans. Should they succeed, Jack’s kingdom will be but the first of many to fall. Now, in order to save his people and rescue a noble princess, Jack must summon every ounce of bravery to drive out the invading giants.

Jack the Giant Slayer was a fun movie. You all know I like twists on traditional tales and although I don’t think I’ve ever featured “Jack and the Beanstalk” as one of my Thursday Tales, it’s a story most of us know. In this version, though, there are many giants and they are ready to attack when the beanstalk connects the two lands.

Jack is a good hero. He’s not overly muscled, he doesn’t have any magical weapons. He’s clever, as Jack should be, and determined, and, of course, in love with princess. The princess is not a traditional damsel in distress. Yes, she needs rescued, but she’s fairly useful and resourceful herself.

I can’t say it’s a “good” movie. The characters, for the most part, are shallow, and the plot straightforward. But it’s enjoyable and I especially liked how some comments or thoughts are echoed by different characters throughout the film. The good guys are good, the giants evil. Almost main characters get killed off with little fanfare. Of course it has a happy ending, and the bad guy gets his just punishment. It is a fairy tale after all. It’s a good family movie, at least for families whose kids are older. (It’s rated PG-13 for intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language.) There’s some violence but nothing overly-graphic, in my opinion, and I like the rather sweet, innocent romance. It’s one where we all left the theater smiling.

We did see this in 2D rather than 3D. First, it’s a little cheaper, and to be honest, I’m just sick of 3D.

Did you see it? What did you think?

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