Giant expectations may lead to tiny disappointments in this two-hander that’s slow in parts. But it still offers magic and visual delights, and the final act is a treat.
Spielberg takes a break from historical dramas to deliver a technical tour de force that is all soul and imagination. And Rylance rocks.
There’s no real emotional urgency. That’s why The BFG is ultimately such an anticlimax in spite of the ingenuity and formidable craftsmanship behind it.
Capturing brilliantly the magic available only to children, Steven Spielberg’s big-hearted, family-friendly adaptation is a triumph.
The film is very good at warming the cockles of your heart but not so effective at creating the edge-of-the-seat tension that made Spielberg classics Jaws and E.T. so unforgettable.
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.
Mark Rylance makes Roald Dahl’s big softie completely believable in Steven Spielberg’s winning adaptation.
The film never really takes flight the way it should.
General release. Check local listings for show times.