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BFG, The (PG)

Adventure, Family, Fantasy

A girl named Sophie encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kindhearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because, unlike them, he refuses to eat children.

The critical consensus

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.

***(*)(*)Anna Smith, Empire Online, 14/07/2016

Spielberg takes a break from historical dramas to deliver a technical tour de force that is all soul and imagination. And Rylance rocks.

****(*)Jamie Graham, Total Film, 17/07/2016

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.

***(*)(*)Geoffrey MacNab, The Independent, 20/07/2016

Capturing brilliantly the magic available only to children, Steven Spielberg’s big-hearted, family-friendly adaptation is a triumph.

****(*)Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 21/07/2016

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.

****(*)Allan Hunter, Daily Express, 22/07/2016

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.

***(*)(*)Henry Fitzherbert, Sunday Express, 24/07/2016

Mark Rylance makes Roald Dahl’s big softie completely believable in Steven Spielberg’s winning adaptation.

****(*)Mark Kermode, The Observer, 24/07/2016

The film never really takes flight the way it should.

***(*)(*)Alistair Harkness, The Scotsman, 24/07/2016

Where and when?

General release. Check local listings for show times.

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