"Why are you giving me a dream?"

Filmology Rating: 2.5 out of 4

10 year old Sophie was wide awake one night when she looked out her orphanage window and saw a giant…. The giant, being afraid and not knowing what to do, took Sophie away to the giant country. Scared at first, Sophie soon realizes that he is just a Big Friendly Giant and isn’t a threat at all. As their friendship begins to grow, Sophie learns that the BFG is rather a very small giant and gets picked on for being different. Sophie and the BFG come up with a plan that should hopefully get rid of the giants once and for all.

The BFG is Steven Spielberg’s newest film. Whenever there is a Spielberg film, you know my nerdy self is going to be there no matter what it is. The man is a legend. He completely immerses you in a world of visual awe and wonder. This is by far the BFG’s biggest appeal. The visual aspects of the BFG himself (along with a fantastic performance from Mark Rylance who worked with Spielberg on his previous film Bride of Spies) were beautiful along with the appeal of giant country. It was a whole world that you wanted to go be in yourself. This one scene with the dream tree and dream catching was fantastic. It had emotion, it had visual appeal, and it had a childish wonder to it that can appeal to everyone. This had Spielberg written all over it and it was brilliant.

However, once we leave this giant country and go back to the real world. I really did lose interest. It became too silly and lost this dreamlike feel it had to it. This really made me disappointed because I was really enjoying the other world and the feel it had! Once we leave giant country, it no longer feels like a Spielberg film. It lost its momentum and it lost me. The plan that they had to get rid of the giants just didn’t do it for me. Yes I mean it was a good plan I guess but I think it took away from the film by leaving the dream world it had set up so well in the first act. I really don’t know how to describe it without giving away what the plan was a spoiling the second half of the film. It just didn’t have the same feel to it and it seemed to drag on.

So I really did enjoy the first half of the film but personally, the second half lost me. I didn’t care as much as they wanted me to and I just wasn’t invested anymore. However, this is still a good movie for what it is. It sets up a great dreamlike world for you and the BFG is adorable. Sophie, played by Ruby Barnhill was fantastic. This was her first ever role and she was incredible! Sophie was smart, likeable, mature, and also had a childlike awe and wonder about her. She will have a bright future ahead of her for sure. Overall The BFG is a great family film that should entertain most. The Spielberg effect and the visuals are reason enough to go see the BFG.

Rating: See It 

-Nick