Movie Review: The BFG

The BFG/Dir. by Steven Spielberg/Walt Disney Pictures/117 min./Rated PG for action/peril, some scary moments and brief rude humor

The BFG is a film of firsts.  It's the first film Steven Spielberg has ever directed for Walt Disney Pictures.  It's also Spielberg's first live-action children's book adaptation.  It's the first Walt Disney film scored by legendary composer John Williams.  However, what makes it special and bittersweet is that it is also a notable last.  It is the last film with a screenplay by Melissa Mathison, the celebrated writer of E.T. and The Black Stallion.  Her heart, intelligence, and sense of wonder is in every frame, which, when combined with the original story by Roald Dahl and the visual brilliance of Spielberg, makes for a special, if somewhat uneven, film-going experience.

Sophie (terrifically played by Ruby Barnhill in her film debut) is an inquisitive, intelligent, and unusually brave and responsible little girl who is also an orphan that suffers from chronic insomnia.  This combination of personality traits all contribute her being abducted by a mysterious giant (Mark Rylance) who is ultimately revealed to be big and friendly.  Worried that she would reveal the existence of giants to the general populace after seeing him, the big, friendly giant (henceforth known as The BFG) takes Sophie to the land of the giants.  Unfortunately for Sophie, the BFG is the only giant to which the "friendly" moniker could be applied, especially considering their fondness for the taste of human "beans."

The BFG is short on story, but big on charm, largely because of the great performances by the two leads and the instant connection they share.  Yes, BFG is entirely motion capture CGI, but there is absolutely no question that Mark Rylance is at the heart of the character, creating perhaps the most engaging CGI character in a live-action movie since Andy Serkis searched for "the precious,"  and his relationship with "brave Sophie" quickly becomes an enchanting delight.

There are moments of pure magic in The BFG, particularly a visit to the land of dreams, which one would expect from the makers of E.T.  Interestingly, the most "Dahl-esque" elements of the movie, the gruesome and repellent non-friendly giants, are so effectively icky that the magic of the rest of the movie drains whenever they appear.  Thankfully, while they play an important role in the story, but they're spoken of more than they are scene.

As usual with a Spielberg movie, the technical elements are top note, with top-tier work from his usual suspects, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, editor Michael Kahn, and another insta-classic musical score from John Williams.

Unfortunately, I predict that The BFG will be a pretty big flop at the box office for a few reasons.  First, it's simple and sweet...no smart-talking donkeys, no hyper-active minions, no pop-culture references.  There is one running bathroom-humor gag, but even it is innocent and fantastical.  Secondly, it's an expensive fantasy movie based on a three decade-old novel that is certainly not as popular now as it was when I was a kid.  In addition, the marketing assumed that the title and the name Roald Dahl were enough, downplaying the outstanding talent making the film.  Lastly, Disney released it two weeks after they released their own Finding Dory, which was clearly going to be a mega-blockbuster.

However, if you're looking for a sweet, simple, old-fashioned family film, something not perfect, but warm and enchanting, then The BFG would fit the bill quite nicely.

Grade: B