Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: Bryan Singer, New Line Cinema, M 114 Minutes.
‘X-Men’ director Bryan Singer has helmed a fascinating twist to the popular fairy-tale “Jack and the Beanstalk” after adapting the story to the screen by writers Darren Lemke and Christopher McQuarrie.
As shown in the opening scenes Jack (Nicholas Hoult – X Men First Class) is sent to the market by his grumpy uncle to sell their horse to obtain food.
Instead he finds himself being distracted by having to rescue Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson – ‘The Illusionist’) from a couple of ruffians and is then deceived by a monk into trading his horse for a bagful of (magical) beans.
When he returns home his furious uncle throws the beans away, some fall below the floorboards where the outside rain makes them begin to sprout.
After she tells her father King Brahmwell (Ian McShane – ‘Hercules’) of her refusal to marry the scheming Roderick (Stanley Tucci – ‘Hunger Games’) Isabelle flees from the palace and finds shelter from the rain in Jack’s home.
Before too long the wooden hut (with Isabelle inside) is seen reaching into the clouds while Jack stares hopelessly at the giant beanstalk just prior to the King’s men arrival.
Jack volunteers his services by accompanying Elmont (Ewan McGregor – ‘The Impossible’) captain of the King’s guard and Roderick in climbing up the beanstalk to rescue Isabelle.
Upon reaching the top they find a mythical land where Jack discovers (like in the fairy-tale) that giants do really exist.
From this point on CGI effects take over as the hideous looking giants (led by one with a grotesque second head) begins disposing of their pint-sized opponents while Roderick controls the giants by wearing a magical crown.
The giants subsequently use the beanstalk to go down below to wreak as much havoc as possible on the human kingdom.
But as everyone knows in almost every fairy-tale good triumphs over evil and there is always a “happily ever after” ending.
Despite Singer’s enjoyable live-action adaptation of the famous fairy-tale containing certain flaws there are still many scenes that are mostly entertaining not to mention his inclusion of some gigantic special effects.
Although the performances are in the main mediocre there is a degree of enjoyment derived from the portrayals by Hoult and Tomlinson as the “love-birds” Jack and Isabelle.
Jack the Giant Slayer is being televised on 7FLIX on Saturday 6 February at 7.00pm.
Vic’s Verdict: 3 Stars
