The BFG (2016): Film review and trailer
Movie: The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant)
Genre: adventure, fantasy, family
Director: Steven Spielberg
Script writer: Melissa Mathison
Based on: Roald Dahl’s “The BFG”
Cast: Mark Rylance (The Big Friendly Giant), Ruby Barnhill (Sophie, an orphant), Penelope Wilton (Queen Elizabeth), Jemaine Clement (the Fleshlumpeater, the leader of human-eating giants), Rebecca Hall (Mary, the Queen’s maid), Rafe Spall (Mr. Tibbs, the Queen’s butler) and others.
Year: 2016.
Country: USA.
Release dates: click here
Running time: 1 hour 57 minutes.
Official website:click here
The BFG (2016) is Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book. The fantasy adventure is starring a new comer Ruby Barnhill as Sophie, an orphan who becomes friends with a 8-metre friendly and big-hearted giant played by Oscar winner Mark Rylance. The script was written by late Melissa Mathison who was also the screenwriter of Steven Spielberg’s famous E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The unusual and beatiful friendship of the little girl and the giant will penetrate into heart and soul of any viewer.
The BFG story line
The BFG is a story about a 10-year-old smart, curious, and brave little girl – Sophie – who lives in an orphanage and a friendly giant whose passion is to bring goodness to people in a form of dreams. The giant kidnaps Sophie from the orphanage as she spotted him wandering at night in the streets. He takes the girl to his far-away Giant Country and brings her to his home.
The BFG, or Big Friendly Giant, as he introduces himself to Sophie, tells her that she will have to live in his home lifetime so she will not be able to spread the news about giants in the world of humans. Gradually the two become good friends. They share with each other their life stories, passions, hobbies, and problems they face. Both are “outsiders” and lonely in their worlds.
The Big Friendly Giant turns out to be the shortest giant of only 8 metres in his Giant Country. Others man-eating giants call him “a runt”. Unlike his counrtrymen, the BFG is a vegetarian, growing vegetables in his little garden. The BFG has a very unusual job which is his great passion and which he does secretly from other giants. The friendly giant catches dreams in miraculous Dream Country, collects them in glasses and stores at his home. Each dream is labeled. Every night the BFG sneaks from Giant Country to the human world and sends pleasant dreams to children.
The BFG prepares a nightmare for Sophie, too, to make her believe that escaping from his tree house will turn out into a dangerous enterprise. The girl finally accepts her destiny to stay with her new friend. When the BFG prepares to go on his job, Sophie insists to take her. Trying to sneak out from the sleeping giants, the friends unwillingly wake them up. The angry giants find out about the BFG’s secret job and smell the human creature. From this point the story development starts.
The giants create a lot of troubles for the BFG searching for Sophie. To save the child, the friendly giant takes Sophie back to the orphanage and leaves her there. But the smart girl finds a tricky way to return her new friend. She also suggests a way to get rid of the man-eating giant gang. Sophie and the BFG make a plan to visit the Queen. The prepare a dream for her and sneak to the palace garden. According to the Queen’s order, the royal army sends the giants to an uninhabitant island.
The BFG 2016 trailer
Viewer impressions
As it was mentioned before The BFG is a family fantasy adventure. It plunges the adience into a totaly new imaginary world. Though many critics says that the film lacks action and development of events, there are very impressive and unforgettable scenes which will make your jaw drop down. The first scene is in the beginning of the movie. It presents the BFG’s conspiration art. He skillfully hides from people who can see him walking at night in London’s streets.
Another breath-taking episode shows the BFG running from the human world to his Giant Country. Vast landscapes and nature are captivating. The eye gets a good dose of boundless sky and sea, majestic mountains and calm clouds. With the fast changing frames makes the audience almost stop breathing for the time the BFG gets back to his home. The episode literally takes the viewer away from the ordinary world into the magestically beautiful land of fairytale.
The next episaode which deserves our attention is when BFG and Sophie arrive to the Dream World. Frankly saying, it really looks artificial. However it doesn’t obstruct to admire the magical view of the tree, lake and lights (dreams) flying all around. The whole atmosphere lures with magic and evoke a desire to become a part of this wonderful Dream World.
Overall, the The BFG may seem a bit dragged-out. Yet, we guess that this time Steven Spielberg has focused more on visual pleasantness of the created world and characters rather than on action. The director has also closely followed the original story by R. Dahl. The BFG is an example of big open heart, true friendship, courage, creative mind and magic which exists in our life but we may not notice it. Besides being a bit slow, The BFG is worth watching. The film is rated for audience of the age 12+.
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