Fri, May 24, 2013

Jack the Giant Slayer (New Line Cinema)

By Lucas Allen
Mar 07, 2013 12:00 am
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With the success of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, more action-packed fantasy blockbusters based on beloved fairy tales have been unleashed on excited audiences including last summer’s Snow White and the Huntsman and this month’s Oz the Great and Powerful.

The new film Jack the Giant Slayer, from X-Men director Bryan Singer, attempts to add a new, fresh twist on the classic tale Jack and the Beanstalk. Is this the giant-sized adventure the movie advertises, or just falls short of the beanstalk?

Eighteen-year-old Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is a simple farm boy, who always believes in the legend of King Erik and the giants.

One day after trading in his white horse for a bag of beans from a monk, he’s visited by the rebellious princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson), who ran away from the castle when she didn’t want to marry the prince Roderick (Stanley Tucci) that her father King Brahmwell wanted her to. Suddenly, drops of rain turns the beans into a huge beanstalk that teleports the princess to the top of the sky.

With the help of Roderick and the king’s army, led by Elmont (Ewan McGregor), Jack climbs all the way to the top where he finds the land of the giants in his childhood legendary stories to be true. The giants led by the two-headed general Fallon, (Bill Nighy) imprison Isabelle and want to eat her as an act of revenge, since she’s the living descendant of King Erik.

As Jack and Elmont try to rescue the princess, Roderick reveals his evil intentions by making himself king of the giants and takes over the kingdom. He does that by using Erik’s old crown made from the heart of a giant. Soon, it reignites the war of the giants that Jack and Elmont will have to use all their courage to stop.

As ridiculous as the plot may be. like last January’s Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, it’s actually a good excuse to create escapist entertainment –  especially for those who want to escape the winter blues.

While the movie delivers both action and fantasy, it’s the 3-D that truly delivers. It has one of the best 3-D rain effects ever produced. It makes you feel like you are actually in the middle of a rainstorm.

The performances range from "pretty good" to "over-the-top," which is to be expected in a fantasy-comedy like this.

Hoult wasn’t the best "Jack," because he doesn’t bring enough charisma to the character. He’s just a standard fantasy hero. He is not as interesting as Elijah Wood’s Frodo from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

However, McGregor and Tucci’s performances more than make up for that. McGregor is having fun playing a cocky, courageous type of character with the funniest lines. Tucci plays an entertaining villain, who never comes off as one-dimensional or irritating.

Though not as good as Alice and Snow White, Jack the Giant Slayer is more action-packed entertainment that appeals to younger viewers. It’s definitely the right film to watch to get away from the endless snowstorms we seem to be getting.

THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for intense scenes of fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief language)

THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3 Stars (Out of Four)

Copyright 2013 Sun Media Group